GEELONG'S top-four quest appears back on track after finishing with a wet sail to beat North Melbourne by 40 points and continue an eight-year streak.
Coming off a heavy loss to the Western Bulldogs, the Cats had a slow start and some anxious moments before securing a 16.10 (106) to 10.6 (66) result on Saturday at Blundstone Arena.
KANGAROOS v CATS Full match coverage and stats
Tyson Stengle, who recently inked a five-year extension with the Cats, kicked three goals including two late in the third quarter to break a North run.
The Kangaroos had cut the margin to 10 points with three straight majors before Stengle came to life and Patrick Dangerfield booted one after the three-quarter time siren.
Geelong went on with the job, kicking five goals to three in the last term to secure the victory.
Cats rookie Ollie Dempsey produced some eye-catching plays, with 18 disposals and three goals including a soccered loose ball in the second quarter, while Tom Stewart (32 disposals, four clearances) was equally as influential for the Cats.
Sitting in seventh spot before the game, the win pushes the Cats to 12-7 for the season and into third spot on the ladder with four games to play.
Geelong has won the past 13 clashes between the two clubs, going back to 2016.
The Kangaroos had plenty of promising runs through the midfield in the first half but often couldn't nail the last kick.
Geelong forward Gary Rohan was forced out of the game in the third quarter after accidentally colliding and clashing heads with Tom Powell. Rohan underwent a head injury assessment but didn't pass and will miss next week's clash against Adelaide at GMHBA Stadium.
In front of a healthy Hobart crowd, North got off to a hot start and booted the first three goals of the game on the back of some slick handballs through midfield.
Dempsey sparked the Cats when he knocked the ball free from the Kangaroos' Aidan Corr in the goal square and got his side on the board.
The Cats went on a run of three goals themselves to take a 22-19 lead at quarter time.
Geelong stretched its lead 15 points at half-time in a dogged second quarter it won three-goals-to-one.
North Melbourne's Harry Sheezel topped the possession list for the game with 36 touches, while Roos ruckman Tristan Xerri was huge, notching 53 hitouts, eight tackles and five marks.
Cat picks Roo's pocket
While North kicked the opening three goals of the match, the Cats didn't get on the board until midway through the opening term but their first goal of the day sure was a memorable one. As the ball was in dispute near the goal line, Roos defender Aidan Corr was doing his best to fumble it over the line for a rushed behind. But Cats youngster Ollie Dempsey was having none of it, snatching the ball out of Corr's grasp and sneaking it over then line for a much-needed goal for his side. Dempsey showed his quick-thinking yet again in the second term, kicking a brilliant opportunistic mid-air goal from nothing to give his side the lead for the first time, and kicked his third for the day with a nice running goal in the final quarter.
Is Wardlaw in trouble with the MRO?
Could there be another name taken out of the Telstra AFL Rising Star race this year? After a line was drawn through hot favourites Harley Reid and Sam Darcy earlier in the season when the duo copped suspensions, George Wardlaw soared into favouritism, alongside Geelong's Ollie Dempsey, to claim this year's award. However the second-year Roo could be in trouble for an incident in the second quarter where he stuck his foot out to trip Shaun Mannagh. Wardlaw's indiscretion is sure to draw the attention of the Match Review Officer, although fortunately for Wardlaw, a fine rather than a ban might be the likely outcome for the incident.
Duursma the super sub?
Zane Duursma was injected into the game late in the third quarter, replacing Robert Hansen jnr in a tactical sub move. The young Roo had an immediate impact, kicking an exciting dribbling goal off the ground with his first touch to bring the margin back to nine points. The 19-year-old kicked another major in the final quarter, this time from a set shot, and finished with five marks and three score involvements from a little over a quarter of footy.
NORTH MELBOURNE 3.1 4.3 7.4 10.6 (106)
GEELONG 3.4 6.5 11.8 16.10 (66)
GOALS
North Melbourne: Larkey 3, Duursma 2, Curtis, Sheezel, Simpkin, Teakle, Zurhaar
Geelong: Dempsey 3, Stengle 3, Cameron 2, Henry 2, Mannagh 2, Close, Dangerfield, Holmes, Neale
BEST
North Melbourne: Powell, Xerri, Sheezel, Davies-Uniacke, Zurhaar
Geelong: Stewart, Dempsey, Bowes, Cameron, O.Henry, Miers
INJURIES
North Melbourne: Nil
Geelong: Rohan (concussion)
SUBSTITUTES
North Melbourne: Zane Duursma (replaced Robert Hansen jnr in the third quarter)
Geelong: Ted Clohesy (replaced Gary Rohan in the third quarter)
Crowd: 10,045 at Blundstone Arena
