The VFL Cats suffered a heartbreaking loss to Richmond on Sunday afternoon, conceding a goal in the final minute of the game to fall to the Tigers by five points at GMHBA Stadium.
Geelong hit the front midway through the first term and held the lead right up until the dying moments of the final quarter, but Richmond finished with a flurry and converted a late opportunity to snatch the victory.
Ted Clohesy was phenomenal through the midfield collecting a game-high 34 disposals, seven more than any other player on the ground while also adding 10 tackles, six clearances and five score involvements.
Mitch Knevitt (22 disposals, five clearances) was also influential through the middle, while the defensive duo of Jed Bews (18 disposals, one goal) and Dan Capiron (17 disposals, 94% disposal efficiency) picked off 17 intercept possessions between them to help thwart a number of Richmond attacks.
Fresh off of their bye last week, Geelong opened up in fiery fashion kicking four of the opening six goals as the Cats forward depth was on full display early, taking a 16 point lead into the first break.
The Cats were intelligent in their attacking efforts, with Marcus Herbert and Ted Clohesy both utilising open space for run-and-carry opportunities that moved the ball to Geelong’s forward half.
Momentum shifted significantly in favour of Geelong in the second term as they doubled their score with another four goals, extending the lead to 25 points by half time.
Jay Polkinghorne proved to be a strong target in the Cats forward line during the second term, booting his second and third major from set shots to cap off a dominant opening half.
Tobyn Murray and Jed Bews impressed during the second quarter, both players recording 10 disposals and a goal by the main break while using the ball efficiently.
Joe Pike and Ballantyne both hit the scoreboard after half time while Polkinghorne slotted his fourth goal, Geelong pushing the lead out to as much as 32 points at the 20 minute mark of the third term.
But Richmond were able to wrestle back the ascendancy late in the quarter with three majors of their own, cutting the margin back to 18 points at the final break.
The Tigers continued to mount a challenge in the last quarter as they converted three unanswered goals in 10 minutes, but an inspirational effort from Jed Bews set up a Keighton Matofai-Forbes goal at the 15 minute mark, giving Geelong a little bit of breathing room.
Richmond answered and cut the margin back within a kick, before getting one last opportunity in the final minute of the game and converting the set shot, the siren sounding soon after the restart as Geelong slipped to a five point defeat.
2025 VFL Season - Round 15
GEELONG 4.4 8.8 11.9 12.11 (83)
RICHMOND 2.0 5.1 9.3 14.4 (88)
GOALS
Geelong: Polkinghorne 4, Ballantyne, 2, Wiltshire, Rantall, Pike, Murray, Matofai-Forbes, Bews 1
Richmond: Green 3, Raso, George 2, Yassine, Wilson, Scott, Koschitzke, Hotton, Garner, Bauer 1
DISPOSALS
Geelong: Clohesy 34, Herbert 24, Knevitt 22, Retschko 21, Bews 18
Richmond: Wilson, Short 27, Scott 26, Smith 24, Hotton 23, Trezise 22
CLEARANCES
Geelong: Pike, Clohesy 6, Knevitt, Ivisic, Hughes 5, Kelly 4
Richmond: Wilson, Garner 6, Scott, Hotton 5, Hayes-Brown 3
SCORE INVOLVEMENTS
Geelong: Hughes 6, Molier, Clohesy, Bews 5, Knevitt, Duncan 4
Richmond: Hotton, Hayes-Brown 4, Trezise, Macdonald, Garner, Flockart, El Nour 3
INTERCEPT POSSESSIONS
Geelong: Bews 9, Capiron 8, Herbert 6, Clohesy 5
Richmond: El Nour 15, Smith, Koschitzke 5, Young, Tresize, Short 4
@ GMHBA Stadium, Geelong
