GEELONG has finally secured its first win of the season but the four points came at a cost, with Jimmy Bartel, Mathew Stokes and Tom Lonergan all injured during Sunday’s nine-point victory against Gold Coast at Simonds Stadium.
The Cats trailed by 12 points at half-time, but booted six goals in 22 minutes in the third term, and then hung on for dear life as the Suns made all the running in the final quarter, to record a desperately needed 16.9 (105) to 13.18 (96) victory.
With the contest going down to the wire, it was versatile big man Mark Blicavs who stepped up to kick a booming goal from outside 50 with just 30 seconds left on the clock, ensuring the Cats got over the line.
In his return from concussion, Bartel was substituted out of the game in the first quarter with a left knee issue, while Stokes took no further part in the contest after half-time after succumbing to a left ankle injury and was spotted on crutches and in a moon boot, on the bench.
To make matters worse, key defender Lonergan was stretchered from the field in the third term after copping a knee in the back of the head from Sam Day in a marking contest.
In a match played in cold and soggy conditions, it was Geelong skipper Joel Selwood who inspired his side to a momentous victory.
Selwood collected a game-high 38 disposals, to go along with 12 clearances, six tackles, six inside 50s and a goal in a sensational individual performance.
This was not a performance featuring the polish Geelong has typically demonstrated in recent times, but rather a tough grind for a win that just had to happen.
"Collectively we played very, very poorly, and we probably coached poorly in the first half as well, a lot of stuff was going wrong," Scott said.
"But it was all turned around (in the second half), and turned around under adversity as well."
Geelong was sluggish in the first half, affording the Suns far too much space around the ball, and it was made to pay the price.
Even without skipper Gary Ablett (shoulder), Suns midfielders Dion Prestia (29 disposals), Michael Rischitelli (26) and Harley Bennell (26) had a field day through the centre in the first half.
Gold Coast defender Trent McKenzie - who was dropped by coach Rodney Eade after the Suns' listless round-one loss to Melbourne - also played a big role on Cats danger man Steve Johnson.
Eade said his side's effort was vastly improved compared to its first two rounds against Melbourne and St Kilda.
"For the bulk of the day I was really pleased with their effort. We were heavily criticised and justifiably so, but the players really responded," Eade said.
"But that's what we've got to base (our game) on and that's what we've preached from the start."
Tall forward Josh Walker - a late replacement for Tom Hawkins, who was a late withdrawal pre-game - took his chance to boot four goals in an impressive display for the Cats.
That's four on the board for Walker! #AFLCatsSuns http://t.co/7WDYRizrpD
— AFL (@AFL) April 19, 2015
Veteran James Kelly also stepped up in a big way throughout the game, personified by his gut-busting chase in the dying minutes to prevent a certain Matt Shaw goal that would have put the Suns in front.
But it was the coolness of Blicavs, after another Selwood-won clearance out of the middle of the ground, that may have just resurrected the Cats' season.
The tasks do not get any easier for the Cats though, who take on North Melbourne at Simonds Stadium next Sunday. The Suns take on Greater Western Sydney at Startrack Oval, in Canberra, on Saturday.
Tom Lonergan is assisted from the field after being concussed against the Suns. Picture: AFL Media
GEELONG 5.3 7.6 13.8 16.9 (105)
GOLD COAST 6.5 8.12 9.15 13.18 (96)
GOALS
Geelong: Walker 4,Caddy 2, Gregson 2, Motlop 2,Clark, Lang, Thurlow, Johnson, Selwood, Blicavs
Gold Coast: Lynch 3, Martin 3, Matera 2, Rischitelli, Hall, Garlett, Day, Miller
BEST
Geelong: Selwood, Kelly, Enright, Walker, Blicavs, Gregson
Gold Coast: Rischitelli, McKenzie Lynch, Bennell, Prestia,
INJURIES
Geelong: Bartel (knee), Stokes (ankle), Lonergan (head)
Gold Coast: Nil
SUBSTITUTES
Geelong: Nakia Cockatoo replaced Jimmy Bartel (knee) in the first quarter
Gold Coast: Matt Shaw replaced Daniel Gorringe in the third quarter
Reports: Nil
Umpires: Bannister, Stephens, McInerney
Official crowd: 20,813 at Simonds Stadium
The siren has sounded to end Q4.
