Grading every player as Cats cause Power outage with Qualifying Final win

Geelong has pulled off a finals boilover in the City of Churches, thumping Port Adelaide 54-138 in Thursday’s Qualifying Final.

After getting off to a hot start, the Power found their feet late in the first term, but that was really the only punch they threw.

The Cats then took a 20-point lead into half-time and really pulled away in the third term, kicking five goals to zero to put the game to bed with a quarter left to play where they piled on the misery.

It was always a pretty simple equation for the Cats, if they could match it with the Power around the footy and get the ball in low to their dangerous forward line, they’d be up to the game to their eyeballs … even with Tom Stewart a late out.

From the bounce, it played out exactly like that with all of Gryan Miers, Shaun Mannagh, Tyson Stengle, Jeremy Cameron and others taking advantage of chaos balls coming inside 50.

For the Power, they lost Zak Butters at half-time to soreness, while Ryan Burton and Darcy Byrne-Jones had a lot of it off half-back as the ball came in to Geelong’s forward 50 once they got on top.

Geelong now take the week off before a home Preliminary Final against one of Sydney, GWS, Brisbane or Carlton.

Port Adelaide are back in action next week, hosting a home Semi-Final against the winner of Friday night’s Western Bulldogs v Hawthorn clash at the MCG.

Our player grades.

Port Adelaide

Jason Horne-Francis: B+

Kicked a really nice early goal and tried all night with 18 touches. Didn’t have much help.

Ryan Burton: B+

Kicked a lovely early goal and stepped in well to the Dan Houston role with 21 disposals.

Ollie Wines: B

Port’s highest disposal winner with … 23 … jeez.

Miles Bergman: B

Started well aerially in defence and was one of his side’s most solid contributors.

Darcy Byrne-Jones: B

Went back and got a fair bit of it with 19 disposals. You’d imagine Port would like him up forward, though.

Mitch Georgiades: B-

Started well with a few shots on goal but didn’t have a heap of opportunity after.

Willem Drew: B-

Spent a fair bit of the night on Dangerfield and did his individual role pretty well.

Travis Boak: C+

Connor Rozee: C+

Kicked a goal to go with 16 touches, but the Port skipper is capable of so much more. Will be desperate to bounce back.

Brandon Zerk-Thatcher: C+

Aliir Aliir: C+

Had the big job on Cameron and didn’t do a bad job. Good luck keeping that bloke out of the game entirely.

Jordon Sweet: C

Probably took his one-on-one ruck battle against Rhys Stanley, but didn’t do much damage.

Willie Rioli: C

Looked on early but didn’t get enough opportunities as the game wore on.

Logan Evans: C

Jase Burgoyne: C

Jed McEntee: C-

Kicked a nice early goal but wasn’t impactful.

Francis Evans: C-

Jackon Mead: C-

Lachie Jones: C-

Esava Ratugolea: D

Just didn’t really impact up forward.

Charlie Dixon: F Was preferred over Todd Marshall but didn’t offer anything, finished with three touches.

Zak Butters: N/A

Subbed out with what Ken Hinkley described as soreness at half-time. Finished with eight touches.

Quinton Narkle: N/A

Came on for Butters at half-time for limited impact.

Geelong

Max Holmes: A+

Started the game brilliantly and was the most influential player on the ground when the game was there to be won. Finished with 28 disposals.

Gryan Miers: A+

Everywhere playing half forward with three goals and 21 disposals, the leader of a magnificent group of medium-small forwards. Subbed out during the fourth term.

Jeremy Cameron: A+

What a freak. Finished a couple of simply awesome half chances and competed all night with 19 disposals and 4.3.

Tyson Stengle: A+

Three first-half goals and was immense when the game was on the line. Added some icing on the cake late to finish with four.

Shaun Mannagh: A

This guy loves finals, from being best on in last year’s VFL decider, Mannagh shone in his first bit of September action at the top level with 23 disposals and 3 goals.

Zach Guthrie: A

With Tom Stewart out, Guthrie just about turned into him off half-back, such an improved player.

Lawson Humphries: B+

Really smooth in his first final finishing with 20 disposals.

Jack Bowes: B+

A couple of goals to go with 18 disposals in the middle. What a bargain.

Patrick Dangerfield: B+

Had to deal with Willem Drew at stoppages more often than not but still impacted with a nice 24 disposals.

Ollie Henry: B

Always seems to impact with his touches.

Tom Atkins: B

Oliver Dempsey: B-

Tanner Bruhn: B-

Mitch Duncan: B-

Shannon Neale: B-

Kicked two goals and presented well in a game dominated by the smaller forwards. Certainly won’t be dropped for a Prelim on form.

Brad Close: C+

Rhys Stanley: C+

Not a big game from a statistical perspective but held his own as a No. 1 ruck option.

Mark Blicavs: C+

Jack Henry: C+

Jake Kolodjashnij: C+

Oisin Mullin: C Battled hard in defence after coming in late for Tom Stewart.

Jed Bews: C

Zach Tuohy: N/A

Came on in the last quarter for Gryan Miers.