The Bendigo Bank Cats have broken through for their second consecutive VFL Grand Final appearance thanks to a comprehensive 82 point win over Williamstown in their Preliminary Final Match at North Port Oval on Saturday.
 
A tightly contested first half featured numerous stoppages and plenty of contested footy, but the Cats flexed their muscles in the second term kicking six straight goals and extending their lead at every interval to poleaxe the Seagulls into submission; Geelong: 24.16 (160) defeated Williamstown: 11.12 (78). 

From the dying minutes of the first quarter until the twelfth minute of the third quarter  the Cats kicked twelve unanswered goals in what can only be described as a masterclass in momentum control. 

In form big man Shane Kersten booted four goals from four shots to half time, before he was rested early in the third term. The resting of Kersten immediately raised AFL selection questions, and according to Matthew Knights the move was a case of good player management more than anything else.

"We just felt that he was a bit sore, he copped a couple of heavy knocks and we just wanted to make sure that he was all right for next week," Knights said post match.

"It wasn't a direction in regards for next week, from an AFL perspective. It was more about looking after him so he's all right for VFL or AFL next week."

AFL omission Josh Walker also hit the scoreboard heavily thumping through five goals, three of those in the second half as he became the focal target up forward.

Coach Knights was impressed by the Cats efforts around the early stoppages, which were won in no small part thanks to Trent West who provided consistent first use to the Cats up and unders, raining down more than sixty hit-outs for the day.

West's amazing form included fifteen possessions, six contested marks, six clearances and one goal. His ability to out-mark the opposition at crucial moments only compounded the difficulty Williamstown had in countering West across the ground.  

Speaking after the siren, Knights pointed out that there was a lot of expectation on his side after finishing top of the ladder. Knights highlighted the importance of the Cats defensive work in smothering Williamstown in attack.

"Once we put the screws in defensively it was really hard for Williamstown to take the ball forward" he said. 

"(Cam) Eardley's courageous marking was a feature, (Jackson) Sheringham really done a job on Anastasio after quarter time and (Jed) Bews took Vespremi who can be a game breaker and cause opposition teams problems".

 
"I thought those three boys did wonderfully well, duly supported by (Mitch) Browny, (Matthew) Sully and (Joel) Hamling down there, I thought our defenders played a good game today". 

Mitch Brown again was standout across halfback taking six marks and generating ten rebounds off the defensive fifty. 

Last year's Norm Goss Medal winner for best on ground during the Grand Final, George Horlin-Smith, felt the Cats were feeling a bit fresher this time around going into the Grand Final.

"We come the long way through the finals last year and the week off (this year) has been pretty beneficial to freshen up a little bit" Horlin-Smith said. 

"Today was very much a team effort. It's the time of year where you need everyone playing their role". 

Reflecting on the contested nature of VFL football, Horlin-Smith was modest about his 26 touches and 16 contested possessions in a staring role in the Cats midfield.

"We pride ourselves on our contested ball in the VFL and we want to be a hard team to play against" he said. 

That hardness was clearly evident with the Cats midfield able to completely dominate their counterparts. The Cats finished the game up on possessions; 376-306 and contested possessions; 174-147. 

Leading the way were on ball stars Mark Corrigan (30 possessions, 14 contested), Troy Selwood (27 possessions, 12 contested), Jesse Stringer (23 possessions, 10 contested), Cam Eardley (23 possessions, 10 contested) and Dom Gleeson (21 possessions, 12 contested).

VFL veteran and playing assistant coach Dom Gleeson marveled at the quality of the Cats VFL midfield stock in a post match interview.
"It would be remiss of me not to mention that at half time I was so proud of the midfield, most of them are 21-22 years of age or even younger, (at the same age) I couldn't have been half the player these kids are- they are superstars" he said. 

As an integral part of the VFL Cats leadership group it will be up to guys like Selwood, Gleeson and Corrigan to prepare the younger players for a second Grand Final in as many years.

"It's something we all went through last year- it was new to me, but we have Max Rooke, Matty Knights and Paul Hood who have played a lot of finals footy, and it's good to have these guys in our corner" Gleeson said. 

"We know what is expected and my message might be don't play the game before we play it and play the Geelong way".