As it happened: Undermanned Cats down Bulldogs, sizzling Suns overrun Crows, Pies thump Eagles, Power smash Hawks

So two huge results cap off another massive Saturday of AFL action.

The undermanned Cats, who had a decimated midfield, managed to kick the last six goals to defeat the Western Bulldogs at Marvel Stadium.

The result improved Geelong to 6-6, and ended their three-game losing streak. Meanwhile, the Dogs missed a big chance to enter the top four.

But arguably the more significant result occurred up in Darwin where Gold Coast proved that their win over the Bulldogs last week was no fluke.

For so long the Suns have been asked to prove their legitimacy by regularly beating top teams, and they did so again tonight by taking down another finals aspirant in Adelaide.

And it was the manner in which they won which made it even more impressive. Coming back from 35 points down, the Suns steamrolled the Crows to win by 25 and draw level with the Cats and Crows on 6-6.

It’s been an admirable turnaround from Gold Coast after they started the year 1-4 and looked destined to fritter away another season.

In the day’s other results, Collingwood thumped a brave but hopelessly outclassed West Coast by 63 points, while Port Adelaide registered a club record half-time score (16.9.105) before easing past the Hawks by 55 points.

That result saw the Power set another club record of nine consecutive wins. They have improved to 10-2 and continue to nip at ladder-leading Collingwood’s heels (11-1).

Thanks for following along today, be sure to tune in again next weekend.

Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge spoke to the media after the game...

Q: Luke, do you think it was just the inaccuracy in front of goal that really cost you tonight or were there other aspects you probably weren’t happy with?
A: That was part of it. But there were other aspects in the end. They brought out the ante in that last quarter and we couldn’t match it. That’s part of the deal. But, yeah, there was some telling opportunities to convert that we didn’t take care of and that’s a bit deflating. Always been pretty good with being able to weather that disappointment and can just stay in the game but, you know, you can’t keep...Geelong at bay for too long if you’re not making the most of those opportunities. It’s a big part of it. But, ultimately, got beaten by a good side who, as I said, found something in the last quarter that we...we couldn’t quite find.

Q: What went wrong in the second half? You kicked the first two goals of the second quarter, looked in control and then end up conceding the last six goals of the game?
A: I think it’s partly their intensity and we didn’t match it. And then it’s...look, you would have noted that we sort of blatantly gave the ball back to them too many times in their own front half. We fuelled a game for their high forwards who are great connectors via foot, in particular Gryan Miers, he’s the best in the comp at that. Give him opportunities to find his teammates with any and so on and so forth of time, he’s just so good at it. So they got some opportunity off the back of those turnovers. And, yeah, look, there were some things going that were in our favour but some of those missed opportunities would have given a little bit of breathing space here and there. But ultimately, yeah, it’s shown that we couldn’t...we couldn’t cover things. You know what I mean, you lose one player in Ed Richards and you should still be able to cover. It felt like the cascade of the roles within our team was...we found it difficult. Ed and JJ (Johannisen) had been influential or a period of time. I found at times our ball movement looked promising but it broke down. I asked the boys, ‘Was it greasy? Was there dew inside the stadium?’ I felt like in open field and taking the ball across the ground we didn’t execute well by foot. It was a real shame because we had some looks.

Q: How did you see the set-up with Tom Stewart as well, he wasn’t so much as the extra defender, their sixth defender and you had one extra around the ball. How do you see the way you used your extra around the ball and then having Stewart spare?
A: Usually, yeah, Stewart in particular, he’s a good interceptor, he’s quick. Didn’t feel like it was a major issue in the game. I don’t know what you felt like but if you look at the intercept marks with either team, I think we took a fair few more than them if we go back to those stats. So it wasn’t a big issue for us. We generally play with five forwards a lot. But then as the game wore on they really...they really pressed their backline up. So that sort of disappeared for a while. So it wasn’t a factor.

Q: Ed Richards, is it a standard hamstring? We know Jason Johannisen is 8-10 weeks. How serious is Ed?
A: We don’t think it’s near;y as serious. We saw him limping and then he didn’t come off. So he thought he had a cramp, which is unusual. Wasn’t that late in the game. And ran around for a bit longer. But our guys are hopeful that it’s not like JJ’s. So hopefully it’s just a post-bye thing.

Geelong coach Chris Scott spoke to the media after the game...

