1. 34 for 34: Old-school Gazza seals the deal
Frankly, North Melbourne needed another Ben Jacobs to run with Gary Ablett. Any lingering doubts over the worth of Gazza's homecoming were dispelled by the little master's ball-gathering abilities, not just the midfield duels, but forward and back to play a significant role in his 200th game with the Cats with 34 disposals to match his age. Ablett brought fans to their feet with a sealing goal on the run in the last term and it would be folly to suggest he couldn't play for another two seasons to chase the 42 appearances to equal his famous father's service to the club. Gaz wasn't the only one to wind back the clock as the Cats sported retro guernseys with collars and there were also plenty of moustaches on show.

2. Disciplined Roo targets Cats captain
Geelong skipper Joel Selwood was the latest target to endure the frustration that is Ben Jacobs. The Roos' specialist stopper limited Selwood to just six touches in the first half even as the Cats built a scoreboard buffer. To no one's surprise, Selwood did fight back with a more productive second half when the tag was loosened and Jacobs handed another duty. The Cats captain finished with 26 possessions, but not his normal influence.

CATS KICK AWAY Full match coverage and stats

3. Balance of power on the home front
Sibling rivalry stats are inevitable whenever the Scott twins square off in the respective coach's boxes. While the brothers always play down the issue, for the record Chris led 6-5 going into this clash. It was the Roos' first trip to Geelong since Brad's boys triumphed by 16 points in round 4, 2015.

4. A Black day in this emotional reunion
Geelong's Aaron Black won't have pleasant memories of his reunion with former North Melbourne teammates. Black, who crossed to the Cats last season, was carried off by two trainers with what appeared to be a serious knee injury after a marking contest early in the third quarter. The former Roo, playing his third AFL game this season and just his seventh for the Cats, hyperextended his left knee when he landed stiff-legged after a marking attempt.

5. Speed it up, boys!
Players have been warned this round - it's a hot footy even after a mark or free kick. Umpires called play-on as soon as a player in possession took a step sideways and didn't necessarily step off their line. Even after a behind, the defender was regularly warned to "move it on". Not much time for the designated kickout specialist to spot a target and other coaches should have noted the speed-it-up edict for the rest of the weekend.