A FIVE-GOAL performance from key forward Shannon Neale has helped the Bendigo Bank Cats to a 13-point victory in their Round 9 Smithy's VFL clash with the Northern Bullants on Sunday at Preston City Oval.
Geelong setup the victory on the back of a dominant third term to win their third straight VFL game 15.8 (98) to 13.7 (85).
VIEW STATS - Cats versus Bullants
The game was played with great intensity early, but it was the Bullants who hit the scoreboard first through Jackson Barling.
The home side had more inside 50s in the opening minutes, but the Cats backline held up well with Ben Lloyd leading the charge with 10 of his 21 disposals coming in the opening quarter.
Lachie Waddell broke the deadlock for the Cats in the 17th minute with his first goal of the day.
Moments later the Cats got a glimpse of the future when Flynn Kroeger found Neale late in the term to give the Cats a three-point lead at quarter time.
Ollie Dempsey (23 disposals, 2 goals) got Geelong off to the perfect start to the second term with a classy snap to extend the Cats’ advantage to nine points.
Tom Wilson (31 disposals) continued to find plenty of the footy for the Bullants and was involved in the reply for the home side, as both sides went goal-for-goal in the second term.
Dempsey was involved again late in the term, combining with Luke Dahlhaus and Jackson McLachlan in a brilliant team goal to give the Cats a six-point advantage heading into the main break.
After a relatively low scoring first half the game opened up in the third term with the Cats piling on six goals to three.
Their dominance started in the middle with debutant Toby Conway and the experienced Ryan Abbott dominating the hitouts, whilst Luke Dahlhaus (28 disposals, 10 tackles) and Jye Chalcraft (27 disposals, 9 clearances) started to get on top at ground level and provided plenty of attacking forays.
A four-goal burst within a 10-minute period midway through the third term saw the Cats jump out to a game-high 25-point lead.
Jean-Luc Velissaris joined Neale with his third goal late in the quarter to cut the Cats advantage to 19-points with a quarter to play.
The Bullants got the all-important first goal of the final term, but Neale fired back quickly for the Cats with his fourth.
The home team got within six-points of the Cats in the final term before Dahlhaus delivered the ball inside 50 for the eighth occasion and Neale kicked his fifth with an extraordinary finish deep in the pocket.
The Bullants continued to attack the contest and play on the offensive but the Cats held them at bay with Oliver Tate (21 disposals, 9 marks) and skipper Matt Ling (17 disposals) influential.
First-gamer Conway iced the game for the Cats, firstly winning the hard ball deep in Geelong's defensive 50 before pushing forward to take a big pack mark and goal to deliver the Cats their fifth win of the season and keep them in top eight contention.
VFL Round 9
Northern Bullants 2.2 5.5 9.6 13.7 (85)
Bendigo Bank Cats 2.5 6.5 12.7 15.8 (98)
GOALS: Neale 5, Dempsey, Waddell 2, Conway, Mclachlan, Sprague, Dahlhaus, Carlin, Faulkhead
BEST: Tate, Neale, Dahlhaus, Ling, Chalcraft, Dempsey
REPORTS: Nil
INJURIES: Kroeger (Wrist), Knevitt (calf)
@ Preston City Oval