Q: Chris, how proud are you with the performance tonight with all the outs and what was on the line approaching the bye?
A: Really proud of the players. I thought it was a high-quality game and we didn’t feel like we had control of it for large periods but our less experienced players played with a kind of assertiveness and
positivity we’re after. There are lots of examples of that. That’s the exciting part of it. We were able to focus in on the way we wanted to play tonight. I’m confident - I can’t speak for every player or person within the footy department because everyone’s a little bit different - but I do have a degree of confidence that while there’s a bit of talk about what the future might hold, whether we win or lose, that we’re just not in that mindset. It might get boring when we keep talking about it but in a way it’s easier when you do have that optimism that if we get to our best you don’t have to look too far back to see what that looks like and see how dangerous we can be. The trap is thinking that that comes in hopefully four or five or six or seven weeks. We’ve got to do what we can do to do it now. The same goes when we get some players back as well. We’re far from in a position where we think we’re rolling after one win, because we’re getting some players back, Max Holmes will play, Mitch Duncan will play.

Q: You said you wanted your players to be less passive and be bolder. Who drove that, do you think?
Amongst the playing group? Or how did you get that response.
A: That’s complicated. Hopefully there were a lot of inputs there. I think it was put to me, was it yesterday in the press conference, that when you’re not playing that well, especially relative to what you can do...again, look back, whatever it is, six months ago and see what’s possible, and the question’s kind of logical. Is it that little bit of an edge that’s off because you had a good year last year? And sincerely, I don’t see that. I think it’s a little bit the opposite. I think still we have some guys who, in my mind, are A-graders. They may not be All-Australians but that’s how I think of them. That’s the kind of people they are and I love them for it. But we want to see a little bit more of that assertiveness, so the opposite of being passive, out on the field. I think we saw more of that today. So it’s a really good sign.

Q: You spoke about some of the younger guys. How important is Mitch Knevitt’s goal on half-time to get you back within two points?
A: I saw him really quickly after he kicked that goal and even more than the fact that he kicked it and he took on the pressure, like, he was excited a bit, he was up and about. That’s a good example of what I’m trying to explain, like, I’m...I don’t know how many games Mitch has played. I don’t even care. We’re not thinking of them as young players to find their way. He’s capable. It was nice in that little moment to see it and it builds his belief. I suspect that I think that some of these guys are better players than they think that are. That’s always a coaching challenge to inspire, hopefully, but at least make it clear how good they can be.

Q: How important was Tom Stewart’s night in terms of the leadership that you were policing in terms of the experience that wasn’t out there?
A: Yes, I still think that the cornerstone of being a good leader in the AFL context is making sure that you play as well as you can as an individual. And I thought ... Stewy played his game, it wasn’t perfect but it was excellent. Even him kicking that goal was it the start of the last, if you could pick a guy to kick it you couldn’t come up with one better than Stew. That can be a vague thing to observe. I think it comes in a different order I think. When they’ve played well you see they’ve led well. Stewy has led us well along with Pat (Dangerfield) from the pre-season into the season but we haven’t been playing well, through no fault of his.

Q: Tom Stewart is often by himself behind the ball, not as an extra player. How did you see it working out?
A: It is always a challenge with them. They were able to use that extra number well. They’re one of the best teams in the comp. Especially when ball handling is good and their midfield is so deep when they have that many guys I don’t blame them for pushing one up. That’s always a quandary. They were pretty tall in their forward half. The way the ground was set up sometimes it did look OK for them. I wouldn’t have said that it was just on our terms the whole night. But it is an interesting observation. That’s the stuff that takes up the coaching group at every single AFL club’s time during the week and in the review.

Bulldogs captain Marcus Bontempelli spoke to Channel Seven after the game...

Q: Marcus there was a fair bit to like early on. What was your assessment of the performance?
A: I definitely felt like we gave ourselves enough opportunities and chances. There were certainly aspects of our game that really shone through I guess. But unfortunately against the best, sometimes it just doesn’t cut it. You need all, really, all four quarters and the majority of the moments to be able to go your way. We couldn’t make it happen.

Q: It was a physical game, and a fast one, fairly taxing as well.
A: They looked to rebound off turnover. Some we couldn’t stop, we turned the ball over in open field, with the quick types they’ve got who can get up, work up the ground, then rip back, it becomes a challenge to defend in the open field. We managed to stop a couple of them but you give too many looks to a good team that’s what hurt us.

Q: Do you have the best medical staff in the competition because Adam Treloar looked like he was facing a stint on the sidelines, throwing the mouthguard then he was back.
A: They’re pretty handy. Looks like we lost another one tonight. It was probably Adam thinking, ‘Oh, no, not another little stint’, but he seemed to finish the game out pretty well. Probably good news there.

