This past weekend (May 22-23) in Australian Rules Football action, defending champion Geelong defeated Collingwood by 36 points in front of a crowd of 88,115 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. As a result, the two squads swapped place for first place.
The final eight goals of the match were scored by the Cats of Geelong, giving them a 12.14 (86)-6.14 (50) win. The two squads, along with Fremantle, now share 7-2 records but the Cats lead on percentages.
The Magpies of Collingwood made a strong push during a stretch that started just before halftime and ended ten minutes after halftime. They were able to transform a 16-oint deficit into an 11-point lead before Geelong exploded to end any hopes of a Collingwood win.
Football betting favorite,Collingwood entered the game on a five-game winning streak. During the streak, Collingwood employed a fast-paced, high-scoring game that saw them achieve remarkable results. Their average winning margin was 50 points. The defending champs, however, were able to maintain their poise in the finals-like atmosphere, and kept the Magpies from playing their game.
Collingwood coach Mick Malthouse was particularly disappointed in his team’s scoring inaccuracy. The Magpies only had 2 goals after halftime and had 12 behinds, including 5 at the start of the final quarter. “We didn’t have control of the match, but we certainly had control of the ball and control of the period of play,” Malthouse said. “You’ve just got to put the score on the board.”
In his 200th game for Geelong, Cameron Mooney had an outstanding performance. The veteran ended up kicking three goals.
Tags: Australian Rules Football, Collingwood, Geelong, Mick Malthouse