Match

Geelong Cats vs North Melbourne

Commentary / 11 Jun 2016

Pre Game

59:30
Welcome to Etihad Stadium for the Geelong Cats v North Melbourne Round 12 clash.
59:33
Outs for Cats: T.Hawkins
59:34
Ins for Cats: R.Stanley
59:35
Outs for Kangaroos: S.Wright, M.Daw
59:36
Ins for Kangaroos: A.Mullett, T.Goldstein
59:40
Don't forget to enter your tips for this match, you have until the bounce to make your selection.
00:00
North Melbourne is ranked second for centre bounce clearance differential and ranked first for differential in scores from centre bounce clearances, but ranked last for differential in clearances from ball-ups.

Quarter 1

00:00
Q1 is now underway.
03:04
The Kangaroos get the opening goal of the game from a chains started at a defensive half stoppage, they average 6.1 points per game from such chains (ranked 12th).
04:04
SCORE BEHIND - Cats (Rushed)
06:25
The goal kicked by Jimmy Bartel was the 19th kick for the Cats - all have been effective. The Cats are the number ranked team for differential in kicking efficiency this season.
09:10
Kangaroos Interchange - Robin Nahas off due to an injury.
10:30
SCORE GOAL - Cats (Daniel Menzel)
10:49
Geelong with most of the play early in the game due its efficient kicking, and they lead in marks (18-5) and inside 50s (6-3).
12:42
Kangaroos Interchange - Ben Cunnington off due to an injury.
13:26
SCORE BEHIND - Cats (Jordan Murdoch)
15:55
SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Brent Harvey)
16:24
North Melbourne able to punish the turnover by Mark Blicavs with a goal. The Kangaroos have averaged just 20.5 points per game this season from chains started with a defensive half intercept (ranked 15th).
17:18
SCORE BEHIND - Cats (Zac Smith)
18:33
SCORE GOAL - Cats (Darcy Lang)
18:39
The Cats with a couple of accurate set shots at goal early in the game. They have kicked goals from 54 percent of their set shots at goal from the corridor this season, which is ranked last.
20:38
SCORE BEHIND - Cats (Patrick Dangerfield)
23:26
SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Jack Ziebell)
24:13
These two teams are ranked second (Cats) and third (Kangaroos) inn scores from clearances this season. Early in the game the Kangaroos lead in this area scoring 2.0.(12) to 1.1.(7) from clearances.
27:05
SCORE GOAL - Cats (Patrick Dangerfield)
27:30
Kangaroos Interchange - Andrew Swallow and is possibly out for the game.
27:35
Patrick Dangerfield producing a monster first quarter for the Cats. He leads all players for disposals (15), contested possessions (6), metres gained (323), inside 50s (5) and score involvements (4). This is his career best for first quarter disposals.
29:18
SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Jack Ziebell)
30:09
The siren has sounded to end Q1.
30:19
Geelong with the better of the opening quarter, but the Kangaroos with five of the last six clearances and three of their four goals from stoppages were able to keep close.

Quarter 2

00:00
Q2 is now underway.
00:33
SCORE GOAL - Cats (Daniel Menzel)
00:46
A perfect start to the second quarter for the Cats with a goal from the centre bounce clearance. In the past four weeks, the Cats have scored from 40 percent of centre bounce clearances (ranked No.1 in this time).
02:26
SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Brent Harvey)
03:11
North Melbourne able to answer with a slingshot goal from a defensive 50 intercept. Three of the four goals for the Kangaroos have started with a chain in the defensive half, whilst only one of the goals from Geelong has come from a defensive half chain
04:25
SCORE BEHIND - Cats (Josh Caddy)
06:57
SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Luke McDonald)
08:01
SCORE BEHIND - Kangaroos (Aaron Mullett)
09:50
The Kangaroos have kicked a goal from 62 percent of their set shots at goal this season (ranked 11th). They have kicked 6.0.(36) tonight from set shots at goal.
11:02
North Melbourne now lead in scores from stoppages 4.1.(25) to 2.2.(14), with two of these goals launched from Jack Ziebell clearances.
12:08
SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Brent Harvey)
13:51
Both teams have six forward 50 entries in the second quarter. The Kangaroos with a return of 4.1.(25) to Geelong 1.2.(8), with all of their goals launched from defensive half chains.
14:01
Cats Interchange - Daniel Menzel off due to an injury.
15:48
This season North Melbourne has averaged 33 points per game from chains started in the defensive half. Tonight the Kangaroos have already scored 6.0.(36) from such chains.
19:11
In the second quarter, Geelong has kicking efficiency of just 39 percent compared to North Melbourne 80 percent. Half of the Geelong team is yet to register an effective kick this quarter.
21:12
SCORE BEHIND - Cats (Joel Selwood)
22:42
SCORE BEHIND - Cats (Steven Motlop)
23:21
North Melbourne has been able to deny Geelong control of the ball in the second quarter. The Kangaroos lead in uncontested marks 28-10 this quarter after the Cats led uncontested marks 26-18 in the opening quarter.
24:15
SCORE BEHIND - Cats (Lincoln McCarthy)
26:33
Geelong was ranked last in 2015 for clearance differential. With the inclusions of Zac Smith and Patrick Dangerfield this season, the Cats are ranked fourth in this category in 2016. These two have combined for nine of the Cats 19 clearances tonight.
28:13
A great quarter for the Kangaroos who are battling some injuries. North Melbourne have been more efficient with the ball (kicking efficiency 76 to 65 percent), and Brent Harvey has been able to get on the end of this ball movement and convert.
28:27
The siren has sounded to end Q2.
28:37
Daniel Wells leads the Kangaroos for metres gained (315) and is their equal leader for clearances (3), score involvements (5) and contested possessions (6).

