Cats too strong for Dockers

Race ... Steven Motlop outpaces Clancee Pearce at Simonds Stadium. Source: Hamish Blair / News Limited

Geelong have roared back to form with a vengeance after last round's fade-out against Brisbane to squeeze the life out of AFL top-four rivals Fremantle in a Simonds Stadium thrashing.

3.4 (22)	Q1	0.2 (2)
5.7 (37)	Q2	4.2 (26)
7.16 (58)	Q3	4.2 (26)
11.19 (85)	Q4	7.2 (44)

Joel Corey 2	Michael Walters 3
Tom Hawkins 2	Chris Mayne 1
Steven Motlop 2	Tendai Mzungu 1
Jimmy Bartel 1	Tom Sheridan 1
Taylor Hunt 1	Matthew Taberner 1
Jordan Murdoch 1
James Podsiadly 1
Dawson Simpson 1

The Cats, who had promised to regain their defensive edge, delivered in ferocious style, keeping the Dockers goal-less in the first term and scoreless in the third on the way to their 11.19 (85) to 7.2 (44) win.

Geelong Cats coach Chris Scott said it was the response Geelong had been looking for after their flop against the Lions.

"It was one thing to put in the work during the week and be really clear what we wanted from each other, but another thing to get out there and actually execute it against a really good team," he said.

"There are some good signs there, but we were embarrassed after the week before and we've been questioned on the defensive side of our game and that stings."

The victory over the side that knocked Geelong out of last year's finals lifted the Cats to an 11-2 record and second spot ahead of next Saturday night's blockbuster MCG clash with top-placed Hawthorn.

Tom Hawkins, Steven Motlop and Joel Corey each kicked two majors, but it was the Cats' efforts in winning the contested ball and stifling Fremantle's ball movement that stood out.

It was comfortably the lowest score the Dockers have managed this season and the smallest total to which Geelong have restricted an opponent.

The tone was set early, when the Cats scored the only three goals of the first term, including two to Hawkins.

Fremantle managed to scrounge four straight goals to Geelong's 2.3 in the second quarter to be within 11 points at the main break.

But the Cats then took utter control.

They outscored Fremantle 2.9 to no score in the third quarter and put another two shots out on the full, with the Dockers entering their attacking 50m arc just once for the term and rarely even entering their attacking half.

The Cats dominated clearances and contested ball and when the Dockers did get possession, harassed them and blocked their space to win it back and surge again.

The only blot was a series of missed shots.

But that changed in the last term, with early goals to Motlop and sub Jordan Murdoch, while the Dockers didn't enter their attacking 50m zone until the 10-minute mark.

Midfielder Allen Christensen was outstanding for the Cats with 36 hard-won touches, including 12 in the third quarter, as well as eight tackles, while James Kelly, Mitch Duncan and Jimmy Bartel also shone.

Key defender Harry Taylor provided superb rebound.

For the Dockers, Danyle Pearce battled hard in midfield and tagger Ryan Crowley did well on Joel Selwood.

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Re-live the Cats big win over Fremantle in our AFL Match Centre, featuring all the key stats and SuperCoach scores.

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Fremantle clearly felt the absence of injured midfield stars David Mundy and Michael Barlow and lost Paul Duffield to an apparent calf injury, while Michael Johnson received treatment to his left knee, although played out the game.

Geelong's Josh Hunt was subbed off with illness.

Dockers coach Ross Lyon said the Cats monstered his side after halftime and were lucky not to lose by more.

"The scoreboard flatters us, 40 points, it felt like 80 points," he said.

He said Fremantle missed Mundy and Barlow, but that pair, Aaron Sandilands, Matthew Pavlich and late withdrawal Lee Spurr should all return against St Kilda next round.

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Watts inspires Demons' thrilling win

Sweet win ... Jack Watts celebrates with teammates after kicking a goal. Source: Wayne Ludbey / News Limited

Melbourne have triumphed for just the second time this season with a three-point win over the Western Bulldogs who kicked the last seven goals of the match to almost snatch victory.

3.5 (23)	Q1	2.2 (14)
8.8 (56)	Q2	4.6 (30)
12.12 (84)	Q3	6.9 (45)
15.13 (103)	Q4	15.10 (100)

Jack Watts 4	Adam Cooney 3
Chris Dawes 3	Daniel Giansiracusa 3
Jack Fitzpatrick 2	Ryan Griffen 3
Jeremy Howe 2	Ayce Cordy 2
Sam Blease 1	Luke Dahlhaus 1
Max Gawn 1	Tory Dickson 1
Nathan Jones 1	Jackson Macrae 1
David Rodan 1	Will Minson 1

The Demons won the round-14 encounter 15.13 (103) to 15.10 (100) to improve their record to 2-11 as interim coach Neil Craig broke through for his first win in his second game in charge following the sacking of Mark Neeld.

