Saints slip up at their Geelong graveyard; Gold Coast's embarrassing low in heavy loss to Crows
But it was not enough to suggest they were going to win however as Geelong's uncharacteristic fumbling and dropped marks were inviting pressure.
Once they cleaned those up in the third quarter they put the foot to the accelerator with four consecutive goals to push the margin out to 39 points and the result beyond doubt. In that period, the Cats owned territory with Lyon saying being trapped in defence had become a common thread when they had lost their grip on a game.
Stewart's loss was telling as he went off the ground late in the third quarter and the Saints were able to find a few more avenues to goal. They looked as though they could make a charge until Mitch Owens missed his second gettable set shot for the game to kill their momentum.
Stewart was walking around with ice on his knee after the game, and it appeared precautionary rather than a major injury.
Dempsey was unstoppable on his wing, patrolling into defence and attack, kicking a goal from the outside of his foot to put a stamp on his game. He finished with 25 touches and provided constant support to those on the inside of the contest.
Cameron didn't get out of third gear to kick four goals before half-time including a brilliant running goal from an angle after he turned Liam Stocker inside out before drilling the goal from the boundary. He kicked his fifth in the final quarter to bring his tally for the season to 58.
The Cats made the most of their interceptions, constantly building the attack from the back half of the ground in the first half. It was only the second time in the past 10 years Geelong had kicked eight goals in the first half from defensive half-chains.
By contrast the Cats stifled the Saints' ability to do that when they started Mark Blicavs forward on Callum Wilkie - who was playing his 150th consecutive game from debut – and made life difficult for him. The intercepting marking star finished with just five marks, his second fewest in a game for the season.
Irishman Oisin Mullin is becoming a player in his 35th game just edging out crafting forward Jack Higgins. He is becoming more instinctive in his attacking while Shaun Mannagh has been an excellent pickup from the VFL.
Marcus Windhager played well on both Max Holmes and Bailey Smith while Jack Steele's pressure was good as usual. Jack Sinclair's rebounding game was strong. But Wanganeen-Milera was outstanding playing a lone hand ending the game with two goals, 36 disposals and 637 metres gained.
His contract remains unsigned, but Lyon grinned when asked where it was at. 'In the fullness of time,' he said.
Gold Coast's embarrassing low in heavy loss to Crows
AAP
Adelaide have crushed Gold Coast by 61 points, with the Suns losing star defender Daniel Rioli to injury while slipping to an embarrassing low.
The Crows kicked the initial 11 goals in their 16.11 (107) to 6.10 (46) victory at Adelaide Oval on Sunday to retain their grip on third spot.
Gold Coast were goalless in an opening half for the first time, and playmaker Rioli suffered a left calf injury before the long break.
Adelaide led 9.5 to 0.4 at half-time and were up 71-5 before the Suns scored their first goal in the 11th minute of the third term.
Gold Coast slid to eighth on the ladder, just one win ahead of the ninth-placed Western Bulldogs, while the Crows are certain to return to the finals for the first time since 2017.
Adelaide's Alex Neal-Bullen kicked three goals from his career-high 31 disposals and Riley Thilthorpe, Taylor Walker and Izak Rankine scored two each.
Captain Jordan Dawson (20 disposals, one goal), James Peatling (21, one goal), Jake Soligo (24, one goal) and Dan Curtin (20, one goal) continued fine seasons.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


7NEWS
10 hours ago
- 7NEWS
Sione Tuipulotu ruled out of ‘crazy' Wallabies-Lions homecoming in Melbourne with hamstring injury
The absence of Melbourne product Sione Tuipulotu and the return of veteran Owen Farrell are two of the changes to the British and Irish Lions squad to face the Wallabies in the second Test. Tuipulotu, who started in the centres in Brisbane, has been left out of match-day 23 altogether, with Irishman Bundee Aki preferred at No.12, as the Lions try to wrap up the series in Melbourne on Saturday. Tuipulotu, who grew up in Melbourne before shifting to Scotland where he captains the national side, reportedly has a hamstring injury. 'It is kind of crazy,' the 28-year-old said just days earlier. 'To go back to Melbourne this week and hopefully play in front of my family ... the stars have aligned for me.' Four days after captaining the Lions in the midweek win over the First Nations and Pasifika, Farrell, the son of coach Andy Farrell, will make his first Test appearance since the 2023 World Cup after being named on the bench. Farrell made three changes to the starting line-up that won the first Test 27-19, with lock Joe McCarthy unable to overcome a foot injury, with Olli Chessum the new face. Andrew Porter will start at loosehead ahead of Ellis Genge, forming an all-Irish front row. Aki will partner Scotsman Huw Jones in midfield, while the back three of Hugo Keenan, James Lowe and Tommy Freeman is unchanged from the first Test. Coach Farrell said they were expecting a 'massive reaction' from the Wallabies after their disappointment at the 27-19 loss in the opening match in Brisbane. 'We have put ourselves in a good position after the first Test, but we know there will be a massive reaction from this Wallaby team,' Farrell said in a statement. 'Everyone saw the quality they have in Brisbane and we know we will have to be a lot better than we were last week.


