North Melbourne Kangaroos vs Geelong Cats: AFL live scores, blog

Geelong will be looking to atone for last week’s shock loss to Hawthorn when they travel to Tasmania to face the struggling North Melbourne. Join The Roar for live scores, coverage and analysis from 1:10pm (AEST).

With just one win from their opening five matches, North Melbourne face more stiff opposition in the form of the Cats; a team keen to get back on the winner’s list after a disappointing loss to the Hawks in Round 5.

The rebuild at the Kangaroos has been a slow one, with glimpses of promise interspersed with other days where it is difficult to see where any progress has been made at all.

Geelong remain the steady force of the competition, despite two early losses in 2022 that have Chris Scott somewhat concerned. No doubt the Cats will find their best form as the season progresses; yet they cannot afford too many slip-ups as they had against Hawthorn last week, where they appeared to have the game on their terms before it all fell away in the final minutes.

In selection news, the Kangaroos celebrate the returns of Cam Zurhaar and Tarryn Thomas, players certain to make them immediately better than the team that has been belted by the Lions and Bulldogs in two of its last three matches.

Geelong have serious injury concerns with Jack Henry and Patrick Dangerfield out of this clash, along with Luke Dahlhaus, who is to be managed this week by Scott.

The Cats will be seeking a quick bounce-back after the disappointment against the Hawks and with Tom Hawkins and Jeremy Cameron up front, hoping to simply outclass a North Melbourne team that should not be up to this task considering where they are at in their rebuild.

Coach David Noble will be hoping to see further improved signs that were clearly on show against the Swans in Round 5, and there will be no better test for his squad than being up against a hungry Cats outfit.

Prediction

Geelong should win this game in a canter and almost certainly will. The big question will be whether the Kangaroos can show the grit that has only be existent in patches in 2022.

To have any chance they will need to get down in the trenches with the Cats, otherwise Geelong will simply outclass them right across the park and potentially put on a big score in Bellerive.

Geelong by 37 points.

Game information

Opening bounce: 1:10pm (AEST)
Venue: Blundstone Arena, Hobart
TV: Fox Footy
Live stream: Kayo Sports, Foxtel Now, Foxtel Go
Betting: Kangaroos $4.60, Cats $1.20 (odds via PlayUp)

North Melbourne

B: A. Bosenavulagi, B. McKay, A. Corr

HB: L. McDonald, J. Walker, J. Ziebell (c)

C: L. Young, L. Davies-Uniacke, B. Scott

HF: C. Taylor, N. Larkey, T. Thomas

F: P. Curtis, C. Zurhaar, T. Goldstein

FOLL: T. Xerri, J. Simpkin, J. Horne-Francis

I/C: J. Mahony, H. Greenwood, K. Turner, F. Perez

EMG: A. Bonar, C. Coleman-Jones, M. Bergman, E. Ford

IN: Zurhaar, Thomas, Curtis

OUT: Hall, Ford, Stephenson

Geelong

B: S. De Koning, M. Blicavs, J. Bews

HB: J. Kolodjashnij, T. Stewart, Z. Tuohy

C: M. Duncan, J. Selwood (c), I. Smith

HF: S. Higgins, J. Cameron, O. Dempsey

F: T. Stengle, T. Hawkins, B. Close

FOLL: R. Stanley, B. Parfitt, C. Guthrie

I/C: M. Holmes, T. Atkins, G. Miers, M. O’Connor

EMG: E. Ratugolea, F. Evans, Z. Guthrie, L. Dahlhaus

IN: Dempsey, Higgins, Kolodjashnij (R5 medi-sub)

OUT: Henry, Dahlhaus, Dangerfield