Match

Melbourne vs Geelong Cats

Commentary / 04 May 2024

Pre Game

00:00
Melbourne has conceded 9.3 points per game from forward 50 chains – ranked No.1 defensively.

Quarter 1

00:00
Q1 is now underway.
01:14
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Bayley Fritsch)
03:47
SCORE GOAL - Cats (Tyson Stengle)
06:41
SCORE BEHIND - Demons (Jacob van Rooyen)
08:03
SCORE BEHIND - Cats (Zach Tuohy)
09:27
SCORE BEHIND - Cats (Jeremy Cameron)
09:55
Both sides have a kicking efficiency of 65% in the match so far. The Demons are more effective inside the forward half with an efficiency of 71 compared to Geelong's 38 in this measure.
11:29
Geelong is applying more forward-half pressure than Melbourne and has a pressure rating of 157 to 127 in that zone
11:44
SCORE GOAL - Cats (Oliver Dempsey)
12:29
Geelong's defensive 50-ball movement has been excellent this evening - with 67% of its defensive 50 chains resulting in an inside 50 compared to just 25% for Melbourne.
14:18
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Harrison Petty)
18:14
SCORE BEHIND - Cats (Oliver Dempsey)
19:23
Geelong are slightly ahead around the contest. They lead clearances (5-3), contested possessions (22-20), however, the Demons have scored 2.2 (14) to 1.1 (7) from this source.
21:10
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Kysaiah Pickett)
23:30
In the last 10 minutes, Tom Atkins has stood up for the Cats. He has had six disposals at 67% efficiency and four contested possessions.
26:39
SCORE BEHIND - Demons (Caleb Windsor)
28:34
SCORE BEHIND - Cats (Rushed)
29:20
Judd McVee has had a strong start to the first quarter, with eight disposals at 88% efficiency, three contested possessions and intercept possessions.

Quarter 2

00:00
Q2 is now underway.
00:33
SCORE BEHIND - Demons (Ed Langdon)
04:35
SCORE BEHIND - Demons (Max Gawn)
05:09
It is quite an interesting battle on the outside of the contest to start the match with Melbourne leading uncontested possessions (71-63) and Geelong in front in handball receives (33-21).
09:39
SCORE BEHIND - Demons (Bayley Fritsch)
09:40
We have seen a good spread of scores from all zones for the Demons this evening - scoring from every zone. They have booted 1.2 (8) from the defensive 50 chains - their most productive zone.
11:22
SCORE BEHIND - Demons (Kysaiah Pickett)
12:59
SCORE BEHIND - Cats (Zach Tuohy)
14:40
The Cats have had far quicker ball movement than the Demons. They are playing on from marks 47% of the time compared to 21%. They are also running with handballs through the corridor, leading handballs (57-36) in the lane.
16:36
SCORE BEHIND - Cats (Mitch Duncan)
18:11
SCORE BEHIND - Cats (Tom Hawkins)
18:41
The first possession battle has been close - with Geelong edging Melbourne 13-10 and clearances are in its favour 11-8. The Demons have scored 2.2 (14) at stoppages whilst the Cats 1.3 (9).
19:33
SCORE BEHIND - Demons (Jacob van Rooyen)
22:07
After having a pressure factor of 183 in the first term, Melbourne's pressure subsided in the second term to 163.
23:56
Cats Interchange - Tanner Bruhn off due to an injury.
25:22
Max Holmes had a strong second quarter with 12 disposals at only 50% efficiency, 10 uncontested possessions and four handball receives.

Quarter 3

00:00
Q3 is now underway.
00:42
SCORE BEHIND - Demons (Harrison Petty)
01:53
SCORE BEHIND - Demons (Christian Petracca)
02:27
SCORE BEHIND - Demons (Christian Petracca)
04:01
Cats Interchange - Tanner Bruhn and is possibly out for the game.
05:52
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Kade Chandler)
07:18
It's been an event contest in the ruck battle - with Geelong edging the Demons in the hitouts 15-12, hitouts-to-advantage 5-2, first possession 17-14 and clearances 13-12.
07:46
SCORE GOAL - Cats (Tyson Stengle)
10:02
Melbourne's defensive 50 ball movement has been strong this evening - with 25% (2.3 15) of its chains resulting in a score compared to 4% (1.0 6) from this source.
11:14
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Ed Langdon)
13:59
SCORE GOAL - Cats (Oliver Henry)
17:24
SCORE BEHIND - Cats (Max Holmes)
17:27
Jake Lever has been a potent attacking weapon this evening with a game-high seven score involvements. He has had eight intercept possessions and helped launch four scores 2.2 14.
18:57
SCORE BEHIND - Demons (Caleb Windsor)
19:23
SCORE BEHIND - Demons (Rushed)
20:33
SCORE BEHIND - Demons (Kysaiah Pickett)
21:56
Ollie Henry has been the forward 50 targets on five occasions in the match so far, taking a mark inside 50 on only one occasion he has been kicked too. He has impacted the scoreboard with two goals straight.
23:05
SCORE BEHIND - Demons (Alex Neal-Bullen)
25:31
Melbourne's forward half pressure has been immense in the match - leading the tackle count tonight 21 - 12 with Jack Viney leading the way with four.
28:04
SCORE GOAL - Cats (Jhye Clark)
30:16
SCORE BEHIND - Cats (Jack Bowes)
30:49
Christian Petracca had a damaging attacking game for the Demons in that quarter. He had eight disposals, five score involvements, four inside 50's and three shots at goal with two behind and one miss.

Quarter 4

00:00
Q4 is now underway.
01:18
The second quarter was goal-less with Melbourne scoring 0.5 5 to the Cats 0.4 4. The last time this happened in a match was in the fourth quarter between Essendon and Carlton in Round 13 in 2022.
02:36
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Max Gawn)
03:54
It has been an intriguing contest in the ruck this evening between Max Gawn and Rhys Stanley with Geelong ahead 10-9 in the clearance count, when they have been rucking opponents. Stanley has had one more hitout-to-advantage from their 23 ruck contests, while Gawn has had three more disposals whilst the pair has been matched up on one another.
04:52
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Bayley Fritsch)
09:25
SCORE GOAL - Cats (Oliver Henry)
09:52
Steven May is at his running and rebounding best so far tonight. May has 428 metres gained from his 21 disposals, kicking at 94% efficiency.
11:40
SCORE GOAL - Cats (Brad Close)
13:44
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Kysaiah Pickett)
16:06
Jeremy Cameron and Jack Henry are the only players on the ground that have played 100% of the match so far.
19:03
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Caleb Windsor)
19:37
Clayton Oliver has been everywhere in the fourth term with eight disposals at 88% efficiency, six contested possessions, four loose-ball gets and two score involvements.
21:19
SCORE BEHIND - Cats (Jeremy Cameron)
23:32
SCORE GOAL - Cats (Zach Guthrie)
26:22
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Bayley Fritsch)
26:42
In the past ten matches between the two sides, there has been a winning margin of less than 15 points on five occasions. Melbourne has only won of these with Max Gawn goal after the siren back in Round 2023 in 2021.
28:47
SCORE BEHIND - Cats (Jeremy Cameron)
31:28
Zach Guthrie was sensational for the Cats this evening with 24 disposals at 71% efficiency, six intercept marks, 11 intercept possessions, three contested marks, three score involvements and one goal.