Geelong show their premiership claws against Bulldogs

GEELONG have had their critics this season, but now an AFL legend has made a stunning claim regarding their premiership hopes.

Patrick Dangerfield on the attack.

AFL legend Wayne Carey believes Geelong have shown their potential — they are a genuine premiership contender.

The Cats christened their revamped home at Simonds Stadium with a record breaking win over Western Bulldogs, 16.8 (104) to 12.9 (81).

Their tackling went from disgraceful to demonic in the space of six days.

Cats coach Chris Scott had lambasted the Cats for their tackle-shy display in last weekend’s round-eight loss to Essendon. The response was as swift as it was brutal.

The Cats brought a tough style of football, recording a record 130 tackles, as their relentless pressure got them over the Bulldogs.

Geelong have had their critics in recent weeks, but now AFL legend Wayne Carey is willing to endorse them as a genuine premiership threat.

“If this is the standard the Cats can play at — we have another contender,” Carey told Channel Seven. “They have played brilliant footy.

“This has been very, very impressive by the Cats.”

Patrick Dangerfield was the leader for Geelong, putting in an incredible individual performance, well supported by captain Joel Selwood.

Fox Sports analyst David King was in awe of the numbers Dangerfield put together. The Cats star finished with 36 disposal, 20 contested possessions, 10 clearances and four goals.

“There are very few players in the competition, right through the competition that can reach the level that Patrick Dangerfield can take us to,” King said.

“He only played 82 per cent of ground time, so what he did tonight is simply remarkable.”

Patrick Dangerfield had a night out for the Cats.

Harry Taylor was the unlikely hero up forward, the converted defender kicking five goals. It was their 11th-straight victory over the Bulldogs, a run stretching back to 2009.

By early in the second term, they had already exceeded last weekend’s miserable tackle tally of 39.

The figure had risen to an astonishing 134 by the final siren. Dynamic duo Patrick Dangerfield (36 disposals and four goals) and Joel Selwood (29 possessions) were both instrumental in much of the home side’s best work as the Cats snapped a run of three straight losses.

Dangerfield set the scene early in the first quarter, burying Marcus Bontempelli in a bone-crunching tackle and then kicking truly from 55 metres out.

The 2016 Brownlow medallist kicked an even better goal later in the term on his non-preferred left foot, on the run, while tucked up against the boundary line. But with Clay Smith kicking two early goals, the Bulldogs led by nine points at quarter-time.

The Cats ramped up the aggression on man and ball to a whole new level in the second term, kicking 5.5 while holding the Bulldogs scoreless. After eight mostly fruitless weeks, the plan to convert Taylor finally began to pay dividends, with the two-time premiership defender kicking three of the Cats’ five second-quarter goals.

Geelong players Tom Hawkins (left) and Harry Taylor celebrate.

Big Cat Tom Hawkins booted the opening goal of the third quarter to push the margin out to 32 points.

It was hard to see where the Bulldogs’ next goal was coming from, although it ended up being gifted to them when Sam Menegola dropped a simple mark at the top of the defensive goal square, ending with a major to Jack Repdath. The Bulldogs then surged away with the last six goals of the third quarter to lead by nine points at the final change.

But the Cats were able to wrest back the momentum in the final term, with Taylor booting a further two goals to finish the night with five.

The Bulldogs’ win-loss record slipped to 5-4 and they could drop out of the top eight by the end of the round, depending on other results.

–—AAP

Originally published as Geelong show their premiership claws against Bulldogs