A determined Geelong VFL unit put in their best performance of the 2011 season when they led premiership favourites Williamstown for the majority of the day. In what turned out to be an enthralling contest, the Cats eventually went down 19-20-(134) to 15-12-(102) in front of nearly 5000 fans at Torquay Football Ground on Easter Sunday.

Geelong fans that were fortunate enough to be at the picturesque seaside venue on Sunday would have gone home very excited by what they witnessed. For the first time this season highly rated youngster Mitchell Brown appeared for the VFL Cats and did not disappoint. Brown (14 disposals, 4 marks, 7 goals) was joined in attack by the high leaping Nathan Vardy (11 disposals, 6 marks, 12 hit outs) and both young forwards gave the Seagulls defence plenty of headaches all day. The signs for the future were made even more positive by the performance of second year midfielder Joshua Cowan (29 disposals, 7 marks, 5 tackles) who was in the thick of the action all day long.

With the crowd still flowing in straight from Bells Beach, it was the young Geelong side that got off to a flying start in the first quarter with Vardy putting on an aerial master class and kicking two majors which helped his side to a 17 point quarter time advantage. The fantastic start by the team in blue and white restored any confidence that was lost after the loss to the AIS Academy squad at the MCG last week.

Vardy opened the second term in the same fashion he ended the first as he ran down his Williamstown opponent in the goal square to push the Cats further ahead. Former Cat Nathan Djerrkura (17 disposals, 5 marks, 5 clearances, 5 tackles) then showed why the Western Bulldogs where so keen to get him at the end of last season as he left the Geelong defence in his wake on the way to kicking a much needed goal for Willy. Goals to the experienced Mitch Hahn (15 disposals, 5 marks, 4 tackles) and former North Ballarat premiership midfielder Brett Goodes reduced the deficit to just six points. Highly touted Bulldog Sam Reid then kicked a major on the siren to put the Seagulls into the lead at half time.

Not for the first time in 2011 the young Cats found themselves staring down the barrel at the possibility of being overrun by a more mature opponent. But the young Cats showed how far they have come in the early part of the season and came out in the third quarter with all guns blazing. With the senior coaching staff and majority of the AFL playing list watching on, Mitch Brown showed why he was taken in the first round of the draft, slotting through four exquisite goals for the quarter in a stunning display. With Dawson Simpson sidelined with a corked thigh it was up to mark prmiership ruckman Mark Blake (13 disposals, 6 marks, 34 hitouts) and Nathan Vardy to shoulder the ruck load against the rampaging Will Minson (24 disposals, 7 marks, 25 hitouts) whose influence on the contest was becoming a major concern for the Cats. With the scores locked up at 90 a piece heading into the crucial final term, the 5000 strong crowd was a buzz with anticipation.

With some of the most thrilling football the VFL competition has seen in 2011, the combatants traded early blows with Mitch Brown and Nathan Vardy kicking truly to keep the Cats in front. Unfortunately it was a former Cat who put the game out of reach as Brodie Moles (24 disposals, 6 clearances, 2 goals) kicked two game breaking goals late in the term. These were followed up by late goals to Brett Johnson and Will Minson which confirmed the victory and blew out a score line that did not tell the true story of the enthralling contest.

. After the loss VFL coach Dale Amos was asked about the positive performances from the two tall forwards, stating “Obviously they both played very well and have put their best foot forward for a senior call up and some stage throughout the season”.

There is some hope that the match which was a tremendous advertisement for the VFL competition may become an annual event on what is the surfside town’s biggest weekend of the year.

With the VFL Cats finding themselves 0-3 after 4 rounds of the 2011 season they face something of a mini final against VFL powerhouse club Sandringham. With the AFL Cats having a bye, their VFL counterparts are hoping for plenty of support at Trevor Barker Oval, Sandringham.

The Sunday afternoon fixture kicks off at 2pm with Geelong members gaining entry for $5.00.

Williamstown 19-20-(134)
Geelong Cats 15-12-(102)
Goals: Brown 7, Vardy 4, Blake, Stringer, McLean, Tutungi 1
Best: Cowan, Brown, Vardy, McLean, Gillies, T Selwood.
Injuries: Simpson (corked thigh).
Reports: Nil.
Crowd: 4287 @ Torquay Football Ground.