Former No.1 draft pick Jack Watts booted a career-best four goals for the Demons and also played a key role in defence in the tense final stages before a crowd of 21,217 at the MCG.

Melbourne's only other victory this season was against bottom side Greater Western Sydney in round four.

Key forwards Watts and Chris Dawes kicked seven goals between them for the Demons while Daniel Giansiracusa, Adam Cooney and Ryan Griffen booted three each for the fast-finishing Bulldogs (3-10).

Melbourne led by nine points at quarter-time and a five-goal burst to the Bulldogs' two in the second term extended the margin to 26 points at the main break.

Jeremy Howe took two spectacular high marks, one over teammate Dawes in the opening term and another over two Bulldogs' defenders early in the second quarter.

Melbourne's pace was a big factor as David Rodan and Sam Blease surged clear to kick goals on the run in the home side's four-goal third term as the Bulldogs found themselves trailing by 39 points at three-quarter time.

The Bulldogs scored the first two goals of the final term but steadying goals from Dawes and Watts, followed by a second major to Howe on his 23rd birthday, gave the Demons a comfortable 44-point margin at the 15-minute mark.

However the Bulldogs wouldn't give up and slammed on seven consecutive goals, inspired by hard-working midfielder Tom Liberatore.\

Neil Craig praised his side although he admitted the Demons had lost control of the game during the final term as Bulldogs ruckman Will Minson and onballer Ryan Griffen took charge.

"I wouldn't say there was panic in the coaches' box. When you're a player out there, that (seven-goal burst) would have felt like an avalanche coming at them," Craig said.

"(But) just to hold their nerve in the last 90 seconds was really good."

Bulldogs coach Brendan McCartney said his men failed to apply adequate defensive pressure in the first three quarters.

"The disappointing thing is we took so long to actually play like that," he said of his side's last-quarter fightback.

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Re-live the Demons drought-breaking win over the Bulldogs in our AFL Match Centre, featuring all the stats and SuperCoach scores.

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The Bulldogs face a trip to Canberra to play Greater Western Sydney on July while Melbourne host Sydney at the MCG the following day.

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Gatland bemoans Lions' turnovers

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Mistakes aplenty ... Gatland wasn't happy with his side's turnover rate. Source: Cameron Spencer / Getty Images

Warren Gatland criticised the Lions' game management after the nail-biting 16-15 second Test defeat to Australia in Melbourne.

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The tourists appeared to be edging towards a series victory having built a 15-9 heading into the latter stages - but Adam Ashley-Cooper's 75th-minute try allowed Christian Leali'ifano to kick the winning points with a conversion.

Lions fullback Leigh Halfpenny had a chance to snatch an unlikely victory with the last kick of the game - a penalty from the halfway line - but his effort fell well short, leaving the Wallabies to celebrate.

Gatland said afterwards: "It was tight for both teams. We gave away too many turnovers in that second half and didn't control territory well enough. We put ourselves under pressure when we had a chance to keep momentum going and get a bit of ball. The turnovers really hurt us.

"It shows you how close these two teams are. It's 1-1 now and we've got to get up for it.

"It's just about game management. It's what Test match rugby is about. There were a couple of crucial lineouts and turnovers. When the referee said 'advantage over,' we didn't look after the ball well enough.

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"We felt pretty comfortable at half time but it just shows that they never give up and they took the opportunities that came their way.

"We're disappointed to concede the try at the end at the end. We've got to keep working hard. We missed a few collisions and we didn't control the territory very well in either half."

Prop Mako Vunipola, deputising for injured England team-mate Alex Corbisiero, endured a torrid first half in the scrum with referee Craig Joubert continually awarding Australia penalties, and Gatland admitted he was left frustrated by several decisions.

The New Zealander said: "We were disappointed with a few things but until we get some clarity from them, you've got to take the good with the bad. It's just the way the scrum is refereed in the modern game.

"I haven't spoken to them (the players) yet. It's a big game next week. There'll be a couple of days off to recuperate and then it'll be heads on for next week."

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Hamilton on pole for British GP

Mercedes' driver ... Lewis Hamilton during the third practice session at the Silverstone circuit. Source: ALEXANDER KLEIN / News Limited

Lewis Hamilton delighted a home crowd on Saturday when he stormed to pole position for the British Formula One Grand Prix ahead of Mercedes teammate Nico Rosberg.

