Harry Dean takes friendly fire in AFL finals
Geelong have booked a semifinal date with Fremantle after a barnstorming second half snuffed out Carlton’s remarkable run to September.
The Cats’ 33-point win at the MCG on Friday night means they will head across the Nullarbor to face the Dockers after the minor premiers were stunned by Hawthorn on their home turf in the qualifying final.
And they will be bringing plenty of form with them after stars Patrick Dangerfield and Bailey Smith starred.
The Cats trailed by three points at halftime in front of another huge MCG crowd of 96,680, but as they have done for the best part of two decades, they found a finals gear the wildcard-winning Blues couldn’t match, booting 10 goals to six after the long break for the 14.23 (107) to 11.8 (74) win.
Dangerfield kicked four goals after the half to take his tally for the game to five as Shaun Mannagh played one of the best games of his career to date, while Smith picked up 25 touches after breaking Cooper Lord’s tag.
Sam Walsh and George Hewett were strong for Carlton, leading their side to a clearance advantage, but they couldn’t find a way past Tom Stewart, who claimed 11 intercepts for the night.
But the Cats were harder for longer, and even with winger Max Holmes having his minutes heavily restricted after returning from injury, they had too much run after the fortnight break.
Holmes will be a watch-and-wait for the semifinal after appearing sore multiple times through the night, and Mannagh ended the night on the bench.
Under new coach Josh Fraser, Carlton turned around their disastrous 1-9 start to the season with a stunning run of 12 wins, two losses and a draw before Friday night’s season-ending loss.
More to come.
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