THE Werribee-Geelong VFL showdown lived up to expectations with the Cats snaring their first win of the season by a solitary goal on Saturday.

The round five AFL curtain-raiser saw the Cats, with former Werribee captain James Podsiadly, snare the points after some early inaccuracies from the Tigers, the final score 15.8.98 to 13.14.92.

Werribee started well at Skilled Stadium, with no shortage of offensive opportunities despite the absence of leading goalkicker Nathan Thompson who pulled out on game day with a virus.

If it was not for inaccuracy (the Tigers kicked 4.7) the quarter-time margin of 18 points could have been a lot healthier.

Werribee coach Simon Atkins described the measly return from 10 scoring opportunities (four set, six running and one rushed behind) as a “kicking curse”.

“We kicked 4.7 and it sort of kept them in the game,” he said.

The home team worked their way back into the match in the second term, kicking 6.3 to Werribee’s 4.3.

With the Tigers lead down to a goal at the main break the third quarter became an arm wrestle with the Cats stealing the lead kicking four goals to three setting up a thrilling final term.

The fourth quarter was an intense affair but the Tigers were unable to rise to the occasion.

“I was happy there was a lot of desire and will to win (but) in the end our kicking at goal and a little bit of composure towards the end let us down,” Atkins said.

“They kicked a couple of goals and we came back at them, I actually thought it was going to be a draw there in the end. I think their straight kicking did it in the end.”

According to Atkins, the Tigers had 18 forward 50 entries in the final term for a dismal return of 2.1 allowing Geelong to outscore them from fewer opportunities to steal the match.

“It was really disappointing only because we were really close.

“We had a lot of the football in the last quarter. We had 40 more possessions so there was a lot of wasted opportunities.

“We blew a chance when we could have got a victory.”

It was the first time the Tigers had taken to the field in 2009 without Thompson who is unable to play Saturday matches due to media commitments.

Interestingly enough, he was able to play in the Geelong clash because he was calling the Geelong-Sydney AFL game afterwards but according to Atkins the “late scratching” came down with a virus and was unable to play.

It did provide Atkins with an opportunity to structure his offence without Thompson as the focal point something he will be forced to do throughout the season.

“As much as we don’t like to, it does give us a bit of a chance to see how it would function without Thommo.

“I think Thommo would probably say himself he doesn’t want to be the number one, that’s why we got players like (Marty) Pask and (Tim) Bongetti to the club so we could have a multi-pronged attack.”

Pask finished with 3.3 and Bongetti snared two – positive signs for the yellow and black but Atkins was not jumping for joy just yet.

“I expect we need a four or five goal kicker still, I suppose Pask’s shots at goals showed that he could have been that.

“The only thing is that the forward structure didn’t hold up for the majority of the game.”

Another talking point to arise from the game was the first clash between Podsiadly and his old club.

The former Tigers captain was unstoppable early on, finishing with six goals for the match, most of which came in the first half when the Cats were behind the eight ball.

Atkins noted his influence on the game and found the humour in the former Tigers champion gearing up for the opposition.

“For me personally, I couldn’t pick him up. I couldn’t get him in that number 43 Geelong jumper.

“He got them going though, he kicked five of his six in the first half and then Scott Howard went to him and really did a job on him.”

The Tigers will have face another tough challenge on Sunday when they take on Sandringham in round six.