AN INACCURATE Geelong has survived a scare from Essendon to win a fiercely fought contest by 30 points at the MCG on Saturday.
The Cats entered the game odds-on favourites but the Bombers took the fight squarely to them in the first three terms before Geelong's greater class told in the final term, kicking three unanswered goals to triumph 9.18 (72) to 6.6 (42).
Essendon trailed by just eight points at the final break after dominating possession (344-259) and clearances (32-17) in the first three terms, although the Cats' 1.7 return for the third quarter had also kept the Bombers in the game.
Daniel Menzel missed a golden chance to give the Cats some breathing space when he missed a set shot from 20m on a slight angle early in the final term and it wasn't until Darcy Lang and Zac Smith kicked consecutive goals in two minutes that Geelong looked safe.
Smith's goal at the 13-minute mark put the Cats 23 points up and a major from Steven Motlop seven minutes later – his second for the game – sealed the result.
The Cats' defence was outstanding, especially in the first half when the Bombers held sway in general play.
Tom Lonergan kept Joe Daniher goalless in a stingy defensive performance, teaming well with Harry Taylor and Lachie Henderson to limit the influence of Daniher and fellow talls Mitch Brown and Patrick Ambrose.
Five talking points: Essendon v Geelong
Motlop's run and class through the middle was telling, Cam Guthrie was a lively performer for much of the game, while Patrick Dangerfield, Joel Selwood and Mitch Duncan were influential late as the Cats finally put the Bombers away.
Geelong coach Chris Scott took some positives out of his team's performance but "a lot" of negatives too.
"We're not arrogant or disrespectful enough to come away with a five-goal win, and so many more shots than the opposition, and say we were terrible," Scott said.
WATCH: Chris Scott's full post-match conference
"I think what we are seeing across the competition in the early rounds is it's on irrespective of who you're playing.
"You won't hear me saying I'm devastated by the way we played. We just acknowledge that it's hard and we've got a lot of work to do."
Essendon's loss was further soured by an injury to second-year forward Jayden Laverde, who came from the ground with an AC joint shoulder in the second quarter and did not return.
But Dons coach John Worsfold took a lot out of the Bombers' collective game.
"Even in the last quarter we were just holding up against them, but the endeavour was still there, no doubt," Worsfold said.
"There was no easy conceding to the Cats. (I) couldn't have asked for too much more in that regard from the players.
"We've had a couple of quarters this year so far where teams have really got on top of us, but other than that the players are really having a dip."
David Zaharakis (33 possessions and one goal) and Zach Merrett (29 and one) were two of the best players on the ground, while key defender Michael Hartley was entrusted with the big job on Geelong spearhead Tom Hawkins in just his third AFL game and did not take a backward step as he held the Cats spearhead goalless.
James Kelly (22 possessions) and Mathew Stokes (22) were handy performers against their former side, with the latter kicking the first goal of the third term to put the Bombers in front of his former team by one point at the 16-minute mark.
Cats ruckman Smith provided one of the game's highlights early in the first quarter when he flew over a five-man pack including Bombers Matthew Leuenberger, James Gwilt and Hartley to mark 30m out from goal. Unfortunately, the former Sun could not put the icing on his speccy, missing the following set shot for goal.
After a lacklustre 61-point loss to Port Adelaide in round three, the Bombers rediscovered the fierce intensity that carried them to their upset round two win over Melbourne.
They kicked the opening two goals of the game, through Zaharakis and Laverde, and had far more of the ball than the Cats in the first term, winning both contested (35-29) and uncontested possessions (93-63).
The Cats' superior ball use carried them to a one-point quarter-time lead and they jumped out to a 13-point lead early in the second term, when they kicked the opening two goals of the quarter.
But Essendon did not relent, its exceptional work rate best summed up by Merrett's run-down tackle on Geelong superstar Dangerfield late in the term.
The Dons capitalised on their hard work, kicking three of the next four goals to go into half-time just two points down.
MEDICAL ROOM
Essendon: Coach John Worsfold confirmed after the match that Jayden Laverde had suffered a "serious" AC injury. "He wasn't good enough to come (back) on the ground and it looks like a serious one, which means definitely missing some games," Worsfold said. Mitch Brown suffered a knock to the nose but suffered no real damage.
Geelong: Shane Kersten was a late withdrawal from the Cats' team with a calf injury. Geelong coach Chris Scott said Kersten had suffered a "calf issue" late in the Cats' final training session ahead of Saturday's game and was hopeful the forward would be available next round.
NEXT UP
The Bombers play Collingwood in the Anzac Day blockbuster on Monday week, their performance against the Cats suggesting they have some chance of upsetting the out-of-form Magpies. Geelong travels to Adelaide to take on Port Adelaide on Saturday night, having won 11 of its past 12 clashes against the Power, with the Cats' one loss in that stretch coming at the Adelaide Oval in round six, 2014.
Steven Motlop dances along the boundary line. Picture: AFL Media
ESSENDON 2.2 5.4 6.5 6.6 (42)
GEELONG 2.3 5.6 6.13 9.18 (72)
GOALS
Essendon: Zaharakis, Laverde, Merrett, Brown, Fantasia, Stokes
Geelong: Motlop 2, Caddy, Stanley, Gregson, Cockatoo, Bartel, Lang, Smith
BEST
Essendon: Zaharakis, Merrett, Hartley, Cooney, McDonald-Tipungwuti
Geelong: Duncan, Dangerfield, Selwood, Lonergan, Taylor, Motlop, Caddy
INJURIES
Essendon: Jayden Laverde (shoulder), Mitch Brown (nose)
Geelong: Shane Kersten (calf) replaced in selected side by Jake Kolodjashnij
Reports: Nil
Umpires: Hay, McInerney, Mitchell
Official crowd: 42,723 at the MCG
