Payne-ful blow among Hogan rampage: Four things learnt in Lions' defeat
There are few, if any, more dangerous men than Jesse Hogan in front of goal, and the reigning Coleman Medal champion was at his illustrious best to inspire a comeback triumph at the Gabba.
Despite trailing for much of the contest – down by 16 at halftime – Greater Western Sydney's near flawless work in front of goal proved the difference, as the Giants stormed home at the death to shock Brisbane 17.5 (107) to 13.18 (96) at the Gabba.
Hogan was at the heart of it, nailing all but one set shot to finish with six – his highlight a cheeky soccer-esque kick on the chase under pressure from Lions co-captain Harris Andrews.
He even dropped back as the final seconds ticked down to pluck a final mark to stop a goal which would have got the Lions back within a kick.
He was brilliantly supported by Aaron Cadman (five goals), as the pair combined for 25 marks and capitalised on the chances provided by Finn Callaghan – who finished with 32 disposals, five clearances and two goal assists in his first outing since suffering a dislocated shoulder.
Lachie Winfield (33 disposals, 650 metres gained) and Lachie Ash (31 disposals and 625 metres gained) were also among the best on ground.
All this from a side missing skipper Toby Greene.
In contrast, the Lions were wasteful inside 50, unable to truly capitalise on the dispatch work of Hugh McCluggage (25 disposals, one goal), Dayne Zorko (26 disposals, four tackles, 611 metres gained) and Lachie Neale (25 disposals, 10 clearances, one goal).
While they surpassed the Giants for inside 50s (55 to 53) and efficiency inside (58.2 per cent to 47.2 per cent), inaccuracy cruelled them at the Gabba – just as was the case in their defeat to Adelaide last week.
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The Advertiser
15 hours ago
- The Advertiser
Cats' call on Smith pays off in mauling of Bombers
Bailey Smith's inspired showing in Geelong's 95-point thumping of Essendon vindicated the Cats' management of the Brownlow Medal contender's hamstring tightness, says coach Chris Scott. Smith, Max Holmes and Jeremy Cameron put injury-ravaged Essendon to the sword as Geelong leapt into second place on the AFL ladder with a 23.13 (151) to 8.8 (56) thrashing at the MCG on Saturday evening. Cameron kicked six goals to move to 44 for the season and pull clear of GWS spearhead Jesse Hogan (38) in the Coleman Medal race. Brownlow Medal contender Smith showed no signs of the hamstring issue that sidelined him against West Coast. The gun recruit finished with 41 disposals plus 760 metres gained as he and Holmes (873 metres gained, 36 disposals) continued their dynamic midfield partnership. "He just looked like he played the same way that he did the last time he played," Scott said. "He and Holmes are a pretty potent combination at the moment. "I think I was as clear as I could have been last week. It was one of those where he could have played, and then when you come away with a win, and then he comes back and plays so well, you feel a bit vindicated." Smith made headlines just over a week ago after AFL chief executive Andrew Dillon, Scott, Geelong football boss Andrew Mackie and CEO Steve Hocking met at his surf coast property, reportedly about emphasising his position as a role model. "I don't think that he felt like there was focus on him," Scott said. "I understand that there were questions around it. "I thought it was more the interest in something that's a bit unusual, like a conversation around the fire - that didn't really light very well. It's rare for an AFL CEO to do that with a young player. "I mean, we appreciated it, it was a step in the right direction, but maybe I misread it and I don't follow much of that stuff. "But I didn't feel like it was a negative that would have put pressure on him." Geelong will feel exceptionally confident heading into Friday's blockbuster against reigning premiers Brisbane at GMHBA Stadium. "I just go with the philosophy that the first half of the year generally you can't win anything, but you can play yourself out of it," Scott said. "It's just nice to feel like we're in contention." On Saturday, Shannon Neale (four goals) and Shaun Mannagh (three) chipped in, and skipper Patrick Dangerfield (two goals, 10 score involvements) was a constant threat. Sam De Koning was substituted in the third quarter after injuring his left shoulder, and Scott didn't have a definitive update on the key defender. Essendon haven't beaten Geelong since 2018 and have done so just four times over the past 20 years. The Bombers are several weeks away from regaining the injured Jordan Ridley, Zach Reid, Kyle Langford