GEELONG has made light work of Essendon on Saturday afternoon, thrashing the Bombers by 95 points in front of a crowd of 61,643 at the MCG.
Superstar forward Jeremy Cameron was superb with a game-high six goals, whilst Bailey Smith made a successful return from hamstring tightness collecting 41 disposals and racking up 760 metres gained in Geelong's 23.13 (151) to 8.8 (56) win.
It was the 10th version of the Country Game between these two sides and though Essendon showed glimpses of their capabilities, particularly in the first and third quarters, the classy Cats easily kept them at bay kicking their highest score of the season.
Cameron was one of 11 individual goal kickers for Geelong, with fellow forwards Shannon Neale (four goals), Shaun Mannagh (three), Patrick Dangerfield (two) and winger Ollie Dempsey (two) the other multiple goal scorers.
The huge win was soured by an injury to key defender Sam De Koning who was left grabbing at his left wrist following a contest in the second quarter. De Koning returned briefly to the game in the second half, but was subbed out midway through the third term with what the Cats have described as a shoulder injury.
The Bombers started with purpose, moving the ball with speed and quick decision to create an entertaining brand of football. But with their high-risk, high-reward game style errors crept in, and when they slipped up, the Cats pounced.
From Essendon’s turnovers, the class of Geelong shone, with midfielders Smith and Max Holmes (36 disposals, 873 metres gained) running amok through the centre of the ground. Up forward, the slippery Cameron often found himself free deep inside 50 and on the end of the Cats’ slick ball movement.
Cameron wasn’t the only forward creating headaches for Bomber defenders, with mature-age recruit Shaun Mannagh and Shannon Neale joining in with two goals each in the opening term.
Essendon’s forays forward were chaotic in comparison, with its only two goals coming from a low-percentage shot from the boundary by Jade Gresham and Matt Guelfi snapping from a contest.
After a quiet opening term, Geelong skipper Patrick Dangerfield started to make his mark on the game, providing two successive goal assists to Cameron, who was now up to four majors five minutes into the second term.
It looked as though Dangerfield was going to have his third consecutive goal assist when he drove the ball long to the goal square from outside 50. Oliver Dempsey slid back to take one of his signature flying marks, but played on to unbelievably miss from less than 10 metres out.
The Bombers were lost for answers when exiting their defensive half, with their attempts quickly quelled by Cats defenders, in particular Lawson Humphries and Tom Stewart who quickly rebounded, turning the defence into attack. Finally, Essendon broke the run of five consecutive Geelong goals when Guelfi scored his second for the game, reducing the margin to 35 points at the main break.
It was goal-for-goal to start the second half as Peter Wright kicked his first for the game, as did Xavier Duursma. But every time the Bombers looked like they were reducing the deficit, the Cats scored with goals of their own. The game opened up with 12 goals for the term, but though Essendon scored five, Geelong outscored them with seven.
The Bombers were unable to register a goal in the final term, whilst the Cats continued with their attack adding seven further goals to run away 95-point winners.
ESSENDON 2.4 3.7 8.7 8.8 (56)
GEELONG 6.3 9.6 16.8 23.13 (151)
GOALS
Essendon: Guelfi 2, Wright 2, Gresham, Duursma, Roberts, Kako
Geelong: Cameron 6, Neale 4, Mannagh 3, Dangerfield 2, Dempsey 2, Close, Holmes, Humphries, Stengle, Miers, Stanley
BEST
Essendon: Setterfield, Merrett, Goldstein, Prior, Guelfi
Geelong: Cameron, Smith, Holmes, Neale, Dempsey
INJURIES
Essendon: Nil
Geelong: Sam De Koning (shoulder)
SUBSTITUTES
Essendon: Archie Perkins (replaced Archer Day-Wicks in the third quarter)
Geelong: Mitch Duncan (replaced Sam De Koning in the third quarter)
Crowd: 61,643 at the MCG
