Cats 'still contenders' after embarrassing North in 'training' run blitz ...

The race to the top eight is heating up with reigning premiers Geelong jumping back into finals contention with a 62-point win over North Melbourne on Sunday.

Despite a slow start, the Cats piled on their biggest opening term of the season to set up a 19.11 (125) to 9.9 (63) victory at GMHBA Stadium.

Tyson Stengle was the hero with a career-high five goals, while Ollie Henry added four for the Cats.

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The Kangaroos were held goalless in a horror second term, and didn’t win a single centre clearance in the opening quarter in a stat that left coach Brett Ratten “disappointed and frustrated”.

North Melbourne were also hit by early injury blows, with Griffin Logue (knee) subbed out in the opening term and Jy Simpkin ruled out with concussion at half time.

QUARTER BY QUARTER MATCH REPORT

The Roos suffered a big blow pre-game with rising gun George Wardlaw a late out.

Kangaroos debutant Cooper Harvey could have had the first shot on goal when tackled high, but the moment was missed by umpires – instead Harvey was able to get the hands free and dish it out to Darcy Tucker who nailed the first of the game.

Cat Gary Rohan had the instant reply from the centre clearance but again it was North who lifted and found an avenue to goal.

Harvey – the son of the AFL game’s record holder Brent – was involved again as Luke Davies-Uniacke landed the second.

“North up and about early!” commentator Dwayne Russell said.

Ollie Henry and Patrick Dangerfield both let goals go begging after free kicks.

The game was stopped when Roos backman Griffin Logue limped from the field after a nasty slip trying unsuccessfully to prevent a Tyson Stengle goal.

The club confirmed it was a knee injury for the defender, and he was subbed out of the match a short time later.

And from that point, the quarter turned in the Cats’ favour as they piled on four straight goals.

“After an impressive start, it’s fallen away badly,” commentator Gerard Healy lamented.

“They are under the pump.”

The Cats were killing them in the middle with an 8-0 centre clearance count for the first term.

By quarter time, it was the Cats leading 53-12.

“The ball has lived down there (in Geelong’s forward 50),” Healy said.

North coach Brett Ratten said the first quarter was “pretty disappointing” and “frustrating”.

The Roos’ luck didn’t improve in the second term with Curtis Taylor celebrating what he thought was a goal – but the footy had other ideas, instead bouncing back up into the field of play to be rushed across by Cat Tom Stewart.

“That was through for all money!” Russell laughed.

When Gryan Miers set up another goal for Henry, Healy warned the match could be about to get “really ugly” for the Roos.

The Cats got a little too cocky midway through the second term when they opted to share the footy around instead of having someone stand tall and deliver in front of goal.

But North just couldn’t find an avenue to goal and finished the second term goalless.

By half time, it was Geelong leading 71-16.

North’s woes rolled on in the third term with Jy Simpkin ruled out with concussion, leaving the side a man down on the bench with Logue already ruled out and replaced.

Nick Larkey finally broke North’s hour-plus goal drought after a strong mark.

But Tom Hawkins ensured it was Geelong extending their lead in the third before Mark Blicavs subbed off – as a precaution the club said.

When Luke McDonald had what can only be described as a brain fade – tackling Brad Close after he’d clearly taken the mark, the Cats just pushed on.

By the final change, the top eight was beckoning for the Cats as they led 92-37.

It was showtime in the final quarter as Tyson Stengle brought up a career-high fifth goal – a banana off a couple of steps hemmed in on the boundary.

There was a reason to smile for North when Harvey got his first career goal, but the match was so far gone by that point.

The Cats cruised home to a 62-point win to leap back into the top eight.

THE 3-2-1...

3. CATS KICK INTO GEAR TO LAND IN TOP EIGHT

Geelong have righted the ship and jumped into the top eight with their big win over North Melbourne on Sunday.

In a match where Zach Tuohy surpassed the late great Jim Stynes as the games’ record holder for an Irish-born player, the Cats were on top from the outset as they opened up a 41-point quarter time lead.

It was the Cats’ best start to a match this season in great signs for their premiership defence – which has so far stalled in season 2023.

But by full time, they were 62-point winners.

“They are having a field day!” Gerard Healy praised of the Cats.

Dwayne Russell said Geelong’s form, particularly at home, would leave some rivals with concerns.

“The cream is starting to rise to the top,” he praised.

“They are still contenders.

“There’s a few above them having a sneaky look in the review mirror to see what’s coming behind them.”

The most pleasing part for coach Chris Scott is the fact the goals were shared throughout his forward line with Tyson Stengle hitting a career-high five goals.

Oliver Henry had four in arguably his best game as a Cat while Tom Hawkins and Brad Close added 3.1 and 3.0 respectively.

With the likes of Jeremy Cameron, Jed Bews, Jake Kolodjashnij and Isaac Smith all looing inclusions, Geelong are expected to push in the run home.

They’ve still got four games to be played at GMHBA Stadium – which should they get wins in those matches would take them to 12 plus a draw for the season.

The Cats also have away games to come against Brisbane, Collingwood and St Kilda.

2. WAS THE RIGHT CALL MADE TO DROP TODD GOLDSTEIN?

North Melbourne made the big selection call to drop veterans Todd Goldstein and Jack Ziebell – although the latter was given a reprieve as the sub.

Btu the decision to send the 300-plus game veteran Goldstein back to the VFL did not pay off early when the Cats absolutely killed the Kangas in the centre of the field.

By quarter time, the Cats secured a remarkable 9-0 centre clearance count as the Roos’ rucks just couldn’t get anything going.

“They didn’t get their act together – centre bounce clearance is where it started,” commentator Gerard Healy said.

“They are lucky to be this close the Kangas!” he added at half time.

In the first quarter alone, the Cats enjoyed seven score shots on goal from stoppage.

North Melbourne coach Brett Ratten was rightly fuming when he spoke to Fox Footy at quarter time as his side stared down a 41-point deficit.

“Maybe by chance we could win a centre bounce? The ball is just walking out there,” he lamented.

“Pretty frustrating to be honest.

“-9 centre bounce and the ball is just living in their half. It’s about time we got our hands dirty a bit.

“Quite frustrating.”

Fox Footy’s Brad Johnson praised the Cats players who were “very good at clearance, very good at centre bounce”.

“It’s pretty pure out of the middle of the ground,” he said.

Healy said the blame didn’t solely lie with the North ruckmen – but their midfield as well which was hit by the late out of George Wardlaw.

“It’s not just the ruckman, it’s the ground ball as much as anything,” he said.

“It just hasn’t been pressurised.”

3. HOW DO TEAMS STILL ALLOW HAWKINS’ BREAD AND BUTTER MOVE?

It’s no secret Tom Hawkins loves a forward line stoppage.

The 103kg beast is known for his ability to grab the ball out of the ruck and nail goals for his side – doing it twice against the Swans in Geelong’s premiership win last season.

So you’d think sides have enough fair warning of what’s coming.

Unfortunately for North Melbourne, they didn’t get the memo.

In a third term where the Roos actually found some fight – after a first half belting – Hawkins was able to do as he pleased.

“Once again Tom Hawkins was able to produce a goal from a forward boundary throw in – that’s something when going into these games, you can’t allow Tom Hawkins to be doing this,” Fox Footy’s Brad Johnson lamented.

“We’ve seen it enough.

“He continually does it.

“The plan has to be from behind so at least if he does grab it at the front, he has to handball in pressure, or pressure from yourself.”

Gerard Healy lamented the fact the Roos made “a couple of blues” in that passage of play that allowed Hawkins to kick one of his three goals.

Rivals, take note.

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