AN INSPIRING performance from Tom Hawkins has rescued Geelong's season from the brink of disaster with the Cats defeating Richmond by nine points at the MCG on Saturday afternoon.
The Tigers entered the match ninth on the ladder with two wins, with the Cats in the unfamiliar position of 15th with one, coming off a surprise loss to North Melbourne in Geelong.
Five talking points: Richmond v Geelong
But it was Cats, still undermanned without Andrew Mackie, Mathew Stokes and Jimmy Bartel, that made the more emphatic statement with the 12.13 (85) to 11.10 (76) win.
"I'm pretty relieved. It would have been really disappointing not to get the result because I thought we played pretty well in big parts of the game," Geelong coach Chris Scott said.
"But the game was, in a way, reflective of the last month of footy we've played. [Some] very good, and some lapses that Geelong supporters aren't used to seeing. But we're working really hard on that.
"There's no question young players take a bit of time to learn but we're expediting that as much as we possibly can. And if you get the win, it reinforces what you're trying to do."
It came at a cost. Veteran James Kelly was taken to hospital in the third quarter for scans on a suspected ruptured testicle..
Hawkins was terrific, and Joel Selwood the difference in a telling final term.
With Mitch Clark out with a foot injury, the full-forward marked strongly and made life hell for David Astbury in the first quarter with his contested marking.
While he finished with three goals and five marks, he was involved in a range of other scoring opportunities and often brought the ball to ground to allow his teammates to capitalise.
He wasn't on his own, with Josh Walker also playing a strong game to finish with two goals and nine marks.
Watch: Chris Scott post-match
In the end, it was the Cats' ability to make the most of their forward opportunities that was the difference, with the Tigers wasting their chances when they enjoyed purple patches in the midfield.
"Our scoreboard pressure in I think every game we've lost, we've had nearly more scoring shots in the first quarter," Richmond coach Damien Hardwick said.
"Zero [goals] five [behinds], unfortunately you kick that and you don't actually put the opposition on the back foot at any stage.
"It's something we've been working on but we've just got to make sure we continue to get better in that area because you never get your nose in front."
Trent Cotchin tried desperately to get his team over the line with 11 touches in the third quarter that kept them within 19 points at three-quarter time.
But Selwood's final quarter, where he had a big hand in three goals at the start of the quarter that came directly from centre clearances, proved more significant.
After the Cats led by as much as 28 points and were in a position to run away with it after half-time, it was a feat for the Tigers to still be in the contest.
Selwood finds a way to to hurt the Tigers
And to their credit, they hung in there. Four straight goals in the final term, the last of which came from Astbury following his shift into attack after half-time, cut a 31-point deficit to 10 points.
But with just over a minute remaining, everything had to go right for the Tigers to pinch the win.
Watch: Tom Hawkins terrorises the Tigers
They continued to press forward and Cotchin blasted the ball off the ground from a contest deep in attack with 22 seconds left, but it went right of the goals.
Mitch Duncan was the Cats' best with 29 disposals and two goals while Harry Taylor took 13 marks as he alternated with Corey Enright as the spare man in defence.
Duncan from downtown! #AFLTigersCats http://t.co/tJsE7WfzHG
— AFL (@AFL) May 2, 2015
Selwood was well held by Shaun Grigg in the first half but found more of the ball when Anthony Miles took over, with the Tigers abandoning the original tag to get the former Blue more into the game.
The Cats defenders were also influential. Taylor, Enright and Jared Rivers were important, even after Astbury's move made the former accountable and reduced his output.
A week after starting the game in the green vest, Steve Johnson made some strange decisions and was caught a few times with the ball.
He gave the Cats drive into attack, despite his unpredictable mood, and kicked a goal in the telling final term.
Ty Vickery tried in his first game for the season but was also inaccurate in attack, which was a trend that hurt the Tigers when they peppered five behinds and failed to kick a goal in the first term.
Watch: Damien Hardwick post-match
In the second, it was all Richmond early. Vickery took a couple of marks but managed just one goal, but as a team they tackled hard and dominated at the centre clearances.
Selwood was pinned by Grigg and Dawson Simpson struggled around the ground against the more-mobile Ivan Maric.
Alex Rance moved to Hawkins, and the Tigers double-teamed him when the Cats went inside 50, and Astbury took on Josh Walker.
