Joel Selwood's late goal and Tom Hawkins' four-goal haul inspired Geelong to a five-point win over Carlton at the Etihad Stadium on Friday night.
Joel Selwood celebrates his match-winning goal that against Carlton. Picture: Michael Klein Source: News Corp Australia
GEELONG bounce back from losses as routinely as a morning shuffle to the toilet.
But there was nothing routine about Friday night's drama-charged five-point win over Carlton.
The Cats pulled off football's version of grand larceny, stealing the four points from the Blues when they were all but laid flat on the canvas.
BLUES: MICK LIVID OVER LATE, COSTLY UMPIRING CALLS
CATS: SCOTT LAUDS 'GUTSY' WIN, BUT NOT SCRATCHY FORM
COLOUR: DO CRACKS SIGNAL END OF CATS' DYNASTY?
In a contest that had just about everything, Geelong trailed by 16 points half way through the last quarter and by one point with 70 seconds left when the symbolic moment arrived.
Carlton coach Mick Malthouse was left bemused by what he feels were two valid free kicks that didn't get paid late in the Blues' defeat to Geelong on Saturday, insisting they could have changed the tide of the game.
Joel Selwood, muzzled superbly and without influence by the exceptional Bryce Gibbs, gobbled up a loose ball and goaled superbly on the run from 40m to win the game.
Carlton won back some respect last night, but rarely would they have walked off as heartbroken. So good for so long, they became the latest in a long line of sides in recent times to have the rug pulled out from under them by this never-say-die outfit.
"We were probably lucky in the end," Selwood said later.
Geelong coach Chris Scott admitted his side were fortunate to scrape past Carlton on Friday night but believes their class ultimately made the difference.
"If you're not having a great night you don't need to have a really bad night. The way the boys rallied at the end was really important.
"We haven't been in a situation like that for a while. It will be good going forward for us. We were probably ready to play about three days ago, it was tough last week but we had to move on."
Steven Motlop celebrates after his special checkside goal on the run in the second term. Picture: Michael Klein Source: News Corp Australia
The Blues were on from the start and lead by nine points at quarter time, but were put back on their heels in the second by a rampant Tom Hawkins who kicked four for the term to inspire his side to 19-point lead at the main break.
The Cats lead by 24 points 12 minutes into the third when Carlton exploded to life. The Blues rammed on six unanswered goals and will again curse a glut of missed opportunities that would have put Geelong away.
Dale Thomas inspired his side in the third quarter with two goals. Picture: Michael Klein Source: News Corp Australia
Gibbs was immense. He ran hard, used it well, ripped balls from stoppages and kicked goals. He finished with 29 touches and four goals, thrashing Selwood for first three quarters before being let loose in the last.
His fourth goal, an arcing snap from a stoppage with a handful of minutes left looked to have won the game for the Blues.
Hawkins kicked four, all of them in that red-hot second quarter, when brutalised Sam Rowe. Hawkins had 17 disposals and 10 marks and looked like a men among boys.
It's got nothing on Janet Jackson, but the Carlton players were left red-faced after last minute change of shorts to avoid a uniform clash with Geelong.
Jason Dunstall summed up the domination perfectly on Triple M: "He is just ignoring tackles, Tom Hawkins."
The sides were evenly matched for disposals, contested ball, tackles and inside 50s, but the Blues ticked so many boxes they won't have slept well last night.
Selwood was well held until his match-defining heroics and Steve Johnson was blanketed by Andrew Carrazzo.
Nothing could stop T om Hawkins in the third quarter. Picture: Wayne Ludbey Source: News Corp Australia
But when the Blues had the ascendancy early in the last term, crucial misses from Andrew Walker, Sam Docherty and Jeff Garlett came back to haunt them.
While the Blues ran and spread with venom, they lacked efficiency going forward, which was where the Cats thrived.
With the door ajar, George Horlin-Smith's front and centre snap with less than two minutes left cut the Blues' lead to one point.
Enter Selwood.
BEST
Geelong: Hawkins, Stokes, Kelly, Taylor, Guthrie, Horlin-Smith, Enright
Carlton: Gibbs, Walker, Murphy, Simpson, Yarran, Thomas, Carrazzo, Docherty
Selwood, Cats break spirited Blues’ hearts
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Selwood, Cats break spirited Blues’ hearts
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