Geelong have punished an off-the-pace Essendon in a 66-point AFL win to set the tone for Friday’s crucial clash with Richmond.
The Cats romped to a 17.6 (108) to 5.12 (42) victory – their 75 points was the highest-scoring first half of the season as Sam Menegola and Tom Hawkins did as they pleased.
Hawkins had three goals from as many attempts by halftime, his 4.1 effort pushing him 10 majors clear in the Coleman Medal race as the Bombers’ faint finals hopes were reduced to rubble.
Menegola finished with two goals, 30 disposals and eight clearances while Gryan Miers (three goals) also filled his boots.
Geelong’s victory swelled an already-superior percentage and lifted them to second, above Brisbane who have played one less game.
Richmond sit fourth and West Coast lurk two points back in fifth, setting up a high-stakes clash on Friday between the Cats and Tigers – where a win could secure a top four finish and double chance in the finals.
While the Cats swarmed, Essendon – who only arrived at the Gabba an hour before the bounce – looked half asleep.
It was the eighth-straight game in which the Bombers failed to kick more than one goal in the opening term, their last quarter-time lead coming in round two.
The day only got worse when exciting first-year talent Irving Mosquito exited late in the third term with a knee injury.
Essendon are still a mathematical chance of playing finals but need to win their remaining games and rely on Greater Western Sydney, who play last-placed Adelaide on Tuesday, to lose their final three games of the regular season.
Things could have been different if Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti chose to walk back and take his simple set shot to open the scoring.
Instead his handball to Mosquito missed the target, the Cats obliging with a simple goal from their ensuing foray.
The floodgates then opened as Geelong kicked 11 of the next 12 goal, the 65-point half-time margin allowing them to cruise home.
Zach Tuohy (ribs) was a late scratching for what would have been his 200th AFL game, while ruckman Rhys Stanley (groin) was also scratched to give Josh Jenkins his Geelong debut.
