Geelong coach Chris Scott says he’s a sad sack.
The Cats pummelled Port Adelaide into a 48-point submission at AAMI Stadium on Saturday, yet Scott still found fault with his AFL side’s sluggish last-quarter effort.
At their barnstorming best, Geelong kicked the initial nine goals of the game to set up their 18.8 (116) to 9.14 (68) away victory.
With Steve Johnson and Jimmy Bartel providing the attacking spark, key forward Tom Hawkins booted six goals and James Podsiadly potted another four.
Yet Scott later bemoaned how Port scored five goals to Geelong’s three in the last quarter.
“Bit of a sad sack really, aren’t I,” Scott said.
Geelong torched the Power with seven goals to none in an opening term blitz orchestrated by the mercurial Johnson, who finished best-afield with 33 disposals and nine tackles.
Johnson’s trusted ally Jimmy Bartel (27 touches), along with Matthew Stokes (28 disposals) and Allen Christensen (27 possessions), formed a dominant midfield.
In attack, Hawkins, Podsiadly and Steven Motlop (two goals) created havoc.
In defence, Corey Enright (25 touches), Harry Taylor (29 disposals, 10 marks) and Andrew Mackie (23 touches) were water-tight.
In ruck, the improving Mark Blicavs and Trent West ruled.
The Cats even got to substitute Joel Selwood and rest the invaluable skipper after three quarter-time after a knock to an elbow.
Yet still, Scott wants more.
The Cats mentor still covets a four-quarter performance from his players, who needed only one to devastate Port.
“We have got improvement left in our game, there is no doubt about that,” Scott said.
“The difficult thing to work out is how much improvement the other teams have got in them.
“We don’t think we have played a really consistent four quarter game all year really.”
Port’s season darkens – after five consecutive wins, they have now lost four games in a row.
The Power found some spark from youngsters Chad Wingard (26 disposals) and Ollie Wines (21 possessions).
Their captain Travis Boak (28 disposals) toiled hard and Robbie Gray’s recovery from a year-long absence due to knee reconstruction continued with a handy 23 possessions.
But overall, Port coach Ken Hinkley hopes his players learnt from being given a football lesson by the Cats.
“We know we have got lots to do – I’m sure our fans understand that we have still got a long way to go,” Hinkley said.
“We acknowledge the opposition are a benchmark of the competition … it’s good for us to get that experience, as hard as it is sometimes to cope with it.”