and Mason Redman, while Sam Durham is suspended for another week and Ben McKay (foot) is also sidelined. Sam Draper is among four players done for the season. Essendon ruck Todd Goldstein (30 hitouts, 20 disposals) battled hard, while Will Setterfield (31 disposals) and Jye Caldwell (28 disposals) were busy. The Cats led by 23 points at quarter-time, 35 at halftime and 49 at the final change, and relentlessly punished Essendon's turnovers. In the final quarter, Geelong drilled seven majors while keeping Essendon goalless. Essendon, on a three-game losing streak, face Fremantle at Perth's Optus Stadium on Thursday. "The scoreboard obviously says what it says. It's not someone's opinion. It is what it is," Essendon coach Brad Scott said. "But when you concede 107 points from intercepts and 72 of those in your back half, and you just give the ball back to a very well-drilled, well-organised team, they make you pay, so that's the big difference." Bailey Smith's inspired showing in Geelong's 95-point thumping of Essendon vindicated the Cats' management of the Brownlow Medal contender's hamstring tightness, says coach Chris Scott. Smith, Max Holmes and Jeremy Cameron put injury-ravaged Essendon to the sword as Geelong leapt into second place on the AFL ladder with a 23.13 (151) to 8.8 (56) thrashing at the MCG on Saturday evening. Cameron kicked six goals to move to 44 for the season and pull clear of GWS spearhead Jesse Hogan (38) in the Coleman Medal race. Brownlow Medal contender Smith showed no signs of the hamstring issue that sidelined him against West Coast. The gun recruit finished with 41 disposals plus 760 metres gained as he and Holmes (873 metres gained, 36 disposals) continued their dynamic midfield partnership. "He just looked like he played the same way that he did the last time he played," Scott said. "He and Holmes are a pretty potent combination at the moment. "I think I was as clear as I could have been last week. It was one of those where he could have played, and then when you come away with a win, and then he comes back and plays so well, you feel a bit vindicated." Smith made headlines just over a week ago after AFL chief executive Andrew Dillon, Scott, Geelong football boss Andrew Mackie and CEO Steve Hocking met at his surf coast property, reportedly about emphasising his position as a role model. "I don't think that he felt like there was focus on him," Scott said. "I understand that there were questions around it. "I thought it was more the interest in something that's a bit unusual, like a conversation around the fire - that didn't really light very well. It's rare for an AFL CEO to do that with a young player. "I mean, we appreciated it, it was a step in the right direction, but maybe I misread it and I don't follow much of that stuff. "But I didn't feel like it was a negative that would have put pressure on him." Geelong will feel exceptionally confident heading into Friday's blockbuster against reigning premiers Brisbane at GMHBA Stadium. "I just go with the philosophy that the first half of the year generally you can't win anything, but you can play yourself out of it," Scott said. "It's just nice to feel like we're in contention." On Saturday, Shannon Neale (four goals) and Shaun Mannagh (three) chipped in, and skipper Patrick Dangerfield (two goals, 10 score involvements) was a constant threat. Sam De Koning was substituted in the third quarter after injuring his left shoulder, and Scott didn't have a definitive update on the key defender. Essendon haven't beaten Geelong since 2018 and have done so just four times over the past 20 years. The Bombers are several weeks away from regaining the injured Jordan Ridley, Zach Reid, Kyle Langford and Mason Redman, while Sam Durham is suspended for another week and Ben McKay (foot) is also sidelined. Sam Draper is among four players done for the season. Essendon ruck Todd Goldstein (30 hitouts, 20 disposals) battled hard, while Will Setterfield (31 disposals) and Jye Caldwell (28 disposals) were busy. The Cats led by 23 points at quarter-time, 35 at halftime and 49 at the final change, and relentlessly punished Essendon's turnovers. In the final quarter, Geelong drilled seven majors while keeping Essendon goalless. Essendon, on a three-game losing streak, face Fremantle at Perth's Optus Stadium on Thursday. "The scoreboard obviously says what it says. It's not someone's opinion. It is what it is," Essendon coach Brad Scott said. "But when you concede 107 points from intercepts and 72 of those in your back half, and you just give the ball back to a very well-drilled, well-organised team, they make you pay, so that's the big difference." Bailey