Match

Geelong Cats vs Melbourne

Commentary / 08 Apr 2017

Pre Game

59:30

Welcome to Etihad Stadium for the Geelong Cats v Melbourne Round 3 clash.

59:33

Outs for Cats: G.Horlin-Smith, D.Lang, R.Stanley, J.Cowan

59:34

Ins for Cats: S.Menegola, J.Parsons, Z.Smith, C.Guthrie

59:35

Outs for Demons: J.Lewis, J.Hogan, A.Brayshaw

59:36

Ins for Demons: T.Smith, B.Vince, D.Kent

59:40

Don't forget to enter your tips for this match, you have until the bounce to make your selection.

00:00

Geelong has taken a mark from 23 percent of offensive one-on-one contests (ranked first), and has taken 13 contested marks in its forward 50 this season (also ranked first).

Quarter 1

00:00

Q1 is now underway.

01:22

Jeff Garlett with the opening score of the game, and very nearly a goal of the year contender. Last week against his old team, Garlett was the top ranked player on the ground in AFL Player Rating points (24.8), contributing three goals and two assists.

02:16

SCORE BEHIND - Demons (Alex Neal-Bullen)

05:31

Some good forward pressure by the Cats leading to the shot at goal for Henderson. The Demons have applied more pressure than their opposition in seven of their eight quarters this season, which is ranked No.1.

08:32

Daniel Menzel kicks the opening goal of the game for the Cats. Menzel kicked four crucial goals last week against the Kangaroos, and scored a career-high 26.3 AFL Player Rating points against the Demons in round 23 last season.

09:52

SCORE BEHIND - Cats (Daniel Menzel)

11:27

An early contested mark to Hawkins in a one-on-one contest. The Cats are the No.1 ranked team at winning offensive one-on-one contests, whilst the Demons have lost 38 percent of defensive one-on-one contests (ranked 15th).

11:38

SCORE GOAL - Cats (Tom Hawkins)

13:27

SCORE GOAL - Cats (Mark Blicavs)

13:52

Geelong has scored all three goals from Melbourne turnovers. The Cats have scored 65 points per game from this source across the first two games (ranked 10th).

16:16

Cats Interchange - Joel Selwood off due to the blood rule.

17:43

SCORE GOAL - Demons (Christian Petracca)

18:17

An excellent snap from Petracca gives the Demons their first goal, and it comes from a forward 50 stoppage. Melbourne has averaged nine points per game from this source (ranked 5th).

20:53

SCORE BEHIND - Demons (Dom Tyson)

21:37

The Melbourne is looking dangerous at forward half stoppages and has scored 1.2.(8) from this source. Geelong is yet to score from a forward half stoppage, and has won a clearance from just 29 percent of such half stoppages this season (ranked 17th).

21:51

SCORE GOAL - Cats (Tom Hawkins)

23:52

SCORE GOAL - Demons (Tim Smith)

24:02

Tim Smith kicking accurately for his first goal in the AFL. Smith recorded 31 goals, 21 contested marks and 84 tackles in 19 VFL games last season.

26:42

SCORE BEHIND - Demons (Jack Watts)

28:54

SCORE GOAL - Cats (Mark Blicavs)

30:01

The siren has sounded to end Q1.

30:11

An entertaining first quarter with the Cats kicking the opening three goals before Melbourne steadied. The Cats have scored 19 points from defensive half chains. In the first two rounds they scored 49 points per game from such half chains (ranked 2nd).

Quarter 2

00:00

Q2 is now underway.

02:20

Christian Salem providing an assist for Jack Watts early in the second quarter. Salem recorded a career-high 31 disposals last week against Carlton, and scored a career-high 21.8 AFL Player Rating points.

02:24

SCORE GOAL - Demons (Jack Watts)

04:44

SCORE GOAL - Demons (Billy Stretch)

05:05

Melbourne lead in effective kicks this quarter 9-0 and uncontested possessions 15-5, providing the impetus for the opening two goals.

07:15

SCORE GOAL - Cats (Patrick Dangerfield)

08:27

While the Demons lead the inside 50 count 20-13, the Cats lead in forward 50 disposals 34-15.

09:12

SCORE BEHIND - Demons (Tim Smith)

09:35

Demons Interchange - Dean Kent off due to the blood rule.

10:55

SCORE BEHIND - Demons (Nathan Jones)

14:09

SCORE GOAL - Cats (Tom Hawkins)

14:25

This season the Cats have converted 65 percent of their set shots at goal (ranked third). Today they have scored 5.1.(31) from set shots compared to Melbourne 3.3.(21).

15:49

SCORE BEHIND - Demons (James Harmes)

16:29

Tom Hawkins with three early goals, has averaged just over three goals per game in his career against the Demons (his best return against any team).

16:38

SCORE GOAL - Demons (Jayden Hunt)

19:27

SCORE BEHIND - Demons (Billy Stretch)

20:24

Melbourne has had seven of the last eight inside 50s, but has now returned a wasteful 3.6.(24) from set shots at goal.

21:07

The Demons lead in forward half tackles 18-11, and forward 50 tackles 7-4, with this pressure forcing Geelong into turnovers. Melbourne has generated 17 forward half intercepts, compared to Geelong seven.

22:42

SCORE GOAL - Cats (Steven Motlop)

23:22

Geelong now has three goals this quarter from just three inside 50 entries. Melbourne has three goals from 12 such entries.

23:48

SCORE GOAL - Cats (Daniel Menzel)

24:15

Melbourne has conceded a score from 36 percent of opposition forward 50 entries this season (ranked fourth), but is having problems today conceding 11 scores from 17 entries.

24:24

Demons Interchange - Max Gawn and is possibly out for the game.

