Jeremy Cameron celebrates during the round 20 match between North Melbourne and Geelong at Marvel Stadium, July 26, 2025. Picture: Getty Images

GEELONG has completely torn apart North Melbourne in a 101-point victory, with Jeremy Cameron kicking a career high 11-goals to extend the longest active winning streak over an opposition team to 13 consecutive victories. 

The Cats seized their spot back in the top four, securing their first win at Marvel Stadium in two years, with a final score of 22.18 (150) to 7.7 (49). 

KANGAROOS v CATS Full match coverage and stats

Bailey Smith was back in Brownlow contention after a quiet two weeks, notching up an equal career-best of his own with 43 disposals, 13 clearances and a goal. With a bit of back and forth with the crowd thrown in, ‘Baz’ was back to his old tricks. 

Max Holmes also impressed and was left relatively unattended by the Roos midfield throughout the game, snagging 29 disposals, seven clearances and 664 metres gained.

Without Nick Larkey for the third consecutive week, defender Charlie Comben moved forward as a tall option, flanked by Cameron Zurhaar and Paul Curtis.

Whilst the latter duo each kicked multiple goals, it wasn’t enough with six cumulative North Melbourne goals not even close to bridging the gap. 

The Cats’ forward line was on fire, and no matter what Alastair Clarkson threw at the defence, it didn’t stop the bleeding on the scoreboard. Forward Zane Duursma also found himself moved around, replicating his half-back spot in the VFL last week. 

But for all of Clarkson’s magnet moving, the most baffling was not assigning anyone to be Jeremy Cameron’s shadow until the third quarter, when Toby Pink was sent to be glued to his side. 

However, it was too little too late, as the damage had been done by the Coleman Medal leader who slotted five goals in the first half, and finished with a career high 11 by the game’s end. 

And if it wasn’t Cameron inside-50 it was Shannon Neale, who kicked four goals and took eight marks.  

Despite the carnage to the scoreboard, both teams left relatively unscathed on the injury front with both subs used tactically. Patrick Dangerfield was subbed out of his 200th game in the blue hoops, for Lawson Humphries in the third term, whilst Roo Robert Hansen Jr came on for Jacob Konstanty in the fourth.

In what was an ultimately dismal showing from North Melbourne, veteran Luke Parker was the shining light, displaying his seniority with 31 disposals and five clearances, whilst Colby McKercher had 32 touches and 6 marks. 

But for what it was worth, Geelong was still too strong.

With a dominant exhibition of football, Chris Scott’s Cats took their spot back in the top four in a bloodbath that saw the first triple-digit margin of 2025. 

Milestone Night for Jezza
It may have been Patrick Dangerfield’s 200th game for Geelong, but it was Jeremy Cameron’s night. Kicking a career high 11-goals, Cameron was completely unstoppable, no matter who North Melbourne threw at him, from Griffin Logue to Toby Pink. With three kicked in the first quarter, and five by half-time, it was clear from the get-go the Coleman Medal leader was chasing down a new milestone. Despite hitting the 11 in front of an emphatic Cats crowd, Cameron was unable to snag the second record on offer for the night. In Marvel Stadium’s 25-year history, ‘Jezza’ is just the third player to kick 11 goals at the ground, but the history making 12 from Mark Lecras in 2010 against Essendon still remains up for grabs.

Bailey Smith vs the Crowd
Bailey Smith set the tone for the match early, bringing his theatrics back into the game with a first quarter tête-à-tête with the crowd. When a push to North’s Jy Simpkin led to an outburst from an unhappy Roos supporter, Smith bit back. After exchanging words with the patron, the contentious midfielder stuck his tongue out and, with a grin, ran back into the contest. But in true ‘Baz’ fashion, it wasn’t just words from the star, who went on to back up his chat with 43 disposals, 13 clearances and a goal.

NORTH MELBOURNE    2.2    3.4      3.5       7.7 (49)
GEELONG                     4.6   11.10   19.15   22.18 (150)  

GOALS
North Melbourne: Zurhaar 3, Curtis 2, Darling, Maley
Geelong: Cameron 11, Neale 4, Stengle 2, Bowes, Miers, Stanley, Smith, Humphries

BEST
North Melbourne: Parker, McKercher, Sheezel, Powell, Simpkin
Geelong: Smith, Cameron, Holmes, Atkins, Miers 

INJURIES
North Melbourne: Nil
Geelong: Nil  

SUBSTITUTES
North Melbourne: Robert Hansen Jr (replaced Jacob Konstanty in the fourth quarter)
Geelong: Lawson Humphries (replaced Patrick Dangerfield in the third quarter) 

Crowd: TBC at Marvel StadiumÂ