Blog log from R9 of 2024: Geelong vs Port Adelaide

Rioli bounces a snap from a stoppage at the hotspot but Stewart touches it through. (Q1 2:07)
Dixon feeds Horne-Francis steaming from wing down the flank to 40m, the Hornet pops through the first goal of the night like he’s shelling peas. (Q1 2:55)
Dempsey’s rebound kick to outer wing is a grubber, Marshall soccers the crumb back to the HFF where Rioli is on his own, he skids through his first goal from 40m! (Q1 4:45)
Burton has a moment in the centre to spot up a lead by Horne-Francis in front of Kolodjashnij 40m out on the flank. The kick is wide and short… Dixon taps it in to Rioli, goal! (Q1 6:27)
Mead plays on to advantage and bounces away from the next bounce, his kick clears O’Connor for MOC’s man Georgiades to mark untouched 20m out for another one for Port! (Q1 8:55)
Disposal count is 28 to nine, that goal took just two. (Q1 10:11)
Stewart beats Mead to intercept behind members wing to start a counter, Cameron runs to the HFF and kicks over Zerk-Thatcher to Rohan 15m out for the first for Geelong. (Q1 11:56)
Cameron goes himself from the other HFF on the next inside 50 but skids that one across the face. (Q1 14:10)
Drew receives from Wines on outer wing and spins away from Parfitt to feed Houston for a bullet pass to Marshall 40m out in front, who misses. (Q1 15:55)
Rohan breaks a tackle on a sprint in the centre to pass to Dempsey 45m out on a slight angle, whose set shot is wide, short and rushed. (Q1 16:51)
Burton fires a handball to Houston at half back but it’s too hot, Stanley roves the fumble to feed Stengle for the goal from 40m. (Q1 20:09)
Horne-Francis runs ahead of Blicavs out the front of the next centre bounce for a pass to Marshall 35m out in front, this time he kicks straight. (Q1 21:16)
A 50m penalty against Stewart for scragging McEntee sets up a Butter pass to Wines 45m out on the flank, he roosts through another one for Port! (Q1 27:28)
The Cats’ best play this year has been the slingshot and they perform it again from a stoppage deep in defence, Close is the recipient of the Joe the Goose special from Stengle. (Q1 30:41)
Butters mows down a lumbering Cameron on outer wing to start a counter, Rioli passes short to Finlayson 20m out on a slight angle, he converts! Port kicking away at Kardinia! (Q1 32:21)
Another centre clearance to Port, O’Connor drops the intercept mark near the hotspot, Byrne-Jones roves and has a moment to settle over the snap… which goes through! (Q1 33:57)
Atkins snaps across his body from a stoppage 40m out on the flank with seconds to go before QT but it’s narrow to the right. (Q1 36:02)
Holmes slips and coughs up the footy in traffic in the centre and it’s another Port goal on the quick counter, this one with a Joe the Goose special by Rioli to Byrne-Jones! (Q2 2:36)
Byrne-Jones passes to the boundary 25m out for Rioli to mark, he screws in yet another goal to Port! (Q2 4:43)
Horne-Francis runs away and kicks long from the next bounce, Dixon feeds Boak who just misses to the right from the hotspot. (Q2 5:58)
Wines marks a short Drew pass 45m out in front, of course Farrell is lurking for the give off, he loads up for bear and launches another peach for the Pear! (Q2 9:58)
Dixon juggles a mark from a Mead speculator to a pack 40m out on a slight angle, beating Zach Guthrie. He misses to the left. (Q2 11:00)
Clark volleys wide from a ball up near the behind line. (Q2 12:44)
Duncan passes from members wing to Hawkins who has Ratugolea draped all over him but takes the contested grab 35m out near the boundary. The Tomahawk slots it from the tight angle. (Q2 14:43)
Stewart wobbles a kick from a stoppage at CHF to Miers 40m out on a slight angle, Gryan’s technique is all over the place but the result is a straight kick. (Q2 18:14)
