Football can often be a complicated game. However, at equal times it is incredibly fundamental and very simple in summary. “When you’re hot, you’re hot.” That was the fitting and prevailing slogan for Geelong last Saturday. Kane Hunkin looks at Geelong’s dissection of Port Melbourne last weekend.
It was impressive, if not clinical, in the way the reigning premiers, in an anticipated grand final re-match, defeated a visiting Port Melbourne side. Excusing the fact the two teams played in last year’s showpiece, in a matter of current significance, going into the game these two were both top four sides.
Four quarters of football is often viewed as a short or long period of time depending on the result. While Geelong entered as equals, they left their home field as the mighty. The mid-season physical, and perhaps mental, blow was landed on the weekend. It was reinforced directly to the Borough and to the rest of the competition too – the reigning premiers are still to be the hunted.
A four-quarter display, again led primarily by a core VFL-list, gave the Cats their third consecutive win and entrenches them in the top four.
Jack Hollmer and Brad Hartman hit the scoreboard with three apiece, while Josh Caddy, Mitch Brown and Josh Walker had all thirds of the ground covered in solid individual displays.
Typically articulate and pragmatic, Geelong coach Matthew Knights observed the spirited performance.
“We knew Port were going to be keen on the game after last year’s grand final. All credit to our players, just any team we put out there [at the moment] is playing the right way and playing hard footy,” Knights said.
Despite a big lead in the last quarter, an incident on the far wing late in the game, which saw Troy Selwood cradling his right arm after a heavy collision, typified the afternoon. Selwood would return, with Knights touching on the significance of leadership.
“We were 80 points up and Troy Selwood puts his body on the line at the 23rd minute mark. As a coach you think, geez does he need to do that? But there’s no other way. That’s why the young guys play the way they do because they see Troy and Dom [Gleeson], and Mark Corrigan playing like that and it’s quite inspiring for all the youth at the club to see,” he said.
Josh Caddy, having returned from injury and a stint in the AFL, has proved a key addition to the VFL side recently, with the young midfielder best on ground on Saturday.
“It’s great to come back to the VFL and play with the young guys on the AFL list. It’s enjoyable to play in this side,” Caddy aptly said.
The former Gold Coast player noted how time in the VFL has allowed him to hone his midfield game.
“In the VFL I get to spend a bit more time in the midfield, which is more my strength. With the depth we have, we have some great midfielders in the AFL side. It’s great to come back to the VFL and get some instinctiveness back in my game,” Caddy said.
Geelong will look to keep the status quo when they travel to Coburg this Sunday to take on the Tigers.
If last Saturday’s form is indicative of where Geelong is headed, the rest of the competition know they have plenty of work to do.
Last Modified on 26/06/2013 21:25