A TEN-goal haul for Jeremy Cameron, a suspected ACL injury for Sam Darcy. A first-half onslaught for Geelong, a short-lived but plucky second-half rally for the Western Bulldogs.

It really was a game that had it all.

CATS v BULLDOGS Full match coverage and stats

The Cats did plenty of early damage before running away with the contest in the fourth quarter on the way to a 19.17 (131) to 8.8 (56) victory to celebrate milestone men Mark Blicavs and Jake Kolodjashnij at GMHBA Stadium on Friday night.

Amidst it all, no cheer was louder than when 200-gamer Kolodjashnij kicked his fifth career goal late in the piece, sending the crowd into rapturous applause.

Quite simply, nothing was going right for the Bulldogs. On the receiving end of Cameron’s return to his Coleman Medal form, they lost Darcy, Tom Liberatore (concussion), and key backs James O’Donnell (hamstring) and Rory Lobb (hamstring) as the game wore on.

The home side was ruthless, expertly using the ground’s width when it had ball in hand, then squeezing the opposition when without it.

Although the Western Bulldogs’ midfield has long been its strong suit, the absence of ruck Tim English for the second consecutive week, combined with an efficient Oisin Mullin tag on captain Marcus Bontempelli (14 disposals, two clearances), meant the visitors were found lacking at the contest.

Struggling to get the ball into space under the Cats’ in-tight pressure, the Dogs were further challenged by the narrow confines of GMHBA Stadium.

From there, problems begat problems. The dynamism of Bailey Smith (33 disposals, 11 clearances) and Max Holmes (28 disposals, 11 score involvements) out of congestion and propelling the ball forward put immense pressure on the Bulldogs’ one-on-one defenders. 

While the likes of Buku Khamis, O’Donnell, and Lobb have been praised this year for their newly stingy efforts, they were not given a chance to maintain that sort of form given the pure speed with which the ball was coming into their vicinity.

The visitors did rally, however, despite having just three rotations on the bench in the second half. Oskar Baker (13 disposals, two goals) became a likely avenue to goal, finding space inside 50 on multiple occasions, and Aaron Naughton (10 disposals, three goals) was leading with intent.

Young Cats ruck Mitchell Edwards (34 hitouts) proved once again why he has been Chris Scott’s preference this year, exerting his talents over second-gamer Louis Emmett, and after being rested last week, Jack Martin (12 score involvements) offered an elite connection piece in the front half.

Ed Richards, despite heading into the match under a significant injury cloud, was the Dogs’ best with 30 disposals and 13 tackles, working both ways through the middle of the ground. So focused on the game was he, that in the final quarter he came to the bench for a standard rotation, only to see one sole teammate welcoming him on the boundary line and confusedly asking staff what had happened.

Worst case scenario
Down by six goals, and only looking dangerous in the front half when Sam Darcy had his hands on the footy, the worst possible scenario played out for the Bulldogs. Leading up to the footy early in the second quarter, Darcy’s left knee awkwardly twisted underneath him without any contact, and he immediately grabbed at the joint as he fell to the ground. Darcy pounded the ground before the medical staff could get to him, and looked devastated as he came from the ground. As he headed to the rooms, Darcy threw his mouthguard in frustration, unable to totally straighten the leg. It was the same knee he hyperextended in round six last year, and spookily, father Luke ruptured his ACL against the Cats at GMHBA Stadium in round six, 2005.

The Gambler on repeat
Last time these teams met, Jeremy Cameron dobbed six goals, and Shannon Neale kicked five of his own. On Friday night, however, it was just the Jezza show. By the main break Cameron had seven to his name – and could take credit for five of the Cats’ six in the second term alone – with his ultimate tally coming in at 10 goals. He was doing it in a multitude of ways, too, presenting in the air, gathering on the deck, and even sliding past for the odd handball receive. A beneficiary of the Cats’ elite work up the field, he was in rare form, kicking eight or more goals for the fourth time in his 285 career games, and almost besting his 11 goals in round 20 last year against North Melbourne.

Another three down
On return from a hamstring injury, much-loved Dog Tom Liberatore was ruled out for the second half with a head knock, further thinning the side’s bench. He succumbed to the injury late in the second quarter, and failed to return to the bench for the night, instead remaining in the club’s rooms. Before too long, key defender James O’Donnell was felled by a hamstring issue, unable to take part in the final quarter, and matters were only made worse when fellow defender Rory Lobb came off with 10 minutes left on the clock, reporting his own hamstring concern. The stocks have been significantly thinned ahead of the club’s round seven opener against Sydney on Thursday.

GEELONG                       6.4    12.6    13.11   19.17 (131)
WESTERN BULLDOGS    1.2     3.3      7.5      8.8 (56)

GOALS  
Geelong: Cameron 10, Dangerfield 2, Dempsey, Neale, Martin, O.Henry, Humphries, Kolodjashnij, Smith
Western Bulldogs: Naughton 3, Baker 2, Croft 2, Lewis

BEST  
Geelong: Cameron, Smith, Holmes, Dempsey, Edwards, Martin
Western Bulldogs: Richards, Baker, Kennedy, Naughton

INJURIES  
Geelong: Nil
Western Bulldogs: Darcy (left knee), Liberatore (concussion), O’Donnell (right hamstring), Lobb (left hamstring)

Crowd: 33,200 at GMHBA Stadium