Geelong coach Chris Scott insists Mark Blicavs would not have had the chance to kick a match-winning goal against GWS if not for his own feats in dragging his side back into the contest.
Blicavs was one of the Cats’ best in an instant classic as they fought back after coughing up five of the first six goals at GMHBA Stadium on Sunday.
The lead changed hands 10 times after the first break and Blicavs could have put Geelong back in front with a little more than a minute left on the clock.
But his set shot from 30 metres slammed into the left-hand upright and GWS held on for a 16.9 (105) to 14.17 (101) victory in a tense finish.
Cats teammates Tyson Stengle, Shannon Neale and Shaun Mannagh also missed shots of varying difficulty in time-on.
“He’ll be disappointed, but he’s the eternal optimist,” Scott said of Blicavs.
“That’s not to say that he won’t be feeling it tonight.
“But I would encourage him, when he feels that disappointment, to remember that without him we’re not in the game.
“We thought he was fantastic.”
Geelong were belted early by GWS around the stoppages and the visitors shot out to a 24-point lead before quarter-time.
But the Cats hit back, won the overall clearance count 39-31 and enjoyed a 61-46 advantage in inside-50s.
They also managed 31 scores to 25 and had multiple chances to win the match, but came up narrowly short as Jesse Hogan kicked seven goals for the Giants.
Geelong (5-4) now sit seventh, behind the Western Bulldogs and above GWS on percentage.
“This is where (AFL) coaching is a little bit like coaching under-12s,” Scott said.
“It’s kind of like, ‘OK, it’s not the outcome that we want, but some of the process and the effort and the way we went about getting back into the game was something we should be proud of’.
“In a tight competition if you lose a game by a point or two it feels like the end of the world.
“But these are situations where the closeness of the competition is actually a positive because even the best teams will lose close ones.”
Geelong started with key forward Jeremy Cameron in the centre square and Bailey Smith on the wing, and Scott took the blame for their early stoppage issues.
Smith, Blicavs, Tom Atkins and Max Holmes were crucial in tilting the clearance battle the Cats’ way.
“We made some errors with the way we structured up,” Scott said.
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“We took a few educated risks and I thought that actually destabilised us a little bit.
“When you don’t get the outcomes you’re after it’s a little bit the players and a lot the way you set up.”
Scott expects Tom Stewart (knee) and Lawson Humphries (concussion) to return against Port Adelaide next Saturday night.
Jack Henry (hamstring) may be left out again, with the Cats then facing the Bulldogs off a five-day break in round 11.