Selwood was huge for the Cats, picking up 38 disposals at 71 per cent efficiency, 23 contested possessions, 12 clearances, 6 inside 50s and a goal.
Gold Coast only used the ball with 46 per cent efficiency in their forward 50, compared to Geelong's 60 per cent. This led to Gold Coast kicking 18 behinds to Geelong's 9, and needing 57 inside 50s for 13 goals. Geelong needed 42 inside 50s for 16 goals.
What a game! Geelong held on in the end, but Gold Coast had their chances. They had 15 more inside 50s than Geelong, but were inaccurate, kicking 18 behinds. Geelong used the ball better, kicking at 69 per cent efficiency to Gold Coast's 64 per cent.
Prestia worked hard for the Suns, picking up 29 disposals, 19 contested possessions, 11 clearances and 6 inside 50s. Martin and Lynch kicked 3 goals each, while Walker kicked 4 for the Cats.
GOALCats (Mark Blicavs)
Geelong have had 9 inside 50s in the last 10 minutes to Gold Coast's 2. Each team has scored a single goal in that period.
GOALSuns (Jack Martin)
Gold Coast's defense is standing up at the moment. They have taken 4 marks from opposition kicks in their defensive fifty in this quarter.
GOALCats (Steven Motlop)
BEHINDSuns (Rushed)
Gold Coast's three goals this quarter have all been generated in their attacking midfield. Two have come from turnovers, and one from a stoppage.
GOALSuns (Brandon Matera)
BEHINDSuns (Rushed)
Gold Coast's disposal has been 67 per cent efficient in their forward 50 this quarter, compared to 43 per cent in the third quarter.
Gold Coast finally converting their entries inside 50 into goals. They have 4 entries now for 2.1 (13). Geelong have 5 entries for 1.1 (7).
GOALSuns (Touk Miller)
BEHINDSuns (Jack Martin)
Gregson kicks his second goal of the day after Gold Coast turned the ball over in their defensive midfield. Geelong have scored 9 goals from turnovers today. Gold Coast have scored 6 goals from turnovers.
GOALCats (Cory Gregson)
BEHINDCats (Rushed)
Gold Coast have not kicked consecutive goals since Rischitelli kicked their seventh goal, which was in the first minute of the second quarter. They need to string a few together now.
GOALSuns (Sam Day)
Q4 is now underway.
The siren has sounded to end Q3.
Kelly had a big quarter for Geelong, picking up 12 disposals at 83 per cent efficiency, and Caddy had 7 disposals at 100 per cent efficiency and kicked 2 goals. For Gold Coast, Prestia worked hard for 8 disposals, 4 contested possessions and 3 inside 50s.
Geelong needed only 9 inside 50s to kick 6.2 (38) in that quarter. Gold Coast had a massive 19 inside 50s but scored only 1.3 (9).
Geelong Cats InterchangeTom Lonergan off due to an injury.
In the last ten minutes, the ball has been in Gold Coast's half for 94 per cent of the time. During that period, Gold Coast have had 7 inside 50s and scored 1.3 (9) to Geelong's single inside fifty for 1.0 (6).
BEHINDSuns (Rushed)
GOALSuns (Tom J. Lynch)
Geelong have only needed 9 inside 50s this quarter for their 6.2 (38), while Gold Coast have only scored 0.2 (2) from their 14 inside 50s.
BEHINDSuns (Rushed)
BEHINDSuns (Jack Martin)
Joel Selwood has had 4 score involvements this quarter (7 for the match), to go with his 9 disposals, 4 clearances and 5 contested possessions.
