GEELONG has recorded a 29-point victory against Collingwood in their Round 16 Smithy’s VFL clash at AIA Vitality Centre on Saturday.

Collingwood started stronger but the Cats were able to fightback and controlled the contest in the second half, returning to the winner’s list with a 15.13 (103) to 11.8 (74) victory.

CATS v MAGPIES Full match coverage and stats

Rhys Stanley made an impressive return with a dominant performance in the ruck. The 32-year-old finished with 22 disposals (96% Efficiency), 32 hitouts, six clearances and a goal.

His influence in the middle saw Geelong’s onballers find plenty of the football, with Brandan Parfitt having a big afternoon recording a game-high 34 disposals and seven clearances.

Ted Clohesy, George Stevens and Mitch Hardie were equally influential finding plenty of the football and impacting the scoreboard.

Geelong shared the scoring in attack with 12 individual goal kickers. While behind the ball the defensive unit restricted Collingwood to 11 majors, with Jed Bews and Connor O’Sullivan combining for 15 intercepts, including some crucial goal saving marks when the Magpies had the momentum.

It was an evenly contested opening quarter with Collingwood leading by six points at quarter time.

The Pies extended their advantage to 19 points midway through the second term with Ben Crocker impacting the scoreboard inside attacking 50 for the home side with two goals for the term.

The Cats needed a spark, and it was Bews who provided it, with a long-range goal from beyond the arc to bring the Cats back within 12 points.  

The goal helped shift the momentum and soon the Cats were back within a kick after Clohesy found Mitch Knevitt in space who kicked a nice finish on the run.

The game evenly poised at half time with the late surge bringing the Cats within four points at the main break.

Two goals inside the first five minutes of the third term to Joe Furphy and Stanley saw the Cats hit the lead for the first time since the first quarter with a nine point lead.

Harry Mahoney ended Geelong’s four-goal streak with a goal against the run of play to cut the Cats advantage to two points.

Kaelan Bradtke got the immediate reply, atoning for a miss moments earlier with a brilliant finish from the boundary, after James Willis spotted him inside 50 after taking a courageous mark.

In the final passage of play, Stevens snapped truly on the three quarter time siren to hand the Cats a 16 point advantage heading into the final term.

The Cats defence absorbed the pressure well in the opening minutes of the fourth quarter as the ball was stationed inside Collingwood’s attacking 50.

A crucial spoil on the goal line by O’Sullivan stopped a certain goal and immediately the Cats were able to rebound effectively from one end to the other. A clever handball over his shoulder from Knevitt setup Clohesy for his second major of the game and hand the Cats a 21-point lead.

Geelong won the next centre clearance and were again inside 50, this time it was Hardie executing a strong tackle to win a free kick and he kicked truly to extend the Cats margin to 27 points.

Both sides then went goal-for-goal for the remainder of the quarter, but the Cats withstood the late challenge to record a 29-point victory.

Next week, Geelong will return to GMHBA Stadium to host the Western Bulldogs on Saturday 20 July at 4.35pm.

VFL Round 16

COLLINGWOOD       4.2     7.3     8.5     11.8     (74)
GEELONG               3.2     6.5     10.9    15.13     (103)

GOALS
Hardie, Foster, Clohesy 2, Stevens, Stanley, Lucas, Knevitt, Hughes, Herbert, Furphy, Bradtke, Bews

BEST
Clohesy, Parfitt, Knevitt, Bews, Stanley, Hardie