SEVENTY-NINE down, 21 to go.

Geelong superstar Jeremy Cameron kicked (only) four goals in his quest for the magical 100, as Geelong toughed out a 44-point win against Essendon on Friday night.

CATS v BOMBERS Full match coverage and stats 

The young Bombers showed plenty of pluck in the second half, but the margin blew out late from 21 early in the fourth to the 15.19 (109) to 10.5 (65) result on the final siren at GMHBA Stadium.

Given Essendon's injury woes to its defensive stocks, there were even betting markets offering odds for Cameron to out-score his opponents single-handedly as hype around a rare 100-goal season grew.

Cameron's goal song is "The Gambler", a rare example of a celebration that perfectly matches the personality, laid-back with a knowing grin. He knows when to hold 'em, knows when to fold 'em. If you're gonna play the game, boy, you gotta learn to play it right.

But things don't always go to plan for gamblers. There was a hit head on the turf during a marking attempt, then a stray boot from a tackled Jayden Nguyen that also clipped his head, and some pretty heavy legs from desperate, repeated efforts. In the end, accuracy eluded him, kicking 4.5.

Essendon mid-season recruit Liam McMahon impressed with limited opportunities, proving to be a strong presence in attack. He was Essendon's sole goal-kicker until Zach Merrett saluted 18 minutes into the third term, kicking four for the game.

A strong side coming up against an undermanned team can occasionally be a recipe for a touch of lairising, and the Cats players did try to be too fancy at times when moving into attack, although it was balanced out by solid efforts like Zach Guthrie's run-down tackle on speedster Isaac Kako.

Half-back Andy McGrath played mostly through the midfield, as he has in recent weeks, and Kako was then rotated in to start the second half, the margin sitting at just 37 points, despite the Cats recording 17 scoring shots to five.

Geelong tried a few new looks, including Mark Blicavs in the goal-square in the absence of the rested Patrick Dangerfield, while the versatile Jhye Clark slotted in at half-back after Jack Henry was subbed off with hamstring tightness at half-time.

Essendon made some headway in the third term, steadying its entries into attack and tackling fiercely across the field. The rub of the whistle started to go its way, too, as it piled on four straight goals, and five for the quarter.

Gryan Miers finally stopped the rot, and the margin sat at 32 at the final break, the Bombers having scored a rare win in the third quarter, before the Cats regained control in the fourth term.

Archie Roberts was outstanding off half-back for the Bombers, while Cats recruit Bailey Smith provided plenty of spark through the middle, particularly in the first half.

Archie May continued Essendon's wretched run with injury, suffering a sprained ankle in the final minutes. Coach Brad Scott said the key forward will require scans in the coming days.

Shiel suspension?
Essendon veteran Dylan Shiel will come under MRO scrutiny for a push on Mark O'Connor that had the potential to cause serious injury. O'Connor was shoved into oncoming traffic – Shiel's teammate Luamon Lual – which caused a collision. Lual was incredibly lucky to have broken his fall from a height by just getting his hands to the ground before his neck/head made contact. Lual was subbed off, but the club said it was for tactical reasons rather than injury.

Percentage watch
In the all-important race for the top four and finals hosting rights, Friday night against a weakened opponent loomed as the perfect opportunity to secure a hefty win and a percentage boost. Geelong already had a healthy number next to its name – 138.6, second in the League – and finished the night with 139.1.

GEELONG     4.5    7.10    11.13   15.19 (109)
ESSENDON   1.2    2.3     7.5       10.5 (65)

GOALS
Geelong: Cameron 4, Neale 3, Mannagh 3, Blicavs 2, Dempsey, Close, Miers
Essendon: McMahon 4, Merrett, Guelfi, Gresham, McGrath, Duursma, Wright

BEST
Geelong: Smith, Holmes, Miers, Mannagh, Cameron, O'Sullivan
Essendon: Roberts, Merrett, McGrath, McMahon, Durham

INJURIES
Geelong: J.Henry (hamstring tightness)
Essendon: May (ankle)

LATE CHANGES
Geelong: Jack Martin (managed), replaced in the selected side by Jhye Clark
Essendon: Nil

SUBSTITUTES
Geelong: Jhye Clark (replaced J.Henry at half-time)
Essendon: Jye Menzie (replaced Lual at three-quarter time)

Crowd: 30,289 at GMHBA Stadium