GWS overcomes loss of co-captain Callan Ward to stun Geelong at GMHBA Stadium
GWS overcame the loss of Callan Ward to stun Geelong in one of the club’s finest wins. And the news could get worse for the Cats, although Chris Scott isn’t too worried about an off-the-ball incident involving Patrick Dangerfield. WATCH THE INCIDENTS
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WHEN you think about the GWS Giants, you immediately think of elite talent and skill.
That’s been their reputation since they became a contender in recent times and it was that precision in the crucial moments which burst Geelong’s bubble.
SCROLL DOWN TO SEE WHAT THE COACHES SAID
The Cats dominated the first half and were cruising towards a 4-0 start before they suddenly seemed to get tired, opening the door for the silky Giants.
STATS, SUPERCOACH: CATS v GIANTS
Leon Cameron’s team then went to work like a surgeon, cutting holes in the Cats with a six-goal third quarter before their coolness got them over the line in a frantic last couple of minutes.
The cream certainly rose to the top for the Giants with big numbers to all of their prime movers led by Stephen Coniglio (34 possessions), Josh Kelly (32) with Lachie Whitfield and Jacob Hopper both collecting 31 disposals.
As a collective they had 80 more disposals than the Cats who were best served by a defender with Tom Stewart leading the way (26 disposals).
It was a strange day for Brownlow Medal favourite Patrick Dangerfield who was everywhere in the first half before touching the ball just five times in the second half.
TOMAHAWK TICK FOR RULES
IF Steve Hocking needs a player to come into any of his AFL briefings to discuss the new rule changes then Tom Hawkins is his man.
The Cats full-forward is a perfect example of why the 6-6-6 rule is a winner.
Hawkins is thriving on getting more one-on-one contests thanks to the set starting positions at centre bounces.
Two of his three goals came from free-kicks from centre breaks when the Giants defenders simply panicked because of his sheer bulk and physical strength.
Giants spearhead Jeremy Cameron is also enjoying the 2019 working conditions for full-forwards as he looked dangerous almost every time he went near it.
The Giants may have stumbled on a winning forward combination with Cameron and Jeremy Finlayson kicking three goals each to follow up from a combined total of 12 goals against Richmond last week.
DE BOER NIGGLES, DANGER REACTS
MATT De Boer’s stocks continue to rise.
Add Geelong young gun Tim Kelly to his growing list of victims.
Fresh off his blanketing job on Richmond star Dustin Martin, De Boer was locked in again with the Cats youngster reduced to just four touches in the opening half. He only managed nine for the game.
The Giants stopper also spent some time next to Patrick Dangerfield and his close-checking got a reaction behind-the-play from the Cats star in the second quarter which Michael Christian may have a look at on Monday.
Fox Footy zeroed in on the incident at half-time with Dangerfield appearing to swing his arm back which caught De Boer in the stomach. Given the history of the MRP this year, it would be a fine at worst.
GIANT HEARTACHE
HE’S one of the toughest players in the competition so the sight of Callan Ward in tears on the bench told a telling story.
The Giants captain suffered a serious knee injury just six minutes into the opening quarter.
Ward, who was playing his first game for the season after a pre-season injury to his other knee, was being tackled by Gary Ablett when his left knee gave away.
After being taken down to the rooms for an examination, the inspirational skipper returned to the bench on crutches which was when he broke down.
“It looks like an ACL, it didn’t feel good when I went down on it,” Ward said after the game.
“I was in a bit of shock, it was probably then when I realised I was out for the year.”
GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY 1.1 4.3 10.7 11.13 (79)
GEELONG 4.3 7.6 10.8 11.9 (75)
Goals: GWS: J Cameron 3 J Finlayson 3 D Lloyd 2 H Himmelberg 2 M Buntine
Geelong: T Hawkins 3 G Ablett 2 G Rohan 2 G Miers H Taylor P Dangerfield T Kelly
Best: GWS: Coniglio, Whitfield, Kelly, Hopper, Haynes, Cameron, Mumford
Geelong: Hawkins, Stewart, Parfitt, Duncan, Ablett
Umpires: Chris Donlon, Jacob Mollison, Justin Power.
Venue: GMHBA Stadium
SCOTT GULLAN’S VOTES:
3 - Stephen Coniglio (GWS)
2 - Lachie Whitfield (GWS)
1 - Josh Kelly (GWS)
CHRIS SCOTT: GIANTS TOO GOOD, NOT WORRIED ABOUT DANGER
THE Giants conveyor belt of star midfielders were too much for Geelong to handle according to coach Chris Scott.
While the Cats may have lost their first game of the season by just four-points, Scott believed GWS were clearly the better team for the majority of the afternoon.
He was left frustrated by his team’s failure to capitalise during a dominant opening term which then left them vulnerable to an inspired Giants comeback without their captain Callan Ward.
Ward, who was playing his first game for the season, suffered a suspected ACL injury to his left knee just six minutes into the game
In his absence Stephen Coniglio, Josh Kelly, Jacob Hopper, Lachie Whitfield and Tim Taranto all had 28 or more possessions to dominanate Geelong’s star-studded midfield contingent.
There wouldn’t be many games where Patrick Dangerfield, Joel Selwood or Gary Ablett were all kept to less than 18 touches.
“We didn’t take our chances, especially early in the first quarter, we could have probably changed the complexion of the game but I think the bottom line is we were out-played for three quarters,” Scott said.
“We uncharacteristically gave them some really easy goals in that third quarter and they got a bit of momentum.
“We still had our chances but sometimes you get beaten by the better team on the day and they are a team full of very very good players.”
Defender Tom Stewart and Mitch Duncan were the Cats leading possessions winners on 26 as the Giants had 80 more disposals.
The Cats led by 21-points at half-time but conceded six goals in the third quarter as the Giants ran over the top of the home side who were searching for a 4-0 start to the season.
“I think some of our best players weren’t as effective as they have been in the past and the opposition have some really, really good players there,” Scott said.
“Even without Ward ... to a man their guys around the ball after quarter-time were fantastic and put our defence under pressure.
“A group of really good players beat our guys where it counted, that probably sums it up.”
Dangerfield had an interesting afternoon, starting brilliantly with 12 first-half possessions which included a goal before fading badly gaining just five disposals in the second half.
He’s also likely to come under scrutiny from the MRP after a behind-the-play incident with GWS tagger Matt De Boer.
The Brownlow Medal favourite appeared to throw his arm back which connected with De Boer’s stomach, forcing him to his knees although given the recent MRP verdict history it would be a fine at the very worst.
Scott said he didn’t think there was much in the incident and pointed out that an umpire was near the incident and didn’t pay a free-kick.
“There was an umpire there and it wasn’t a free-kick,” the Cats coach said.
“Let’s deal with the facts, it wasn’t a free-kick, there might have been some contact to the body.
“These days you might try to milk a free kick if you cop a push, that is the way it is being umpired.
“If there’s not much in it, you jump back to your feet and play-on which seems to be the facts.”
Geelong next faces Hawthorn in the traditional Easter Monday fixture with midfielder Cam Guthrie a likely inclusion.
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