Cats survive scare from Eagles

Geelong were far from convincing but did enough to continue their unbeaten start to
the AFL season with a 22-point win over a brave West Coast unit at Subiaco Oval on
Sunday.

The Cats destroyed West Coast to the tune of 135 and 99 points in their two meetings
last year and there was a touch of deja vu early as the visitors shot out to a 31-0
lead inside 14 minutes.
But led by the brilliance of Dean Cox and a determined defence, the Eagles hit back
with six of the next eight goals to close the margin to three points early in the
third quarter.
However, it was as close as West Coast could get, with an unusually error-riddled
Geelong doing enough to hold on for the 15.9 (99) to 11.11 (77) win.
It was Geelong's 11th consecutive interstate win, equalling the record set by North
Melbourne in 1999-2000.
Gary Ablett was at his brilliant best with 43 possessions and two goals while Tom
Hawkins and Paul Chapman booted three goals apiece.
Cox (30 possessions, 32 hit-outs and one goal) was a class above Mark Blake in the
ruck, while Tyson Stenglein blanketed the dangerous Steve Johnson (one goal) and
Shannon Hurn and Adam Hunter provided excellent rebound from defence.
Ablett's barnstorming start inspired Geelong's early five-goal onslaught and the
35,355 fans on hand sounded out a Bronx cheer when Cox's snapped point finally got
the Eagles on the scoreboard midway through the opening term.
But it proved to be the start of a genuine fightback as the home side gradually wore
down their highly-rated opponents.
West Coast reduced the margin to 22 points by quarter time and the Eagles maintained
their intensity in the second quarter as Geelong started to wilt under the pressure.
With Matt Spangher, Darren Glass, Shannon Hurn, Stenglein and Hunter marshalling the
Eagles' defence, West Coast booted four goals to one in the second quarter to set up
an intriguing second half.
Quinten Lynch's left-foot snap early in the third quarter closed the margin to three
points before Geelong's small forwards saved the day for the visitors, with two
goals to Chapman and singles to Johnson, Ablett and Shannon Byrnes extending the
margin back out to match-winning 28 points.
Byrnes' goal was a gift after West Coast youngster Jamie McNamara embarrassingly
kicked the ball the wrong way after receiving an expert palm-down from Cox.
West Coat refused to give up the fight and closed the margin back to 16 points early
in the final quarter, although misses from Chris Masten and Brad Ebert proved costly
as the Cats took the spoils.