CARLTON spearhead Tayla Harris’s radar went awry as Geelong hung tough for a scrappy five-point AFLW win at GMHBA Stadium on Saturday.
The 2.7 (19) to 1.8 (14) victory lifted the Cats above the Blues into top spot in the weaker Conference B with three home and away rounds to play.
Blues coach Daniel Harford was livid with the opening-half effort from his team, when they were held goalless.
The visitors lifted in the third term but were hampered by a dirty day in front of goal, most notably from Harris, who missed three easy shots and finished with 0.4.
“We had a lot of players out there have pretty ordinary moments throughout the afternoon and the team had a pretty ordinary half in the first half,” said Harford.
“There was no (individual) message (for Harris).
“It was just give her the confidence to keep playing the way we know she can play, along with all the other players who perhaps weren’t measuring up.”
Harris – who had an astonishing three posters among her shots for goal on Saturday – was only freed to play against the Cats after having a one-match ban for rough conduct downgraded to a reprimand earlier in the week.
Geelong full-forward Phoebe McWilliams clearly outshone her more celebrated Carlton counterpart, kicking the first goal of the game and marking strongly throughout the day.
Cats coach Paul Hood was thrilled with the way his team was able to rebound from a 29-point loss to Adelaide last weekend.
“It’s fantastic belief for us,” he said.
“We’ve had a tough week; a six-day break for the first time off the back of our first interstate trip.
“We got back at midnight on Sunday and here we are six days later against a team that was in pretty good form coming into the game.
“For us to fight like that and to hang on, think our way through the game and get a result, I think we’ll get so much self-confidence and belief from the resilience we showed today.”
Geelong’s second goal was kicked by the impressive Sophie van de Heuvel after she earned a holding the ball decision against Chloe Dalton in the second quarter.
Katie Loynes kicked Carlton’s only major.
Both teams have an anxious wait ahead of the match review findings on Monday.
Carlton’s Sarah Hosking made an inauspicious start to the match when she was reported in the opening minutes for making high front-on contact to Cats player Jordan Ivey.
Later in the match Geelong’s Maddie Boyd was booked for rough conduct against Jess Hosking.
© AAP 2019
GEELONG 1.0 2.4 2.4 2.7 (19)
CARLTON 0.0 0.2 1.6 1.8 (14)
Goals: Geelong: P McWilliams S Van De Heuvel. Carlton: K Loynes.
Best: Geelong: R Cranston O Purcell P McWilliams R Garing. Carlton: M Prespakis B Davey K Harrington D Vescio.
Injuries: Geelong Cats: M McDonald (cut head). Carlton Blues: Nil.
Reports: Geelong Cats: M Boyd (Geel) for rough conduct against J Hosking (Carl). Carlton Blues: S Hosking (Carl) for rough conduct against J Ivey (Geelong).
Umpires: Jack Edwards, Courtney Gibson, Peter Bailes.
Official Crowd: 7,060 at GMHBA Stadium.
