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Geelong lost Jeremy Cameron to hamstring tightness as they got their AFL season back on track with a 41-point win over Essendon.
Star forward Jeremy Cameron has failed to see out Geelong's important 41-point AFL win over Essendon amid concerns over yet another hamstring issue.
Patrick Dangerfield and Tom Hawkins were outstanding in the Cats' 15.8 (98) to 8.9 (57) victory at GMHBA Stadium on Friday night, but the result was somewhat soured by Cameron's latest setback.
The 28-year-old had two hamstring injuries earlier in the year after making a high-profile trade move from Greater Western Sydney last November.
He kicked three goals against the Bombers and looked set for a big night before taking himself off the ground during the second quarter.
Cameron was briefly assessed and replaced by substitute Max Holmes without being put through a fitness test on the boundary line.
Geelong coach Chris Scott admitted Cameron had an "iffy" right hamstring pre-game but was cleared to play by club medical staff.
He then copped a cork up high in the hamstring and felt tightness lower down.
"More than people realise, there are really hard decisions that need to be made by the medical staff," Scott said.
"He had a bit of tightness there pre-game but they were confident that the right decision was made for him to play.
"It was a little bit complicated by the fact that he got a cork to a similar area ... the medical staff are confident that he hasn't done a significant injury but it was not getting better."
A dominant eight-goal second term set the platform for Geelong's victory in cold and wet conditions, but it was a different story early in the match.
Two brilliant goals from Jake Stringer and another two from Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti helped give Essendon a 25-point first-quarter lead as the visitors dominated the competition's No.1 contested ball team in the opening half-hour.
A deliberate out of bounds free kick against Jordan Ridley allowed Cameron to kick the Cats first goal moments before quarter-time and they flipped the script after the break.
Dangerfield, Tom Atkins and captain Joel Selwood were all influential around the ball as Cameron and Hawkins cashed in up forward.
Hawkins finished with six goals in his equal-biggest haul of the last three years and Gryan Miers kicked two on return from a fractured leg.
Stringer (25 disposals and three goals) was explosive early and Darcy Parish (43 and one) continued his stellar season as Essendon's best, with midfield partner Zach Merrett (36 and one) also busy again.
Geelong's superior efficiency in attack was telling as they registered a comfortable win despite losing the inside-50 count 62-45.
"We had enough momentum in the game and enough control but we just weren't effective enough and didn't put enough scoreboard pressure on," Essendon coach Ben Rutten said.
The loss saw the Bombers miss a chance to climb into the top-eight at Richmond's expense.
