DESPITE missing oodles of class from its line up, Geelong has progressed through to the semi-final of the NAB Cup after defeating Port Adelaide by 18 points at AAMI Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

The team sheet was missing names such as Gary Ablett, Matthew Scarlett and Cameron Ling, but in the end it did not matter as the Cats superior class held sway as they recorded a 0.11.6 (72) to 1.6.9 (54) victory.

The absence of the star players allowed James Kelly (26 disposals) the opportunity to join champion Jimmy Bartel (28) and young gun Joel Selwood (17) in the middle and the trio showed plenty of drive from the centre to set up countless opportunities.

Ruckman Mark Blake, who fought it out all game against the class ruck duo of Dean Brogan and Brendon Lade, was also a valuable performer winning his midfielders plenty of the ball.

The battle of the centre with hardened Port Adelaide ball winners Josh Carr, Kane Cornes and Dom Cassisi was a feature of a low-scoring affair.

The game was in the balance right up until three-quarter time but livewire forward Matthew Stokes put the result beyond doubt with a three-goal final term.

The early exchanges were hard and tight. The Power suffered a first quarter blow when exciting youngster Hamish Hartlett was forced from the ground with a shoulder injury after a Ryan Gamble tackle.

The Cats held sway, just, to go into the first break with a one-point lead.

Uncontested possessions were hard to come by in the second quarter, with both defences tackling hard near goal. Paul Chapman kept Geelong in the game early in the term with some gut-busting running before a timely goal gave the visitors the edge.

Port Adelaide kept coming, though, with the pacy Wade Thompson kicking his second goal and Daniel Motlop taking a screamer before converting to give the Power the lead.

But Geelong restored its one-point lead by half time and kicked the only two goals of the third quarter to extend its lead to ten points going into the final term.

The first, to Tom Lonergan, was the result of questionable free kick but the second was all class as the Cats ran the ball effortlessly from half back for Bartel to finish truly.

A supergoal to Motlop early in the fourth brought the Power to within one but the first two of Stokes’ trio re-established a winning buffer.

There were promising signs for both sides. Young Cat Nathan Djerrkura showed tenacity and brilliance around the ball and Kane Tenace coupled his pace with a strong attack on the ball.

For Port Adelaide, the Cornes brothers were solid and Nathan Krakouer (22 disposals) continued to show he was ready to take the step up with a hard-working, high-possession game.

The Cats will play the winner of Sunday’s Carlton-Hawthorn clash in the semi-final.

Port Adelaide 0.2.1  0.5.1  0.5.5  1.6.9 (54)
Geelong     0.2.2  0.5.2  0.7.3  0.11.6 (72)

GOALS
Port Adelaide: Nine-pointers: Motlop Goals: Thompson 2, Motlop, Pearce, Westhoff, Salopek
Geelong: Stokes 4, Kelly, Simpson, Chapman, Kelly, Djerrkura, Lonergan, Bartel, Varcoe

BEST
Port Adelaide: K Cornes, Carr, Krakouer, Carlile, Thurstans, C Cornes
Geelong: Bartel, Stokes, Enright, Chapman, Johnson, Djerrkura

INJURIES
Port Adelaide: Hartlett (AC Joint)
Geelong: Nil

Reports: Danny Meyer (Port Adelaide) reported by umpire Nicholls for bumping or making forceful contact with the front of David Johnson (Geelong).

Umpires: Schmidt, Avon, Nicholls and Keating

Crowd: 8,341 at AAMI Stadium

The views in this story are those of the author and not necessarily those of the club.