Quarter 3

00:00
Q3 is now underway.
00:42
SCORE GOAL - Cats (Jimmy Bartel)
01:33
The Cats with the opening goal of the third quarter from a forward 50 stoppage. Geelong averages 8.7 points per game (ranked fourth) from this source, and has scored 1.2.(8) tonight from four forward 50 clearances.
02:09
SCORE GOAL - Cats (Shane Kersten)
03:35
Geelong lead in clearances from centre bounces 13-3, and lead in scores from these clearances 2.1.(13) to 0.1.(1). North Melbourne is the number one ranked team this season in differential for scores from centre bounce clearances.
04:45
SCORE BEHIND - Kangaroos (Lindsay Thomas)
06:07
SCORE BEHIND - Cats (Shane Kersten)
06:22
Geelong is ranked first this season for contested marks, and even in the absence of Tom Hawkins tonight, the Cats lead 10-4 in this count.
07:21
SCORE GOAL - Cats (Shane Kersten)
08:54
SCORE GOAL - Cats (Daniel Menzel)
08:59
Menzel kicks the third goal for the Cats from a centre bounce clearance. Geelong lead in hitouts to advantage at centre bounces 4-0, whilst North Melbourne lead 6-0 in hitouts to advantage at around the ground stoppages.
10:39
In the third quarter, the Cats lead the clearances (6-1), inside 50s (9-2), contested possessions (11-6), disposals (33-18) and most importantly have kicked five goals to nil.
10:54
SCORE GOAL - Cats (Shane Kersten)
13:06
SCORE BEHIND - Cats (Rushed)
20:00
SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Drew Petrie)
20:20
North Melbourne able to get a steadying goal, and again coming from a chain started in the defensive half. The Kangaroos have now kicked 7.1.(43) from set shots compared to Geelong 6.5.(41).
21:45
Whilst Geelong lead 42-27 for inside 50 entries, both teams have taken nine forward 50 marks, with the Kangaroos accuracy from set shots at goal keeping them in the game.
22:01
SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Lindsay Thomas)
23:15
SCORE GOAL - Cats (Daniel Menzel)
26:19
Harry Taylor has a game-high seven intercept possessions, five of which have been marks. He has launched three scores with his intercept possessions.
28:34
SCORE GOAL - Cats (Josh Caddy)
29:28
Geelong has improved its ball movement in the third quarter. In the first half, they only generated one goal from a chain starting in the defensive half, whilst in the third quarter they have scored three such goals.
30:39
SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Mason Wood)
30:42
The siren has sounded to end Q3.
30:52
Patrick Dangerfield leads all players for disposals (37), which is the most by any player to three quarter time this season, and metres gained (722), which is the second most by any player to three quarter time this season.

Quarter 4

00:00
Q4 is now underway.
02:32
SCORE GOAL - Cats (Mitch Duncan)
02:57
With Tom Hawkins absent, Daniel Menzel and Shane Kersten have led the forwards and combined for seven goals and five score assists.
08:10
SCORE BEHIND - Cats (Daniel Menzel)
08:48
This season the Kangaroos have averaged 25 forward half intercepts and 35 points from these intercepts. Tonight they have just six forward half intercepts and a score of 1.0.(6) from these.
13:19
SCORE GOAL - Cats (Patrick Dangerfield)
16:48
SCORE BEHIND - Cats (Mitch Duncan)
17:46
Kangaroos Interchange - Shaun Atley off due to an injury.
17:48
Joel Selwood and Patrick Dangerfield are continuing their Batman v Superman routine tonight. They have combined for 38 contested possessions and 20 clearances. North Melbourne has 29 clearances.
19:21
SCORE BEHIND - Cats (Mitch Duncan)
20:08
The Cats continuing to control the play in the final quarter. They lead contested possessions (27-16), inside 50s (9-6) kicking efficiency (76 to 67 percent) and have kept the Kangaroos scoreless.
21:12
SCORE BEHIND - Cats (Rushed)
21:39
Kangaroos Interchange - Ben Cunnington off due to an injury.
24:08
Zac Smith who finished with career-highs for contested possessions (15) and clearances (10) in last week’s win against Greater Western Sydney, has been good again with nine hitouts to advantage which has given the Cats dominance at the centre bounces.
25:58
SCORE GOAL - Cats (Steven Motlop)
28:30
This season the Kangaroos have been the No.1 ranked team for tackle differential. Despite Geelong leading contested possessions 142-105, it also leads tackles 46-39, with the injury to Andrew Swallow costly for the Kangaroos.
30:47
Patrick Dangerfield has now gone past 1,000 metres gained tonight (only the second player to do so this season after Heath Shaw) and his 47 disposals is also the second best this season (Tom Rockliff had 48 last week).
31:37
The siren has sounded to end Q4.
31:47
A strong win for the Cats tonight. They dominated inside, winning clearances (48-32) and contested possessions (144-107), with Patrick Dangerfield the star in the middle and the advantage in inside 50s (57-43) was eventually reflected on the scoreboard.