A powerful 10 goal second half has set-up Footscray’s eighth victory of the season, defeating Geelong by 62-points on Saturday night at Simonds Stadium.
Josh Prudden was a commanding and calming presence across half-back, and helped lead the ‘Scray to the important away victory.
Anthony Bruhn was a dynamic force inside 50m, kicking five goals and making seven tackles for the game, while Footscray spread the remainder of the scoring load with another nine individual goalkickers.
Clay Smith was the visitor’s leading ball winner with 31 disposals and eight tackles playing through the midfield, while Will Hayes (28 disposals) was an energizing force in the second half, getting the Bulldogs up and going in their six goals to two third term.
Pushing through early attention from the Cats, Lukas Webb amassed 27 disposals for the game, while Travis Cloke presented well for his teammates, both inside 50m and pushing up towards the wings.
With temperatures dropping into the single digits by the first bounce, it was Geelong that brought the heat early and had the weight of forward 50m entries, however Fletcher Roberts’ intercept marking thwarted many of the Cats’ early moves forward.
It took until nearly the halfway mark of the opening term for the Bulldogs to slot their first major, with Tory Dickson converting a set shot goal from just inside the arc, before two crafty crumbing goals to Anthony Bruhn saw the ‘Scray extend their margin to 18-points at the first break.
Geelong were kept goalless for the opening term.
Straight out of the quarter time break, Dickson added his second goal for the match, capitalizing on some fast, counter-attacking football, getting in behind the Cats defence to run onto the ball and dribble through his second goal of the game.
From that point, the Cats dominated possession through the halfway mark of the term without success, adding four behinds for their effort, before Esava Ratugolea slotted their first of the term.
Footscray responded with quick goals to Matthew Goodyear and Bruhn - to stretch the lead to a game high 26 points – before two red-time goals to Sam Dobson narrowed the margin to 13-points at the main break.
Bringing the energy out of the main break, it was Footscray that burst out of the blocks to kick the first four of the quarter, with Hayes and Prudden influential.
The Cats hit the scoreboard through Thurlow at the halfway stage of the term, before the Bulldogs responded with two goals of their own to extend the margin to 35-points
Another red-time goal saw Geelong claw the margin back to 29-points at the final change, but that would be as close as they’d come.
Kicking a further four goals to one in the fourth quarter, Footscray emerged convincing winners at Simonds Stadium, consolidating their place inside the top-eight.
After a recent string of road matches, Footscray will return home to Victoria University Whitten Oval next Saturday 22 July, hosting Coburg.
Geelong Cats 0.2 3.7 5.8 6.8 (44)
Footscray Bulldogs 3.2 6.2 12.5 16.10 (106)
Best Players: J. Prudden, W. Hayes, C. Smith, L. Webb, N. Jamieson, T. Cloke
Goal Kickers: A. Bruhn 5, A. Panayi 2, T. Dickson 2, L. Webb, M. Goodyear, N. Jamieson, J. Staley, K. Collins, T. Cloke, B. Gowers
Disposals: Clay Smith 31, Will Hayes 28, Lukas Webb 27, Nick Jamieson 24, Brad Lynch 19, Josh Prudden 19.
