Standout performances from milestone man Jimmy Bartel and Joel Selwood saw Geelong run out comfortable 18.11.(119)-12.9.(81) winners over Adelaide on Thursday night.
A high scoring first quarter saw the Cats get off to a hot start. Hamish McIntosh kicked his first goal as member of Geelong and attacking midfielder Josh Caddy added himself to the scoreboard as the Cats kicked six goals in a dominant stretch.
But timely goals from Adelaide debutant Eddie Betts late in the term and a classic from Patrick Dangerfield, leaving his man for dead long the right boundary before slotting a perfect kick from the tightest of angles, helped cut a 15-point lead down to three at the first change.
Sam Jacobs needed just 30 seconds to put Adelaide into the lead courtesy of an ill-disciplined fifty metre penalty from James Kelly, but it was a superstar second quarter from Jimmy Bartel, kicking three goals including two where he slipped completely unnoticed behind the defence, that brought the Simonds Stadium fans to their seats.
Betts broke Geelong’s four goal streak with an accurate soccer along the ground before Bartel almost snapped a fourth, saved on the line by a lumbering Ben Rutten.
Lewis Johnston punctured a scoreless third quarter midway through with his third and Matt Jensch added another with a bomb from 50, however easy misses to Betts and Wright enabled Geelong to head into the final quarter with a five-point lead.
Patrick Dangerfield shrugged off a night of close attention from Cameron Guthrie to kick a goal early into the fourth to put the Crows momentarily in front, but Stevie Johnson kicked one in stride before Mitch Brown booted back-to-back majors to push the lead out beyond a three-goal margin.
With Adelaide’s chances hanging in the balance, McIntosh strolled into an open goal but decided to handball off to a streaking Bartel at the last second to reward the Geelong champion with the sealer on his momentous occasion.
Selwood’s two-goal, nine-clearance, 34-possession night was aided by big games from Johnson (31 possessions) and Stokes (28).
Wright led Adelaide with 31 touches while Sam Jacobs had an influential game in the ruck to go along with 19 disposals and eight marks.
Adelaide face crosstown rival Port next Saturday at the new Adelaide Oval and Geelong travel up to Gabba to take on the Lions on Sunday.
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Photo: Michael Dodge/Getty Images
