CATS AT ALL TIME LOW; SNATCH DEFEAT FROM JAWS OF VICTORY; VFL TEAM FLYING HIGH
Ben Jensen 4 June 2006

By Ben Jensen GEELONG capitulated to the West Coast Eagles despite having their opponent on the ropes yesterday, losing by three points after leading by fifty-four points midway through the third term.

Most Geelong fans thought they were onto a good thing after backing their team despite playing poorly since Round Three - but it wasn't to be, as the Eagles overcame a nine goal deficit to pull off one of the come backs of the season. While some fans in the Brownlow stand cheered off the Cats, the mood in most other parts of the ground was palpable.

Not much can be gained in analysing a game that could have been one that restored pride - instead the club and town is once more the laughing stock of the AFL. Next Friday Geelong host Essendon at Telstra Dome. With both teams struggling at least one team will halt their losing streak.

Tom Harley injured a shoulder in what was a turning point of the game. Up until this point the team played positive footy - but with Harley off injured, Cameron Mooney, in his hundredth game for the club, was moved to defence. The style of play degenerated and the Eagles capitalised, kicking an amazingly accurate five goals one in the third term and seven goals three in the last, compared to Geelong's four goals four and one solitary goal.

West Coast hit the lead with about five minutes of game time left - but Nathan Ablett kicked his only goal of the day from a very tight angle to win back the lead. But Cameron Hunter, who endeared himself to Geelong fans after doing a job on Ablett last season, would snatch back the lead with a quick shot at goal from forty metres out.

Perhaps it just wasn't meant to be Geelong's day, as a mark to Matthew Egan should've been paid just seconds earlier. But you just shouldn't let a team get back from nine goals down. We seem to do this a couple times a year.

Bring on the VFL! JUMP TO VFL SCORES

WEST COAST 2.1 4.1 9.2 16.5 (101) DEFEATED
GEELONG 7.2 10.4 14.8 15.8 (98)

GOALS: WEST COAST: T Stenglein 3 R Jones 2 A Embley 2 A Hunter 2 D Kerr B Cousins D Cox Q Lynch J Graham M Rosa M Nicoski.
GEELONG: C Mooney 3 J Bartel 2 S Johnson 2 P Chapman 2 G Ablett 2 A Mackie J Kelly N Ablett C Enright.

BEST: WEST COAST: D Kerr B Cousins D Wirrpanda D Cox C Fletcher M Nicoski.
GEELONG: J Corey C Mooney C Enright J Bartel D Milburn J Kelly.

VFL NEWS

MEANWHILE the Bendigo Bank Cats had their fourth win on the trot, defeating Kangaroos affiliate North Ballarat by twenty-nine points. Matthew McCarthy kicked six goals, while discarded forward Kent Kingsley managed just two.

GEELONG 4.3 9.5 15.9 19.11 (125) DEFEATED
NORTH BALLARAT 5.1 12.2 13.4 15.6 (96)

GOALS

GEELONG M. McCarthy 6, K. Kingsley 2, L. Forbes 2, N. Butler, D. Wojcinski, H. Playfair, T. Lonergan, K. Tenace, N. Batchelor, S. Owen, J. Davenport, T. Varcoe
NORTH BALLARAT S. Rocca 6, D. Whyman 4, L. Harding, M. Sharkey, D. McConnell, B. Le Cras, S. Clifton

BEST
GEELONG M. McCarthy, P. Koulouriotis, T. Lonergan, D. Wojcinski, R. Gamble, N. Batchelor
NORTH BALLARAT O. Stephenson, M. Jamison, M. Sharkey, S. Rocca, B. Grima, C. Urch