A BLISTERING first-half performance has helped Geelong to a 57-point win over the Western Bulldogs at Etihad Stadium on Saturday night.
The Cats kicked 10 goals to one in the first half, including five-straight in the second quarter, and ran out 16.4 (100) to 5.13 (43) winners.
The Bulldogs had their chances but inaccuracy cost them big time, kicking 0.5 in the opening quarter. They finished with just two less shots at goal than the Cats, but couldn't get the scoreboard reward.
At times after quarter-time, the Dogs controlled play for patches, but too often they wasted the goalscoring opportunities they created only to be penalised at the other end by the clinical Cats.
The Dogs were the AFL's stingiest team heading into Saturday night's game, but they conceded their second-highest score of the year against the Cats (they conceded 108 to Adelaide in their round seven win).
Matthew Boyd (28 possessions) tried to turn the tide all night by generating some counter-attack for the Dogs from defence, while Marcus Bontempelli (22), Jack Macrae (31) and Tom Liberatore (22) battled hard through the midfield.
Marcus Adams held Geelong spearhead Tom Hawkins to one goal in the first three quarters before conceding three last-quarter goals.
Geelong set the tone in the first quarter when it stuck 18 tackles to the Dogs' nine, stifling the home team's trademark fast ball movement.
And Joel Selwood and Patrick Dangerfield hurt the Bulldogs the other way, racking up a combined 20 possessions and two goals, while Menzel made light of the pre-match injury cloud surrounding him with two first-quarter goals.
The Cats held the Dogs goalless for the term and went into quarter-time 28 points up.
Liam Picken broke the Bulldogs' goal drought in the opening minute of the second term, but Luke Beveridge's men could manage only four behinds for the rest of the term as they were gripped by inaccuracy in front of goal.
As so often happens, Geelong rubbed salt into the Dogs' wounds with a blemish-free 5.0 return that sent it into half-time with a commanding 48-point lead.
NEXT UP
The Bulldogs enjoy their bye next weekend before resuming against the Sydney Swans in round 15 at the SCG in a clash likely to shape the make-up of the top four. Geelong plays St Kilda next Saturday night at Etihad Stadium before its bye in round 15.
WESTERN BULLDOGS 0.5 1.9 5.12 5.13 (43)
GEELONG 5.3 10.3 11.4 16.4 (100)
GOALS
Western Bulldogs: Redpath, Wallis, Picken, Suckling, Jong
Geelong: Menzel 4, Hawkins 4, Selwood 2, Motlop 2, Dangerfield 2, Caddy, Murdoch
BEST
Western Bulldogs: Boyd, Suckling, Adams, Daniel, Macrae
Geelong: Dangerfield, Selwood, Henderson, Bartel, Enright, Motlop, Menzel
INJURIES
Western Bulldogs: Jake Stringer (left hand)
Geelong: Cam Guthrie (illness) replaced in the selected side by Cory Gregson
Reports: Nil
Umpires: Farmer, Dalgleish, Rosebury, Chamberlain
Official crowd: 41,725 at Etihad Stadium