Hamilton clocked 1 minute 29.607 seconds on the 5.891km course on a sunny afternoon, racing almost half a second faster than Rosberg, who had 1:30.059.

It was Hamilton's second pole of the season and fifth for Mercedes.

World champion Sebastian Vettel was third ahead of Red Bull teammate Mark Webber to make the second row of Sunday's grid.

Lotus driver Kimi Raikkonen was ninth fastest followed by Ferrari's Fernando Alonso.

Vettel commands the standings with 132 points from seven races ahead of Alonso (96), Raikkonen (88) and Hamilton (77). 

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Warne wants Aussie assistant role

Australia's Shane Warne ... waves to spectators after Australia won the second Ashes Test in 2005. Source: GREG WOOD / News Limited

Shane Warne says he will accept an offer by Darren Lehmann to assist in an informal coaching role for Australia during the Ashes.

New coach Lehmann has made it clear he wants legends like Warne involved under his regime.

And the leg-spinning great, who is also particularly close with captain Michael Clarke, said he will be available for advice.

"It was very nice of Darren and Michael Clarke to say they would like me to be involved with the Australian team," Warne wrote in a column for London's Telegraph.

"I am always there to help any Australian cricketer and always have been. If I need to be around at practice to have a chat with the boys about tactical stuff or bowling, then I will do that.

"It's good to be part of the set-up but, most of the time, my role will be informal, catching up on the phone or chatting over a drink or meal.

"I do not need a fancy job title to help out."

Warne has held a disregard for cricket coaches over the years, but said Lehmann was more mentor than clipboard holder.

Long-term teammates through the 90s and 2000s, Warne recalls Lehmann's desire to always keep players around in the dressing sheds after play talking cricket.

It's a policy Lehmann has already introduced to the Australian side he took over on Monday after Mickey Arthur was sacked.

"He has an excellent cricket brain and a calm way of going about things. This will be infectious to the team," Warne wrote.

"He loves talking about cricket - his outlook will help the team feel a lot more relaxed about everything.

"Boof likes to sit around after play and debrief the day, talking about what everyone has learned.

"I remember, during the late 1990s, when I was captain of Victoria and he led South Australia. It was the start of the new age with players quick to get out of the dressing room. We made a pact to get back to the old days. When we walked out to the toss, we said after each day's play, whichever team fields comes into the other dressing room after play to talk cricket.

"We would often go home at midnight in taxis."

Warne said England would be feeling flat after losing the Champions Trophy final to India from a winning position, and believes Australia can take advantage in the first Test.

He will also commentate for television throughout the series.

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Super South Sydney thrash Raiders

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South Sydney's ... Issac Luke celebrates after scoring a try. Source: Brett Costello / News Limited

State of Origin rivals Greg Inglis and Nathan Merritt flourished in the same side as South Sydney opened up a five-point lead on top of the NRL ladder with a crushing 32-2 win over Canberra on Friday.

6 Tries 0
Sam Burgess 16'
Justin Hunt 19'
Issac Luke 31'
Nathan Merritt 59'
Bryson Goodwin 64'
Dylan Walker 71'
4 Conversions 0
Adam Reynolds 17'
Adam Reynolds 32'
Adam Reynolds 60'
Bryson Goodwin 72'
0 Penalties 1
	Jarrod Croker 5'

The classy Rabbitohs scored six tries - three in each half - in steady rain at ANZ Stadium to underline why they are a major title contender.

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Souths had Chris McQueen withdraw before the game and their other Queensland Origin forward Ben Te'o limped off after 35 minutes, but nothing could derail the Souths express.

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Fullback Inglis, who was one of the Queenslanders who tormented NSW debutant Merritt on Wednesday night, turned in a typically busy performance.

He was one of the first to congratulate and embrace Merritt, after the winger put his Origin travails behind him to score a try in the 59th minute.

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Further tries to centres Bryson Goodwin and Dylan Walker rounded off a comprehensive Rabbitohs display.

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Canberra's away record for the season slumped to 1-8, as they failed to capitalise on a good start.

Things looked to be going the visitors' way when Jarrod Croker kicked a fifth-minute penalty to open the scoring and Souths appeared to have a perfectly good try to Goodwin rubbed out for a forward pass.

English lock Sam Burgess highlighted a strong personal first-half performance by sliding over the line for a 16th-minute try following some slick footwork from halfback Adam Reynolds.

Three minutes later, Souths were over again as Justin Hunt, who replaced winger Andrew Everingham in the starting side, squeezed over in the corner.

