Geelong v Port Adelaide: Cats' chance to pinch top-two spot, Steven Bradbury run,

Herald Sun

2 days ago

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Geelong's run home has shades of Steven Bradbury at the 2002 Winter Olympics.
The Cats just need to stay on the ice and ensure there are no major slip-ups to lock in a top-four spot – or potentially a home final.
And if others sides above them can't keep their feet, the Cats can pounce.
A home qualifying final for Geelong looked as likely as a Bradbury gold after the Cats' disappointing defeat against GWS in round 18, but the complexion of the top-four has changed since.
First, Brisbane was thrashed in the QClash in round 19 as Geelong comfortably defeated St Kilda. Hours after that win at GMHBA Stadium, Fremantle stunned Collingwood at the MCG.
This weekend, Brisbane redeemed itself by inflicting Collingwood's third loss in four games, opening the door for the Lions and Cats to pinch a top-two spot.
Geelong monster 88-point win over Port Adelaide not only gave the Cats a massive percentage boost, it also puts the Cats just two points adrift of Brisbane in third and a win behind ladder-leaders Adelaide.
The Cats has more potential thumpings in store with Essendon down at GMHBA to come on Friday night and Richmond at the MCG to finish the home-and-away season.
Their other match-up against Sydney up in the harbour city is a danger game, but the Swans have little to play for with finals now out of reach.
Compare Geelong's run to that of Collingwood and Brisbane.
Collingwood faces Hawthorn, Adelaide at Adelaide Oval and Melbourne to finish the season – on current form the Magpies could lose two of those.
Brisbane has Sydney, a tough trip to Fremantle in the west and then Hawthorn to close out the season.
Adelaide can sew up top spot with West Coast, Collingwood and North Melbourne to come, but Geelong has a big opportunity if it can keep winning – and winning well, as it did on Sunday.
At quarter time of the Cats' clash the scores were somehow level. Port Adelaide had just nine marks in the first quarter but managed to hurt the Cats off turnover.
But in the next two quarters that followed the Cats defended strongly and attacked relentlessly, piling on 14 goals to two.
Max Holmes was simply unstoppable, finishing with 35 disposals and two goals. The Power tried sticking Willem Drew onto him at one stage but that tag didn't last long as he ran the stopper ragged.
Cats fans were treated to Holmes streaming down the wing and hitting targets inside 50, his main highlight coming early in the game with a blistering run where he first got it on the wing, burst away, got it back and goaled.
Holmes and Bailey Smith, who brushed off any concerns from a light training session on Tuesday, combined beautifully in the midfield with Smith again prolific.
Jeremy Cameron started slowly in his pursuit of the 100 goals, not touching the ball until his first goal at the 25th minute mark of the opening term, but quickly had four majors by halftime and six for the match.
The latest bag puts the goalkicking machine 25 shy of the elusive ton.
But the major forward – and finals – wildcard emerged after halftime.
Recruited as an unrestricted free agent, Jack Martin has been carefully eased into this season and started out in the Geelong line-up as a distributing defender.
The 30-year-old replaced veteran Rhys Stanley as the substitute but he showed the x-factor he has always had throughout his injury-riddled career in a scintillating five minute stretch where he kicked four goals.
The former Gold Coast and Carlton player was diving for marks, taking grabs on the lead and snapping them through on his non-preferred left as he had the Kardinia Park crowd in raptures.
Granted Port Adelaide defence was out on its feet, but it was this kind of freakish talent that was prophesised when the Suns added Martin as a mini-draft selection as a bottom-age player in 2012.
Martin also had an exciting stretch against St Kilda as a forward the previous week, where he took a couple of strong grabs and kicked two goals.
It's another exciting piece to add to Geelong's frightening forward half and he is the kind of player that can turn a final in an instant.
On the defensive end, Oisin Mullin blanketed Zak Butters for the second time this season. After keeping him to 17 disposals in 99 minutes in their direct match-up earlier this year, Butters had zero impact with 10 touches.
The prospect of throwing Mullin onto the likes of Nick Daicos or Hugh McCluggage in cut-throat final is always an option up Geelong coach Chris Scott's sleeve.
Geelong has a significant opportunity to set up a premiership tilt thanks to a fortunate run home and if it can get through the next three weeks unscathed, the Cats might just host a home final.
Originally published as Geelong has chance to pinch top-two spot with easy draw and teams above them faltering