Q: Going into a big match against Port Adelaide next week. They’re flying at the moment. You’ll need to be at your best.
A: Spot on. You look at this week as an opportunity to pull out some of the positives. I think the majority of what we could have done better is ball use, open field stuff we normally hit, targets under the roof which puts us under pressure at times. The good teams will challenge with their own offensive plans but you don’t want to turn it over, give them an extra sort of look. If we tidied that up it might have looked a bit different, not defending as much. But Port Adelaide had a bloody strong win again today. We played them a little while ago, have played them once already, know what they’re capable of.

Q: Couldn’t have asked anymore from Tim English.
A: Super. Definitely from a...looked like a hitout to advantage and service point of view he was very good. We know how capable and how strong he is in between the phases and getting in the way. He continues to have a super influential year for us.

Q: Last one, key message coming out of the team meeting?
A: Expect more from each other, go to school on your own individual games about how individually we can help the cause for each other, for the group, for the team. A strong message of, you know, let’s be better, expect more from each other and demand more. That’ll help us get to where we want to go.

Star Geelong defender Tom Stewart spoke to Channel Seven after the game...

Q: Fourth goal in your career?
A: Is it? Geez, it is a long time between drinks.

Q: Some excited celebrations.
A: I think 2018 was the last time I kicked a goal. It felt foreign, didn’t know whether to go left, right, or straighten up but it went through.

Q: Good to be back on the winner’s list. Three, five, three, then break the duck again.
A: I think I’m most proud the mood of the group didn’t change. As a leader of the club that’s something you can enjoy the fact that blokes are still enjoying coming to work. We’re so grateful of the club that’s been created over a number of years before we’ve been here. It was bloody nice to win tonight though.

Q: I thought the second half in particular, the intensity and your tackle numbers went through the roof, I thought that was...the game changed where you stopped their ball movement and you really turned it into like a really tough game, and you must have been pleased with...it started in the midfield, their willingness, your younger midfield to take it up to them and change the momentum of the game.
A: Absolutely. You’ve articulated that so well. We have such great belief around the ball. It is a credit to them. They shifted the momentum of the game as you said, it started that second half. They’re class in there, the Bulldogs. You have to really respect what they can do around the ball. The boys asked a lot of questions going back the other way, which is really pleasing.

Q: We know you hate talking about yourself but in terms of this whole misfits thing, to bring an Irishman to play alongside two other Irishmen, to play alongside a steeplechaser (Blicavs) and a chippie from South Barwon (Stewart), you’re having a lend now?
A: It’s good. It’s awesome. Something we are really proud of. The group we’ve come through, Zac Guthrie, rookie pick, there’s 147 at last count...

Q: And Tyson Stengle, he’s done, unless the club says, ‘No, no, have another go…’
A: We’re really proud of that. That comes all the way up to the recruiting team, Stephen Wells and
the people they bring in. First and foremost it’s the character of the person, Oisin has played five games of Aussie rules footy and he doesn’t look out of place. We’re proud of the culture we’ve created. We love coming to work, this footy club and so proud to represent it.

Q: What do you have planned for the bye?
A: We’re heading to Byron. Me and my wife and the two kids. Bit of chaos on the plane.

Geelong backman Sam De Koning spoke to Channel Seven post-game...

Q: Nice to have a win?
A: Yes, it was a bit of a grind. The boys were good enough to hold in there and get the win.

Q: Not often you see Tommy Stewart kicking goals.
A: Yes, it’s great. He won’t be afraid to tell you about it.

Q: From watching it looked like a high-quality, high-speed game. Did it feel like that ground?
A: Definitely. Out at Marvel Stadium, it is quick footy, quick skills. They have a strong midfield, strong forward line, they’re strong all over the ground. We knew we had a grind and a battle ahead of us but I felt the midfield dug in, the backline did well.

Q: Your mask sort of looks like something out of ‘Phantom Of The Opera’.
A: It is not as bad you as you think but I’m glad to have it off. It is good for a straight line, but when the ball is all over the shop it’s like your vision is a bit off. But it is good, good quality. I won’t be wearing it next game.

Q: Tell us about Oisin.
A: He’s a legend.

Q: Fifth game.
A: Yeah, he’s come out, just got stuck in. He’s improved every day. We love him at the Cats. He’s really bought into our culture. He’s a jet. He’s a gun. I love him.

