Like many clashes this weekend, North Melbourne versus Geelong saw a top-four side facing off against a bottom-four side. For the last decade, Geelong have dominated this fixture, last losing to North over ten years ago. While North Melbourne has improved, there is still a gulf in skill levels between the two clubs.
Never has it been more apparent, and that should scare North fans.
Coming into the game, Geelong had mixed form, losing two of their last four games to keep them on the edge of the top four, while North Melbourne’s last win came back in Round 15 against Carlton. Since that game, North have lost each of their games by at least five goals with a blowout 85-point loss to Hawthorn a month ago.
Geelong and Coleman leading forward, Jeremy Cameron got the first goal of the game after the Cats benefited from a 50-metre penalty. However, Paul Curtis was able to snatch one back for North after working his opponent, Sam De Koning, under the ball. Surprisingly, North had the lead after Cameron Zurhaar outmuscled Jack Henry to give his side an unexpected early advantage.
Jeremy Cameron kicked his second goal of the game, despite marking deep in the right forward pocket. Cameron then had goal number three after the Cats won a stoppage inside their forward 50, and it was right about this point you got the feeling Jezza was in for a day. Geelong could have then kicked away, but failed to make the most of their opportunities, most notably Mark Blicavs pulled a set shot across the face from straight in front of goal. Shannon Neale finally managed to break a string of behinds to push the Cats out to a 17-point lead.
Blicavs then topped his miss from the first quarter by missing a shot from a metre out, running into an open goal. Geelong continued their goal-kicking yips, with Stengle missing a snap at goal where he probably should have hand-balled off to Jeremy Cameron, who was free inside 50. Shannon Neale broke the run of Geelong behinds after marking a Tyson Stengle shot that fell across the face and short of the goals.
Jeremy Cameron almost had goal number four, but his snapshot at goal spiralled across the face of the goal and ended up out on the full. Blicavs missed his third shot at goal from the game, this one from outside 50, but straight in front. North’s ruckman, Finnbar Maley then had another contender for the worst miss of all time, hitting the behind post from the top of the goal square.
Yes, we were not being treated to a goal kicking masterclass… that’s for sure.
Not yet, anyway.
After a run of poor shots in front of goal, Jack Bowes then kicked Geelong’s sixth goal of the game to stretch the margin out to 30 points. Gryan Miers then doubled the punishment after another 50-metre penalty against Jacob Konstanty, kicking a goal from just inside the 50-meter arc.
Unlike his fellow Geelong ruckman, Rhys Stanley made the most of his simple set shot at goal to extend the Cats’ lead out to 42 points. Smith then kicked a goal with his 22nd possession of the game. Jeremy Cameron then kicked goals four and five at the end of the first half. Finally, Cameron Zurhaar kicked his second goal of the game to end a run of ten unanswered goals to the Cats. Despite this goal, the Cats still went into the main break of the game 54 points up and looking well on track to win their 14th straight game against North Melbourne.
And North looked broken.
After finishing the first half with two goals, Jeremy Cameron continued his goal spree with the first goal of the second half as well, after Geelong broke from defence, which saw both Dangerfield and Cameron alone in the forward 50. Jeremy Cameron then kicked goal number seven, pushing the lead out to 69 points. Shortly after this, Cameron had another shot at goal that was marked on the line.
Substitute Lawson Humphries joined the party, kicking a goal after coming on to the ground for Patrick Dangerfield, who was so comfortable at being taken from the game, he sat on the bench and ate a kebab. There is no confirmation as to whether it was lamb, chicken, or if he is one of the weirdos who eats them both at once.
More news as it comes to hand.
Shannon Neale then kicked his third goal of the game to push Geelong’s total past 100 points for the game. Neale then kicked goal number 4 as the margin moved to 87 points for the game.
Stengle then crumbed a pack with a few minutes remaining in the third quarter to kick his first goal of the game. Jeremy Cameron then kicked his eighth goal as the margin extended out to 99 points. With seconds remaining in the quarter, Brad Close pushed the margin out to an even 100 points. Jeremy Cameron then kicked his ninth goal to extend the three-quarter-time margin out to 106 points.
There is no mercy rule in footy. Maybe there should be?
Cameron kicked his tenth goal of the game to start the fourth quarter, a career high for the former Giant. Paul Curtin then kicked North’s first goal of the second half to cut the margin back down to 106 points as the heat was sapped out of the game. Tyson Stengle kicked his second goal of the game before Jeremy Cameron hit the post to mark his first official scoring blemish of the game.
North went coast-to-coast, with Cameron Zurhaar kicking his third goal. Jack Darling then kicked North Melbourne’s second goal in a row, the first time North Melbourne kicked back-to-back goals in the game since early in the first quarter.
Cameron then capped off his game with goal number eleven from the goal square. Second-gamer Zac Banch almost kicked the first goal of his career, but chose to use the dribble kick, allowing Cat’s defender Tom Atkins to rush it through for a behind. Finnbar Maley then got forward to mark a Paul Curtin shot that fell short to reduce the final margin down to 101 points.
