The Bendigo Banks Cats have kick started their preparations for their premiership defence with a spirited one point victory over Essendon in their first practice match at Simonds Stadium on Saturday.

Despite a lapse in the third quarter where Essendon piled on 3.6 to the Cats 1.1, the younger home side displayed courage in the face of intense pressure to hold onto line honours, Geelong: 10.9 (69) def Essendon: 9.14 (68).

The contest was described by coach Mathew Knights as the perfect opportunity to test some young Cats against a strong Essendon outfit sporting fourteen AFL listed players, while the Cats took to the field with only a dozen names from their all conquering side of 2012.

The hit out revealed a fantastic depth of talent in the pre-season VFL list at Geelong, with fresh faces including Daniel Measures (Queenscliff), Jai Sheahan (Melbourne), Dane McFarlane (Modewarre), Tom Gribble (Geelong Falcons), and Nathan Deans (Grovedale), coming in for particular praise from Knights.

McFarlane was perhaps the standout performer; booting two goals while taking the Bombers on at all costs, and providing the Cats with run and carry across the ground. His effort across four quarters was highly impressive and gave “real spark with his run and dash”, according to Knights.

The senior brigade, led bravely as always by skipper Troy Selwood, were to provide an invaluable leadership role in securing victory, with Ryan Bathie marshalling the troops in defence effectively throughout the day. Ben Raidme and Selwood were hard at it on the clearances winning plenty of inside ball thanks to some handy ruck work from Andrew Banjanin.

Up forward Jack Hollmer and Jaxson Barham provided a guiding light for the new recruits to rally around, while Dom Gleeson was inspirational, tirelessly zipping around the field and contesting anything with a red stripe on it.

By half time the Cats had managed to sneak out to a one goal lead thanks to a vigorous start from the younger Cats, with MacFarlane igniting from the opening bounce, and great play around the ground from Daniel Gibbs, Isaac Baker and Jordan Erskine.

Essendon rallied hard in the third term with Nathan Lovett-Murray the focal point, with the Bombers registering nine scoring shots to the Cats two. They began to play in front, make first use of the ball and move into space with devastating effect to the speed which they could ship the ball around the ground.

Aided by a strong breeze, which had proved a little erratic through the day, the Bombers reigned in the Cats and overtook them by three quarter time to the tune of eleven points.

Some wasted opportunities in front of goal, and three hit the posts in a row by the Bombers prevented what could have been a much larger blow out.

The Cats didn't let this rattle them and they assailed the Bombers on the scoreboard with a pair quick goals, one from an arching wobbler from forty out off the boot of Tommy Maas, the other coming from a mark on the goal line by Jack Hollmer which put the Cats within five points, ten minutes in to the final term. Further majors to MacFarlane and Erskine gave the Cats a nine point break over Essendon, when in the dying seconds the Bombers pressed hard kicking to within a point after Lovett-Murray goaled from point blank, moments before the final siren sounded to deliver the win to the Cats.

“They were good opposition which is what you want for your first hit out to see where you are at” said Knights of the Bombers.

“In regards to the way we want to play our footy I was pleased, we headed in the right direction with that. We just have to be mindful of lapses during the game, I think we have 2 or 3 five minute lapses today in different quarters that we must address”.

The big challenge faced over the coming weeks will be the decision on who to take through into the VFL list for 2013, made all the more difficult after Saturday's impressive performance from the new recruits.

“The list is still around 33-34” said Knights, “and has to be cut back to 21 in the near future”.

Geelong: 10.9 (69) def Essendon: 9.14 (68)
Best: Gleeson, MacFarlane, Sheahan, Erskine, Gibbs, Banjanin
Goals: MacFarlane, Hollmer 2, Gibbs, Baker, Herbison, Barham, Maas, Erskine
Injuries: Nil
@ Simonds Stadium

To see the full gallery of images from Saturday's game click here.