GOALCats (Cory Gregson)
GOALCats (Josh Caddy)
Gold Coast Suns InterchangeMatt Shaw was substituted into the game for Daniel Gorringe.
BEHINDCats (Mitch Clark)
BEHINDCats (Mitch Clark)
GOALCats (Joel Selwood)
Another inside 50, another goal! Gold Coast need to start holding the Cats up in their defensive 50. They are yet to take a mark from an opposition kick in their defensive 50, while Geelong have taken 6.
Geelong's third inside 50 of the quarter leads to their third goal of the quarter. Gold Coast have now had nine inside 50s for no score this quarter.
GOALCats (Josh Caddy)
Geelong have come out firing this quarter. Two inside 50s, two goals. Gold Coast have had four entries into their forward 50 for no score.
Geelong get their first goal from a centre bounce for the afternoon. Gold Coast have kicked 2.1 (13) from centre bounces today.
GOALCats (Steve Johnson)
Gold Coast Suns InterchangeAdam Saad off due to an injury.
Another mark from an opposition kick for the Cats in their defensive 50 (to Harry Taylor, who now has three marks from opposition kicks) leads directly to a goal.
GOALCats (Josh Walker)
Q3 is now underway.
The siren has sounded to end Q2.
Geelong have had more marks from opposition kicks, 9 to 6, including 4 in their defensive 50 (Lonergan has 2), to Gold Coast's 0. All of Gold Coast's 6 marks from opposition kicks have come in the midfield. Geelong have had 5 in the midfield.
Selwood and RIschitelli have both had good halves. Selwood has 20 disposals, 4 clearances, 7 contested possessions and five inside 50s. Rischitelli has 18 disposals, 6 clearances, 11 contested possessions and 4 inside 50s.
The ball has been in the Sun's forward half 58 per cent of the match, they won the clearances 30 to 19, and the inside 50s 36 to 28. But they were just 44 per cent efficient in their forward 50, compared to the Cat's 58 per cent, so they only lead by 1.6.
Gold Coast have the only five running bounces of the match. Four of which came during a single sprint from Garlett, which led to him kicking his only goal of the match.
BEHINDSuns (Touk Miller)
BEHINDSuns (Tom J. Lynch)
Geelong have made 10 kick clangers this quarter to Gold Coast's 3, and they lead the total clangers 17 to 7 this quarter.
BEHINDSuns (Jarrod Garlett)
BEHINDCats (Rushed)
BEHINDSuns (Jarrod Garlett)
Not much to split the teams this quarter. Disposals are even at 72 apiece, Gold Coast are leading the clearances 11 to 10, Geelong lead contested possessions by 35 to 31, both teams have entered their forward fifty 12 times and scored two goals.
GOALSuns (Brandon Matera)
BEHINDCats (Mitch Clark)
BEHINDCats (Cory Gregson)
Geelong have scored both of their goals this quarter from turnovers. Gold Coast's only goal has come from a stoppage in their forward fifty. Gold Coast continue to win more of the ball at stoppages, winning the clearances this quarter 11 to 9.
GOALCats (Josh Walker)
BEHINDSuns (Michael Rischitelli)
The rain has had an effect on the game, with neither team operating at more than 60 per cent disposal efficiency this quarter (Geelong: 57 per cent, Gold Coast: 50 per cent).
Gold Coast have had 24 inside 50s to Geelong's 19, for only one more goal. Geelong have taken three marks from opposition kicks in their defensive fifty, to Gold Coast's zero.
BEHINDSuns (Touk Miller)
Geelong have only needed a single disposal inside their forward fifty this quarter to score their one goal. Gold Coast have had 11 disposals inside their forward fifty at 36 per cent efficiency for their one goal this quarter.
GOALCats (Mitch Clark)
BEHINDSuns (Harley Bennell)
GOALSuns (Michael Rischitelli)
Q2 is now underway.
The siren has sounded to end Q1.
