Geelong’s VFL side have given their finals hopes a pulse after a solid victory against Essendon, defeating the Bombers 9.11 (65) to 18.10 (118) at Simonds Stadium on Friday night.

Geelong maintained control throughout the match, conceding only brief periods in the third quarter in which Essendon was able to make a significant dent in the scoreboard.

Though the hopes of a finals finish lay firmly in the hands of Frankston as they take on Werribee on Sunday afternoon, coach Matthew Knights noted that he is simply happy to take the win, for the moment.

‘As any coach you’re just happy to win the game, to finish tonight on a positive note and hope for the best on Sunday.

‘The fact that it’s two days away doesn’t help. Thankfully we’ve got a nice distraction tomorrow night with the Cats and the Hawks at the MCG, so I probably won’t think about it too much between now and Sunday morning.

‘It might sneak into my thought processes on Sunday morning but let’s hope Frankston can get a bit of excitement going with the bongo drums and the crowd down there.’

After falling to Collingwood last week on the back of some individualistic performances and conversion issues in front of goal, Knights was also keen to praise the team-first approach of his players, noting the drastic affect such an attitude can have on the scoreboard.

‘The way we played team football and rewarded each other with our disposal was much more efficient tonight. Over the past few weeks I’ve been pretty critical about that point. We’ve burnt players that have been out and haven’t used them enough, so to kick 18 goals 11 and hit the scoreboard that straight was a positive.’

‘We didn’t want to speak about the margin too much over the course of the week, but we did let the players know that anything less than a significant win was probably not going to be enough.

‘It was an interesting game because it was four goals to one at quarter time which seemed small, but it was a really good start for us knowing one of the keys was to keep Essendon to a reasonably low score. I suppose I was more pleased about that than anything.’

Amongst the strong team play were a slew of solid individual performances. Josh Walker, shouldering the responsibility of the ruck/forward position once again amassed 16 disposals, 22 hit outs and 2 goals. After missing out on AFL selection this week, Billie Smedts was keen to remind coaches and fans alike of his midfield talent, accumulating 18 disposals and 8 tackles to secure a place in Geelong’s best.

‘Josh Walker’s capacity to go against Bellchambers in the ruck then be able to move him around the ground and play as a forward was great tonight, while Billie Smedts did a wonderful job when we injected him into the midfield.

‘Lincoln McCarthy (24 disposals, 3 goals) also played really well in the forward part of the ground but he was also able to generate some ball and a bit of excitement in the midfield in the third quarter. He’s missed a big chunk of the season and he’s sort of finding his legs a bit, so if he can go in the midfield as well as playing forward he could be a really valuable player in the future. To have smalls like that who can play at both parts of the ground is really good for the team.’

The defensive pressure of the back line and midfield was key to the Cats success, as they consistently and effectively shut down the likes of Leroy Jetta and Cory Dell’Olio, feeding the ball through the middle with speed and layering only seen for brief periods in previous matches.

Hard-nut Jackson Sheringham rang in a best-on-ground performance with 26 disposals, 7 tackles and the crucial ferocity through the middle that has becomes synonymous with his playing style, while young defensive pair Jake Kolodjashnij and Joel Hamling provided invaluable speed and commitment to the contest from first to last quarter.

‘I was really pleased with our backline tonight, particularly Kolodjashnij, Sully and Hamling. I thought they spoiled and marked the ball in the air really well.’ Knights said.

‘Bews, Sheringham and Smedts all did a solid job shutting Dell’Olio and Jetta out and also giving us plenty of drive through the middle. It was important for us to shut down the guys who could potentially take the game away from us, and I think we did that tonight.’

Captain Dom Gleeson topped the disposal count once again this week, leading from the fore with 29 disposals, 7 tackles and 8 clearances in what could potentially be his final game at VFL level.

‘Obviously it’s a little bit frustrating that it’s come so late, particularly because we know they’re capable. But I think they were outstanding tonight. Everyone just bought in to the game.’ Gleeson said after the match.

‘I am happy about finishing up. I know I can still play but I think it’s time to hang up the boots and get the next group of kids in.’

Knights was quick to praise his outgoing Captain, lamenting that his final match could have come about so quickly but remaining tentatively optimistic that it may not be his last.

‘It’s kind of snuck up on us as the last round of the year and because we’re a really positive group in thinking that we’ll maybe get to the finals, Dom and I haven’t had a conversation about where he’s at.

‘He’s going to have wonderful opportunities in his football and his life because he’s a good person with great values, but let’s hope for everyone’s sake that it wasn’t his last game tonight and gets another one next week.’

The Cats now face a nervous wait as their finals hopes hang precariously in the balance, relying solely on the outcome of the Werribee/Frankston match on Sunday afternoon for a chance of finishing in the top eight. With only .96% separating Geelong and Werribee for 8th spot, Frankston must defeat Werribee by at least three goals to cement Geelong an elimination final against Collingwood next week.

VFL - Bendigo Bank Cats 18-10-(118) def. Essendon 9-11-(65).
Goals: McCarthy, Hollmer 3, Brown, Luxford, Walker, Stringer 2, Toohey, Haintz, Gleeson, Banjanin.
Best: Sheringham, McCarthy, Schroder, Walker, Hollmer, Smedts, Gleeson.
Injuries: TBA. Reports: Nil @ Simonds Stadium.