Geelong’s triumph over Essendon bursts Collingwood’s top-two hopes
Geelong players celebrating after the final siren
Geelong’s 44-point victory over Essendon on Friday night rocketed the Cats into the top two and placed Collingwood’s top-four hopes in danger.
Previous leaders on the AFL ladder, the Magpies are now third after dropping four of their last five games.
How did the Cats win?
Resting captain Patrick Dangerfield, Geelong started the final quarter with a clear to post a 15.19 (109) to 10.5 (65) win.
Jeremy Cameron kicked four goals but also managed five behinds in an unaccurate display.
The Cats’ defence was dominant early, collecting a club-record 19 intercept marks in the opening half as Essendon grappled with their inside-50 delivery.
The details are that the Bombers hit back in the third quarter, kicking four straight goals to close the gap, but Geelong steadied and ran out impressively.
Why was Cameron’s free kick controversial?
Cameron’s third goal came from being awarded a controversial free kick after he contested a mark with two Essendon players.
There did not appear to have been any wrongdoing, but the umpire also handed out a 50-metre penalty for dissent.
Marking contest leading to Jeremy Cameron’s controversial free kick
AFL Nation commentator Adam Simpson referred to it as “the worst free kick against for the year”.
Fox Footy’s Jason Dunstall questioned the decision, claiming that the defender watched the ball the entire time.
Is Cameron on track for 100 goals?
His four goals brought him up to 79 to build his quest to reach the 100 goals this season mark since Lance Franklin did it in 2008.
It was his 300th goal at Geelong and his most recent goal as well. He became the 15th player to milestone at Geelong.
Coach Chris Scott said he had no idea how keen Cameron was to reach the 100-goal milestone.
Scott reminded players at half-time to shoot in range and not over-play the ball while attacking.
Were the Cats distracted by Cameron’s milestone quest?
Scott wasn’t sure if the team was targeting Cameron on purpose, cautioning against creating a “problem that doesn’t exist”.
He emphasized an overall need for better execution after the Cats shot themselves in the foot with a succession of gettable chances.
Chris Scott addresses players during the Essendon clash
The coach conceded the game looked highly competitive at the final break, despite Essendon fielding a weakened line-up.
Defender Jack Henry was subbed at half-time with hamstring strain, although the club believes the injury is not serious.
How did Essendon respond?
Bombers’ defenders Jayden Laverde and Mason Redman battled hard against Cameron, preventing him from causing an impact despite the scoreboard outcome.
Archie Roberts impressed with 33 possessions, and Liam McMahon kicked four goals.
Essendon coach Brad Scott discussed a brawl between Dylan Shiel, who pushed teammate Mark O’Connor into Luamon Lual, slamming him to the ground.
Lual returned onto the field but was ultimately subbed out in the third quarter.
Geelong’s next move?
The win moved the Cats closer to a second-placed finish with Sydney and Richmond remaining to play before finals.
Forward Jack Martin was left out in the last hour for management purposes, replaced by
Jhye Clark.
Geelong’s pressure defense will be tested to the last rounds.
The club wants to be well-placed on the ladder heading towards September.
Also Read: https://colitco.com/seven-network-raiders-preseason-streaming-australia-2025/
Final thoughts
Geelong better performance over Essendon has put them in very good place to bag the top-two finish.
Third place Collingwood will need to fight to get back in the box seat with the finals on.
