Impressive Cats leave Crows with questions to answer as Geelong’s milestone man dominates

A very good night time for Geelong, and a dream begin to the season for the Cats. One other powerful one for Adelaide to take, with a troublesome journey to face Freo awaiting the Crows. They’re actually on discover already early within the 12 months.

That is it from me for tonight! I will be again with Andrew McGarry tomorrow to steer you thru Saturday footy, so you should definitely head again to the weblog then. Till then, have a beautiful night time.

One other shout out for Tom Stewart, who was completely excellent tonight in his milestone recreation.

He completed with 11 marks — 10 of these intercepting — 28 disposals, 15 intercept possessions and 7 rating involvements. He marshalled Geelong’s defence superbly and was the impassable brick wall Adelaide bumped into time and time once more.

Seems in good condition to assert a sixth All Australian this 12 months. He spoke to Channel Seven after the sport:

“I am actually pleased with the boys. We knew we have been most likely towards it over right here. So, so pleased with this group and so grateful to the Geelong Soccer Membership to be part of it.

“I am getting a bit emotional now. Like, it is one thing I actually cherish, to have the ability to have a good time with my finest mates and my youngsters and my spouse and my mum tonight, my sister. I’ll actually get pleasure from this one. They imply a lot to me.”

Subsequent week shall be Tom Hawkins’s 350th recreation, on Easter Monday towards Hawthorn, however the large Cat began celebrating a bit early.

4 targets all up, and three in a important third-quarter burst, is an enormous night time for the famous person veteran. Jeremy Cameron might have matched his tally if not for a wayward closing time period.

The Crows could not deal with Geelong’s twin towers, who each look in ominous early season kind.

Geelong is perhaps again.

Wins over St Kilda and Adelaide away to begin the season is a severe assertion for a membership scarred by a disappointing 2023. The style of their victory tonight — skilled, mature, meticulous — shall be significantly pleasing for Chris Scott and the Cats. They stood as much as one of many league’s highest-scoring groups and utterly shut them down, silencing the group and grinding out the win.

Tom Stewart, in his a hundred and fiftieth recreation, was one thing else. Finest afield by a mile in my books. The Crows’ midfielders had busy nights, however Stewart’s defensive presence and intercepting capability was simply in regards to the distinction within the recreation.

Issues for Adelaide? The backline was the massive fear coming into the season and people deficiencies have been highlighted tonight. The Cats are going to be powerful to interrupt down all 12 months, however there was an absence of run and dare in Adelaide tonight that’s not like them. Loads of time for Matthew Nicks to work issues out, however 0-2 is an uncomfortable spot for the Crows to be in.

Nicely that is fairly outrageous. The warmth has very a lot gone out of the sport, however there was nonetheless simply sufficient time for Rankine to fit one from as near the boundary line as is feasible.

A spotlight for Crows followers to go dwelling with.

I feel Brad Shut was attempting to move that to a number one ahead, nevertheless it missed everybody by sufficient that it was capable of trickle all through.

The lead is out to 26 factors, and the Cats will really feel that’s consultant of their total management of the sport.

With all of the Adelaide numbers pushed up the bottom, it was solely going to take one good break for Geelong to threaten the targets.

Henry, Shut, Stengle and Miers mixed to get it out the again, and that aim shuts the door on Adelaide.

In the meantime, Patrick Dangerfield is on the bench wanting a bit of involved about his hamstring. One to observe after this one wraps up.

I feel Geelong have carried out sufficient. They have not kicked a aim on this final quarter, however they’ve saved Adelaide to simply two to date.

The Cats are hanging on a bit now, however Adelaide want to search out three targets in 3:30. Geelong have numbers again, however it’ll be an Adelaide avalanche to see out this recreation.

More durable to overlook than kick the aim from there. Darcy Fogarty was out the again, streaming into an open aim. The gang was able to erupt.

He shanked it into the publish. How expensive will that be for Adelaide?

Six minutes to play.

It is again to 16 factors! The massive Crows ruck pinched it from Blicavs, threw it on the boot and watched it sail by way of.

The Cats have given Adelaide an opportunity. Are they adequate to take it?

Extra misses for the Cats, however despite the fact that they have not killed the sport off they’ve managed to burn loads of clock.

There’s solely eight minutes left to play on this one. Crows want 4 targets.

Jeremy Cameron has now kicked three consecutive behinds for Geelong. None of them have been straightforward, however all three have been kickable for a participant of his high quality.

Stengle is the newest to overlook an opportunity. The Cats had been so correct in entrance of aim for 3 quarters, however these misses are retaining the door ajar for the Crows.

The Crows needed to be methodical, however they have been nonetheless courageous with their ball use by way of the center of the bottom. The upshot was a one-on-one battle between Walker and the a lot smaller Jack Henry.

After one more rating evaluation, Walker’s aim is confirmed. It is a 19-point recreation, 15:57 on the clock.

What do these Crows have left within the tank? An 0-2 begin would elevate some uncomfortable questions for a crew anticipated to take the following step this 12 months.

1 / 4 left to vary the narrative.

That was so skilled from Geelong. Ruthless, exact. They stood as much as Adelaide after they have been working at their peak and systematically shut them again down once more.

Tom Hawkins was the beneficiary within the ahead line, however the work was carried out everywhere in the floor. Patrick Dangerfield lifted in that time period to assist flip the midfield tide, and Tom Stewart is in line for Brownlow votes in his a hundred and fiftieth.

The blueprint is there for Adelaide, and so they’ve come again from this type of place as soon as earlier than on this recreation. However it’ll take one thing particular from right here, towards a Cats facet that’s wanting much more just like the 2022 model than its 2023 cousin.

Or no matter it’s you get for mark of the 12 months lately. You have to be holding on to these Tom, for all of our sakes.

Geelong have began successful clearances, and — liable to repeating myself — the Crows defence is powerless to cease fast Geelong entries.

Dangerfield discovered Dempsey, who hit up Hawkins by hand, who snapped his fourth of the night time and third of the quarter.

When Adelaide kicked these two fast ones to begin the quarter, after which Izak Rankine gave them a lead, you puzzled if they might begin to overrun the Cats on this quarter.

Not the case. Geelong have regathered themselves, held their nerve and swung momentum again their method. They usually have crucially taken their probabilities in entrance of aim, establishing one other 18-point lead. Six minutes to play within the third.