| * |
To gain a place in the
Grand Final, Geelong and Collingwood fought each to a standstill
in a gripping last quarter on Friday night before a huge crowd of 98,002
at the MCG – the biggest preliminary final attendance since 1973.
ABC News reported: In a pulsating and tightly-contested match
that defied the predictions of many pundits, the never-say-die Magpies
pressed the Cats right until the final siren but could not produce the
winning play as Geelong clinched a thrilling finals victory.
Paul Gough observed for Sportal: Geelong will now get the
chance to end its premiership drought – stretching back to 1963. The
Cats' have famously lost five grand finals since their last flag success
nearly half a century ago – including four in seven seasons between 1989
and 1995 – but they proved they have the character as well as the talent
to break the drought.
Right from the moment skipper Tom Harley dropped two easy marks
in the opening two minutes, the Cats looked nervous as the burden of
favouritism appeared to weigh heavily on them.
ABC News summarised: The Cats looked strong throughout the
contest but never managed to put the resilient Magpies away, the
Nathan Buckley-led side courageously clawing their way back into the
match after twice trailing by three goals. Despite this the Pies managed
to snatch the lead midway through the third quarter, an advantage that
would be shortlived as goals from Cameron Ling and Cameron
Mooney propelled the Cats back in front before the final term.
Travis Cloke typified the stubborn and unrelenting mindset of his
side when he kicked a major to open the last quarter, but consecutive
goals from Mooney, Steve Johnson and Paul Chapman looked
to have put the competition favourites into an unassailable lead and
into next week's decider.
But last-ditch efforts from Cloke and Alan Didak once again
resuscitated the match as a contest and gave the Pies a faint hope of
overturning the Cats at the death, before Gary Ablett sealed the
result with a major to cap the see-sawing affair.
Ablett popped up with a big play at a crucial time in the match as he
has done throughout the entire season, his mercurial performance a
testament to a stellar season that garnered him selection in the
All-Australian squad.
Sportal concluded: Ablett's superb snap on the run gave the Cats
an 11-point lead with just over seven minutes left. It would turn out to
be the winning goal as the Pies got one back, through Paul Medhurst
with a minute remaining, but it was not enough to prevent the Cats' from
overcoming by far the biggest hurdle in their premiership tilt to date.
But the young Pies – with seven players less
than 21 in their line-up – can hold their heads high but while the likes
of young gun Cloke (three goals) will get another chance at premiership
glory, this loss could signal the end of the glittering careers of
Collingwood veterans Buckley and Scott Burns. |
|
2007 — 1st PRELIMINARY FINAL — GAME
1 |
|
Geelong v Collingwood |
Friday (n),
September 21, 2007
MCG, 7.50pm AEST, crowd:
98,002
Conditions: Good
Weather: 13C, clearing after a day of showers |
| |
1/4 time |
1/2 time |
3/4 time |
Final |
| GEE |
4.4-28 (11) |
7.6-48 (5) |
9.13-67 (5) |
13.14-92 (5) |
|
COL |
2.5-17 |
6.7-43 |
9.8-62 |
13.9-87 |
Goals: Geelong:
Steve Johnson 3, Mathew
Stokes 3, Cameron Mooney 2, Gary Ablett, Paul Chapman,
James Kelly, Brad Ottens, Max Rooke. Collingwood:
Travis Cloke 3, Alan Didak 2, Paul Medhurst 2, Sean
Rusling 2, Scott Burns, Leon Davis, Shane O'Bree,
Anthony Rocca.
Best: Geelong: Brad Ottens, Gary Ablett, Matthew
Scarlett, James Kelly, Jimmy Bartel, Joel Corey, Mathew
Stokes. Collingwood: Travis Cloke, Heath Shaw,
Nathan Buckley, Dane Swan, Martin Clarke, Shane Wakelin.
Umpires: Stephen McBurney, Scott McLaren, Shane
McInerney. |
Port Adelaide
humiliated the North Melbourne-Kangaroos by 87 points in the
late-Saturday early-evening preliminary final played in front of 43,953
fans at Football Park. It was a masterful, embarrassing thrashing that
puts Port into its second grand final in four seasons.
Ashley Porter noted in The Age: It was an amazing, club
record-breaking win, and the difference between these sides was so vast
that it was difficult to assess whether Port was that good, or the
Kangas were so abysmal. Probably both, but whatever, it was a dreadfully
one-sided final. Rarely has a side kicked so badly for goal in a final
that the Kangaroos, but by far the most damning observation was that
they virtually gave up the chase midway through the third quarter when
Port cracked a 10-goal lead.
Alan Shiell pertinently noted for Sportal: Roos veteran
Glenn Archer deserved a more fitting send-off in his 311th and last
AFL appearance. The Roos and Port players formed a guard of honour to
applaud the Shinboner of the Century – and the crowd joined in with a
standing ovation.Troy Chaplin
led a star-studded Port cast with a strong, rebounding display at centre
half-back, Chad Cornes was effective everywhere and forwards
Daniel Motlop, Brett Ebert and Warren Tredrea kicked
three goals each to capitalise on the good work further afield – where
Tom Logan, David Rodan and Jacob Surjan, among
others, were always busy.
Daniel Harris, Adam Simpson
and Jess Sinclair were the Roos' leading possession winners but
most of the time it didn't really matter.
Probably the only negative for Port was the loss nine minutes into the
second quarter of veteran defender Michael Wilson who snapped an
Achilles in his left foot certainly ending his season and possibly the
career of the 30-year-old. |
|
2007 — 2nd PRELIMINARY FINAL — GAME 2 |
| Port Adelaide v
Kangaroos |
Saturday,
September 22, 2007
Football Park, 2.10pm AEST, crowd: 43,953
Conditions: Very good; gusty NE breeze to southern goal
Weather: 26C, warm, fine and sunny |
| |
1/4 time |
1/2 time |
3/4 time |
Final |
| PA |
6.0-36 (16) |
9.3-57 (32) |
17.10-112
(78) |
20.13-133
(87) |
| KAN |
3.2-20 |
3.7-25 |
4.10-34 |
5.16-46 |
Goals: Port: Daniel
Motlop 3, Brett Ebert 3, Warren Tredrea 3, David Rodan 2, Tom Logan 2,
Steven Salopek 2, Kane Cornes, Danyle Pearce, Travis Boak, Chad Cornes,
Justin Westhoff. Kangaroos: Shannon Grant 2, Aaron Edwards,
Daniel Harris, Ed Lower.
Best: Port: Troy Chaplin, Chad Cornes, Tom Logan, Brendon Lade,
Jacob Surjan, Warren Tredrea, Danyle Pearce. Kangaroos: Adam
Simpson, Daniel Harris, Jess Sinclair, Brent Harvey.
Umpires: Michael Vozzo, Hayden Kennedy, Brett Rosebury. |
|
|
