AFL LIVE: Freo dump Dogs to jump into the eight; Cats celebrate big win and Cameron’s 600th goal

Cameron steers Cats home

Jeremy Cameron has continued to repay the faith in Geelong’s recruiting team, who gave up three top 20 draft picks to drag him south from Greater Western Sydney.

Cameron brought up his 600th career goal against the Blues with a brilliant piece of roving from a forward ruck contest that allowed him to swing out on his left foot and snap a goal – his second for the match.

The big forward kicked five for the game and was tireless as he stretched the Carlton defence, continually pushing high up the ground and then turning and dashing towards goal like a greyhound in pursuit of a lure.

When Carlton closed within eight points deep into the last quarter, Cameron bobbed up again to kick the sealer.

His accuracy was infectious. Geelong’s composure in front of goal allowed them to maintain a lead throughout the match, despite Carlton dominating the inside 50 count. At one stage the Cats kicked 12.3 from set shots

Cameron booted 471 goals in his time with Greater Western Sydney and now has 176 for the Cats. It helps when you have the likes of Gryan Miers delivering into the forward 50m arc. He continues to be the league’s best kick inside 50m.

Zach Tuohy was an unlikely hero for Geelong with three goals, while Tom Hawkins didn’t register a major.

Great wall of Geelong

Geelong’s back six, led by Max Holmes and Mitch Duncan, held firm all game.

They would have made a meteorologist proud, weathering storm after storm. Then they launched devastating counterattacks.

Holmes had 26 possessions across halfback, while Duncan had 24 disposals.

The Cats defence was complemented by the return of Cam Guthrie, who has been out of the game for 12 months. He and brother Zach, alongside Jack Henry and Sam De Koning, helped form a formidable wall. They were able to mark, mop up and thwart what threatened to be, at times, an onslaught.

If sides are to beat this Geelong side, they are going to need to devise a better way forward. And try and hold the Cats on turnovers and counterattacks.

FREMANTLE
4.4 7.6 10.9 14.11 (95)
WESTERN BULLDOGS
3.2 7.3 9.10 10.11 (71)

GOALS
Fremantle: Treacy 3, Banfield 3, Jackson 2, Frederick 2, Young, Walters, Fyfe, Voss
Western Bulldogs: Darcy 3, Naughton 2, Dale 2, West, Vandermeer, English

BEST
Fremantle: Serong, Aish, Ryan, Young. Western Bulldogs: Dale, English, Jones, Darcy

UMPIRES: Donlon, Power, Deboy, Fry

VENUE Optus Stadium

CROWD 45,931

The loss leaves the Bulldogs with a 3-4 win-loss record, and outside the top eight. They now return to Melbourne and prepare to meet lowly Hawthorn at Marvel Stadium next Sunday. Cody Weightman, subbed out tonight with an injured elbow, faces an anxious few days.

Michael Walters seals the deal with a set shot, the lead suddenly out to four goals. And that proves to be the winning margin. Caleb Serong, Nat Fyfe and Andy Brayshaw have been superb, a week after a loss to the West Coast Eagles rocked the club.

Bailey Banfield has roosted a bomb from about 55m to give the Dockers a three-goal break with 1 minute, 49 seconds left. Banfield marked on the lead, soaked up valuable seconds, then drilled a super left-foot bomb, the ball shaping back to split the big sticks. Wow. Surely, this contest is over.

The “Freo, Freo” chant goes up around Optus Stadium, the home team desperately trying to hold on before a crowd of more than 45,000. Just over two minutes remaining.

Speaking of those 13 minutes, the Dockers have broken the drought, Bailey Banfield drilling a long bomb to extend the lead to two goals. There’s just over four minutes left in this engrossing contest.

Marcus Bontempelli has been on the bench for more than seven minutes, with the contest on the line. Surely, the Dogs could have found a way for a teammate to get off to have arguably the sport’s premier player on the field? It’s been 13 minutes since there has been a goal by either side.

What a smother by Tom Emmett on Taylor Duryea, just as the Bulldogs looked to go forward from the middle of the ground. Unfortunately for the Dockers, they were unable to capitalise on the turnover, with Luke Jackson missing a shot for goal from the boundary. It shaped as a pivotal moment.

With the Dockers leading by 11 points, Aaron Naughton snaps from the left pocket, the goal awarded despite the initial soft call being a point. The Bulldogs are within four points. Naughton’s goal came after a clever tap forward from Bontempelli.