Geelong have stormed home with a scintillating second half to clinch victory in an incredible match, defeating the Crows by 19 points at Adelaide Oval on Thursday night. 

In further proof that you can never count the Cats out, Geelong fought back from a 30-point deficit in a fast paced, high-scoring affair booting nine goals after half time to claim an important four points. 

The win was spearheaded by extraordinary performances right across the ground, most notably the midfield trio of Bailey Smith (35 disposals, nine score involvements), Max Holmes (32 disposals, five clearances) and Tom Atkins (24 disposals, nine clearances). 

Up forward it was the brilliance of Patrick Dangerfield (16 disposals, four goals) and Jeremy Cameron (15 disposals, four goals) that lead the way, while a gutsy performance from Geelong's defensive unit held the Crows to just four goals after the main break. 

It was an electric start with the two teams trading blows in a high scoring opening term, Geelong kicking four goals from eight scoring shots but they narrowly trailed the Crows by five points at quarter time. 

Max Holmes and Bailey Smith were instrumental through the middle early, while Lawson Humphries (nine disposals, three score involvements) was important across half back. 

Geelong had to withstand immense pressure from Adelaide after the first break, falling as far as 30 points behind before four crucial goals late in the quarter kept the Cats within striking distance, heading into half time 12 points adrift. 

Bailey Smith (17 disposals, four clearances) continued to find plenty of the footy, as did Max Holmes (15 disposals, 377 metres gained) while Patrick Dangerfield (two goals) was heavily influential in the forward half. 

The Cats upped the ante after half time, kicking three unanswered goals to start the third quarter but ultimately only trimmed the margin to eight points at the final break. 

Despite Adelaide's firepower, Geelong had matched them in most major statistics through the first three quarters leading the clearance battle (+1), the tackle count (+2), while sitting even for inside 50 entries. 

Looking to build momentum, Jeremy Cameron got off to a blistering start booting the opening two goals of the final term to snatch the lead back for the Cats. 

The skipper then seized his big moment, Dangerfield kicking two more to take his tally to four for the night and extending Geelong's lead to 16 points. 

Cameron put the cherry on top with his fourth major, as the Cats closed out an incredible 19 point victory over the Crows. 

Geelong will have a chance to enjoy their triumph in the city of churches, with an 11 day break before they head to the MCG for another blockbuster clash on Easter Monday against Hawthorn.

2025 AFL Season - Gather Round

ADELAIDE      5.3     11.6     14.10     15.10    (100) 
GEELONG      4.4      9.6       13.8     18.11    (119)
 
GOALS 
Adelaide: Fogarty 4, Keays 3, Walker, Rankine 2, Curtin, Taylor, Draper, Thilthorpe 1
Geelong: Dangerfield, Cameron 4, Close, Dempsey 2, Guthrie, Henry, Neale, Bowes, Holmes, Smith 1

DISPOSALS
Adelaide: Crouch 28, Rankine, Hinge 25, Keane 24, Laird 23
Geelong: Smith 35, Holmes 32, Atkins 24, Miers, Dempsey 21

LATE CHANGES
Adelaide: Nil
Geelong: Tom Stewart (illness) replaced in the selected side by Ted Clohesy
 
SUBSTITUTES 
Adelaide: Zac Taylor (replaced Lachlan Sholl in the third quarter)
Geelong: Ted Clohesy (replaced Oisin Mullin in the fourth quarter)

Crowd: 50,073 @ Adelaide Oval