Smith's inspired showing in Geelong's 95-point thumping of Essendon vindicated the Cats' management of the Brownlow Medal contender's hamstring tightness, says coach Chris Scott. Smith, Max Holmes and Jeremy Cameron put injury-ravaged Essendon to the sword as Geelong leapt into second place on the AFL ladder with a 23.13 (151) to 8.8 (56) thrashing at the MCG on Saturday evening. Cameron kicked six goals to move to 44 for the season and pull clear of GWS spearhead Jesse Hogan (38) in the Coleman Medal race. Brownlow Medal contender Smith showed no signs of the hamstring issue that sidelined him against West Coast. The gun recruit finished with 41 disposals plus 760 metres gained as he and Holmes (873 metres gained, 36 disposals) continued their dynamic midfield partnership. "He just looked like he played the same way that he did the last time he played," Scott said. "He and Holmes are a pretty potent combination at the moment. "I think I was as clear as I could have been last week. It was one of those where he could have played, and then when you come away with a win, and then he comes back and plays so well, you feel a bit vindicated." Smith made headlines just over a week ago after AFL chief executive Andrew Dillon, Scott, Geelong football boss Andrew Mackie and CEO Steve Hocking met at his surf coast property, reportedly about emphasising his position as a role model. "I don't think that he felt like there was focus on him," Scott said. "I understand that there were questions around it. "I thought it was more the interest in something that's a bit unusual, like a conversation around the fire - that didn't really light very well. It's rare for an AFL CEO to do that with a young player. "I mean, we appreciated it, it was a step in the right direction, but maybe I misread it and I don't follow much of that stuff. "But I didn't feel like it was a negative that would have put pressure on him." Geelong will feel exceptionally confident heading into Friday's blockbuster against reigning premiers Brisbane at GMHBA Stadium. "I just go with the philosophy that the first half of the year generally you can't win anything, but you can play yourself out of it," Scott said. "It's just nice to feel like we're in contention." On Saturday, Shannon Neale (four goals) and Shaun Mannagh (three) chipped in, and skipper Patrick Dangerfield (two goals, 10 score involvements) was a constant threat. Sam De Koning was substituted in the third quarter after injuring his left shoulder, and Scott didn't have a definitive update on the key defender. Essendon haven't beaten Geelong since 2018 and have done so just four times over the past 20 years. The Bombers are several weeks away from regaining the injured Jordan Ridley, Zach Reid, Kyle Langford and Mason Redman, while Sam Durham is suspended for another week and Ben McKay (foot) is also sidelined. 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7NEWS
19 hours ago
- 7NEWS
Jeremy Cameron lets slip looming club fine for laying zero tackles in Geelong's huge win over Essendon
Geelong superstar Jeremy Cameron has admitted he will have to pay a club fine despite kicking six goals in the Cats' 95-point demolition job of Essendon. Cameron was at his irresistible best and the Cats were ruthless in putting the young Bombers to the sword at the MCG on Saturday afternoon. A hallmark of Geelong's surge up to second place on the ladder this year has been the relentless forward pressure and that was on full display against Essendon. Forwards Gryan Miers (five), Shaun Mannagh (five), Brad Close (three), Tyson Stengle (two), Patrick Dangerfield (two) and Shannon Neale (two) all made their presence felt in the tackle count. But there was one big name missing from the list of tacklers with Cameron failing to record one. It ended an eight-game streak of recording at least one tackle and will result in a penalty. 'It was a big focus, it's always a big focus for everyone in the forward line,' Cameron told Fox Footy after the game. 'The boys were pretty quick to remind me that I didn't have a tackle tonight so I've got to cough up during the week. 'It's a fine, I'm not sure how big yet but it's all in good fun... we want to pride ourselves on doing all the little things all the time. It's important. 'That's something we want to focus on, we want to keep it in there, every team does but that's always been a big focus for us. 