Thursday night footy returns with classic Geelong win

Five goals to Jeremy Cameron has propelled Geelong to a hard-fought 21-point win over Port Adelaide in a pulsating clash of premiership contenders.

The star-studded sides traded blows in a highly entertaining bout of premiership heavyweights.

The Cats were the last side standing to claim a 17.10 (112) to 14.7 (91) win at Adelaide Oval in what was the first game of Thursday night footy since round five.

Charlie Dixon kicked two of his four goals and Connor Rozee his fifth as the Power surged from 10 points down to take the lead early in the final term, but as they had so often, the Cats held their nerve and hit back.

Cameron rattled home three goals in a match-turning 10-minute period, with Tom Hawkins landing the knockout blow with his fourth.

In an enthralling clash of styles, the Power’s fast-paced, free-flowing footy held sway for periods, while on other occasions the patient Cats were able to take the sting out of the game.

In a seesawing first half, Port led by four points and as much as 21 before Geelong rallied to a three-point halftime lead.

Tom Stewart starred across half-back for the visitors, who had 20 contested marks to five late in the game.

Ollie Wines continued his fine season for Port and Travis Boak worked through a hard tag by Mark O’Connor to be a key contributor.

RAZZLE DAZZLE ROZEEE

Pressure mounted on Rozee as he went goalless in three games before the bye, but the star youngster repaid coach Ken Hinkley’s faith in spades in the first quarter alone. He was standing in the right spot when he was handed a concussed Todd Marshall’s free kick for his first goal of the night, but his next three majors in the space of five minutes were right from the top shelf.

WISE OLD CATS

Rozee slipped a brilliant handball to Kane Farrell who slotted a goal-of-the-year contender as the Power raced to a 21-point lead in the second quarter. In a VFL/AFL first, Geelong’s side contained 10 players 30-years-old or older and that experience served them well as they soaked up the pressure and hit back. Hawkins booted his third as the visitors slotted the last four goals of the half to lead by three points at the main break.

CATS PRESS

It was Port’s turn to soak up pressure in the third quarter, but Geelong cruelled their chances with poor kicking for goal seeing them boot three behinds in succession from gettable positions. But Gary Rohan bobbed up for two late goals to put his side up by 10 points at the last break.

POWER 5.1 8.2 10.4 14.7 91

CATS 4.3 8.5 11.8 17.10 112

PHELAN’S BEST POWER: Wines, Rozee, Boak, Gray, Amon, Houston. CATS: Cameron, Stewart, Duncan, Blicavs, Hawkins, Smith.

GOALS POWER: Rozee 5, Dixon 4, Wines, Powell-Pepper, Georgiades, Farrell, Jones. CATS: Cameron 5, Hawkins 4, Rohan 3, Parfitt 2, Smith, Duncan, Henderson.

INJURIES POWER: Marshall (head knock). CATS: Nil.

UMPIRES Donlon, Dalgleish, Howorth.

ADELAIDE OVAL 28,780

PLAYER OF THE YEAR

JASON PHELAN’S VOTES

3 J. Cameron (Geel)

2 O. Wines (PA)

1 T. Stewart (Geel)