But all the Tigers' hard work resulted in just two goals in 14 minutes, and the Cats were able to absorb the flurry of forward entries and hold a lead of two points.
Suddenly, the switch flicked. A goal to Mitch Duncan after he danced around Nick Vlastuin kicked off a run of four, and the Cats took the handy 28-point lead into half-time that wasn't headed.
Dustin Martin tries to escape the clutches of Geelong forward Tom Hawkins. Picture: AFL Media.
RICHMOND 0.5 2.6 6.8 11.10 (76)
GEELONG 2.2 7.4 9.9 12.13 (85)
GOALS
Richmond: Riewoldt 3, Astbury, Cotchin, Edwards, C.Ellis, Grigg, Houli, Miles, Vickery
Geelong: Hawkins 3, Duncan 2, Walker 2, Blicavs, Johnson, Kersten, Lang, Motlop
BEST
Richmond: Cotchin, Houli, Grigg, Rance, Riewoldt, Maric
Geelong: Duncan, Rivers, Hawkins, Taylor, Walker, Motlop
INJURIES
Richmond: Nil
Geelong: James Kelly (suspected ruptured testicle)
SUBSTITUTES
Richmond: Sam Lloyd replaced Ben Lennon in the third quarter
Geelong: George Horlin-Smith replaced James Kelly in the third quarter
Reports: Nil
Umpires: Foot, Meredith, Mollison
Official crowd: 45,228 at the MCG
The siren has sounded to end Q4.
BEHINDTigers (Trent Cotchin)
Geelong have had a kicking efficiency of 77 per cent for the match compared to Richmond's 67 per cent.
GOALTigers (David Astbury)
BEHINDCats (Rushed)
BEHINDCats (Rushed)
BEHINDCats (Josh Walker)
GOALTigers (Jack Riewoldt)
Mitch Duncan has enjoyed a return to form today amassing 29 disposals at 86 per cent efficiency along with two goals. Prior to today, Duncan was averaging just 16 disposals per game and had kicked four goals for the season.
GOALTigers (Anthony Miles)
Richmond lead the inside 50s ten to five for the quarter and have enjoyed 69 per cent time in forward half for the quarter. Despite this, the Cats have outscored the Tigers by a goal for the quarter.
GOALTigers (Corey Ellis)
BEHINDTigers (Rushed)
BEHINDCats (Shane Kersten)
Geelong have kicked three goals from three inside 50 entries to start the final quarter, all scoring chains originating from a stoppage.
GOALCats (Steve Johnson)
Quiet to three quarter time with just 11 disposals, Joel Selwood has been on fire to start the final quarter with six disposals, three contested possessions and a score assist.
GOALCats (Mitch Duncan)
GOALTigers (Shaun Grigg)
GOALCats (Steven Motlop)
Q4 is now underway.
The siren has sounded to end Q3.
BEHINDTigers (Trent Cotchin)
Geelong Cats InterchangeGeorge Horlin-Smith was substituted into the game for Josh Walker.
BEHINDCats (Steven Motlop)
Geelong Cats InterchangeDawson Simpson replaces Josh Walker due to the blood rule.
Richmond are in control of the football this quarter, recording 88 disposals to 58 and have been efficient going forward, recording four goals, all from stoppage wins, from nine forward 50 entries.
BEHINDCats (Rushed)
Geelong Cats InterchangeJames Kelly off due to an injury.
GOALTigers (Trent Cotchin)
BEHINDCats (Rushed)
BEHINDCats (Shane Kersten)
Richmond are trying to run and play on at every opportunity, recording 39 handballs to 29 kicks for the quarter, with 31 handball receives to 16.
Geelong Cats InterchangeJed Bews off due to an injury.
Richmond InterchangeSam Lloyd was substituted into the game for Ben Lennon.
BEHINDCats (Tom Hawkins)
GOALCats (Josh Walker)
Richmond have won five of the first six clearances of the third quarter and have kicked all of its 3.1.19 for the quarter from this score source.
GOALTigers (Jack Riewoldt)
GOALTigers (Jack Riewoldt)
GOALCats (Mark Blicavs)
BEHINDTigers (Ty Vickery)
Richmond have started well in the third quarter with the first four inside 50s for the quarter, enjoying 85 per cent time in forward half, with both of its scores for the quarter coming from stoppages.
GOALTigers (Bachar Houli)
Q3 is now underway.
