Geelong capped off its dominant 2022 home and away campaign with its second-biggest win of the season, thumping the West Coast Eagles by 85 points in superstar Patrick Dangerfield’s 300th game.
The Cats, who’d already secured the minor premiership, were never challenged against the Eagles as they won their 18th game of the home and away season, 19.17 (131) to 7.4 (46).
Tom Hawkins and Tyson Stengle booted four goals apiece, while Joel Selwood starred with two goals from 28 disposals as a few sore Cats were placed in cotton wool.
Sam Menegola was a late out for the Cats, replaced in the starting side by Jon Ceglar. Tom Atkins (Geelong) and Greg Clark (West Coast) were the medical subs.
Milestone man Patrick Dangerfield came out firing in his 300th game, and hit his first contest with a bang. It was Brad Close’s incredible work rate that got Geelong their first as the Cats went coast-to-coast from the kick-in.
Tom Stewart went long to Tom Hawkins, who was able to bring the ball to ground.
Max Holmes got to the back of the pack and was away as Close, who was at that initial contest with Hawkins, bolted forwards.
He got on the end of a Jack Henry handpass to kick the first goal of the day.
“Huge run from Close on that occasion. His ability to push through the middle of the ground is excellent,” commentator Brad Johnson said.
“He’s off and once they win the ball and get goalside, his leg speed … there’s Close with a superior work rate to the right spot.”
“(Opponent) Duggan just caught in the wrong spot at the stoppage,” Jason Dunstall added.
Hawkins earlier had his teammates in stitches after he forgot to put on his playing jumper when he headed out for the banner.
Jamie Cripps got West Coast’s first with a stunning set shot from the pocket, but it was all Geelong in the first term.
“They’ve had the overlap run, they used the wings really well,” Johnson praised.
“(The midfielders) are all there pushing up.”
Isaac Smith was denied a goal from a late score review, despite Eagle Rhett Bazzo not even appealing for touched.
But it mattered little as Gryan Miers, Joel Selwood and Tom Hawkins – who remains the only player capable of chasing down Charlie Cameron for the Coleman Medal – all got on the board early.
Geelong’s day was soured when Jake Kolodjashnij was assisted from the field and later subbed out after crashing to the turf in a marking contest with Jack Darling.
Junior Rioli was then denied a ripping goal late in the opening term when penalised for running too far.
“Surely the umpire didn’t see him bounce it early?” commentator Cam Mooney questioned.
“It was very tight,” Dunstall said.
Two goals in 90 seconds from Cam Guthrie ensured the Cats took a big lead into the first break.
The first was a quick snap from the contest while his second was a brilliant piece of follow up footy from the centre clearance.
“I think the midfielders might have something on today – how many goals are we going to kick?” Johnson laughed.
“The follow up – (Eagle Tim) Kelly jogging in behind – no push up to support defence.
“They’ve got to be better than that the Eagles mids.”
Kelly did get one back for his side, to the boos from the Cats faithful, before a controversial Jack Darling free kick cut Geelong’s lead to 20 points at the first change.
A big Cripps tackle on Tom Stewart early in the second gifted Jack Darling an opportunity to kick his second for the day.
The crowd didn’t like the holding the ball call on Stewart after Cripps did appear to collect the Cat high as he brought him to ground.
Darling was able to narrow the Cats’ lead to just 15 points with his snap on goal - his second for the day.
But from that point, the quarter belonged to Geelong as they kicked the next six goals.
Cat Tyson Stengle brought the crowd to their feet when he snapped truly from the boundary, despite being mid-tackle.
Jack Henry, Gary Rohan and Hawkins all piled on the pain for the Eagles.
By half time, Geelong had opened up a 51-point lead.
A bout of friendly fire once again soured Geelong’s efforts as Patrick Dangerfield collided with teammate Cam Guthrie in the centre square.
Guthrie was left clutching at his shoulder as he came from the ground and didn’t reappear for the remainder of the term. The Cats then placed him in cotton wool for the second half, but they were adamant it was precautionary.
The Eagles got the first goal of the quarter through Liam Ryan, but Gary Rohan quickly replied with a terrific snap goal.
Stengle and Selwood then piled on the pain by booting their second goals each, but Cripps responded with an almighty goal from beyond the 50m arc to cut Geelong’s lead to 62 points at the final change.
Cripps’ excellent set-shot kicking continued at the start of the fourth term, nailing his third goal of the night.
But Geelong’s forwards were too hard to stop, with Hawkins and Stengle booting their third goal each.
