Allen Christensen was missing when the Roos and Cats met earlier this year, with back surgery in February sidelining him until round 14. Christensen has been gradually working his way back to form since returning to the Cats' side, but exploded back to his best with a best-on-ground performance against North on Saturday night. The speedy Cat had an equal game-high 29 possessions, kicked a last-quarter goal and got under the skin of Roos star Brent Harvey on more than one occasion. Having Christensen fit and firing as the finals approach should help the Cats trouble this year's flag favourites the Sydney Swans, along with the heavily fancied Hawthorn and Fremantle.

 

The Cats underlined they remain one of most potent attacking teams in the competition with a sublime counterattack in the third term. When North forward Lindsay Thomas could not hang on to a hot chance at the 11-minute mark, the Cats pounced. Thomas' opponent James Kelly hurriedly kicked into the centre and found Jimmy Bartel, who did not waste any time bombing long into a vacant Cats' forward 50, pitting teammate Shane Kersten in a match race with Roos defender Scott Thompson. The pair raced the best part of 50m, with the young Cat showing a good turn of speed to beat Thompson to the ball and convert under immense pressure.

 

North was just four points down at the nine-minute mark of the second term, with Nick Dal Santo about to send them into attack from the wing. But the Roos' attack was cut short when Brent Harvey gave away a down-the-ground free kick for a high block on Christensen. Soon after Mitch Duncan goaled for the Cats, but things were about to get worse – much worse – for the Roos. Before the restart of play, Harvey was unlucky to give away another free kick to Christensen on the Cats' half-forward line for an innocuous shove. Christensen found Tom Hawkins for another goal and less than two minutes later Majak Daw pushed Shane Kersten in the face in the goalsquare, giving away a 50m penalty that allowed Joel Selwood to goal from point-blank range. After that five minutes of play, North was suddenly 22 points down and well and truly on the back foot.

 

James Kelly starred in the midfield with 33 possessions in the Cats' round 10 win over North Melbourne, but coach Chris Scott assigned him a far different role on Saturday night in his 250th game. Showcasing the versatility that has defined his stellar career, Kelly manned the Roos' star small forward Lindsay Thomas. Kelly kept Thomas goalless in the first half, but the Roo fought back in the second half to finish with three majors, but Kelly never really allowed him to get too far off the leash. The veteran Cat also had 15 possessions and six rebound 50s.

Steven Motlop looked to have given Geelong the lead in the shadows of quarter-time when he ran onto a Shane Kersten handball and kicked truly from 30m. Motlop's kick had come close to the left goalpost, but appeared to have snuck in with the help of a gentle fade. Certainly that's what the goal umpire thought because he gave it the all clear. But as the players had gathered in the centre square for the restart of play with just nine seconds left in the term, the third umpire called for a review. It did not take long for him to rule Motlop's kick had in fact brushed the post, reducing the Cats' temporary four-point lead to a one-point deficit.