28:43

With Max Gawn injured and now off the field, the Cats have won six of the last seven clearances.

29:02

SCORE BEHIND - Demons (Dean Kent)

29:43

SCORE GOAL - Demons (Jack Watts)

29:56

A terrific intercept and long goal from Jack Watts brings the Demons back within a goal. He has a game-high seven score involvements, including two goals and one assist.

31:23

SCORE BEHIND - Demons (Christian Petracca)

32:11

The siren has sounded to end Q2.

32:21

The more efficient Cats have a slender half time lead, with dangerous forwards Menzel and Hawkins kicking a combined five goals from limited opportunities (Melbourne lead inside 50s 32-18).

Quarter 3

00:00

Q3 is now underway.

02:16

SCORE GOAL - Demons (Alex Neal-Bullen)

02:33

An opportunistic goal from Neal-Bullen to start the third quarter. He has now accumulated 15 disposals, four tackles, three intercept possessions and seven score involvements.

03:14

SCORE BEHIND - Demons (Nathan Jones)

04:11

SCORE BEHIND - Demons (Dean Kent)

06:08

Melbourne has had the first three inside 50s of the quarter, with the Cats yet to have an effective kick.

07:12

SCORE GOAL - Demons (Dean Kent)

07:23

The Demons now have their biggest lead of the game, and despite Max Gawn being off the ground, have scored both goals this quarter from stoppages.

09:22

SCORE GOAL - Cats (Tom Hawkins)

09:53

Hawkins continuing to cause Melbourne problems, having taken three of the Cats four contested marks in the forward 50. Melbourne lead in uncontested forward 50 marks 13-7.

11:19

SCORE BEHIND - Demons (Billy Stretch)

12:13

SCORE BEHIND - Demons (Jeff Garlett)

12:58

SCORE GOAL - Cats (Patrick Dangerfield)

13:13

Geelong able to get its second goal of the game following a kick-in. Prior to today, opposition teams have kicked 24 points from kick-ins against the Demons, which is the second most conceded in the AFL.

16:12

Melbourne has now scored 5.10.(40) from set shots at goal compared to Geelong 7.1.(43).

17:19

SCORE BEHIND - Demons (Nathan Jones)

19:42

SCORE GOAL - Demons (Neville Jetta)

20:03

Neville Jetta finally breaks a run of behinds to the Demons, with the forward pressure from Melbourne generating 26 forward half intercepts from which they have scored 4.6.(30).

21:19

SCORE GOAL - Cats (Steven Motlop)

23:43

SCORE GOAL - Demons (Dean Kent)

24:31

Dean Kent able to convert for the Demons following the assist from Petracca (his third). This was the Demons third goal coming from a defensive half chain, compared to the Cats who have seven such goals.

25:51

Demons Interchange - James Harmes off due to an injury.

28:09

Geelong has had five of the last six inside 50s, but Melbourne has the only goal during this period.

29:13

SCORE GOAL - Demons (James Harmes)

29:19

Since quarter time, the Demons lead in scoring shots 23-7, for a return of 10.13.(73) to 7.0.(42).

31:35

SCORE GOAL - Cats (Zac Smith)

33:51

SCORE GOAL - Cats (Daniel Menzel)

33:57

The siren has sounded to end Q3.

34:07

Two late goals from the Cats (both from contested marks) keeps the Cats in the game at three quarter time. Geelong lead in forward 50 contested marks 6-1, and has taken the most such marks this season.

Quarter 4

00:00

Q4 is now underway.

01:43

Geelong has won the last five clearances of the game, had the last six inside 50s, and now scored the last three goals.

03:26

SCORE GOAL - Cats (Lincoln McCarthy)

05:02

A sensational goal from Dangerfield makes it five goals in a row for the Cats who have dominated the last 10 minutes with nine consecutive inside 50s.

06:39

SCORE GOAL - Demons (Mitch Hannan)

07:12

An important goal for the Demons ends the Geelong goal streak. Both teams have now scored five goals from forward half intercepts, but Melbourne has had 29 such intercepts compared to Geelong 13.

10:10

SCORE BEHIND - Cats (Rushed)

10:36

Zac Smith leads the hitouts to advantage 10-1 in his ruck contests against Jack Watts, and the Cats have won 10 of the last 11 clearances partly due to this dominance.

11:19

SCORE BEHIND - Cats (Lincoln McCarthy)

14:20

Brandan Parfitt continuing to have an impressive game with a tackle (his fifth), setting up the accurate set shot at goal. He has 12 contested possessions (no Demon has more), and six intercept possessions (the second most of any player).

16:07

SCORE BEHIND - Cats (Rushed)

18:57

SCORE BEHIND - Demons (Dean Kent)

19:17

Another set shot miss from the Demons who have kicked 6.11.(47) compared to the Cats 10.2.(62) from set shots at goal.

22:38

In the final quarter, the Cats lead in clearances 10-3 (Dangerfield has four), and tackles 13-6 as their senior players have taken control of the game.

22:56

SCORE GOAL - Cats (Joel Selwood)

28:20

SCORE GOAL - Cats (Daniel Menzel)

28:38

Geelong finishing all over a tiring Melbourne team with eight of the last nine goals. Menzel and Hawkins now have a combined nine goals for the Cats, with both looking threatening all game.

30:06

Patrick Dangerfield producing another master class with a game-high 20 contested possessions, an equal game-high nine clearances and three goals.

30:19

SCORE BEHIND - Cats (Jordan Murdoch)

31:08

SCORE BEHIND - Demons (Bernie Vince)

32:17

The siren has sounded to end Q4.

32:27

The Cats remain unbeaten, with the Demons fading in the last 40 minutes with their star ruck Max Gawn watching on as Geelong won the clearances 14-6 in the final quarter.