The siren has sounded to end Q2.
Richmond have kicked just 1.2.8 as a result of Geelong turnovers. In wins this season, the Tigers have scored 74 points per game from opposition turnovers, in losses just 28 points per game.
Geelong won the contested possession count 29 to 25 for the quarter and lead overall in this area 59 to 48. This marks the first occasion this season that the Cats have won the contested possession in two quarters in a game.
BEHINDCats (Harry Taylor)
Geelong's tall defenders Taylor, Lonergan and Rivers have been hard to pass with the trio taking a combined eight marks from opposition kicks between them.
GOALCats (Tom Hawkins)
In the last seven minutes, Geelong have had five of six inside 50s and have cashed in kicking four goals, three as a result of Richmond turnovers.
GOALCats (Darcy Lang)
This season, Geelong has averaged 29 points per game as a result of chains launched from its defensive half. Today, the Cats have already scored 5.2.32 from chains launched from their defensive half.
GOALCats (Shane Kersten)
Of Geelong's score of 4.3.27, all bar one behind has come from a chain launched from its defensive half. Three goals have come from turnovers and one has come from a kickin.
GOALCats (Mitch Duncan)
BEHINDCats (Steve Johnson)
GOALTigers (Shane Edwards)
Geelong are continuing to dominate uncontested possession, leading 119 to 81 in this area, which includes 51 uncontested marks to the Tigers' 25.
Richmond are leading the inside 50 count 14 to nine, yet inaccuracy in front of goal is costing them kicking 1.6.12, including 1.3.9 from set shots.
GOALCats (Josh Walker)
BEHINDTigers (Chris Newman)
GOALTigers (Ty Vickery)
Geelong had 104 disposals at 80 per cent efficiency in the first quarter, its highest disposal tally in a quarter this season.
Q2 is now underway.
The siren has sounded to end Q1.
At quarter time Geelong leads contested possession 30 to 23. This is only the fourth quarter for the season that the Cats have won the contested possession count.
The last time Richmond played against Geelong in Round 7, 2014, the Tigers also begun with a goalless opening quarter, kicking 0.1.1 to 3.3.21 in a game in which they ultimately went down in by five points.
BEHINDTigers (Corey Ellis)
BEHINDCats (Tom Hawkins)
Mark Blicavs has been effective as a third man up at stoppages already, with three hitouts to advantage.
BEHINDTigers (Rushed)
BEHINDTigers (Steven Morris)
BEHINDTigers (Rushed)
BEHINDCats (Shane Kersten)
Geelong are kicking at an efficiency of 75 per cent compared to Richmond's 56 per cent.
Tom Hawkins already has two contested marks inside forward 50, equalling his season best.
BEHINDTigers (Anthony Miles)
GOALCats (Tom Hawkins)
Geelong is controlling the football early with 23 disposals to Richmond's six and 16 uncontested possessions to three.
GOALCats (Tom Hawkins)
Q1 is now underway.
Richmond lead the competition in marks inside 50 with just under 15 per game and rank second in inside 50 differential, averaging 10 more forward 50 entries per game.
In victories the Tigers have generated 74 points per game as a result of opposition turnovers, but in losses they have only scored 28 points per game from this score source.
In Richmond's two wins, it has scored 33 points per game from chains launched from defensive 50 and 60 points per game from chains launched from its back half. In its two losses, they have scored 5 points per game and 15 points per game from these zones.
The Cats rank 16th for disposal differential, avergaging 45 fewer disposals per game than their opposition. In 2014, Geelong ranked third in this area, averaging 34 more disposals per game than its opposition.
Geelong ranks last in contested possession differential, averaging 24 fewer contested possessions per game than its opposition. In 2014, the Cats ranked third in this area, averaging 11 more contested possessions per game than their opposition.
Don't forget to enter your tips for this match, you have until the bounce to make your selection. Tippers choice is currently Tigers 43.5% and Cats 56.5%.
Changes for Cats Ins: S.Kersten, T.Lonergan, D.Simpson Outs: M.Clark, N.Cockatoo, R.Stanley
Changes for Tigers Ins: T.Chaplin, B.Lennon, C.Newman, T.Vickery, C.Ellis Outs: N.Drummond, B.Griffiths, N.Gordon, M.Arnot, M.McDonough
Welcome to MCG for the Richmond v Geelong Cats Round 5 clash.