It’s a highway to hell for Roos with no joy on road trip
While some Geelong rookies had their moments it was the same old story for North Melbourne at GMHBA Stadium on Sunday, as Geelong won its fifth straight match for the season with a deluge of majors from a range of contributors.
The Roos, who have not won at Kardinia Park since round 4, 2015 – only Mark Blicavs, Mitch Duncan and 200-gamer Rhys Stanley remained from that match – and only once since 2007, were the victims of some brutal tackling pressure early in the first quarter.
Brandan Parfitt and Tanner
Bruhn were particularly desperate in the opening minutes in the Cats’ forward 50 for the round 5 clash.
And as you’d expect, Jeremy Cameron was brilliant with three majors to halftime; a right foot snap in the second term the pick of the crop. He would finish with six. However, there were some new faces in the hoops who enjoyed some time in the spotlight, including debutant Connor O’Sullivan and late inclusion Shannon Neale in just his sixth game, after Tom Hawkins was managed.
Neale, 21, shone at both ends of the ground.
He provided a strong option up forward from the start, scoring the first of his three majors after being picked out by a typically deft Gryan Miers pass.
There was also the strongest of defensive marks about 30m out in the second to quell a rare North Melbourne forward entry – the Cats won the inside-50 count 34-22 for the half – before outmuscling Bailey Scott to run on from a clever Zach Tuohy pass for his second, putting the home side 45 points up.
Meanwhile, O’Sullivan was sent to Hugh Greenwood initially and in one passage of play, had important handballs at either ends of the ground, underlying his athleticism.
The Albury 18-year-old was in the action across the wing early with the Cats keeping the ball locked in its forward half; a deft touch to set up an early attack and then a confidencebuilding run-down tackle the highlights.
O’Sullivan’s overall game was blotted by a couple of dropped marks.
In his 200th, Rhys Stanley pouched a strong grab early against Nick Larkey and had a presence.
In the engine room, Jack Bowes was influential with 14 touches for the half – as did Miers and Max Holmes – while Cameron had 15 and eight score involvements.
The Cats would win the clearances for the first time this year.
It took North Melbourne nearly 15 minutes to get their first inside 50, before they scored goals through marking options.
But it was against the tide as the Cats cemented their place in the top four.
Parfitt, atoning for a shocking kick with two hard-hitting tackles to create Geelong’s 12th goal through Brad Close just before the halftime bell, summed up Geelong’s endeavour for the contest as they took a 51-point lead at the main break.
A traditional Irish-tune, after a Mark O’Connor goal, sparked up the crowd after the sting had gone out of the contest midway through the third.