Butters snaps very high but just straight enough from a stoppage 30m out on a slight angle. (Q2 22:13)
Holmes spoils Rioli in the pocket and roves but Rioli sharks his handball and shoots from 25m, bounces in the square to be rushed by Jack Henry. (Q2 25:53)
Stengle misses off the left after roving a throw in to the pocket 25m out. (Q2 27:15)
Duncan’s clanger at half back sets up Rioli who misses Marshall running back to goal, the ball skids wide left for a point. (Q3 0:55)
Oliver Henry leaps on the back of Zerk-Thatcher to take a speccy from a Rohan kick to 25m on the flank, but his kick is a shank OOTF, not matching the quality of the mark. (Q3 2:48)
Mullin marks at half forward and gives off to Cameron who pokes a short pass to Stengle 35m out on a slight angle, who kicks just inside the near left goalpost for his second. (Q3 5:13)
Dempsey roves on the HFF, jinks inside of Burton and centres for Stengle to mark in front of Houston at the hotspot for his third goal. (Q3 6:33)
Hawkins passes to Duncan 45m out on a slight angle after the Cats rebound from CHB by hand through traffic. Duncan tugs it just to the left. (Q3 9:14)
Farrell strokes through a trademark quality finish from half forward after a flowing rebound by Port and a give off by Dixon, that is a steadier. (Q3 11:19)
Georgiades marks on the boundary 40m out but nicks the near left goalpost. (Q3 15:54)
Parfitt swerves on outer wing and passes to Cameron 45m out in the corridor, he goals. (Q3 16:59)
Hawkins gets a crowd free for very little contact by Ratugolea in a marking contest, footy gods push the kick OOTF near side right. (Q3 19:34)
Rioli skids through his fourth goal from a stoppage 35m out on the flank! (Q3 22:23)
Finlayson checksides a point from the boundary 20m out. (Q3 25:21)
O’Connor roves at half forward and pokes a short pass to Close who marks in front of Houston 35m out in front, he converts. (Q3 26:18)
Consecutive 50m penalties against Rioli for timewasting brings Zach Guthrie from defence to the hotspot, he goals! (Q3 29:20)
Dempsey gets a very lucky contact free on Aliir going for a Holmes pass to 40m in the corridor and kicks another one, the home crowd is going ape droppings! (Q3 31:40)
Duncan passes over Houston to Close 45m out in the corridor, his kick is short and off hands for a point. (Q4 6:12)
Georgiades floats across a pack to mark 25m out on the flank for the first goal of Q4 to give Port confidence that they can withstand the Cat charge. (Q4 7:38)
Oliver Henry is over the back for a crumb and easy goal after Ratugolea’s spoil at half back doesn’t clear the area. (Q4 10:07)
Miers snaps narrow from the pocket 25m out. Geelong still in touch but not making huge strides at this point. (Q4 13:20)
Rohan marks in front of Ratugolea at the hotspot for the goal that the Cats needed, two kicks in it now with eight minutes to play. (Q4 17:23)
Atkins catches Horne-Francis high at a stoppage 25m out on a slight angle, crowd roars but it was very much there. Then the crowd cheers as the Hornet misses to the right. (Q4 21:18)
Parfitt slips and coughs it up in the centre, Horne-Francis passes to Rioli 40m out near the boundary. Whistles and hoots as he lines up… then passes for no result. (Q4 22:58)
Stengle marks a clearance by Atkins to 40m on the flank. This has to go through for the Cats to stay alive… it’s good. (Q4 24:53)
2:48 to go and seven points in it. Port just has to hold on here, given Geelong has edged them in contested footy since HT. (Q4 25:58)
Oliver Henry catches Butters HTB in the pocket 35m out but his kick curls too early. A goal the difference, 1:42 left. (Q4 27:43)
Port dominates the stoppage series in the last two minutes to ice the game… (Q4 30:22)
Rioli goals on the final siren to put an exclamation mark on a famous victory! (Q4 30:59)
But the goal doesn’t count. Not that Willie cares! (Final Siren)