GEELONG has registered the percentage-boosting win it set out to achieve against Essendon, but the rewards could have been far greater in the Cats' 66-point victory at Etihad Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
With the race for the top four on in earnest, the fifth-placed Cats were desperate to close the gap on fourth-placed Greater Western Sydney, which held the advantage with a percentage of 140.2.
By restricting the Bombers to just four goals for the game, the Cats moved up exactly four percent and within three percent of the Giants with three games remaining.
There are two ways of boosting percentage – score heavily yourself or restrict the opposition from hitting the scoreboard.
The way the game flowed saw the Cats end up with the latter option in their 15.10 (100) to 4.10 (34) win.
Geelong kept Essendon goalless until the second-minute mark of the third term, holding the Bombers to four behinds in the opening half - their equal-lowest score to half-time for the season (round eight v North Melbourne).
Veteran Corey Enright had the ball on a string, racking up 25 disposals to half-time before petering out to finish with 29 for the game.
Patrick Dangerfield again topped the stats sheet, shaking off a sluggish start to collect 25 of his 29 disposals after quarter-time, while the Bombers consistently struggled to get past Harry Taylor (23 disposals and 13 marks) who was resolute in defence.
Playing to cement their spots in the Geelong side, Sam Menegola (24 disposals) and Josh Cowan (18 touches and two goals) were among the Cats' best, while Cameron Guthrie (29 disposals and a goal) shifted back to defence with great effect.
Despite managing to keep their opposition in check, the Cats did not take full toll on the scoreboard as they missed a number of gettable opportunities – underlined by a run of five consecutive behinds in the third quarter.
Although, they would have been pleased to see key recruit Scott Selwood play his first game for the club and for Josh Caddy to successfully return from a knee injury that had kept him out since round 13.
For the Bombers, Martin Gleeson stood up brilliantly under an avalanche of inside 50 entries (56-33), as the youngster took 14 marks to complement his 23 disposals.
Zach Merrett (25 disposals), former Cat James Kelly (25) and Darcy Parish (24) gave their all in another losing cause for the Bombers.
To make matters worse for Essendon, it lost skipper Brendon Goddard before quarter-time after he injured his groin. Goddard was fuming as he left the field and punched the side of the interchange tunnel as he sat out the rest of the match.
INJURY ROOM
Geelong: Daniel Menzel had tightness in his adductor with the Cats taking no risks, leaving him off for all the second half. Harry Taylor was attended to in the last minutes of the game after being hit hard in the back by a leaping Joe Daniher.
Essendon: The Bombers lost skipper Brendon Goddard before quarter-time after he injured his groin. Courtenay Dempsey also received a lot of treatment on his left hamstring in the opening term but returned to the field of play.
NEXT UP
Essendon returns to Etihad Stadium next Sunday for a meeting against Gold Coast. The Cats have another trip up the highway, this time facing off against Richmond at the MCG in a week's time.
GEELONG 3.2 7.4 11.10 15.10 (100)
ESSENDON 0.3 0.4 3.4 4.10 (34)
GOALS
Geelong: Hawkins 3, Caddy 2, Cowan 2, Cockatoo 2, Dangerfield, Duncan, Guthrie, Menegola, Motlop, Stanley
Essendon: Daniher, Francis, Grimley, McKenna
BEST
Geelong: Taylor, Enright, Dangerfield, Menegola, Cowan, Guthrie
Essendon: Gleeson, Kelly, Z.Merrett, Parish, McKenna
INJURIES
Geelong: Menzel (adductor), Taylor (back)
Essendon: Goddard (groin)
Reports: Nil
Umpires: Fisher, Hosking, McInerney
Official crowd: 29,254 at Etihad Stadium
