CATS SHAKY BUT GET JOB DONE ONE MILESTONE NIGHT FOR BARTEL AND ENRIGHT
Ben Jensen 29 July 2016

AFL ROUND 19 2016: GEELONG CATS V WESTERN BULLDOGS GEELONG struggled at times but a dominant second half with big contributions from Rhys Stanley and Patrick Dangerfield got the job done in the record-breaking game for Corey Enright and 300th game for Jimmy Bartel. Stanley kicked a career high five goals while Dangerfield bagged three, on a night the Bulldogs, already depleted following last round, lost two players to injury before the night was through including Tom Liberatore. The Cats prevailed by twenty-five points, the last goal fittingly kicked by Bartel less than a minute before the final siren.

The Bulldogs got the jump from the word go and while the Cats did lead at every change the Bulldogs were in front for substantial periods of the first and second quarters. Geelong held the lead for the entire second half, the Bulldogs scoring four behinds in the third quarter before the Cats scored their first goal, the Bulldogs will go on to regret not converting at least one of these to give them back the lead which the Cats never surrendered.

Stanley deserves a best on ground with the five goals, Zac Smith was good in the ruck too. Dangerfield just kept on going, skipper Joel Selwood was down somewhat but like Dangerfield kept putting in the hard yards. Mark Blicavs was not very good and should come under serious scrutiny as to whether he retains his spot in the side based on form. Tom Hawkins had a confident game as spearhead, coming into form at the right time of the season. Dan Menzel played a more defensive game on instructions from the coaching staff while Mitch Duncan has improved on his last month. Sam Menegola in his second game was solid while not spectacular and may come under AFL match review panel scrutiny following a fair old whack on a Bulldog player whose name escapes us. Bartel was solid and Enright very good, both 'sharing' one vote on K-Rock.

GEELONG: 5.2, 9.2, 13.5, 16.7 (103) DEFEATED
WESTERN BULLDOGS: 5.1, 8.2, 8.8, 11.12 (78)

GOALS
GEELONG: Stanley 5, Dangerfield 3, Hawkins 3, Motlop 2, Menzel, Duncan, Bartel
WESTERN BULLDOGS: Dickson 3, Boyd 3, Dunkley, Stringer, Smith, Jong, Cordy

BEST
GEELONG: Dangerfield, Stanley, Enright, Smith, Mackie, Motlop, Ruggles
WESTERN BULLDOGS: Dahlhaus, Boyd, Daniel, Bontempelli, Johannisen

CHANGES
GEELONG: Nil
WESTERN BULLDOGS: Nil

INJURIES
GEELONG: Nil reported
WESTERN BULLDOGS: Tom Liberatore (ankle), Jordan Roughead (chest), Jackson Macrae (hamstring)

REPORTS: Nil

UMPIRES: Nicholls, Kamolins, Meredith

CROWD: 24,331 at Simonds Stadium, Kardinia Park / Geelong