Match

Geelong Cats vs Gold Coast Suns

Commentary / 07 Jun 2025

Pre Game

00:00
Gold Coast has lost its last eight matches at GMHBA Stadium by an average losing margin of 72 points.

Quarter 1

00:00
Q1 is now underway.
06:49
SCORE GOAL - Cats (Tom Atkins)
07:06
Tom Atkins has applied a strong tackle on Matt Rowell inside forward 50 and has converted the holding the ball free kick for the opening goal of the match. Atkins averages 9.9 tackles and 29.5 pressure acts this season - ranked No. 1 in the competition.
09:53
In tricky conditions, Geelong has won five of the first seven clearances of the match. The Cats have only won the clearance count in three of their matches this season.
10:25
SCORE GOAL - Cats (Lawson Humphries)
11:16
Sam Collins has taken three early intercept marks - all three of these coming in the defensive half for the SUNS. Collins averaged 7.7 intercept possessions and 3.2 intercept marks this season, ranked second and fourth respectively in the AFL.
13:03
SCORE BEHIND - Cats (Rushed)
14:24
SCORE BEHIND - SUNS (Rushed)
19:33
Geelong has applied six more tackles than the Suns and has recorded a pressure factor of 202 for the term - comfortably higher than the SUNS' pressure factor of 182.
22:19
Max Holmes has been the most prolific midfielder to start the match, accumulating a game-high seven disposals at 86% efficiency. Holmes gained 737 metres in the first half last week against West Coast – the second-most ever in a half by any player.
27:07
SCORE BEHIND - Cats (Jeremy Cameron)
27:41
Geelong has won 13 more groundballs than Gold Coast in this opening term - their third-best differential in any term this season. The SUNS have only once this year recorded a lower differential.
27:51
SCORE BEHIND - SUNS (Bailey Humphrey)
30:51
The SUNS have been held to their first goalless first quarter since 2023 and trail the Cats by 12 points at the first break. The last time the Suns led the Cats at quarter-time was in 2017.

Quarter 2

00:00
Q2 is now underway.
00:48
SCORE BEHIND - Cats (Max Holmes)
02:59
SCORE GOAL - SUNS (Ben King)
04:13
Ben King has scored the first goal of the match for Gold Coast, converting a long-range set shot. The Suns scored an inaccurate 4.7 (31) from their set shots last round against the Dockers.
04:45
SCORE BEHIND - SUNS (Bailey Humphrey)
06:03
SCORE GOAL - Cats (Brad Close)
09:30
Geelong’s forwards did a stellar job at locking the ball inside their attacking 50 in the opening term. The Cats forced 14 stoppages in their forward 50 in the first quarter – their most forward 50 stoppages in a quarter since 2007.
11:31
SCORE GOAL - SUNS (Matt Rowell)
12:36
Gold Coast leads the inside 50 count eight to three this quarter with 25% of the play for the term being held in their forward 50. The SUNS won the inside 50s count by 17 against the Cats in Round 10 last year – the first time it has won that stat against them since 2017.
14:17
Cats Interchange - Shannon Neale off due to an injury.
15:36
The Suns have responded strongly since quarter-time in the contested possession battle. The SUNS trailed these possession types by nine in the first quarter but have won five more than the Cats this term.
16:20
SCORE GOAL - SUNS (Ben Long)
20:08
The recent play has lall been held in Gold Coast's attacking half. The Suns have generated the last 12 inside 50s of the match and have recorded 89% time in forward half in the last 10 minutes.
24:15
Gold Coast has recorded a pressure factor of 216 in the second quarter. Their highest pressure factor in any quarter this season is 215.
25:48
SCORE BEHIND - Cats (Brad Close)
27:41
SCORE GOAL - Cats (Tyson Stengle)
29:44
Gold Coast's delivery inside 50 has been poor tonight. Of their 25 kicks inside 50, they have only retained possession from four of these kicks - a retention rate of 16%. Geelong has retained possession from 35% of their kicks inside 50.
33:53
A tough contest in testing conditions resulted in 72 stoppages in the first half – 23 more than the AFL average for a half of football. The SUNS won the second quarter clearance count by four and generated 300 more metres from clearances for the term.

