By John Van Klaveren
Many expected a big Cats win, and there was much talk about letting a 34 point lead slip to 13.
Expectations were seriously affected by wet, slippery conditions on a dark and gloomy late Sunday afternoon.
Expectations were also fostered by the perceived strength of the opposition in the Western Bulldogs, but the Cats have not always had it all their own way against them.
But such atrocious conditions always leave the chaos ball open where skill is not always the antidote.
A 20 to nine third quarter free kick count the Dogs way had the crowd up in arms.
The Bulldogs have been better in the second half of the year so their brave effort should not have come as any surprise.
Plus there is a lot of Geelong intelligence available at the kennel with all the former blue and white striped coaching personnel barking instructions to their young charges.
In the end, the score flattered the Bulldogs somewhat, given the number of open goals the Cats missed.
Geelong played a defensive game retaining a couple of sweepers back at all times enabling them to repel attacks.
It meant they had fewer troops up front, but their set up, leaving space behind the forwards for them to run into, paid dividends, producing more than half their score.
But there were signs Geelong is working on its second half fade outs. It well and truly won the tackle count, proving to be the crucial stat of the game.
It leaves the Geelong still in fifth spot, but equal on points with Hawthorn, Port Adelaide and Fremantle. More importantly it holds open the potential of a top two finish.
