Guthrie is pinged for HTB for diving on the footy after the Docker forwards swarm a loose ball at the hotspot. Barlow steers through the first goal. (Q1 2:12)
Cowan is pinged for HTB after running OOB 30m out under a double tackle, bit red hot that one. The result from the Mzungu ball to the square is a rushed behind. (Q1 8:59)
Sheridan receives on the wing after helping rebound on the HBF, bounces twice and passes to the lead of Taberner 25m out in the pocket. Taberner screws through a goal! (Q1 11:55)
Bad early signs for Geelong, they haven’t adjusted to the pressure and the ground well. (Q1 11:55)
Dangerfield marks a high, hopeful Stanley ball to a big pack 40m out on a slight angle. He makes no mistake. (Q1 15:29)
Walters gets a free on Ruggles for an obvious hold sitting under a long Neale ball to the hotspot, and marked it anyway. Son-Son goals, just. (Q1 18:26)
Menzel roves a Stanley contest at CHF and tries a rolling ball from 55m, but it takes an unlucky leg break and shaves the left goalpost. (Q1 20:03)
Walters roves his own contest on the HFF, two Cats challenge but he gives to Weller who baulks to 45m and steers through a nice snap for a goal. Freo has the jump! (Q1 24:59)
Duncan gives to Guthrie who tires a low percentage snap from the boundary 45m out, but misses. (Q1 26:03)
Fremantle have built their QT lead on a big win in clearances 11 to 4 and contested possession +9, plus pressure on the ballcarrier. They deserve it in full. (Qtr Time)
It’s a classic Ross Lyon game where Freo are flooding back in numbers and hitting on the counter. Geelong are well organised at the back but sometimes look old and slow. (Qtr Time)
Not a single clearance to Dangerfield or Selwood is a massive stat at QT. (Qtr Time)
Stanley gathers a kick by Mackie to the HFF and gives inside to Cockatoo who has time only to shoot off a step from 45m… but he lands it over the goal line! (Q2 6:59)
Kersten taps a long ball to space at CHF to Stanley just before the cavalry descends, Stanley runs on ahead and goals from 20m. (Q2 8:42)
Pavlich marks a high, hopeful ball by Barlow from the wing in front of a big pack 20m out on the flank. He kicks truly, Freo steadies. (Q2 10:37)
Smith grabs the ball out of ruck in the pocket and snaps a goal from 20m. (Q2 12:17)
Kersten marks a Duncan ball on a short lead to 45m on the flank, but misses. (Q2 13:38)
Mundy coughs the ball up on the wing under a Blicavs tackle, Cockatoo roves and runs away, but hits the post from 40m on a slight angle. (Q2 15:46)
Weller intercepts Kolodjashnij kicking from CHB to the centre, he gives to Blakely who runs to true CHF and lets fly… starts right but swings left and through! (Q2 17:49)
Dangerfield misses a running snap from 45m on the flank after a stoppage. (Q2 19:10)
McCarthy intercepts on the HFF leaping over Mzungu, he has Dangerfield over the back to mark in the square and goal. (Q2 22:20)
Sutcliffe it was who delivered the hospital ball to Mzungu. (Q2 22:50)
Dangerfield chases a loose ball near the boundary, breaks a despairing tackle by Sutcliffe and goals from a checkside from near the behind line! (Q2 24:35)
Pavlich bangs a ball away from congestion in the centre to Walters on his own at half forward, he centres to Ballantyne near the hotspot. Balla goals, Dockers back in front. (Q2 26:50)
The Cats pulled back to only a point behind at HT on the back or reversing the Q1 trend of clearances, though they’re still down on contested possession. (Half Time)
It’s a night for manufacturing goals out of pressure and turnovers, and a few calamitous mistakes by Sutcliffe led to back to back Geelong goals late in Q2. (Half Time)
Nevertheless, this is a game that is still being played on Ross Lyon’s terms, so it’s a matter of whether the Cat stars can haul them over the line. (Half Time)
Like last night, this one might be decided in a big moment late in the game, it’s just that close. Or Geelong could blow them away, that’s not out of the question. (Half Time)
Both sides came into this game with records in their last seven that read LLWLL. (Half Time)
Motlop marks a short Hawkins ball 40m out in front. He misses, disappointingly. (Q3 2:30)
Selwood marks at half forward and goes wide to Menzel on the flank 40m out. Menzel runs right but kicks straight, just. (Q3 8:00)
A lull as Henderson is stretchered off. (Q3 15:15)
Ibbotson is pinged for high contact on Dangerfield off the ball 35m out on a slight angle. Danger sails through his fourth goal. (Q3 19:03)
It was Sutcliffe, not Ibbotson, and the replay shows the free wasn’t there. (Q3 19:31)
Kersten uses his height to mark a Cockatoo ball in front of Sheridan near the behind line. He lines up from a tough angle, and misses with a checkside. (Q3 25:46)
Kersten roves a Dawson spoil and has a chance off his left boot from 25m on a slight angle, but snaps wide. (Q3 26:46)
Smith marks a McCarthy ball at 50m on a slight angle but gives off to Mackie who snaps wide. (Q3 28:32)
Geelong took control that quarter, albeit it didn’t show as much on the scoreboard as it might have. Still, in a low scoring game with rain nearby, three kicks might be enough. (3 Qtr Time)
Ibbotson baulks in midfield and goes carefully up the guts to Ballantyne 45m out going back with the flight. Balla hits the post. (Q4 6:58)
Neale plays on to advantage on the HFF from a free to Walters and finds Pavlich on the lead 30m out near the boundary. Pav misses. (Q4 8:38)
Mundy gives to Sutcliffe for a running miss from 45m on the flank. (Q4 11:28)
Fremantle is forcing many repeat inside 50s but can’t find a free man for a quality shot yet. (Q4 11:57)
Walters gives to Mundy at a stoppage 40m out on the flank, he shoots blind… big off break in the square and over Pavlich for a big goal! (Q4 13:08)
Lonergan was too busy wrestling Pav to realise he could have spoiled that. (Q4 13:43)
Smith stands tall in the square and marks a long Cowan ball from the HFF against a host of undersized Docker defenders for the immediate answering goal. (Q4 14:12)
Menzel is on his bottom in the pocket after beating Mzungu to a loose ball but has Hawkins sprinting past who beats a Dawson tackle and checksides a massive goal from 20m! (Q4 17:28)
Pearce goes long to Pavlich who has position and draws a free on Lonergan for a hold 40m out on the flank. Pav misses. (Q4 18:14)
Dangerfield wins a hard footy in a pack at CHF and gives outside to Duncan who baulks and misses from near the hotspot. (Q4 23:13)
Hill baulks at half forward on a fast break and goes long ot Sutcliffe who takes a contested grab over Enright at the top of the square and goals. 4:18 left. (Q4 25:28)
Hawkins catches Dawson HTB on the HBF, the Cats rebound at pace then play some tempo at half forward, 2:30. (Q4 29:12)
More tempo with crossfield kicks, 2:00. (Q4 29:22)
Suban pilfers what looked a Menzel marks at the Cat hotspot and rebounds, but the Cats hold firm at halfback, more tempo, 1:30. (Q4 30:12)
Dangerfield marks on the wing, 1:00. (Q4 30:28)
Dawson spoils, throw in on the wing, 53 seconds. (Q4 30:56)
Kersten roves, Cats control the footy and push forward, Murdoch eventually catches Dawson HTB near the hotspot. He goals after the siren. (Q4 32:14)
