Match

Geelong Cats vs North Melbourne

Commentary / 18 Apr 2021

Pre Game

00:00
North Melbourne's Jack Ziebell has recorded 17.8 effective kicks per game this season, the second-most of any player in the competition.

Quarter 1

00:00
Q1 is now underway.
00:35
SCORE BEHIND - Cats (Sam De Koning)
03:46
SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Aaron Hall)
03:47
The Kangaroos' Aaron Hall opens the goalscoring for the match with his second major from four games in 2021.
05:20
SCORE BEHIND - Cats (Sam Menegola)
07:32
North Melbourne is controlling the early-game time in possession, 49 percent to 23.
10:13
SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Tarryn Thomas)
10:14
Prior to today's game, the Kangaroos had scored from just 35.1 percent of their inside 50 entries, ranked last in the AFL. Additionally, they had scored a goal from only 15.4 percent of their inside 50s, also ranked last. They have remedied this measure in the early going today, kicking two goals from their first four forays inside 50.
15:27
SCORE BEHIND - Cats (Tom Hawkins)
18:10
Geelong is yet to record an effective kick inside its forward 50 zone. In contrast, North Melbourne is kicking the ball with 40 percent efficiency inside forward 50.
20:17
SCORE BEHIND - Kangaroos (Shaun Atley)
22:25
SCORE GOAL - Cats (Brad Close)
22:26
Brad Close kicks just his third career goal in his tenth AFL match.
25:20
SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Nick Larkey)
25:21
All three North Melbourne goals have been the end result of a disposal chain that began with a Geelong turnover.
30:48
The siren has sounded to end Q1.
30:49
The underdog Kangaroos take a ten-point lead into quarter time on the back of eleven disposals and four clearances from veteran midfielder Ben Cunnington.

Quarter 2

00:00
Q2 is now underway.
00:57
The Cats' Tom Atkins won a career-high 25 disposals last round, eclipsing his previous best tally of 23 in Round 7, 2019. He has started much quieter today, currently with just two disposals at zero percent efficiency.
03:01
SCORE GOAL - Cats (Zach Tuohy)
04:52
Coming into today's game, Tom Hawkins had been targeted inside 50 on 40 occasions this season, 25 more times than any Geelong teammate. The Cats have targeted him inside the forward 50 zone eight times already today, but he has taken just the one mark in this region.
06:11
SCORE BEHIND - Cats (Rushed)
07:20
A Todd Goldstein inside 50 entry for the Kangaroos breaks a run of eleven Geelong inside 50s.
08:04
SCORE BEHIND - Kangaroos (Rushed)
11:06
Kangaroos Interchange - Aaron Hall and is possibly out for the game.
12:52
SCORE GOAL - Cats (Jed Bews)
15:37
The Kangaroos are dominating the intercept marks count, nine to three. Aiden Bonar's tally of two leads all players.
17:15
SCORE BEHIND - Cats (Rushed)
19:28
SCORE BEHIND - Kangaroos (Rushed)
19:48
Tom Powell recorded a team-high eight tackles for North Melbourne last round, after applying just five tackles in his previous three games. He has been prolific in this measure again today, with his tally of three first-half tackles the equal-most of any player on the ground.
21:07
Kangaroos Interchange - Aiden Bonar off due to an injury.
22:41
SCORE BEHIND - Cats (Brad Close)
26:19
SCORE BEHIND - Cats (Zach Tuohy)
26:20
Zach Tuohy has contributed a game-high six score involvements for the Cats, including kicking 1.1 himself.
27:55
SCORE BEHIND - Cats (Brandan Parfitt)
29:38
SCORE BEHIND - Cats (Luke Dahlhaus)
31:08
The siren has sounded to end Q2.
31:09
Geelong dominated the second-quarter inside 50 count, 20 to nine. However, they were only able to outscore the Kangaroos by 16 points for the quarter, kicking an inaccurate 2.6 to 0.2.

