Match

Geelong Cats vs North Melbourne

Commentary / 09 Jun 2018

Pre Game

59:30

Welcome to GMHBA Stadium for the Geelong Cats v North Melbourne Round 12 clash.

59:33

Outs for Cats: L.McCarthy

59:34

Ins for Cats: J.Parsons

59:35

Outs for Kangaroos: J.Anderson

59:36

Ins for Kangaroos: C.Zurhaar

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 has conceded only 71.4 points per game this season, which is ranked second behind only Geelong (67.4). The last time the Kangaroos conceded fewer points per game was in 1963.

Quarter 1

00:00

Q1 is now underway.

00:27

The opening centre bounce clearance went the way of the Cats. These two teams are ranked last (Geelong) and second last (North Melbourne) for centre bounce clearance differential this season.

01:01

SCORE BEHIND - Cats (Rushed)

03:03

North Melbourne has an early 4-0 lead in forward half tackles. The Kangaroos have recorded a tackle efficiency of only 60 percent in their forward half this season (ranked last).

03:16

SCORE BEHIND - Kangaroos (Shaun Higgins)

06:47

North Melbourne has been made to work hard defensively early, leading in spoils (5-1) and tackles (8-3), with the Cats getting first hands to the ball (contested possessions 17-11).

08:44

SCORE BEHIND - Cats (James Parsons)

10:36

Two of the prime movers for the Cats in Joel Selwood and Mitch Duncan are yet to record a disposal for the Cats. Duncan has averaged 19 disposals per game against North Melbourne across his career, which is his lowest average against any team.

11:07

The opening goal to the Kangaroos was launched by an intercept from Paul Ahern. Last week Ahern recorded 29 disposals, which is the most disposals on debut recorded by a North Melbourne player in the past twenty years.

12:53

SCORE BEHIND - Kangaroos (Rushed)

13:19

SCORE BEHIND - Kangaroos (Kayne Turner)

14:14

SCORE GOAL - Cats (James Parsons)

14:35

The first goal for the Cats was launched by a chain starting in the defensive 50. Geelong has generated only 15 percent of its scores from such chains this season (ranked 16th).

17:14

SCORE BEHIND - Kangaroos (Shaun Higgins)

18:26

SCORE BEHIND - Cats (Jed Bews)

18:55

Geelong lead 7-2 in forward half intercepts, with the goal to Duncan launched from one of these intercepts by Gary Ablett who has already been involved in three scores for the Cats.

20:30

SCORE GOAL - Cats (Wylie Buzza)

20:40

A centre bounce clearance goal to the Cats and Wylie Buzza. Geelong is ranked last in both centre bounce clearance differential and centre bounce score differential this season.

22:12

SCORE BEHIND - Kangaroos (Mason Wood)

22:52

In the last ten minutes, the Cats have enjoyed some ball control with advantages in effective kicks (16-4) and marks (12-1).

24:05

SCORE GOAL - Cats (Patrick Dangerfield)

24:25

An excellent long set shot at goal from Patrick Dangerfield makes it four goals in a row to the Cats. Geelong has retained possession from 80 percent of its inside 50 entries today, an area where it is the No.1 ranked team.

27:03

SCORE BEHIND - Cats (Sam Menegola)

27:24

The Cats are managing to pick holes in the Kangaroos defence and now lead 11-2 in forward half marks (including 7-2 in forward 50 marks).

29:19

SCORE BEHIND - Kangaroos (Mason Wood)

29:23

North Melbourne leads 4-1 in hitouts to advantage and has a 11-8 lead in clearances, but Geelong leads 15-3 in scores from stoppages.

Quarter 2

00:00

Q2 is now underway.

00:50

SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Kayne Turner)

01:03

The opening goal of the second quarter goes to North Melbourne following a clearance from a forward half stoppage. The Kangaroos have averaged 16 points per game from their forward half clearances (ranked fourth).

01:13

Cats Interchange - Rhys Stanley off due to the blood rule.

02:01

SCORE BEHIND - Cats (Patrick Dangerfield)

03:57

Geelong currently leads 24-18 in looseball gets and 37-26 in groundball gets. The Cats are the No.1 ranked team for looseball gets this season, winning this count by an average of seven per game.

06:37

SCORE BEHIND - Cats (Patrick Dangerfield)

06:48

Following the miss from Dangerfield, the two teams have now returned a combined 2.6.(18) from set shots at goal.

10:21

In the second quarter, the Cats have enjoyed 70 percent time in forward half, but have not been able to convert this on to the scoreboard.

12:38

The goal to Tom Hawkins came after he became the seventh Cat to take a mark in the forward 50. Mason Wood has taken all three of the forward 50 marks for the Kangaroos.

14:33

Gary Ablett currently leads all players for disposals (13), contested possessions (eight), metres gained (312) and score involvements (six).

15:49

SCORE BEHIND - Cats (Rushed)

15:53

While the inside 50 count is even, the Cats lead 33-12 in forward 50 disposals and 18-3 in effective forward 50 disposals.

19:24

In the second quarter, the Cats lead the tackle count 16-4 while also having more possession of the ball (72-68).

21:23

Geelong now lead 8-3 in contested marks with two of these marks coming in the chain leading in to the Dangerfield goal. Geelong is ranked third for contested marks this season.

25:32

Cats Interchange - Tom Stewart off due to an injury.

26:00

Patrick Dangerfield has been the target of eight kicks inside 50 by the Cats today (which is more than any other player on the ground). The hirsute Cat has not been used as a forward 50 target more than eight times this season.

27:32

Geelong has a 53-37 advantage in groundball gets, and its better ball movement is evident in a 10-4 lead in forward 50 marks and an 18-4 lead in effective disposals in the forward 50.