Quarter 3

00:00
Q3 is now underway.
05:58
SCORE GOAL - SUNS (Jed Walter)
06:42
The SUNS have scored two goals from defensive half intercepts tonight whereas Geelong are yet to score a goal from an intercept won in their defensive zone. The Suns have outscored their opponents by 14.4 points per game from intercept possessions on the road – ranked second.
09:18
SCORE BEHIND - Cats (Rushed)
09:24
Despite laying six fewer tackles than Geelong, Gold Coast has applied significant pressure on the ball carrier through their one percenters. The SUNS have applied 10 smothers so far tonight compared to one for the Cats.
12:56
Geelong has managed to control the ball through uncontested marks despite the conditions. The Cats have taken 50 uncontested marks compared to 31 for the SUNS. Gold Coast ranks last for uncontested marks this season.
14:22
SCORE BEHIND - Cats (Shaun Mannagh)
17:43
Tom Atkins has won a game-high 13 contested possessions tonight and is also leading the match for clearances with seven. Atkins has surpassed 15 contested possessions nine times in his career, including three times already this season.
18:11
SCORE GOAL - Cats (Tyson Stengle)
22:00
Geelong has extended its lead in groundballs to 17 for the match. Since Round 9, the Suns have lost the forward 50 groundballs by 8.3 per game – ranked last.
26:06
Geelong is well on top of the contest in the later stages of the third quarter. Over the last 10 minutes, the Cats lead inside 50s by six, contested possessions by three, marks by 10, and have a kicking efficiency of 73% compared to 57% for the SUNS.
28:16
SCORE GOAL - Cats (Tyson Stengle)
28:39
The Cats are finally getting reward for their effort, scoring their second goal of the term from 16 inside 50s. The Cats have only won one of their last seven third quarters.
31:13
Geelong put the foot down in the third quarter, extending their half-time lead by nine points to enter three-quarter time with a game-high margin of 16 points in a low-scoring affair. The Cats generated eight more inside 50s than the SUNS that term and won seven more contested possessions.

Quarter 4

00:00
Q4 is now underway.
02:34
Both Geelong and Gold Coast have been strong late in matches this season. Geelong has won 11 of their 12 fourth quarters while Gold Coast has only lost two final terms.
06:56
Tyson Stengle has been a significant contributor for Geelong tonight, scoring a game-high three goals. This is the fourth time in five matches that Stengle has scored 3 goals against the Suns.
07:51
SCORE GOAL - Cats (Oliver Dempsey)
11:39
In the absence of Bailey Smith, Max Holmes has stood up and taken charge of the Geelong midfield, accumulating his 34th disposal of the match – a career-high result. In typical fashion, most of his disposals have generated positive territory for the Cats with a game-high 759 metres gained.
15:26
Mac Andrew has done an admirable defensive job on Geelong spearhead Jeremy Cameron. Cameron has been held to one behind tonight, having kicked 18 goals in his last three games – one of five players to reach that mark over three weeks since 2015.
15:36
SCORE GOAL - Cats (Gryan Miers)
16:11
Gryan Miers has continued his strong form tonight, amassing 24 disposals, six score involvements, and has just scored his first goal of the match. Miers is averaging 25 disposals, 9 marks, and over 1 score assist in his last four games.
16:45
SCORE GOAL - SUNS (Bailey Humphrey)
17:52
SCORE GOAL - Cats (Tyson Stengle)
19:38
SCORE BEHIND - SUNS (Ben Long)
21:27
Noah Anderson has been well contained tonight by Mark O'Connor, who has restricted the SUNS' captain to 19 disposals. Anderson is averaging a career-high 30.9 disposals and has only collected fewer than 25 disposals in two matches this season.
22:46
SUNS Interchange - Noah Anderson and is possibly out for the game.
25:10
SCORE BEHIND - SUNS (Rushed)
26:45
SCORE BEHIND - SUNS (David Swallow)
28:44
The Cats have outscored the SUNS by 19 points tonight from stoppages. The SUNS have won 48 clearances but have only converted one of these into a goal.
32:51
SCORE BEHIND - SUNS (Ben Long)
35:20
A tough and contested game with Geelong earning a comfortable 24-point victory. Tricky conditions resulted in 154 stoppages in the match - the most stoppages ever recorded in an AFL match, passing the former record of 153 set in Round 12, 2007 between Geelong and Brisbane.