Quarter 3

00:00
Q3 is now underway.
01:00
SCORE BEHIND - Kangaroos (Ben Cunnington)
02:24
SCORE BEHIND - Cats (Luke Dahlhaus)
02:48
Of the 12 free kicks that North Melbourne has conceded, the most common indiscretion has been for high contact on five occasions.
04:05
SCORE BEHIND - Cats (Sam De Koning)
04:06
The last nine scores (both teams combined) have all been behinds.
04:54
SCORE GOAL - Cats (Luke Dahlhaus)
07:03
SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Ben Cunnington)
10:00
Ten minutes into the third quarter, the Cats are controlling the time in possession for the term, 56 percent to 27.
10:13
Cats Interchange - Joel Selwood off due to an injury.
10:26
SCORE GOAL - Cats (Sam Menegola)
15:07
The dominant ruckman on the ground is the Kangaroos' Todd Goldstein with 21 hitouts, including five to the advantage of a teammate. Geelong's most prolific has been Rhys Stanley with six hitouts, but none have gone to advantage.
16:07
SCORE GOAL - Cats (Sam Menegola)
18:00
SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Jaidyn Stephenson)
24:34
Since the 12th minute of the third term, the Kangaroos have recorded 13 of 14 inside 50 entries. However, they have only kicked one goal during this period of dominance, as have the Cats.
25:55
SCORE GOAL - Cats (Gary Rohan)
27:54
SCORE BEHIND - Cats (Gary Rohan)
30:18
The siren has sounded to end Q3.
30:19
Despite losing the third term inside 50 entries count 11 to 18, Geelong was far more efficient, kicking 4.3 to 2.1, and extending their lead to 20 points entering the final quarter.

Quarter 4

00:00
Q4 is now underway.
01:26
Early in the final term, the only players on the field with 100 percent game time are Geelong's Lachie Henderson and Mark Blicavs, and North Melbourne key defender Ben McKay.
02:24
SCORE GOAL - Cats (Gary Rohan)
04:25
SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Nick Larkey)
04:26
All six North Melbourne goals have been sourced from Geelong turnovers.
08:27
SCORE BEHIND - Cats (Brad Close)
09:28
SCORE BEHIND - Cats (Rushed)
10:31
Mark Blicavs does the little things to help his team. His tally of ten one percenters is the most of any player on the ground, in a measure that the Cats lead 57 to 28.
10:41
SCORE GOAL - Cats (Tom Hawkins)
14:31
Cats Interchange - Patrick Dangerfield and is possibly out for the game.
14:42
SCORE GOAL - Cats (Gryan Miers)
15:26
31 disposals for Brandan Parfitt represent a new career-high for the Geelong midfielder. In 75 games prior to tonight, his most disposals recorded were 28 against St Kilda in Round 4 of 2018.
16:27
SCORE BEHIND - Cats (Tom Hawkins)
16:58
Kangaroos Interchange - Charlie Lazzaro and is possibly out for the game.
18:28
Jack Ziebell has gained 895 metres for the Kangaroos. No other player on the ground has gained even 700 metres.
19:04
SCORE BEHIND - Cats (Lachie Henderson)
20:12
SCORE BEHIND - Kangaroos (Jaidyn Stephenson)
21:40
SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Jaidyn Stephenson)
22:02
Kangaroos Interchange - Atu Bosenavulagi and is possibly out for the game.
22:43
The Cats have taken control in the final term. For the quarter, they are winning the time in possession 55 percent to 34, have generated 16 inside 50 entries to just four, and outscored the Kangaroos 3.4 to 2.1.
28:26
SCORE BEHIND - Cats (Tom Hawkins)
28:54
The siren has sounded to end Q4.
28:55
The young Kangaroos showed spirit for much of the game but were overrun by the experienced Cats in the final term. The player of the match was Geelong's Sam Menegola, contributing 28 disposals at 82 percent efficiency, 11 contested possessions, five marks, two clearances, and kicking 2.1.