Match

Geelong Cats vs Brisbane Lions

Commentary / 05 Sep 2025

Pre Game

00:00
The Lions have won their last five matches at MCG by an average winning margin of 32 points.

Quarter 1

00:00
Q1 is now underway.
01:38
SCORE GOAL - Lions (Charlie Cameron)
04:15
SCORE BEHIND - Cats (Jeremy Cameron)
05:05
SCORE GOAL - Cats (Jeremy Cameron)
05:28
The two Camerons have had an immediate impact in the forward line for their teams, with Charlie and Jeremy scoring Brisbane's and Geelong's first goals of the match respectively. Both of the goals scored have been sourced from turnovers in a frantic start.
06:53
SCORE GOAL - Cats (Oliver Dempsey)
09:03
SCORE BEHIND - Cats (Rushed)
10:26
Geelong has not allowed any easy exits out of defensive 50 for the Lions. The Cats have won four forward half intercepts in the first 10 minutes, resulting in them generating eight of the first 10 inside 50s of the match.
11:29
SCORE GOAL - Cats (Jeremy Cameron)
12:40
SCORE BEHIND - Cats (Jeremy Cameron)
13:50
Jeremy Cameron has started the match on fire, accumulating five disposals for five score involvements, including two goals. Cameron ranks No. 1 this season for marks inside 50 and forward 50 disposals.
15:23
SCORE GOAL - Lions (Jaspa Fletcher)
18:11
SCORE BEHIND - Cats (Jack Henry)
19:42
SCORE GOAL - Lions (Kai Lohmann)
19:54
Brisbane's half-backs, led by Jaspa Fletcher, have enjoyed an outstanding start to the match. All three goals for the Lions this quarter have been launched from defensive midfield intercepts. Fletcher has been directly involved in the last two goals for the Lions and is leading the match in disposals (nine) and metres gained (203).
23:09
The Cats have taken their seventh mark inside 50 for the quarter. This is the equal-most marks inside 50 that the Lions have conceded to their opponents in any quarter this season.
23:25
SCORE BEHIND - Cats (Rushed)
24:44
SCORE GOAL - Cats (Oisin Mullin)
25:09
Oisin Mullin, who is paying considerable attention to Hugh McCluggage, has just scored his first goal of his career in his 41st AFL match. Mullin had scored seven career behinds before this goal.
26:35
SCORE BEHIND - Cats (Jeremy Cameron)
30:32
Geelong managed eight marks inside 50 in the first quarter, the most the Lions have conceded in a quarter in more than two seasons. The Cats only scored three goals from these eight forward 50 marks.

Quarter 2

00:00
Q2 is now underway.
00:44
SCORE GOAL - Lions (Kai Lohmann)
01:29
Brisbane's first goal of the second quarter has been launched from a centre bounce - their first goal from a stoppage tonight. The Lions rank third-last for scores from centre bounces this season, averaging under eight points per match from this source.
02:08
SCORE BEHIND - Lions (Rushed)
04:24
SCORE BEHIND - Cats (Brad Close)
05:23
Brisbane's midfielders have responded positively to start the third quarter, with the Lions winning the first three clearances of the term. Geelong dominated stoppages in the opening term, winning eight of the last nine clearances before quarter-time.
05:31
SCORE BEHIND - Cats (Rushed)
07:29
SCORE GOAL - Lions (Jarrod Berry)
08:46
SCORE BEHIND - Cats (Max Holmes)
09:45
SCORE BEHIND - Cats (Rushed)
12:57
Brisbane is doing a much better job at managing the territory contest this term, leading inside 50s eight to five for the term. Brisbane generated seven inside 50s in the opening term - their equal second-lowest result in any quarter this season.
14:17
SCORE BEHIND - Cats (Rushed)
15:30
Geelong's ability to convert their inside 50s into scores has been ominous this term, scoring five times from their first six inside 50s since quarter-time. The only thing lacking is some forward 50 polish, with all five of these scores being behinds.
18:37
Geelong's tackling tonight has been brutal, recording a tackle efficiency of 91%. The AFL average tackle efficiency this season is 65.5%. The best tackle efficiency applied by the Cats this season is 76% (Round 4 v Melbourne).
19:06
SCORE BEHIND - Lions (Josh Dunkley)
22:16
SCORE GOAL - Cats (Sam De Koning)
22:41
Geelong has won its 12th forward-half intercept of the first half, resulting in a goal to Sam De Koning. Geelong has been the highest-scoring team from turnovers this season, averaging 61 points per match from this source.
24:17
SCORE GOAL - Cats (Jack Bowes)
25:55
SCORE GOAL - Cats (Oliver Dempsey)
27:27
SCORE GOAL - Cats (Tom Stewart)
27:41
Geelong has piled on four goals in just over five minutes. Concerningly for Brisbane, the Lions have not laid a tackle for more than 12 minutes of play.
29:14
SCORE GOAL - Lions (Cam Rayner)
30:15
SCORE GOAL - Lions (Cam Rayner)
30:36
Cam Rayner has received consecutive free kicks in the goal square to score two quick goals for the Lions and reduce the margin to 15 points before half-time. Three of the four goals scored by the Lions this term have come from free kicks.
34:20
Geelong finishes the first half with 12 marks inside 50 to three for Brisbane. The Lions concede an average of 12 marks inside 50 to their opponents this season per match.

