A powerful first quarter from Jeremy Cameron has haunted his former club and got Geelong’s inconsistent AFL season back on track.
Cameron had three goals by quarter time against Greater Western Sydney and finished with five, helping the Cats lead from start to finish and win 12.15 (88) to 4.11 (35) at Manuka Oval on Saturday evening.
He got help from Tyson Stengle, who slotted three classy goals, while it all started in the middle with an impressive display from Mitch Duncan who had 16 disposals in the first term.
The win moved the Cats to 5-3 for the season while it leaves the Giants all but eliminated from the finals race at 2-6.
Ahead by 20 points at halftime, Stengle and Cameron both snapped goals in a two-minute span in the third term to break the GWS fight, while the former Giant made it five in the last as Geelong blew the margin right out.
Earlier, he wasted little time making an explosive impact with two identical set-shot snaps from 50m and the boundary line, while he added a third from the same pocket inside the first quarter.
That helped the Cats capitalise on some lax GWS pressure and their strong start continued when Brad Close found room to slot one on the run.
But the Giants’ Jesse Hogan and Toby Greene pulled goals back to stay within 13 points at quarter time.
Greene made it two in a row via a high-flying mark inside 50 as the Giants strengthened around the ground, before Stengle soccered the ball home with a clever finish and Tom Hawkins curled a goal home from the pocket to pinch a 20-point halftime break.
Duncan carved the Giants up at will and had 33 touches, while Patrick Dangerfield impressed on his return to the side with 28.
Accuracy in front of goal certainly didn’t help GWS, who finished with 4.11.
Isaac Cumming was best for the Giants having found 29 disposals and 12 rebound 50s, with 25 of those possessions kicks.
Hogan might draw some scrutiny post-game having struck Jed Bews with an elbow pursuing the football early in the contest.
Bews didn’t return to the game due to concussion protocols, meaning medi-sub Mitch Knevitt joined Cooper Stephens as Geelong’s two debutants for the day.
