AFL season 2016: Geelong Cats clip Adelaide Crows' wings again

It had been 10 years since Adelaide had won eight games in a row, a feat the Crows pulled off last week. But 13 since they had won at Geelong. And on Saturday night, a little more history proved beyond them.

Not that it wouldn't have proved beyond most teams in the sort of mood Geelong were in. For this was an emphatic response by the Cats to the doubts which had emerged in two losses and a scrappy-at-best win in Perth last week.

Geelong survived a spirited opening from a visiting team which hadn't tasted victory at the venue since 2003, only a couple of points to the good at half-time after a free-scoring opening term and a very scrappy second.

But even then, the Cats had the better of play. The only difference come the second half was them putting it on the scoreboard, seven goals to two coming after the long-break.

Adelaide couldn't have asked for a better start in their attempt to break the drought, winning the first centre clearance through Eddie Betts, then key forward Josh Jenkins managing to hold a couple of tacklers at bay while snapping on his right boot, the ball bouncing through for maximum result.

But that was just the start of a goal-for-goal joust, Geelong back on level terms within a couple of minutes when Rhys Stanley, carrying the bulk of the ruck burden after the late replacement of Zac Smith, marked and converted from 45 metres.

Betts was at it early for the Crows, sneaking out the back of a pack to dob one on the run. But that, too, was answered by Cam Guthrie. And on it went, Tom Lynch putting Adelaide in front, Nakia Cockatoo dragging things back on level terms after a lovely centring chip from Shane Kersten.

And the sequence was broken when Tom Hawkins marked strongly 30 metres out to put that Cats a goal up shortly before quarter-time.

A seven-goal opening term was a veritable feast compared to what came shortly after, just three goals scored for the second quarter, admittedly as the heavens opened up and made an already tight, contested game even more congested.

Two of them came to Jenkins, who thrived despite conditions clearly not favouring the key targets. The newly recontracted Crow might have been a little fortunate to get his second, courtesy of a free kick close to goal, but his third was a gem, lining up on the run from just outside 50 and watching his beautifully judged bomb curl nicely inside the right-hand goalpost.

One more likely beneficiary of the slippery conditions was Jimmy Bartel, whose smarts and solid body work reaped 19 disposals and five of the Cats' 13 clearances to half-time.

Matt Crouch was the Crows' equivalent of Bartel. And while it was Geelong who had the bulk of the attacks, Adelaide's rebounding defence was as effective as ever thanks to Brodie Smith and Rory Laird.

Geelong didn't hit the third quarter with any more purpose than the Cats had already shown. What they did have, however, was greater purpose near goal once the ball had been worked in there.

Dan Menzel had already looked dangerous. But it was his opening two goals to the third term which began to give Geelong's edge in general play some tangible scoreboard reward. His second goal seemed inevitable from the moment he picked up some crumbs 30 metres out. As did his third following a well-flighted pass from Cockatoo.

And now Hawkins started to look particularly dangerous, out-bustling opponent Daniel Talia to mark and convert just 30 metres out, and right on three-quarter time putting Geelong 29 points up with a ball-burster from outside 50.

The Cats had added 5.3 for the term, Adelaide a morale-sapping five behinds from their far more limited opportunities.

From there, given the conditions and the way the game had unfolded, it was going to take a miracle, and any hope of that was snuffed out when Menzel answered Tom Lynch's first goal of the last term with his own fourth.

The Crows might have had the AFL's highest-scoring attack, but Geelong kept it under wraps brilliantly, Jenkins held after his big start, Taylor Walker smothered by Harry Taylor, Eddie Betts far quieter than usual, and Corey Enright, about to break the Cats' games record, looking as sharp as ever with his judgement, curbing the threats before taking more attacking licence.

"Dangerwood", after a quiet spell, appeared to be back in town for Geelong, the two midfield stars with 70 disposals between them. And late inclusion Sam Menegola had some sort of debut, finishing with 25 disposals.

The Cats had been the last team to beat Adelaide back in round eight. And after this effort, one which has catapulted them from seventh to third on the ladder, they won't mind the prospect of a third meeting this season at all.

VOTES
Geelong v Adelaide
(Rohan Connolly)

Jimmy Bartel (Geel) ….. 8
Corey Enright (Geel)……7
Daniel Menzel (Geel)…..7
Joel Selwood (Geel)……7
Patrick Dangerfield (Geel) ..7