Quarter 3

00:00
Q3 is now underway.
00:52
SCORE BEHIND - Cats (Rushed)
02:41
Geelong applied 51 tackles in the first half – their most-ever first-half tackles in a final.
04:26
SCORE GOAL - Cats (Mark Blicavs)
04:43
The Cats have scored the opening goal of the second half and have generated four of the first five inside 50s in the third quarter. The Cats have scored seven times from forward half intercepts compared to two for the Lions.
06:22
SCORE GOAL - Lions (Cam Rayner)
11:44
Geelong's ball movement out of its defensive half has been a highlight tonight. The Cats have generated an inside 50 from 30% of their defensive 50 chains, significantly higher than Brisbane's conversion of 11%.
13:54
After recording a pressure factor of 184 in the first half, the Lions have increased their pressure to a game-high 212 in the third quarter.
14:00
SCORE GOAL - Cats (Bailey Smith)
18:13
SCORE GOAL - Cats (Max Holmes)
18:39
Zach Guthrie has played an important defensive role on dangerous forward Charlie Cameron. After scoring the first goal in the second minute of the match, Cameron has only recorded one disposal since, while Guthrie has collected nine disposals and two score involvements in his defensive role.
19:46
SCORE BEHIND - Lions (Rushed)
20:38
SCORE BEHIND - Lions (Cam Rayner)
22:33
SCORE BEHIND - Lions (Zac Bailey)
24:32
SCORE GOAL - Lions (Logan Morris)
24:39
Logan Morris has scored a much-needed goal for the Lions from his first shot at goal for the match. Morris is averaging 11.5 disposals, 1.2 contested marks, 2.6 goals, and 1.3 score assists against top-eight teams.
27:37
Geelong has won the inside 50 count in all three quarters played so far tonight. The Cats have lost the time in forward half differential just five times all season, including both games to the Lions.
28:10
SCORE GOAL - Cats (Jack Martin)
29:39
SCORE GOAL - Cats (Oliver Dempsey)
31:05
Geelong put its foot down in the third quarter, scoring five goals to two for the term with four of their five goals being scored from turnovers. Max Holmes dominated the quarter, leading the Cats in disposals (10), inside 50s (three), and metres gained (331) to be the highest-rated player for the term.

Quarter 4

00:00
Q4 is now underway.
01:33
Geelong has not lost a game when leading at three-quarter time this season. Since the start of 2024, the Cats have won 29 of their 30 matches when leading at the final break.
04:26
SCORE GOAL - Cats (Shannon Neale)
04:32
The Cats scored just 27 points from intercept possessions against Brisbane in Round 15 – their equal second-fewest this season. They have scored 8.5 (53) from turnovers tonight, with five of these being launched from their forward half.
08:09
SCORE BEHIND - Cats (Shannon Neale)
10:27
SCORE BEHIND - Cats (Shaun Mannagh)
11:00
Lions Interchange - Lachie Neale and is possibly out for the game.
13:12
Geelong leads the post-clearance contested possession count by 21 tonight. Brisbane has only recorded a differential worse than this once over the last two seasons.
13:46
SCORE BEHIND - Lions (Kai Lohmann)
14:16
SCORE GOAL - Lions (Zac Bailey)
14:52
Zac Bailey has complemented his 25 disposal and six clearance effort with a late goal. Bailey has finished goalless in only one of his last nine games at the MCG – averaging 16.3 disposals, 2.0 goals, and 3.0 tackles this season.
17:46
SCORE GOAL - Lions (Josh Dunkley)
19:49
Geelong has reached the 20 intercept mark count for the sixth time this season - a feat they had only achieved once since Round 15 before tonight. This is the fifth time that the Lions have conceded 20 intercept marks to their opponents this season.
19:58
SCORE BEHIND - Lions (Dayne Zorko)
21:09
SCORE BEHIND - Lions (Cam Rayner)
22:07
Brisbane continues to fight admirably, generating the last eight inside 50s of the match and the last four clearances. They have recorded the last five scores of the match.
23:11
SCORE BEHIND - Cats (Rushed)
24:04
SCORE GOAL - Cats (Tom Atkins)
24:43
Tom Atkins has scored the sixth goal for the Cats launched from a forward half intercept. The Cats have scored 33.7 points per game from forward half intercepts this season – ranked No.1.
28:52
SCORE GOAL - Cats (Brad Close)
30:21
SCORE BEHIND - Cats (Tyson Stengle)
31:18
Geelong controlled the match from the early stages, leading inside 50s 17 to seven at quarter-time and never looked back. The Cats finished with 60 inside 50s for the match - their most in a finals match since the 2022 Grand Final victory against the Swans.