By Lewis Mulvey
The ‘Preston Southerly’ is becoming the stuff of legend as another gale-force wind wreaked havoc on the Northern Bullants and Geelong. The Bullants came home with the wind trailing by four goals at three-quarter time, and while they squandered numerous chances and looked like they might not do enough to win, Shane Neaves and Adam Hartlett were able to kick goals very late on to give the Bullants a seven point victory.
Yet again in Preston, the game was won by the ability to score at the southern end of the ground. Not a single goal was kicked at the northern end, with the wind affecting the skills of the players and their ability to kick long, and causing boundary throw ins to curve twenty metres toward the southern goal square. Geelong kicked with the breeze in the first term and dominated possession, with the impressive Trent West kicking the first goal of the game by way of a checkside floater that was taken through on the wind. The Cats lost their captain and leading goal-scorer James Podsiadly early on to a foot injury, yet they fought on valiantly. Adam Varcoe was brilliant throughout, his skill and pace setting up a number of Geelong goals in the first term.
Geelong took a 31 point lead into the first break, yet it seemed that this might not even be adequate with the wind appearing to pick up at quarter time to official ‘gale-force’ levels. Jason Saddington got the Bullants off to a good start by kicking the first goal of the term, before Chris Yarran became the benefactor of a Geelong gift as the Cats defenders became more and more frustrated with their suffering skills. The Bullants began an assault on the goals, with their inaccuracy the only thing keeping Geelong in the match as they kicked 5.13 for the term.
The third quarter was back on script as the Cats dominated again, with Geelong’s Brodie Moles, who roved brilliantly all day, kicking the first of his three goals for the term. Ryan Gamble began to demand more and more of the football and crashed through packs in a brilliant performance, while West and Taylor Hunt managed to kick goals for the Cats to establish a lead. When Moles roved in the forward line, controlled the ball and snapped for a major, the Cats extended their lead to four goals at three quarter time.
The final quarter was a tense affair, with the Cats starting well and attacking the football and Steven Motlop flying high to take a brilliant juggled speccie. The Bullants seemed rattled and blazed away from too far out, but finally got their first goal of the term when Hartlett marked and goaled from around 70 metres out, pumping up the crowd and his teammates. Steven Browne was becoming an enormous influence for the Bullants rebounding the ball from half-back, yet Brad Fisher and Saddington both missed opportunities to goal, and it looked as if the Bullants would not be able to do enough. Darren Pfeiffer goaled to bring the margin to six points, before controversy late-on saw Shane Neaves gifted a goal from a free-kick and 50 metre penalty, giving the Bullants a one point lead, although confusion with the scoreboard meant the players thought the scores were still level.
The Cats went forward again and had an opportunity to score, however the Bullants were able to hold them off and get the ball to Hartlett who iced the game from the boundary line, cementing his side’s final place and keeping the hopes of a top four finish alive.
Northern Bullants 0.1 5.14 5.16 9.23 (77)
Geelong 4.8 4.9 9.16 9.16 (70)
GOALS:
Northern Bullants: Yarran 2 Hartlett 2 Jacobs Saddington Pfeiffer Fisher Warnock
Geelong: Moles 3 West 2 Raidme Priest Laidler Hunt
BEST:
Northern Bullants: Browne, Anderson, Jacobs, Garlett, Warnock, Fisher
Geelong: Moles, Gamble, Varcoe, West, Hunt, Firman
Last Modified on 20/08/2009 12:11