The Bendigo Bank Cats have moved a step closer to securing a finals berth after defeating Port Melbourne by 23-points in cold conditions at Adcon Stadium on Sunday.
All eyes were on Nakia Cockatoo as he made his return to senior footy.
READ - COCKATOO MAKES SUCCESSFUL RETURN
The first quarter was an even contest with both teams kicking five goals.
Geelong had the edge on inside 50s but weren’t able to convert.
The second quarter was a completely different story with the Cats kicking eight majors to Port Melbourne’s two to find themselves six goals up at the half.
Darcy Fort was a dominant force this quarter, showcasing his contested marking ability and composure on set shots.
The third term was similar to the first, with both sides being close in disposals and goals kicked.
Port looked very threatening in the last term as they entered their forward line 18 times, but only finished on four occasions.
Ben Reid was the savior in this final quarter for Geelong as he put himself in all the right spots, preventing several possible goals.
James Parsons was one of the best on, showing off his agility and contested skill, finishing with 27 touches and a snag.
Although Cockatoo was rested at the half, he was able to apply plenty of pressure, tallying five tackles in just 40 minutes of footy.
The Cats will return to GMHBA Stadium this Saturday to host North Melbourne at 3.45pm.
VFL Round 18
Bendigo Bank Cats 18.12 (120) defeated Port Melbourne 14.13 (97)
Goals: Fort 6, Buzz 3, Fogarty, Narkle, Jones, McLachlan 2, Parsons
Best: Parsons, Fort, Stanley, Black, McLachlan, Buzza
Reports: Nil
Injuries: Nil
@North Port Oval
