Geelong news

From the Geelong Advertiser
Reported by Nick Wade
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TONIGHT'S VFL match at Simonds Stadium could end up being a dress rehearsal for finals footy at the venue later in the year.

Geelong, currently top of the VFL ladder, would be eligible to host a VFL qualifying final at Simonds Stadium if it finishes in the top two at season's end.

That match would most likely be a Friday night blockbuster on August 30, working around the Geelong-Brisbane AFL match at the venue that weekend.

"If we did happen to nail a spot in the top two, it would be superb to have a final here," Geelong VFL coach Matthew Knights said.

"But a lot of things have to fall into place for that to happen.

"From a purely emotional point of view, it would be great to have a final here at Geelong in the VFL."

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From The Sunday Age
Reported by Brent Diamond
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Port Melbourne's weaknesses were heavily exposed by reigning premier Geelong, which inflicted an 85-point belting on the former powerhouse at Simonds Stadium on Saturday.

The Borough's second successive loss leaves it outside the top four with Hawthorn's feeder team Box Hill and Geelong the top two teams at the halfway mark.

The Cats exposed Port's lack of speed at Etihad Stadium in last year's grand final and did so again on Saturday with some of the Borough's veterans left trailing behind their quick and talented opposition.

Cats coach Matthew Knights said he didn't have to go back to the tape of the grand final win to learn how to stop a team they rated as the benchmark. Instead, he looked at North Ballarat coach Gerard FitzGerald's team's mammoth effort to snatch a come-from-behind win over Port last week.

From the Geelong Advertiser
Reported by Ryan Reynolds
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GEELONG'S VFL side put in its most complete performance of the season to trounce VFL powerhouse Port Melbourne by 85 points today.

Senior emergencies Josh Caddy, Jackson Thurlow and Billie Smedts were all influential in the big 21.17 (143) to 9.4 (58) win at Simonds Stadium.

Dawson Simpson was a late withdrawal before the game.

Caddy and Smedts proved they were a class above VFL level with dominant performances in the midfield.

"Obviously I would love to be playing in the ones," Caddy said after the match.

"But it's great when we come into the twos and the top-ups, as they are called, play their role every week and play to the structures.

From the Geelong Advertiser
Reported by James Podsiadley
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THIS is the stage where the next Jimmy Bartel, the next Steve Johnson and the next Gary Ablett are born.

On Sunday, our VFL side has the chance to emulate the feats of our 2002 and 2007 premiership teams when it faces powerhouse Port Melbourne in the VFL grand final.

This is the last opportunity for Cats fans to get their footy fix for the next six months.

What a great opportunity to get along to Etihad Stadium and watch the blue-and-white hoops battle it out for some silverware.

I know at Geelong, any form of team achievement is cherished. The guys who played in the 2002 VFL premiership still talk about their triumph a fair bit around the club and it's the subject of a lot of banter.

From the Geelong Advertiser
Reported by Alex Oates
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GEELONG survived a final-quarter surge from Werribee to book a place in Sunday's VFL grand final.

In a nail-biting finish at North Port Oval yesterday, the Cats held firm in the final minute to clinch a five-point victory, 16.12 (108) to 15.13 (103), and a crack at Port Melbourne.

A relieved Geelong coach Matthew Knights admitted his team almost ran out of legs after leading by eight goals in the second term.

"Full credit to Werribee for coming back so hard when I thought we held them at bay for three quarters with good quality football, but they clearly won the last quarter," Knights said.

The Borough booked their place in the grand final with a solid win over Williamstown on Saturday and Knights is well aware of the opposition's quality.

"Obviously their record speaks for itself," Knights said.

From the Geelong Advertiser
Reported by Michael Auciello
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From Warrnambool Standard
Reported by Aidan Fawkes
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ONE of Warrnambool’s favourite sons made a successful homecoming as VFL club Geelong slogged its way to victory against Coburg yesterday.
Simon Hogan, a former Blues junior, returned to Reid Oval to help the Cats run away from the Tigers, 10.21 (81) to 5.5 (35), on a chopped-up playing surface.

From Geelong Advertiser
Reported by Nick Wade
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RETURNING Geelong ruckman Dawson Simpson got through his comeback match unscathed in the VFL yesterday but it wasn't enough to save the Cats.

Geelong is delicately poised in seventh spot on the VFL ladder after going down to Sandringham in a four-point loss marred by wasted opportunities.

But the 16.16 (112) to 15.18 (108) loss wasn't through lack of effort.