Round 18
Saturday, June 21, 7.25pm
Geelong Cats v Melbourne, GMHBA Stadium

First quarter: Melbourne 2.3 (15) to Geelong Cats 2.1 (13)

Melbourne started the match positively, peppering the scoreboard with five of the opening seven scores.

Tom McDonald was busy early and managed 1.2 for the term.

But it was Jeff Garlett, who posted the first for the match at the six-minute mark.

The Cats kicked two majors via Tom Hawkins and Jamaine Jones, and at quarter-time Melbourne led by two points.

Clayton Oliver had 13 disposals in a dominant first quarter, while Patrick Dangerfield had 12 for the Cats.

Second quarter: Melbourne 5.8 (38) to Geelong Cats 5.3 (33)

Geelong got out to an eight-point lead early in the second term, when Dangerfield registered his first and Hawkins managed his second.

Angus Brayshaw secured Melbourne’s first for the quarter, after intercepting and kicking truly on the run.

But when Dangerfield booted his second, the Cats were back out to an eight-point lead entering time-on.

However, Melbourne lifted late in the term, when Charlie Spargo squeezed through a beauty from the pocket. And when T.McDonald bagged his second, Melbourne was up by five points at half-time.

Oliver continued his outstanding start, winning 20 touches by the long change, while Dangerfield had 21 for the Cats.

Third quarter: Melbourne 11.9 (75) to Geelong Cats 8.4 (52)

 It was a see-sawing contest for much of the third term.

The lead changed six times, until Melbourne answered with four in succession to claim a 23-point lead at three quarter-time.

Jake Melksham, Jesse Hogan, Max Gawn and Jeff Garlett, who booted his second, made sure of the red and blue’s four in a row.

Christian Petracca and Nathan Jones were Melbourne’s other goalkickers early in the term.

Oliver had a whopping 31 disposals by three quarter-time.  

Final quarter: Geelong 16.4 (100) d Melbourne 14.14 (96)

Melbourne made it five consecutive goals, when T.McDonald opened the last term with his third. The Demons were up by 29 points at the two-minute mark and looked set for a comfortable victory. But the Cats had other ideas and kicked five goals in nine minutes to get back within two points.

Melksham, in his 150th AFL game, broke the streak with his second and Melbourne was up by eight points at the 17-minute mark. However, when Tim Kelly kicked Geelong’s sixth for the quarter, the Cats were back within two points.

T.McDonald answered again for the Demons, kicking his fourth, and the red and blue was again up by eight points. But when Hawkins kicked his seventh, it was back to two points. A Jay Kennedy Harris behind followed at the 29-minute mark, and a rushed behind came at the 32-minute mark, putting Melbourne up by four points.

But when Zach Tuohy marked moments before the final siren – he then went back and kicked the winning goal after the match, with the Cats winning by two points.

Oliver finished with 40 disposals and Jordan Lewis had 30 touches. Kelly had the most for the Cats with 32.