Outstanding hooker Issac Luke darted over from dummy half at the 30-minute mark to extend the Rabbitohs' lead.

Canberra had winger Sami Sauiluma placed on report for a shoulder charge on Jeff Lima in the first half and failed to take advantage of some pressure early in the second.

They also suffered on the injury front with promising centre Jack Wighton failing to come out for the second half. 

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Swans beat Blues in big wet

Triumphant ... Kurt Tippett celebrates as Sydney win in the wet. Source: PAUL MILLER / AAP

Sydney posted one of their most impressive wins of the AFL season on Friday night, scraping to a 22-point win over Carlton at a waterlogged SCG.

The Swans booted the opening five goals of the game, including two to star recruit Kurt Tippett, and held on for a 8.17 (65) to 5.13 (43) victory in driving rain. 

4.6 (30)	Q1	0.3 (3)
5.9 (39)	Q2	1.5 (11)
6.11 (47)	Q3	4.10 (34)
8.17 (65)	Q4	5.13 (43)

Ben McGlynn 2	Dennis Armfield 1
Kurt Tippett 2	Joshua Bootsma 1
Jude Bolton 1	Bryce Gibbs 1
Tom Mitchell 1	Kane Lucas 1
Luke Parker 1	Zach Tuohy 1
Mike Pyke 1

The Blues were far more competitive after halftime and eroded the hosts' lead to just 13 points at three-quarter time.

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Zach Tuohy snapped the first goal of the final term and the Blues had all the momentum, but could not land a killer punch when the game was on the line.

Carlton's Andrew Walker, with time and space and only 15 metres from the goal square, opted to dribble the ball along the ground instead of kicking a standard drop punt.

Sydney defender Dane Rampe came from nowhere to rush a behind with a desperate dive, and the margin was eight points.

It was a perfect snapshot of the game - reflective of the Swans' never-say-die attitude and Carlton's inability to manufacture goals in the wet.

More importantly, it was as close as the visitors would get.

Brandon Jack, Dan Hannebery and Luke Parker all snapped behinds before Ben McGlynn kicked truly after earning a holding-the-ball free kick with a crucial tackle on Lachie Henderson.

The Blues had 13 more inside-50s in the second half, but Henderson, Bryce Gibbs (26 disposals, eight tackles) and Chris Judd (23 possessions, nine tackles) could not drag them over the line.

The Swans, minus nine of their premiership side after the last-minute withdrawal of Mitch Morton, did their best work in the first term.

Tippett, the tallest man on the ground, snaffled a brilliant contested mark over Michael Jamison to lift his side to a 27-point lead at the first break.

In conditions better suited to Carlton's mosquito fleet, Tippett continued to defy his 202cm frame.

The former Adelaide ruck-forward provided the highlight of the night in the second term, when the rain was at its most torrential.

Tippett collected the Sherrin, ducked around would-be tackler Kane Lucas and reeled around to kick a magical goal. 

The Blues looked like going goalless in the first half for the first time since 2009 until umpire Robert Findlay adjudged Nick Malceski to have deliberately rushed a behind with two minutes remaining.

Josh Bootsma, who hustled Maceski over the goal line, kicked the resultant goal.

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Hughes scores before declaration

Australian batsman ... Phil Hughes stars in their pre-Ashes tour game against Somerset in Taunton. Source: AAP

Phil Hughes produced a timely 76 not out but the Australians put team first by declaring early on day three of their pre-Ashes tour game against Somerset in Taunton.

Hughes looked comfortable at the crease, pocketing 12 boundaries in an innings which might go a long way to helping save his position for the first Test at Trent Bridge.

However, the left-hander was robbed of a chance to push for a century when Michael Clarke made it clear he's playing for the win by declaring with just a one-run lead at five for 321.

Somerset are 0-62 at lunch, and lead by 61 runs.

Hughes' demotion to No.5 for the tour match indicates he has some work to do to play in the Test series.

He's certainly dropped in the pecking order for top-three positions, but Hughes showed perhaps he could work as a middle-order batsman during his composed 163 minutes at the crease.

James Faulkner was the other not out batsman for the Australians with 22, an important contribution as he builds his case for first Test inclusion.

New coach Darren Lehmann already made it clear he wanted to see runs from Faulkner if the Tasmanian was to force his way in as a fourth pace bowling option.

Wicketkeeper Brad Haddin was out lbw on the first ball of the day for 38.

Australian fast bowler Peter Siddle made a better start to the second innings than he did in the first, and had figures of 0-11 from five overs.

James Pattinson and Faulkner also threatened early but with no breakthrough. 

