All the news and updates from Geelong's win over Port Adelaide

Herald Sun

2 days ago

Don't miss out on the headlines from AFL. Followed categories will be added to My News.
It was meant to be something of a Jeremy Cameron coronation – the start of a countdown to that rare modern beast of 100 goals in a season.
And it was – for a while, at least – as Geelong romped to an 88-point victory over a limp Port Adelaide at GMHBA Stadium.
But someone forgot to tell Shannon Neale.
And everybody forgot to tell Jack Martin, which was probably fair enough given he was the starting sub.
But it was that sort of afternoon as Cats fans looked for additional entertainment with their heroes clearly in a different class to the injury-riddled visitors.
Cameron – fresh from his 11 last week against North Melbourne that left him at 69 for the season – booted three of his six goals in the second quarter as Geelong shook off Port's initial challenge.
But just when Jezza's ton calculations were being made, a Neale burst put the result beyond doubt as the Cats took advantage of the Port backmen leaning in Cameron's direction.
Then, almost as Neale put through his third major of the third term, Martin emerged as the tactical substitution for Rhys Stanley.
And the next five minutes, not even the precociously talented Martin would have dared to dream possible.
Three marks, four kicks and four goals in five minutes and 16 seconds (real time, NOT game time!) had his chosen song 'Macarena' playing essentially on repeat to make the stadium seem like a 1993 nightclub.
As it finished, the take-outs from the game are simple: Cameron still needs 26 to reach the magical ton, Port needs the season to end yesterday and the Cats were given an important reiteration of what clubs think is their Achilles heel.
In the grand scheme of Geelong's relatively cruisy late-season draw, perhaps the only real concern for its brains trust is that its ground defence is far more porous than against aerial raids.
Remarkably in the first quarter, Port managed just nine marks – compared to Geelong's 36 – yet somehow managed to keep the scores level at the first break.
The Power, already ravaged by injury before the pre-game loss of ill skipper Connor Rozee, simply had to take what was on offer.
Instructively to the Cats' upcoming opponents, the very familiar Port coach Ken Hinkley seemed more than happy to run at all costs, trying to avoid the intercept marking power of Tom Stewart, Sam De Koning and company.
But when the Cats eventually cranked it out of second gear, the sheer weight of midfield possession was simply overwhelming as they raced to the club's highest score of the season.
ACID TEST XLIV
It was fascinating to see how attentive Tom Stewart was to Ollie Wines after the two revered 'ball players' collided heavily in the centre square.
Harking directly to the 2023 images of the Magpie Brayden Maynard incident that left Angus Brayshaw concussed (and eventually retired from football), Stewart's momentum as he rose to block a lobbed Wines handpass led him directly into the Port champion.
For a moment, it didn't look great for Wines.
And as the dust settled, Stewart was particularly attentive to his opponent's wellbeing, chatting and ensuring he was not badly damaged. This even extended seconds later as the pair exchanged 'pats' as they moved back into the action.
It would be absolutely farcical to suggest Stewart had malice in his heart, but equally as for Joe Public to profess anything more than a guess of how it will turn out in 'MRO-land'.
RADAR, CLOCK OUT
Inaccuracy based on scoring shots can often be misleading given how many rushed behinds are conceded.
But with Tyson Stengle as the chief culprit with three gilt-edged chances sliding to the wrong side of the goalpost, the first-term damage was all self-induced.
And the pain for Cats' fans was exacerbated when Shaun Mannagh slotted one home approximately one-tenth of a second after the quarter-time siren rang out.
HARD-WON RESPECT
It's hard – in almost all instances – for visitors to get some 'love' from hardcore Cat fans at Kardinia Park.
But testament to the respect Travis Boak commands around the league, his admittedly sensational long-range snap in the second quarter event brought some applause from the diehards in blue and white.
That's probably to be expected for the Torquay product back near his old stomping ground, but what wasn't on many people's bingo cards was that the former Port captain would be his team's most prolific ball-winner in his 384th match.