Patrick Dangerfield was unstoppable against the Dogs.
Camera IconPatrick Dangerfield was unstoppable against the Dogs. Credit: News Corp Australia, Wayne Ludbey

Patrick Dangerfield and Joel Selwood deliver the goods as Cats go the top of the ladder

Sam LandsbergerHerald Sun

DANGERWOOD.

It sounds like a cheesy rip off of a British kids cartoon, but it is the driving force towards Geelong’s push for a fourth premiership in a decade.

It is the lethal midfield combination of Joel Selwood and Patrick Dangerfield and it is as awesome as it is unstoppable.

Last night it drove the Cats to the top of the ladder, penetrating the Western Bulldogs’ Etihad Stadium fortress and landing a knockout punch before they even had time to bare their teeth.

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At the first break ‘Dangerwood’ had 20 disposals and by halftime the contribution read 36 disposals, 11 clearances, 11 sizzling inside 50s and three goals.

The scoreboard — and surely the Brownlow votes — followed, an insurmountable 45-point lead and ninth-straight win against the Dogs in hand.

It was the ferocious pressure which made the Bulldogs crumble, and it was led by the superstar duo.

While Dangerfield and Selwood were able to burst into space from stoppages and deliver with precision, the Dogs were hounded and cramped.

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It was like the Dogs were playing on a postcard and the Cats on a paddock.

When Bulldog players got the ball and looked up, a grid of Geelong players lay ahead.

It left them with limited options. Blaze away and the ball would come straight back, hold onto it and they’d be buried into the ground.

Joel Selwood evades Marcus Bontempelli.
Camera IconJoel Selwood evades Marcus Bontempelli. Credit: AAP, AAP Image/Julian Smith

When they switched to the fat side it soon became claustrophobic with every Cat constantly in motion, running laterally in their grid formation.

It’s a modern brand which would likely frustrate club legend Sam Newman but one that has now delivered an ominous six wins from seven starts against top-eight clubs.

Yes, the Cats have already stood tall against every contender bar Sydney, who they are yet to play, this season.

In the first quarter Marcus Bontempelli missed an easy handball, Matthew Boyd kicked it straight to Josh Caddy in front of goal and the Dogs’ kicking efficiency hovered well below the league average.

Jack Redpath and Jake Stringer both missed simple lateral kicks which were converted into Daniel Menzel goals.

Brief relief for the Bulldogs came after halftime.

When Mitch Wallis capitalised on a Mitch Duncan turnover the Dogs had four of five third-quarter goals with the margin trimmed to 28 points.

It would’ve been 22 moments later, but the boundary umpire denied Liam Picken a goal.

Luke Beveridge tries to rally his troops.
Camera IconLuke Beveridge tries to rally his troops. Credit: AAP, AAP Image/Julian Smith

And it was goodnight early in the final quarter as Dangerfield let rip from 50m on the boundary with the Dogs kept to their smallest score and third largest loss under coach Luke Beveridge.

With the Cats creating easy passages they were not only able to cure their goalkicking yips, but pass them onto the Bulldogs with their crazy pressure.

The Dogs are the No. 1 side for conceding goals inside 15m but the Cats waltzed in for five gimmes last night.

The Bulldogs again paid full price for slow start. Last night they conceded the first five goals, as they did against Hawthorn.

Against North Melbourne it was five of the first seven and against GWS it was the first three, kicked quickly.

They aren’t good enough yet to be playing catch-up against the best.

But they’ll know when they face the Cats again in six weeks it’ll be with captain Easton Wood, Jason Johannisen, Luke Dahlhaus and Clay Smith all back.

Who knows what mayhem Dangerwood will have wrecked by then.

GEELONG 5.3 10.3 11.4 16.4 (100)

WESTERN BULLDOGS 0.5 1.9 5.12 5.13 (43)

GOALS

Geelong: D Menzel 4 T Hawkins 4 J Selwood 2 P Dangerfield 2 S Motlop 2 J Caddy J Murdoch.

Western Bulldogs: J Redpath L Jong L Picken M Suckling M Wallis.

BEST

Geelong: Dangerfield, Selwood, Motlop, Enright, Bartel, Henderson, Taylor

Western Bulldogs: Suckling, Macrae, Boyd, Jong, Picken, Adams, Daniel

VOTES

3. Patrick Dangerfield (Gee)

2. Joel Selwood (Gee)

1. Steven Motlop (Gee)