Quarter 3

00:00

Q3 is now underway.

00:37

The Kangaroos have again scored the first goal of the quarter, and for the second time today it came from a forward half stoppage. North Melbourne has scored 2.1.(13) from six such clearances, while Geelong has scored 0.3.(3) from six chances.

02:30

A brilliant set shot goal from Jamaine Jones capped a smooth possession chain from the defensive 50. Geelong has now scored 3.2.(20) from such chains and averages only 13 points per game this season from these chains.

06:08

SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Jack Ziebell)

06:25

Cats Interchange - Aaron Black and is possibly out for the game.

06:33

The Kangaroos lead 5-1 in inside 50s this quarter, with Jack Ziebell converting their first goal from a set shot today. Ziebell is averaging career-highs for goals, assists, score involvements and contested marks this season in his new forward role.

09:37

Kangaroos Interchange - Kayne Turner off due to an injury.

10:01

SCORE GOAL - Cats (Tom Hawkins)

10:08

Tom Hawkins has kicked both of his goals today from set shots. This season he has kicked 84 per cent of his goals from set shots, which is the third highest percentage of the top-50 goalkickers.

11:13

Geelong has averaged 11 forward 50 marks this season, and has already taken 12 such marks spread across nine different players.

13:23

SCORE GOAL - Cats (Zach Tuohy)

13:43

The Cats have converted their last five set shots at goal with Zach Tuohy adding their second from outside the 50 metre line. Tuhoy has averaged more than 400 metres gained in each of his two seasons with the Cats after never doing so with the Blues.

15:59

SCORE BEHIND - Kangaroos (Ben Cunnington)

18:03

SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Trent Dumont)

18:38

In the third quarter, the Kangaroos lead the clearances 7-2 and contested possessions 24-16. They also lead 7-0 in points from stoppages during this period.

19:50

Kangaroos Interchange - Jack Ziebell off due to the blood rule.

21:13

SCORE BEHIND - Kangaroos (Mason Wood)

21:18

The local Cat fans are venting their frustration about a free kick count that is 28-11 in favour of the visitors including 7-1 this quarter and 6-0 in free kicks for high contact.

23:15

SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Ben Cunnington)

23:33

North Melbourne has now scored 3.0.(18) from ten midfield intercepts this quarter, while Geelong has scored 1.0.(6) from its seven midfield intercepts during this period.

24:23

The Kangaroos are using an 11-3 advantage in clearances this quarter to generate a 14-5 lead in inside 50 entries. Ben Cunnington has won more clearances (four) than Geelong this quarter.

29:43

Geelong is ranked last for clearance differential this season, and after breaking even in this count during the first half has conceded a massive 15-4 advantage to North Melbourne this quarter.

30:53

SCORE BEHIND - Cats (Tom Hawkins)

31:50

Ben Brown is yet to have a shot at goal for the Kangaroos, but did provide three score assists in the third quarter alone.

Quarter 4

00:00

Q4 is now underway.

00:22

SCORE BEHIND - Kangaroos (Trent Dumont)

00:36

Once again the Kangaroos have generated a shot at goal in the opening minute of the quarter. North Melbourne lead 12-4 in centre bounce clearances, but have scored just 0.3.(3) from these chances compared to Geelong 1.2.(8).

01:25

SCORE BEHIND - Kangaroos (Luke McDonald)

03:21

An excellent long goal from Todd Goldstein makes it three goals in a row to the Kangaroos who also have seven of the last eight scores in the game.

04:59

SCORE GOAL - Cats (Jordan Cunico)

05:17

The accurate finish by Jordan Cunico capped a chain that again started in the defensive half for the Cats. Geelong has now scored 7.2.(44) from such chains and averages 35 points per game from these chances.

06:35

SCORE BEHIND - Cats (Jordan Cunico)

07:24

SCORE BEHIND - Cats (Joel Selwood)

07:53

SCORE BEHIND - Cats (Gary Ablett)

08:12

In the final quarter, the Cats lead disposals 36-13 and contested possessions 14-6 with their senior players prominent in regaining momentum.

09:05

Tom Hawkins who has now recorded 22 disposals for the Cats, has only had more disposals than this twice in his career. Hawkins also has a season-high for marks (10) and has been involved in eight scores for the Cats.

09:10

Cats Interchange - Sam Menegola off due to an injury.

10:38

SCORE GOAL - Cats (Tim Kelly)

12:47

A virtuoso performance from Gary Ablett was capped with the last running goal. The star Cat leads all players for metres gained (690), score involvements (10) and disposals (28).

14:48

SCORE GOAL - Cats (Jed Bews)

15:07

In the final quarter, the Cats lead 23-11 in contested possessions, 10-3 in inside 50 entries 62-22 in disposals. Geelong has had the last eight scores of the game, and scored 5.3.(33) during this period.

18:09

SCORE BEHIND - Cats (Tim Kelly)

19:19

North Melbourne has struggled to disrupt the ball movement of the Cats today who have scored nine goals from defensive half chains. The Kangaroos have generated only 14 forward half intercepts today and average 27 per game this season.

23:35

Mark Blicavs has so far kept Ben Brown goalless while contributing eight spoils, seven intercept possessions and 17 disposals at 94 percent efficiency.

26:14

While the inside 50 count is 51-50, Geelong lead in forward 50 disposals (62-31) and effective forward 50 disposals (38-14).

26:22

SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Shaun Higgins)

28:00

SCORE BEHIND - Kangaroos (Jack Ziebell)

28:29

An impressive win for Geelong who was too strong for North Melbourne, finishing with an advantage in hardball gets (46-27), tackles (74-57) and effective kicks (169-117).