‘Good as footy gets’: Epic thriller floors AFL as Cats survive Power shock
Geelong's march to the minor premiership very nearly hit a roadblock as one of the competition’s shock strugglers showed what could have been.
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Geelong have survived one of the great comebacks of the season, holding off Port Adelaide in a 16.10 (106) to 14.10 (94) thriller at Adelaide Oval.
Port Adelaide’s season is still barely clinging to life as an outside chance of playing finals footy, six points outside of the eight with four points to go, but the Power didn’t play like it, especially in the third quarter.
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The Cats led by 34 points at halftime and looked to be running away for a huge win, but the third quarter changed everything.
Eight goals to one in an insane third quarter saw Port Adelaide take a seven-point lead into the final term.
Although the Power held firm and even led late, two goals to Tom Hawkins gave the Cats a buffer and the all important four premiership points.
“This is a beauty … When you’ve got a game in this state, it’s as good as footy gets,” Lyon said after the game on Fox Footy.
Lyon also termed the third quarter as “unbelievable” from Port but praised the Cats for holding firm.
“If you want to win respect in this competition that is footy then you do what this team has been able to do right here,” Garry Lyon told Fox Footy after Geelong‘s statement final term.
“You give up eight goals to one in the third quarter at Adelaide Oval where it‘s absolutely heaving against a team who are playing for their footy life, you gather yourself and you come out and kick four goals to one in the last quarter.”
On social media, fans were all about the stunning match.
Collingwood skipper Scott Pendlebury tweeted: “That was awesome viewing”.
Port Adelaide ambassador Matt Tarrant posted: “That hurts @PAFC. Absolutely ripper game for the neutrals.”
Freelance reporter Darren Parkin wrote: “What a fantastic game of footy. “
ABC’s Sam Wilkinson added: “That is a good win Port threw everything at them.”
Star Geelong veterans Patrick Dangerfield and Joel Selwood had just 10 possessions each to three-quarter time, but Tom Atkins played out of his skin to help drag his side across the line for Geelong’s ninth win in a row.
Needing a win to keep the season alive, Port had willing contributors all over the ground in an impressive display, with Ollie Wines, Travis Boak and Jeremy Finlayson all prominent.
Mitch Georgiades took a contender for mark of the year in a tense final term but he couldn’t add to his three goals as his set shot hit the post.
With Jason Phelan, NCA Newswire
Originally published as ‘Good as footy gets’: Epic thriller floors AFL as Cats survive Power shock
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