Players after the AFLW round one match between Geelong and North Melbourne at GMHBA Stadium, August 16, 2025. Picture: Getty Images

NORTH Melbourne has gained revenge on Geelong, the only side to take points off them in their undefeated 2024 run, winning by 30 points on an icy Saturday afternoon at GMHBA Stadium.

It was a failure to capitalise on a dominant third quarter that sunk the Cats, as North pulled away in the last to run out 8.3 (51) to 3.3 (21) winners.

CATS v KANGAROOS Full match coverage and stats

The game began with free-flowing footy early featuring plenty of pressure and desperate smothers, in particular from Geelong. But play slowed right down in the second and third, with the Cats and Kangaroos trading respective scoreless quarters.

Winger Mikayla Bowen (27 disposals, 433 metres gained) and Georgie Prespakis (22 disposals, seven clearances) showed a lot to like for the home fans, although Prespakis would have liked to have a couple of her kicks back with the game on the line in the third.

There was no one more apt to open the scoring than new North Melbourne captain, 2024 All-Australian captain and Grand Final best on ground winner Jasmine Garner (25 disposals). Geelong made a critical error early leaving her alone in space in front of goal, where she snapped truly.

After the Cats’ patient build-up of kick-mark football, mayhem in the forward line led to Julia Crockett-Grills kicking their first goal. Jackie Parry then took a strong contested mark on the 50m line, before receiving a 50m penalty for encroachment of the protected area to make the conversion a certainty for their second.

The Kangaroos played with the ball a little too much inside their forward 50 in the first quarter for little result, passing around a few too many times before the Cats defence mopped up.

North Melbourne lifted in the second quarter, with Geelong unable to get the ball out of their defensive half. However, the Roos were unable to capitalise on this dominance, leading inside 50s 10 to five in the second quarter with only a goal and two behinds to show for it.

The stricter interpretation of the holding the ball rule, as recently flagged by the AFL to support more free-flowing football, was on clear display. Garner reaped the rewards multiple times, finishing up with an equal game-high nine tackles alongside Geelong’s Caitlin Thorne.

Asked after the game about the new interpretation, star mid Ash Riddell (28 disposals, seven clearances) acknowledged it was a “work in progress”.

“We could sort of see, probably particularly in the second half, that it was a little bit tighter, so we sort of had to try and keep the ball flowing and get to the ball to the outside.”

Her coach Darren Crocker agreed.

“I like the concept of it to keep the game alive and moving,” he said. “We’ve just gotta be careful that we don’t go too far one way.

“And I’m sure with anything, you know, you potentially go too hard one way early and then you can just pull it back. We’re a team that like to keep the ball alive anyway, so for us it shouldn’t hurt us too much.”

Veteran Cat Kate Darby sat out the majority of the match with her calf strapped after an early injury, while debutant teammate ruck Piper Dunlop underwent an HIA in the second after coming off with a bloodied nose.

Despite the ball living in Geelong’s forward half for the third quarter, they simply could not take advantage. Aishling Moloney had multiple opportunities but hit the behind post and sent the ball twice out of bounds on the full either side of the post.

It was only a late crunching hit on North defender Nicole Bresnehan and a 50m penalty that gave the Kangaroos respite from defending late in the quarter.

Three quick goals by North opened the last quarter as the rain began to fall, ultimately shutting the door on a Geelong resurgence, with Crocket-Grills slotting a consolation second goal late.

After a solid game, Cats forward Jackie Parry went down awkwardly in a marking contest in the last quarter and had to be helped from the ground by trainers.

Coach Dan Lowther said post-game that he hadn’t seen any assessments from the medical team yet on Darby or Parry’s injuries, but noted that Parry had “a bit of knee soreness”.

“She was strapped and ready to go back on the ground which was a good sign,” he acknowledged.

The win extends North Melbourne’s undefeated run to 11 games.

Taking her moment
It had been a long wait for Irishwoman Blaithin Bogue to make her debut – sitting on the sidelines for her first season watching her side become undefeated premiers last year. The Kangaroos’ first debutant since round seven, 2023, Bogue had a relatively quiet first three quarters, but mopped up a dropped mark by teammate Tahlia Randall with an opportunistic kick off the ground to open the final term. Minutes later, Bogue took a mark in the goalsquare and doubled her tally. Between these goals and Bella Eddey’s later effort, the game was effectively over.

Wet and wild
As the rain fell across the early afternoon in South Geelong and the sky threatened, you couldn’t be blamed for remembering the last meeting between these two sides in round two last year at Arden St Oval. A wet and windy affair ended in a draw, with Geelong ultimately becoming the only team to take premiership points from North Melbourne. The rain dried up by the time the game began at 3.35pm AEST, but began to flow freely again at the beginning of the last quarter. 

Up next
The tough task for Geelong only continues, facing powerhouse side Adelaide at Unley Oval on Sunday, August 24. Meanwhile, the Kangaroos will unfurl the premiership flag at their first home game at Arden St Oval against Port Adelaide on the same day. 
 
GEELONG                      2.0     2.0     2.2     3.3 (21)
NORTH MELBOURNE     2.0     3.2     3.2     8.3 (51)
 
GOALS
Geelong: Crockett-Grills 2, Parry 
North Melbourne: Shierlaw 2, Bogue 2, Garner, Eddey, O’Loughlin, King
 
BEST 
Geelong: Prespakis, McDonald, Morrison, Parry, Bowen
North Melbourne: Riddell, Garner, Shierlaw, Smith, Bogue, Rennie
 
INJURIES 
Geelong: Darby (calf) 
North Melbourne: Nil
  
Reports: Nil
 
Crowd: TBA at GMHBA Stadium 

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