AFL round 11 match review: Geelong v. Adelaide at Geelong

Geelong’s up-then-down-then-up-again season rolled on Friday night at Kardinia Park, where the Adelaide Crows were the next side to feel the wrath of Chris Scott’s men, losing both the match and their place at the top of the ladder (thanks to Greater Western Sydney’s win over Essendon at Homebush the following day).

The match witnessed another fine performance from ‘Dangerwood’: 35 disposals and 21 contested possessions for the Bendigoan, 31 disposals for the ex-Crow. But it was just as much about Scott Selwood keeping Rory Sloane to 22 disposals and Zach Tuohy keeping Eddie Betts to the one goal.

The Cats won the first quarter three goals to two, the biggest story being the Rory Sloane benching saga: Adelaide’s star midfielder found himself on the pine for over eight minutes, unable to convince a teammate to switch places. Patrick Dangerfield kicked the first major of each of the first two terms, and Tom Hawkins’ first goal in his 200^th game put Geelong 23 points up early in the second quarter.

Adelaide got to within ten points midway through the quarter, but it was Nakia Cockatoo who summed up Geelong’s dominance with a magnificent stiff-arm on Charlie Cameron as he galloped along the wing. A mélée of sorts developed in the centre square shortly before half-time, and Hawkins’ jumper-punch on Matt Crouch was the only dampener for the Cats as they led by 29 at the main break.

Two consecutive goals, a mid-air soccer from Daniel Menzel and a set shot following a strong lead by Dangerfield, put the result more or less beyond doubt. The crowd waited until nearly three-quarter time for the obligatory taste of Eddie Betts magic, but Menzel’s snap in the goal square early in the last quarter sealed it for the hosts.

Twelve consecutive inside fifties came too late for the Crows: the third, and so far the biggest, big-name side in successive weeks to be outclassed in Sleepy Hollow. By winning the contested possession count 164 to 130 and by neutering Sloane, Geelong exposed their opponents as pretenders.

Geelong 13.18.96 (Dangerfield 3, Menzel 3, Hawkins 2, Taylor 2, Motlop, Parsons, Selwood) – Adelaide 10.14.74 (Walker 3, Jenkins 2, Lynch 2, Betts, Cameron, Otten)