Stengle then kicked his fourth after another breathtaking passage of play through the corridor by the Cats as the margin ballooned out to 77 points.
“This could be the performance that gets him over the line (for All-Australian selection),” Fox Footy’s Brad Johnson said.
Stengle then tried to boot his fifth goal, only to miss to the right — leaving Hawkins, not angry, but disappointed.
But Stengle didn’t make the same mistake minutes later, finding Hawkins in the goalsquare to kick his fourth major and cap off a major win.
“The resolve of this group, there’s extreme focus with what we want to achieve and tonight was another stepping stone for that,” Dangerfield told Fox Footy post-game.
“We understand the job at hand and what’s ahead – and we can’t wait for that.
“I just feel like we’re ready. It’s hard to compare one year to the next, but this group feels like it’s ready for the challenge.
“I don’t feel like we’ve peaked yet, we’re still working on things and improving certain parts of our game, but it’s a great group to be part of and it’s a lot of fun.”
The Cats sewed up the minor premiership in Round 22 as all signs pointed to Geelong’s premiership favouritism.
But when Rhys Stanley limped off against the Suns and Jeremy Cameron finished the game on the bench – later confirmed to be suffering a hamstring injury – suddenly the Cats’ stocks were thinned.
While a match against second-last at home should have been a walk in the park, the injuries started to mount and somewhat sour the big 85-point win.
Jake Kolodjashnij was the first player taken from the field after he crashed heavily to the turf. The defender flew for a spoil on Eagle Jack Darling and landed awkwardly on his neck, failed his concussion test and was subbed out of the contest at quarter-time.
Also down in the rooms at the time was Gary Rohan after he appeared to roll his ankle late in the first term. He spent more than 10 minutes off the ground before being given the all clear to continue.
A bout of friendly fire ended Cam Guthrie’s day in the second term.
Guthrie collided with milestone man Patrick Dangerfield coming in from the wing and immediately clutched at his shoulder. He returned to the bench after half-time with his tracksuit on.
“Word from the footy club is it is nothing major, it’s just precautionary,” Fox Footy’s Cameron Mooney said.
“He’s staying off for the game.
Sam Menegola was a late withdrawal for the match while Cameron is in doubt for the first final.
Mitch Duncan also missed the win over West Coast as part of the club’s rest rotation.
The pre-finals bye has come at a great time for the Cats, giving Kolodjashnij enough time to back up despite his concussion on Saturday.
Esava Ratugolea hasn’t been able to lock down a starting role during his Cats tenure. He managed the first three games for Geelong in 2022, but injury and form saw him bide his time in the VFL.
With Jeremy Cameron ruled out earlier this week, the opportunity opened up for the 197cm forward to come into the line up.
But Ratugolea didn’t venture into the attacking 50. Instead he shifted into a new role in defence.
“I think it’s a positive move. Playing Ratugolea down back just gives everybody a bit of a look into the future into what he can and can’t do,” Fox Footy’s Cameron Mooney said.
Brad Johnson praised the “flexibility” Ratugolea could provide if he developed as a backman, given the “powerful” nature of his game.
“He’s got the athleticism to play that role,” he said.
While it was a new role for Ratugolea at AFL, Mooney said the big man had been working in defence in the VFL in recent weeks.
“It’s a nice little spot (Geelong) are in, the fact they can try out Ratugolea down back today in the last game of the season,” Mooney said.
“Twenty-two intercepts in his last two games (in the VFL), 10 of those intercept marks.
“We know he’s got extremely great athleticism.
“We know as a forward line he’s probably not going to get a look in with (Jeremy) Cameron and (Tom) Hawkins.
“I think it’s been a good move for them.”
Mooney said a potential defensive partnership of Ratugolea and Sam de Koning was something to excite Cats fans for years to come.
Tyson Stengle has been close to All-Australian selection all year, but he gave selectors one final reminder of his talents on Saturday.
Stengle showed glimpses of what he could do during his time at Adelaide when he kicked 25 goals from 12 games in 2020, but what he’s done at Geelong has been astounding. He has to be the biggest bargain recruit of the year given he was picked up as a delisted free agent at the end of last year.
He finished the regular season with 46 goals without missing a match.
His possessions more often than not turn into Cats scores, making him one of the most damaging small forwards in the competition.
It’s an extraordinary comeback story and he’s well and truly on track to be the first delisted free agent to earn All-Australian selection.
A remarkable home-and-away season has been capped off by yet another remarkable game.
