As Callan Ward is helped off the field with what looks like a serious knee injury, Hawkins’ set shot misses wide for the first score of the day. (Q1 7:34)
Hawkins gives to Ablett in the pocket. The little master snaps on his left but it isn’t bending enough. Minor score. (Q1 9:17)
Miers intercepts in the middle to kickstart a Geelong attack. Parfitt hands off to Dangerfield who, from a standing start, goals from 48m out. (Q1 10:15)
It’s Constable, Miers and then Duncan in the Cats’ forward 50. Mitch’s quick shot looks good at first, but it cannons into the post. (Q1 12:49)
Duncan feeds a ground ball to his left to an unmanned Kelly. Tim makes the running shot from 47 look easy. Cats continue their strong start. (Q1 16:04)
Stanley’s defensive fist goes straight to his opponent. Buntine hits Himmelberg in the forward line on the lead. He plays on and dishes to Finlayson. Easy goal to the Giants. (Q1 21:34)
Rohan leaps over a couple of players, clutching an impressive mark. With the opportunity to slot his first major of the day, from just inside 50, he has no trouble whatsoever. (Q1 24:28)
Menegola kicks from the wing to the advantage of a leading Hawkins. From just outside the paint, Hawkins goes BANG and splits the middle with ease. (Q1 26:47)
Ablett’s spinning snap is smothered. The Sherrin rolls toward Hawkins who finds himself with a few meters of space, but his shot from 35 is offline. (Q2 2:30)
Blicavs kicks it straight to Finlayson. The Giants are able to work it around until Tomlinson hits Cameron lace-out. Jeremy kicks truly from 48. (Q2 4:39)
Josh Kelly brilliantly crumbs a Himmelberg contest in the pocket. He dishes by hand to Coniglio, then Finlayson, but the big man’s snap is poor. (Q2 8:44)
Hopper pops a 15m kick inside 50 to Lloyd in space. His attempt from 52 is a beauty. Josh Kelly involved in the lead-up yet again. (Q2 10:28)
Miers somehow works his way through heavy traffic before feeding it off to Ratugolea. Esava seemed a little off-balance as he kicked, resulting in a minor score from 35. (Q2 11:43)
A number of Cats are involved in handball chain in the hot spot, but Giants’ pressure doesn’t permit a shot. Menegola then kicks to Harry Taylor on the outside. Set shot. Goal (Q2 14:28)
Stewart is pinged for HTB in the Giant’s attacking pocket. Himmelberg elects to run inboard for the right-foot snap and has no problem splitting the middle. (Q2 22:41)
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Hawkins is able to release out of a congested forward stoppage to Ablett, but Gary’s quick snap is offline. (Q2 28:59)
O’Conner lays a great tackle on the wing. After passing through a couple Cats, Tim Kelly hits up Miers on the lead. The youngster’s 45m kick is straight through the middle. (Q2 30:38)
Sam Taylor is penalised for Holding the bigger-bodied Hawkins. From 23m, the big Cat kicks an important goal just before HT to extend Geelong’s lead. (Half Time)
Mumford cleverly checks his kick to spot Tomlinson free at the top of the square. Adam picks it up and pops it over the top to Buntine who kicks the easy goal. (Q3 2:38)
Dahlhaus hands to a running Duncan who lowers his eyes to complete a pass to Ablett inside 50. Gary celebrates the goal but it will be reviewed… The goal is as clear as daylight. (Q3 5:23)
Ablett wills himself through a number of contests and dishes a handball off the deck to Menegola. Sam’s quick shot from 30m is wide for a bad miss. (Q3 5:51)
Jeremy Cameron marks the Taranto kick on the lead in a paddock of space in front of Harry Taylor. He slots the set shot from 40 with ease. (Q3 8:03)
The footy lands in the gloves of Cameron yet again who is proving too agile and fast for Harry Taylor at the minute. His set shot from 30m on a slight angle is excellent. (Q3 9:36)
Mumford dumps Dahlhaus after a kick, resulting in a downfield free to Tim Kelly. His attempt on goal from the 50 arc is coming back… but hits the post. (Q3 11:07)
Himmelberg’s 10m pass to LLoyd is paid a mark. He quickly plays on and finds Finlayson in space. On no real angle, Jeremy goals from 30! (Q3 13:30)
Ablett’s hook lead is a good one, giving himself plenty of space to mark the Hawkins pass in front of Williams. From 45, his set shot is flawless. (Q3 15:32)
Hopper boots it inside 50 from a contest on the wing where Himmelberg is able to work Henry under the footy and juggle the mark. The margin’s back to 5 points as Harry goals! (Q3 17:15)
Finlayson puts in multiple efforts, eventually passing backwards to Buntine. His shot on goal is on a tough angle, off hands for a minor score. (Q3 25:45)
Lloyd plucks a great mark 35m out following a centering ball from the pocket. His set shot sways side to side, but squeezes in for a goal. Giants hit the lead! (Q3 29:24)
A quick forward entry results in Davis being penalised for holding Hawkins. Tom kicks sweetly from 45, directly in front, and puts the Cats back in front. (Q3 30:35)
With 5 seconds left in the third quarter, Josh Kelly spins around in the pocket and snaps on his left. His attempt is off hands and results in a minor score. (3 Qtr Time)
Cameron marks over the top of Duncan at 35. Unfortunately for GWS he can’t line up his shot on target, hooking it right for a minor score. (Q4 3:11)
It’s a chain of kicks from Menegola to Miers to Atkins. The mature-age recruit misses narrowly to the right from 47, giving the Cats a 1-point lead. (Q4 4:11)
Phil Davis fumbles near the 50, resulting in an Ablett pickup. He dishes to Hawkins who dances and weaves before kicking to the advantage of Rohan. He marks in the pocket. Goal. (Q4 6:30)
Constable turns it over on his defensive HBF. Reid picks it up and kicks waywardly inside 50, where it fortunately falls in the lap of Buntine. From 40, he misses left. (Q4 8:45)
Himmelberg takes a phenomenal Jonathan Brown-esque mark, makes a few moments to catch his breath, then passes to Finlayson in the pocket. He snaps truly to draw scores level. (Q4 13:31)
Daniels mongrels a floating kick toward goal that sways and sways before going through for a minor score. (Q4 16:02)
Finlayson winds up and blasts it from distance, but his shot is also across the face. The Giants continue to dominate possessions, but can’t convert on the scoreboard. (Q4 19:01)
Taranto marks the Mumford pass just inside the forward 50. His kick to the hot spot is thumped through by Stanley for a behind. 3 points the margin. (Q4 24:56)
Josh Kelly misses his chance for the knock-out blow, taking the margin to 4 points. The Cats’ last-chance rebound is muffled and the Giants chalk up the win! (Full Time)