Bailey Smith produces another monster performance
New recruit Bailey Smith continued to cement his place as the recruit of last year’s off-season with another monster display for the Cats. Smith picked up his second 40+ possession game, matching his previous best from 2022, which also came against North Melbourne.
It was a dominant display from the occasionally controversial Cat, winning 13 clearances, helping propel his team forward the whole game. While Smith led the pack, he wasn’t alone in his efforts. Max Holmes ended the game with 29 possessions and seven clearances, and Tom Atkins chipped in with 25 possessions and five clearances.
Know what’s funny? This morning, all we’ve seen is clips of Cameron’s goals and Smith getting into it a little with a couple of North fans on the boundary. His game should be the focus. It was brilliant, and we should not be distracted by some momentary byplay between a player and a couple of supporters. Stick to the stuff that matters.
Despite his dominant performance, Smith may end up missing out on the three votes come Brownlow night thanks to the efforts of Jeremy Cameron.
It kind of feels wrong that one of them will be assessed as second-best on the night, doesn’t it? I guess 11 goals in a game just doesn’t come around that often.
Jeremy Cameron’s personal best
Coming into the game, Jeremy Cameron led the Coleman medal count by 11 goals, ahead of Mitch Georgiades, Jamie Elliot, and Ben King. However, with four games remaining, we can basically award Cameron his second Coleman medal with this performance against North.
Cameron kicked the Cats’ first two goals and continued to score goals for fun throughout the game. While the final scoresheet of 11 goals, 1 behind, is impressive, it does flatter Cameron a little, as he had a few shots that didn’t register a score. Hell, maybe he could have had his ‘Buddy’ moment and got 13… 13… 13!
Still, Cameron completely tore the contest apart and bullied both Griffin Logue and Toby Pink.
Cameron also wasn’t completely alone in a dominant display by Geelong, with fellow tall forward Shannon Neale handily kicking four goals, which will likely fly under the radar. Neale is coming along nicely, and has had massive boots to fill, but with 31 goals for the season, he is doinbg exactly what the Cats hoped he would. Ruckman Mark Blicavs probably should have joined Neale and Cameron on multiple goals for the game, but missed all three of his rather easy shots at goal.
For North, Cameron Zurhaar and Paul Curtin were the only goal kickers for the game in a team desperately missing their spearhead, Nick Larkey. Thankfully, it seems that Larkey will return to North next week after being held out of this contest as a precaution.
North Melbourne’s passengers
Unfortunately for North Melbourne fans, their team has been stuck in the doldrums for the past several years.
Too many years, if we’re being honest.
There was hope, with the arrival of multiple first-round picks, a gaggle of traded-in players with experience and a successful coach at the helm, they would surely move up the ladder.
Despite all the hope, this progress has not yet eventuated, and too many players appear to be along for the ride. Griffin Logue had one of his worst games for North, seeming almost helpless as his opponent kicked 11 goals for the game. However, he wasn’t alone as Will Dawson was also towelled up by Shannon Neale. Toby Pink also spent time on Cameron, and he, too, was powerless to stop the stream of goals.
North’s defence will likely cop a lot of scrutiny, but the lack of effort to get back inside 50 and genuinely make a difference by a nonchalant midfield should also get the heat. Players like Luke Davies Uniacke need to be leaders and stand up in games like this. He’s being paid like a superstar and is producing like a ressies player.
Not good enough.
The month ahead
The only shining light for North Melbourne fans is surely that the season is almost over, and they can soon be put out of their misery for another year.
Oh, hang on… they traded their first rounder to Richmond.
Okay… just breathe, North fans. Deep, slow breaths.
They will face off against fellow strugglers St. Kilda at Marvel Stadium in the next round before travelling to Canberra to take on the Giants. North will then face Richmond in Tasmania, before finishing off the next month and their season against the Adelaide Crows.
Geelong travels back home with four premiership points and a relatively easy run home. They play Port Adelaide and Essendon at GMHBA Stadium before playing the Swans at the SCG. The Cats will have their final game back at the MCG, where they will take on Richmond before heading into the finals. Given the Cats’ relatively easy run home, they will expect themselves to be a decent chance to solidify their spot in the top 4, and a chance to rest some players before more challenging tests in the finals.
Is it the perfect run into September?
You can look at this either way.
The Cats will likely get the chance to rest some players if necessary, as every team they play from now on is out of contention, but on the flip side, they may miss the opportunity to hit September as a battle-hardened unit.
The next four weeks should see the Cats emerge, once again, as a serious top two threat. The pressure is right off them at the moment, and just one slip from teams above them will se Geelong pounce on their spot.
Yes, the last four games of the season should be wins for the Cats, but they have the opportunity to make them something more. After this demolition against North, I would look for at least a couple of similar results in the run home. Make yourself feared again, Cats.