Selwood had a big quarter for Geelong, with nine disposals, five contested possessions, two clearances and two inside 50s. He has gained a match high 206m.
Gold Coast dominated at stoppages that quarter, winning the clearances 17 to 5, and gaining 766m from clearances to Geelong's 345m. Geelong have been moving the ball well from turnovers, gaining 1,114m to Gold Coast's 813m.
BEHINDCats (Steven Motlop)
Rischitelli has led from the front this quarter, picking up 10 disposals, three clearances, seven contested possessions and has made seven pressure acts.
BEHINDSuns (Harley Bennell)
Geelong Cats InterchangeJordan Murdoch replaces Joel Selwood due to the blood rule.
GOALSuns (Aaron Hall)
Since commenting Geelong's lack of efficiency, they have operated at 100 per cent efficiency, and gone inside 50 twice for two goals.
GOALCats (Josh Walker)
GOALCats (Jackson Thurlow)
Gold Coast getting on top in the last ten minutes, with six inside 50s to Geelong's one, and scoring 3.1 (19) to Geelong's no score. Geelong have only been operating at 59 per cent efficiency to Gold Coast's 73 per cent.
BEHINDSuns (Michael Rischitelli)
Geelong Cats InterchangeNakia Cockatoo was substituted into the game for Jimmy Bartel.
GOALSuns (Tom J. Lynch)
Gold Coast are dominating at stoppages, with nine clearances to Geelong's three. They have got six centre bounce clearances to Geelong's one.
Jimmy Bartel has not had a great start to the match, with just two disposals at 50 per cent efficiency, and has given away three free kicks.
GOALSuns (Jack Martin)
Geelong Cats InterchangeJimmy Bartel off due to an injury.
GOALSuns (Tom J. Lynch)
Joel Selwood has started well, with seven disposals at 86 per cent efficiency so far, including four contested possessions, two clearances and two inside 50s.
Geelong Cats InterchangeMathew Stokes off due to an injury.
GOALCats (Steven Motlop)
BEHINDCats (Steven Motlop)
GOALSuns (Jarrod Garlett)
The ball has spent 65 per cent of the match in Gold Coast's forward half. The Suns are up in inside 50s six to three, and marks inside 50 three to one. They're disposal efficiency inside 50 is only 44 per cent, though, compared to the Cat's 75 per cent.
BEHINDSuns (Tom J. Lynch)
GOALSuns (Jack Martin)
Geelong are putting the pressure on Gold Coast, leading in the tackle count six to one (Bartel and Stanley have two),
BEHINDSuns (Michael Rischitelli)
Geelong have only needed three inside fifties for their two goals so far, which have both come from turnovers. They are also outpossessing Gold Coast early in this match, up in effective kicks 9 to 3, and uncontested possessions 18 to 9.
GOALCats (Darcy Lang)
BEHINDSuns (Tom J. Lynch)
GOALCats (Josh Walker)
BEHINDCats (Cameron Guthrie)
Q1 is now underway.
Geelong v Gold Coast. 18th versus 14th on the ladder. The number 18 clearance team this season (Geelong) versus the number 2 clearance team (2) (Gold Coast). Geelong are ranked 15th for disposals, and Gold Coast are ranked 16th this season.
Don't forget to enter your tips for this match, you have until the bounce to make your selection. Tippers choice is currently Cats 92.8% and Suns 7.2%.
Changes for Suns Ins: B.Matera, A.Hall, T.McKenzie, D.Gorringe, M.Shaw Outs: G.Broughton, G.Ablett, J.Harbrow, A.Sexton, M.Hallahan
Changes for Cats Ins: J.Bartel, S.Motlop, J.Murdoch, J.Thurlow, J.Walker Outs: A.Mackie, T.Hawkins, G.HorlinSmith, D.Simpson, B.Smedts
Welcome to Simonds Stadium for the Geelong Cats v Gold Coast Suns Round 3 clash.