Q: At one point, he had done 13km... He was second highest. Must be a natural.
A: All the boys who come from Gaelic footy are natural athletes. He’s a beast along with all our other Irish boys.

Q: When he arrived and saw a football for the first time. That’s only, what, is it, seven, eight months ago...?
A: Yeah, it was ridiculous.

Q: How was he?
A: Oh, he was good.

Q: Straight away.
A: I remember our first session or pre-season that he was there we were doing just skills warm-up and he was lacing out every kick. It must correlate a bit...

Q: It’s got to be.
A: They all seem to be very well-skilled and he’s no exception.

Q: He was twice the young footballer of the year, he’s in the all-star team, only 23 now and it’s been said he is the equivalent of Nick Daicos.
A: It shows. Fifth game, we’re lucky to have him and we’ll do our best to make him feel welcome and happy at the Cats for as long as he can because he’s going to be a star.

Q: What have you got for the bye?
A: I’m actually going to Phillip Island.

Geelong superstar Jeremy Cameron also spoke to Channel Seven after the game...

A: It’s been good. We haven’t really got the results ... we obviously want to win every week but we’re working on it. We’ve spoken about staying in it for long periods of time and we’ve got a lot of different guys going through different positions. You would have saw that tonight with centre bounces and Oisin playing off half-back. We’ve changed it up a lot. It is a good, hard-fought win.

Q: A quick game, a high-intensity game. I noticed a couple of times you pushing up into the centre bounces. Who calls those? Is that from the bench or you?
A: It comes from the bench. I only got one, wasn’t the greatest start. If I’m not seeing it too much deep it’s nice to push up off my own accord but we have a lot of guys playing that role.

Q: Bye week coming up. No doubt the body needs a rest. Do you get away or do all the work around the farm?
A: I’m going to be in Cairns actually, heading to Cairns with the family, which is nice. Going to be good to put the feet up just for three or four days and enjoy a bit of sun. It’s been a bit chilly down here, hasn’t it? It’s nice but even better to get the win and take a bit of momentum into the bye so now we can really push in the second half of the year.

Irish Geelong recruit Oisin Mullin spoke to Channel Seven after the Cats’ impressive win over the Bulldogs...

Q: That looked fun out there but a lot of hard work. You’re a bit sore at the end, everything OK?
A: Yes, feeling it a bit towards the end. Game’s a bit longer than I’m used to. But, no, just so good to get the win out there.

Q: It’s game No.2 in the big time in the AFL but that was certainly the most intense and fastest compared to last week. Did you notice that difference?
A: Yes, in here, all the lads are saying it pre-game it feels like the ball travels further. You can really notice the intensity in it. It’s a lot quicker game. The ball moved very fast. Took us a small bit of time to adapt to that but it is enjoyable.

Q: We heard a story pre-game you might have run into a few of the boys at a stag party and they
convinced you to come over.
A: That story is doing the rounds. But, no, that was a pretty funny encounter. I’d never been to Dingle before and to find 13, 14 guys from Geelong in Dingle was happy considering me nearly coming out here for a year then postponing it. It was a bit reassuring them. But I kept in touch and it progressed from there.

Q: The big question, do you know the words to the song?
A: I do. I learnt it. I made the mistake of not knowing it for the first VFL game and I was called out on that one. I learned the words the next day.

G.Coast 2.4, 5.5, 11.10, 16.16 (112)
Adelaide 6.1, 8.4, 11.6, 13.9 (87)

GOALS
G.Coast: Lukosius 5, King 3, Anderson 2, Casboult 2, Humphrey 2, Jeffrey, Rowell
Adelaide: Fogarty 3, Walker 2, Keays 2, O’Brien, Dawson, Pedlar, Milera, Rachele, Murphy

DISPOSALS
G.Coast: Anderson 28, Powell 17, Humphrey 17, Holman 17, Fiorini 17, Davies 17, Atkins 17
Adelaide: Dawson 30, Smith 26, Keays 25, Laird 22, Milera 20, Sloane 17

The Crows’ last gasp goes begging as Fogarty’s shot on the run from 55m out misses to the right.

With 3:05 to go, Gold Coast lead by 26 points, 16.16.112 to 13.8.86. They’re home now.

What a performance after trailing by 35 points, and after being 1-4, they will now be 6-6 having completed their Darwin double against finals aspirants the Bulldogs and Adelaide.

Meanwhile, the Crows’ road record is now 1-4 compared to their home ratio of 5-2. They are a different team away from Adelaide Oval.