The Kangaroos embarrassed Geelong with a ferocious attack on the ball in yesterday’s round 5 clash at Skilled Stadium and were rewarded with a 18.10 (118) to 15.12 (102) victory which spoiled the Cats’ first homecoming for the season.

Their win, their second in succession and reminiscent of the club’s hard-fought victories through the 1990s, capped a huge turnaround from the Kangaroos’ past two trips to Geelong, when they lost by 69 and 85 points.

Led by captain Adam Simpson’s 41 disposals, the Kangaroos were the only side willing to throw bodies at the contest throughout and had winners all over.

Ruckman Hamish Mc-Intosh dominated the clearances, unheralded defenders Michael Firrito and Daniel Pratt shut out Cats Cameron Mooney and Gary Ablett, and midfielders Andrew Swallow and Daniel Harris were relentless.

Geelong closed to within two goals late in the game, but the Kangaroos finished deserved victors despite running out of steam, and Laidley could not have been more impressed.

“We thought it was going to be tough and it was, but their output, from our boys, was phenomenal and full credit to them,” he said.

As a part of the Kangaroos’ best sides of the 1990s, Laidley said his players had displayed the sort of aggressive, physical efforts they must continue to produce to climb up the ladder.

“It’s the way I played footy and it’s the way I expect them to play,” he said.

“Guys who don’t do it, they’re going to struggle to play in the way they attack the footy.

“We drew a line in the sand in all sorts of areas.

“If they play like that way, terrific. They’ve got a future and that’s the way they want to play. If they don’t, well...”