Geelong welcomed Adelaide to GMHBA Stadium in Round 18 of the 2009 season, looking to continue their momentum sitting in second on the ladder as September drew near.
The Cats were coming off one of their most famous victories of the modern era, beating Hawthorn by one Jimmy Bartel point after the siren the previous week.
Bartel was celebrating the 150th game of his AFL career, while it was also Darren Milburn’s 250th game against the Crows.
Adelaide was in fine form when they made the trip to Kardinia Park, having won eight of their last nine matches to be knocking on the door of the top four.
The two sides went goal for goal through in the first quarter before the Cats put their foot down in the second term to open an 18-point lead at the main break.
A pair of goals from Paul Chapman midway through the third quarter helped Geelong open a game-high 27-point margin, but the Crows were not done.
Over a 30-minute patch, Adelaide booted eight of the next 10 goals to turn that deficit into a nine-point lead at the 16-minute mark of the final term.
Already with four goals to his name, Paul Chapman once again took the game by the scruff of the neck with two more majors to steal the lead back with little time remaining.
Adelaide had one last roll of the dice, but the final siren sounded with the ball locked inside 50 as the Cats held on for their second nail-biting win in succession.
Bartel was awarded the three Brownlow votes for his 34-disposal performance, while Joel Selwood received two votes after collecting 26 possessions.
Despite his heroics ‘Chappy’ only received one vote on Brownlow night, finishing with six goals and 24 disposals in a stellar display.
ROUND 18 2009 – Geelong v Adelaide @ GMHBA Stadium
Geelong 3.3 7.7 11.7 14.9 (93)
Adelaide 3.2 4.7 9.11 13.13 (91)
GOALS: Chapman 6, Ablett, Mooney 2, Bartel, Johnson, Selwood, Stokes 1
DISPOSALS: Bartel 34, Enright 30, Corey 28, Milburn 27, Selwood 26, Johnson 25
BROWNLOW VOTES: Jimmy Bartel (3), Joel Selwood (2), Paul Chapman (1)
GEELONG STARTING 22
2. Tom Harley
3. Jimmy Bartel
4. Andrew Mackie
5. Travis Varcoe
10. Kane Tenace
11. Joel Corey
14. Joel Selwood
17. Shannon Byrnes
20. Steve Johnson
21. Cameron Mooney
25. Tom Gillies
26. Tom Hawkins
27. Mathew Stokes
29. Gary Ablett
33. Max Rooke
34. Simon Hogan
35. Paul Chapman
39. Darren Milburn
40. David Wojcinski
41. Shane Mumford
44. Corey Enright
45. Cameron Ling