'Tyson (Stengle) and Brad Close, we saw them make some awesome tackles so it's great to see.' For the record, Tom Stewart and Sam De Koning, who was subbed out with injury, were the only other two Cats not to lay a tackle. Cameron six-goal haul in the 23.13 (151) to 8.8 (56) win took him to 44 for the season and pull clear of GWS spearhead Jesse Hogan (38) in the Coleman Medal race. Brownlow Medal contender Bailey Smith showed no signs of the hamstring tightness that sidelined him against West Coast. The gun recruit racked up 24 disposals in the first half and finished with 41 plus 760 metres gained as he and Max Holmes (873 metres gained, 36 disposals) continued their dynamic midfield partnership. Neale (four goals) and Mannagh (three) chipped in, and skipper Dangerfield (two goals, 10 score involvements) was a constant threat as Geelong monstered Essendon's undermanned and undersized defence. The win came at a cost for Chris Scott's Cats, with key defender De Koning substituted in the third quarter after injuring his left shoulder early in the game. Brad Scott's Bombers are still three to four weeks away from regaining the likes of injured Jordan Ridley, Zach Reid, Kyle Langford and Mason Redman. Ben McKay (foot) also remains sidelined, while Sam Draper is among four players done for the season. The gulf in class was evident and Geelong will feel exceptionally confident heading into Friday's blockbuster against reigning premiers Brisbane at GMHBA Stadium. Essendon ruck Todd Goldstein (30 hitouts, 20 disposals) battled hard, while Will Setterfield (31 disposals) and Jye Caldwell (28 disposals) were busy and skipper Zach Merrett (29 disposals) was typically prolific. Cameron, Neale and Mannagh kicked two goals apiece in the first term to Essendon's two as the Cats punished the Bombers' turnovers. Essendon have kicked two goals or fewer in the first quarter of their past five games. The Cats led by 35 points at halftime, and despite Essendon spearhead Peter Wright booting the first goal of the second half, Geelong were unfazed and kicked five of the next six majors to tighten their grip on the contest. The final quarter proved a formality as the Cats drilled home seven goals while keeping Essendon goalless. The Bombers, now on a three-game losing streak, face Fremantle at Optus Stadium on Thursday.
Perth Now
20 hours ago
- Perth Now
Cats pounce on Bombers to charge into AFL top two
Jeremy Cameron and Bailey Smith have put injury-ravaged Essendon to the sword as Geelong leapt into second place on the AFL ladder with an imposing 95-point thrashing. The Cats' multi-pronged attack fired as they nudged out to a 23-point lead at quarter-time and never looked back. Cameron monstered Jayden Laverde to kick six goals in Saturday's 23.13 (151) to 8.8 (56) win at the MCG to reach 44 for the season and pull clear of GWS spearhead Jesse Hogan (38) in the Coleman Medal race. Brownlow Medal contender Smith showed no signs of the hamstring tightness that sidelined him against West Coast. The gun recruit racked up 24 disposals in the first half and finished with 41 plus 760 metres gained as he and Max Holmes (873 metres gained, 36 disposals) continued their dynamic midfield partnership. Shannon Neale (four goals) and Shaun Mannagh (three) chipped in, and skipper Patrick Dangerfield (two goals, 10 score involvements) was a constant threat as Geelong monstered Essendon's undermanned and undersized defence. The win came at a cost for Chris Scott's Cats, with key defender Sam De Koning substituted in the third quarter after injuring his left shoulder early in the game. Brad Scott's Bombers are still three to four weeks away from regaining the likes of injured Jordan Ridley, Zach Reid, Kyle Langford and Mason Redman. Ben McKay (foot) also remains sidelined, while Sam Draper is among four players done for the season. The gulf in class was evident and Geelong will feel exceptionally confident heading into Friday's blockbuster against reigning premiers Brisbane at GMHBA Stadium. Essendon haven't beaten Geelong since 2018 and have defeated the Cats just four times over the past 20 years. Essendon ruck Todd Goldstein (30 hitouts, 20 disposals) battled hard, while Will Setterfield (31 disposals) and Jye Caldwell (28 disposals) were busy and skipper Zach Merrett (29 disposals) was typically prolific. Cameron, Neale and Mannagh kicked two goals apiece in the first term to Essendon's two as the Cats punished the Bombers' turnovers. Essendon have kicked two goals or fewer in the first quarter of their past five games. The Cats led by 35 points at halftime, and despite Essendon spearhead Peter Wright booting the first goal of the second half, Geelong were unfazed and kicked five of the next six majors to tighten their grip on the contest. The final quarter proved a formality as the Cats drilled home seven goals while keeping Essendon goalless. The Bombers, now on a three-game losing streak, face Fremantle at Optus Stadium on Thursday.