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Slammin' Sam storms into third round

Sam Stosur ... cruises into Wimbledon's third-round after win over Olga Puchkova. Source: Sang Tan / AAP

Sam Stosur has forged into career-best territory at Wimbledon, gorging on Olga Puchkova's feeble serving to reach the third round.

World No 14 Stosur advanced to the round of 32 at the All England Club for only the second time with a 6-2 6-2 throttling of outclassed Puchkova.

Ranked 85th in the world, Puchkova practically donated the match to Stosur, winning a meagre 11 points from seven service games.

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The Russian won two of 18 service points in the first set, winning her only two games with service breaks against the 2011 US Open champion.

She was marginally better in the second set, actually holding serve twice.

But she was virtually an invisble obstacle against Stosur, whose only other appearance in the third round here came in 2009.

Delighted after the 52-minute rout, Stosur will next face 23rd seed Sabine Lisicki.

The German overwhelmed Russian Elena Vesnina 6-3 6-1.

A semi-finalist here two years ago, Lisicki is armed by a wicked serve and, up until the start of this tournament, had served more aces this season apart from Serena Williams.

Slovakian Dominika Cibulkova powered into the third round with a 6-0 6-1 whipping of Spain's Maria-Theresa Torro-Flor.

Impressive young American Madison Keys upset German 30th seed Mona Barthel 6-4 6-2.

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Smith: First 20 was like a dream

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Clutch performer ... Sam Thaiday was outstanding in Origin II. Source: Darren England / News Limited

Queensland skipper Cameron Smith has admitted the first 20 minutes of State of Origin II was so good for his side, he couldn't have even dreamed it up.

While the Maroons had gone public with their disappointment at "missing the jump" in Sydney and made no secret that opening game two with increased intensity was a focus, Smith was surprised by how well that plan was put into effect.

"We planned to start well but we never thought we were going to start that well," Smith confessed in a live cross to Fox Sports show Sterlo on Thursday night.

"Obviously our plan was to put a lot of pressure on the Blues by running aggressively with plenty of support and kicking long.

"But the way the game panned out, as you said, we couldn't have wished for a better start and it pretty much felt like we were camped down there end for the majority of the first half.

"Every time we kicked long we had a really good kick-chase, we got (NSW fullback Josh) Dugan within his own 10 metres, our first two tackles were really good, our line-speed was really good, and we had a couple of balls bounce our way."

In his usual laconic way, Smith almost managed to undersell the significance of the start.

But if it was difficualt to put into words, the true story was told by the numbers collated by Fox Sports Stats in the opening quarter of the game.

"Eighty-two per cent to 18 per cent was the possession, now obviously that has an impact on the tackles and the go-forward when it comes to the tackles," said Peter Sterling.

"Almost 11 extra sets forced for NSW to defend there. Over 400m for the Queenslanders going forward, short of 60 for NSW - in your wildest dreams you couldn't have thought that would be the opening 20 minutes."

And if Smith was pleasantly surprised by the ferocity of Queensland's start, his NSW counterpart Paul Gallen was stunned.

"We just burned too much energy in that half," Gallen conceded.

"I thought our forwards still played pretty well - I thought we punched through them when we did have the ball.

"But as I said, the start took too much petrol out of us and we didn't have enough energy to get back into the game."

And nowhere did the fatigue become more apparent for the Blues than in the kicking games of Mitchell Pearce, James Maloney and Robbie Farah.

While Matty Johns urged NSW coach Laurie Daley to keep the faith with the core of his team, including the halves combination of Pearce and Maloney, he was critical of their kicking game, and said it was one of the major areas that needed fixing before the decider.

"In game one I thought NSW kicked really well but in game two I thought it was really poor," Johns said.

"There were a few Maloney kicks where you went, 'gee, that's unlike Jimmy Maloney'.

"But when you look at his tackle count and the gas they took out of him in that first 20 minutes, some of those attacking kicks were rushed, there wasn't a lot of thought put into them. A lot of it is fatigue."

Gallen agreed with Johns that stability was important but hinted that Nathan Merritt and Aaron Woods would be dropped for game three.

"I think there'll be minor changes, there always is, there's no point saying there won't be," Gallen said.

"I'm hoping I'm alright but if I'm not alright then someone will have to come in for me.

"I think Jimmy Tamou will come straight back in, other than that one incident (a high-range drink-driving charge) there was no reason for him to get dropped.

"Jarryd Hayne was one of our best players in game one, so he'll come back into contention but I'm just not sure where because I think his best spot in that side is fullback.

"Josh Dugan played pretty well, he got players' player and played pretty well."  

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