Perth Now
13 hours ago
- Perth Now
Tuipulotu misses homecoming in Lions' second Test
The absence of Melbourne product Sione Tuipulotu and the return of veteran Owen Farrell are two of the changes to the British and Irish Lions squad to face the Wallabies in the second Test. Tuipulotu, who started in the centres in Brisbane, has been left out of match-day 23 altogether, with Irishman Bundee Aki preferred at No.12, as the Lions try to wrap up the series in Melbourne on Saturday. Tuipulotu, who grew up in Melbourne before shifting to Scotland where he captains the national side, reportedly has a hamstring injury. Four days after captaining the Lions in the midweek win over the First Nations and Pasifika, Farrell, the son of coach Andy Farrell, will make his first Test appearance since the 2023 World Cup after being named on the bench. Farrell made three changes to the starting line-up that won the first Test 27-19, with lock Joe McCarthy unable to overcome a foot injury, with Olli Chessum the new face. Andrew Porter will start at loosehead ahead of Ellis Genge, forming an all-Irish front row. Aki will partner Scotsman Huw Jones in midfield, while the back three of Hugo Keenan, James Lowe and Tommy Freeman is unchanged from the first Test. Coach Farrell said they were expecting a "massive reaction" from the Wallabies after their disappointment at the 27-19 loss in the opening match in Brisbane. "We have put ourselves in a good position after the first Test, but we know there will be a massive reaction from this Wallaby team," Farrell said in a statement. "Everyone saw the quality they have in Brisbane and we know we will have to be a lot better than we were last week. BRITISH AND IRISH LIONS: Andrew Porter, Dan Sheehan, Tadhg Furlong, Maro Itoje, Ollie Chessum, Tadhg Beirne, Tom Curry, Jack Conan, Jamison Gibson-Park, Finn Russell, James Lowe, Bundee Aki, Huw Jones, Tommy Freeman, Hugo Keenan. Bench: Ronan Kelleher, Ellis Genge, Will Stuart, James Ryan, Jac Morgan, Alex Mitchell, Owen Farrell, Blair Kinghorn


West Australian
14 hours ago
- West Australian
West Coast captain Liam Duggan confident Harley Reid will recommit to Eagles as talks ramp up
West Coast captain Liam Duggan believes Harley Reid will remain at the Eagles, saying the star's investment at the club is 'second-to-none.' Reid's management has ramped up contract talks with the Eagles, with his draft contract set to come to an end at the end of next season. There are reports of a $20 million, 10-year deal on the table while Victorian clubs such as Hawthorn and Geelong are also chasing hard for the former No.1 pick. While Duggan says he's unsure of what deal the club was working towards, he is confident the 20-year-old will recommit to the Eagles. 'I'm really eager for Harley to sign. I mean, he's going to be paid very well regardless of where it is, and he's going to get a long-term deal regardless of where it is,' he said on Triple M. 'But all I can speak of at the moment is that his investment in what we're going after at the moment is second to none. 'He has been so dialled into what we're going after as a footy club at the moment, he's been very vocal in that amongst the group, the way he's playing, you can see that in the way that he's playing, and I think our supporters would be able to see that in the way that he's going about his footy right now.' After a slow start to the season, Reid has been the standout performer over recent weeks and was the only Eagle to receive coaches' votes in their disastrous loss to Richmond. Duggan said Reid has grown as a leader at the club, believing it's been his biggest development this year. 'What he's given us at the moment is huge, and he's shown so much leadership, sort of qualities as a youngster, which I don't think a lot of people would probably think of in Harley,' he said. 'I think they think the best players, they just go about it quietly, do their own thing and but he's he's complete opposite, he's dialled in completely to what it is. 'And he's a great mate. Pre-game, I ducked around to his place., I enjoy spending time with him, so as a mate, I just want him to be happy, but I'd love it to be with us, and I think it will be.' As the negotiations continue, Duggan said the noise around his future would have no impact on Reid or his performances on the field. 'He's used to the talk, so the noise is not unusual. He had plenty of it before he got drafted.'