Match

Geelong Cats vs St Kilda

Commentary / 16 Mar 2024

Pre Game

00:00
Tonight St Kilda will be looking for its first win at GMHBA Stadium since 1999. It has lost its last 11 games at the venue.

Quarter 1

00:00
Q1 is now underway.
00:30
SCORE BEHIND - Cats (Zach Tuohy)
05:59
St Kilda shows an early ability to transition the ball from end-to-end quickly. After conceding the first six inside 50s of the match, St Kilda capitalised on its first forward entry with a long-range goal from Tim Membrey.
07:43
Cats Interchange - Tanner Bruhn off due to an injury.
08:15
SCORE BEHIND - Cats (Mark O'Connor)
10:53
SCORE BEHIND - Saints (Riley Bonner)
14:06
The contest has been even early with very little splitting the two sides. The Saints hold a minor advantage in contested possessions (19-17) and clearances (5-4).
16:50
SCORE BEHIND - Saints (Rushed)
18:10
SCORE GOAL - Cats (Oliver Dempsey)
18:24
Oliver Dempsey kicks the first goal of the season for the Cats. Across his short career, he has kicked just two goals but will be looking to boost his tally throughout 2024.
22:27
SCORE BEHIND - Saints (Max King)
24:48
SCORE BEHIND - Saints (Jack Higgins)
26:01
Both sides have been inaccurate from set shot to start the match. Kicking a combined one goal and four behinds.
26:16
SCORE BEHIND - Saints (Darcy Wilson)
28:09
Saints Interchange - Liam Henry off due to an injury.
28:18
SCORE GOAL - Cats (Jeremy Cameron)
29:25
Jeremy Cameron sends Geelong into the first break with the lead after kicking a miraculous goal. Cameron was Geelong's leading goalkicker in 2023 with a total of 53.

Quarter 2

00:00
Q2 is now underway.
00:59
SCORE GOAL - Cats (Brad Close)
02:52
SCORE BEHIND - Cats (Jeremy Cameron)
06:56
SCORE GOAL - Cats (Jeremy Cameron)
07:33
Similar to the first quarter, Geelong has controlled the territory battle in the early stages of the second term. However, this dominance is now being shown on the scoreboard with goals through Brad Close and Jeremy Cameron.
09:33
SCORE BEHIND - Cats (Mitch Duncan)
10:11
SCORE GOAL - Cats (Oliver Dempsey)
14:32
SCORE GOAL - Saints (Max King)
14:48
After conceding seven straight inside 50s and nine of the first 10 in the quarter, the Saints finally break through for a forward entry and finish it off with a goal through Max King.
16:52
SCORE GOAL - Saints (Tim Membrey)
20:33
New Saints recruit Riley Bonner has been heavily involved in the play across the first half. He's been a target for teammates to offload the ball to on numerous occasions. 10 of his 11 uncontested possessions have been handball receives.
24:43
SCORE GOAL - Cats (Oliver Dempsey)
24:54
Ollie Dempsey continues to flourish in this match as he kicks his third goal to go along with a goal assist.
26:49
SCORE BEHIND - Cats (Tom Hawkins)
27:54
SCORE BEHIND - Cats (Jeremy Cameron)
29:29
SCORE GOAL - Saints (Mattaes Phillipou)
29:54
Once again St Kilda displays its ability to transition the ball quickly against Geelong. Three of it's four goals in this match have come from chains beginning in the defensive 50.
31:23
SCORE BEHIND - Saints (Rushed)
33:26
Geelong enters halftime with a 13 point lead. Its control over territory has been a significant feature of the match with 64% of play in Geelong's forward half. It leads the inside 50 count 36 to 19. Max Holmes has proven to be a prime ball mover, leading all players with 414 metres gained.

Quarter 3

00:00
Q3 is now underway.
01:15
SCORE BEHIND - Saints (Max King)
03:03
Rowan Marshall has carried the load in the ruck contests tonight. He has 22 hitouts to Geelong's 21. He also has eight hitouts to advantage and three clearances.
04:02
SCORE BEHIND - Cats (Rushed)
05:16
SCORE BEHIND - Cats (Rushed)
06:21
SCORE BEHIND - Cats (Tyson Stengle)
08:45
SCORE GOAL - Saints (Darcy Wilson)
09:31
Debutant Darcy Wilson breaks through to kick the first goal of his career and the first of the third term.
10:24
SCORE BEHIND - Saints (Tim Membrey)
12:12
SCORE BEHIND - Saints (Liam Henry)
12:21
Football is often described as a game of centimetres. Collectively, the post has been hit six times in this match. Both sides have hit the post three times each.
15:37
SCORE BEHIND - Cats (Jeremy Cameron)
17:18
SCORE BEHIND - Cats (Oliver Dempsey)
20:26
SCORE BEHIND - Cats (Tyson Stengle)
24:21
Cats Interchange - Tyson Stengle off due to an injury.
25:39
Zach Guthrie has been productive out of the back half leading all players with eight intercept possessions, including two intercept marks.
27:45
Oliver Henry was goalless just twice in his debut season for Geelong, one of which was against St Kilda in Round 23. He is yet to kick a major tonight and has just three disposals - the lowest of any non-sub in this match.
29:53
The Cats averaged 114.2 points in wins last year - ranked second in the AFL. They enter the final term with a 10 point lead despite totalling just 49 points thus far.

Quarter 4

00:00
Q4 is now underway.
01:24
SCORE GOAL - Saints (Tim Membrey)
04:13
SCORE BEHIND - Saints (Max King)
06:06
SCORE BEHIND - Saints (Rowan Marshall)
09:01
SCORE BEHIND - Saints (Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera)
10:35
SCORE GOAL - Cats (Zach Tuohy)
10:38
Zach Tuohy strikes for a goal, as Geelong kick their first since the 25th minute of the second quarter. Once again Oliver Dempsey played a key part in the attacking chain by setting Tuohy up.
12:36
Geelong's ability to execute in the final stages of the ground has been impressive in this term. St Kilda is using the ball at 25% efficiency by foot in the forward half of the ground compared to Geelong's 58%.
15:02
SCORE BEHIND - Cats (Patrick Dangerfield)
15:04
Saints Interchange - Liam Stocker off due to an injury.
16:33
SCORE GOAL - Cats (Oliver Henry)
16:58
Ollie Henry stretches the lead out to 15 points. Geelong has taken six marks inside 50 since halftime, while St Kilda has taken just one.
17:57
SCORE GOAL - Cats (Tom Hawkins)
19:41
SCORE BEHIND - Saints (Max King)
21:46
SCORE BEHIND - Saints (Mitch Owens)
24:04
SCORE GOAL - Saints (Cooper Sharman)
25:43
SCORE GOAL - Saints (Max King)
26:00
Jack Steele has played a big role at stoppages tonight. Last year he averaged 4.6 clearances - his fewest since 2019. Tonight he has nine clearances - none more crucial than the centre bounce clearance which led to Max King's goal.
28:13
SCORE GOAL - Saints (Darcy Wilson)
30:29
SCORE GOAL - Cats (Patrick Dangerfield)
30:48
Patrick Dangerfield delivers a captain's goal when his side needed it the most. He's led all Geelong players in this match with seven clearances and 24 disposals.
31:59
SCORE BEHIND - Cats (Rushed)
32:07
Oliver Dempsey put his name on the map tonight with a starring performance of three goals, three score assists and two contested marks.