Match result: Werribee 8.7.55 defeated by Geelong 25.16.166
Venue: Simonds Stadium
Conditions: Sunny, beautiful day for footy, no breeze

Story of the game

Eleventh-placed Werribee took on seventh-placed Geelong away from home, but it was the visitors who started the best.

Back into the side, Sam Durdin took an early mark and kicked the Tigers’ first.

But it was all the Cats for much of the first term. They booted the next three, as Werribee struggled to get the ball into its forward half.

A rare opportunity presented at the 17 minute mark of the first term, with Will Fordham kicking a great goal.

Robin Nahas was setting the tone with his defensive pressure, but the Tigers went in trailing by eight points.

Geelong burst out of the blocks in the second quarter, kicking 8.5 to no score in a dominant display.

Majak Daw provided a rare moment of excitement with a dashing run through the middle, but the Tigers struggled to make any impact going forward.

The Cats’ party continued into the third quarter, with another seven goals. Kangaroo Ben McKay broke the drought midway through the term, but by the final change the margin was 106.

Nahas and Braydon Preuss had a couple of rare highlights for the Tigers in the final term, but it was a dirty day for North's VFL affiliate.

By the final siren, they were behind on the scoreboard by 111 points.

The coaches said

“We were beaten comprehensively in the clearances, and from there we were pretty much playing the game in our back half.

“Particularly that second quarter we were just unable to exit with any clear sort of effort and direction.

“It was just repeat (inside) 50 entries for them (the Cats) and the dam wall broke. We just couldn’t stem the tide around the footy, then the backs were under pressure.

“It was just a tough day all around.” – Ben Dyer, NMFC Development Manager

North players in action

Majak Daw (14 disposals, 24 hit-outs, 8 tackles, 1 goal)
Sam Durdin (9 disposals, 2 marks, 1 goal)
Will Fordham (21 disposals, 5 marks, 1 goal)
Lachlan Hansen (10 disposals, 2 marks, 2 tackles)
Ben McKay (5 disposals, 2 marks, 1 goal)
Declan Mountford (14 disposals, 6 tackles)
Robin Nahas (18 disposals, 6 marks, 4 tackles, 1 goal)
Daniel Nielson (8 disposals, 4 marks)
Braydon Preuss (17 hit-outs, 6 disposals, 1 goal)
Joel Tippett (15 disposals, 5 marks)
Kayne Turner (11 disposals, 6 tackles)
Ed Vickers-Willis (20 disposals, 4 marks)

Best of the AFL

Declan Mountford

The 2015 draftee had an important role against George Horlin-Smith and battled hard all day to limit the Geelong midfielder’s impact.

“Horlin-Smith’s a little bigger than Declan, but I thought around the stoppages he (Mountford) controlled him pretty well.

“He actually had to come off Horlin-Smith to cover other Geelong players at times, so he sacrificed his game a little bit to help others.

“I thought he spread pretty well and won enough of his own ball too.

“Horlin-Smith went forward late and kicked a couple, but I thought with the amount of ball they (the Cats) had, Dec was really strong.” – Ben Dyer

Best of the VFL

Isaac Conway

While the Cats dominated through the midfield, Conway battled hard all day in the contest.

The Tigers’ midfielder was one of few players able to get the ball out of the stoppages effectively and provide his forwards a chance.

Points of interest

1. Joel Tippett battled valiantly defence despite the constant flow of attacks coming in.

“Their (the Cats’) tall forwards had no impact at all. Tippo was pretty solid in his one-on-ones.

“With the amount of ball that went down there it was a pretty solid game.

“He had a couple of errors ball in hand, but I thought from a negative point of view he was pretty good.” - Ben Dyer

2. After being named as an emergency for North, Ed Vickers-Willis continued his good form.

“I thought he tried pretty hard and got better as the game went on.

“He had a few different opponents and spent time on (James) Parsons who’s been going well for the Cats.

“It probably wasn’t the intercepting game he’s had in the last few weeks, but I thought he battled manfully down there.” - Ben Dyer

3. North big man Daw played the role of a midfielder throughout the first half, sitting at the feet of Braydon Preuss and Sam Durdin.

Daw moved into the ruck in the third quarter, doing his best to repel the Cats’ attacks and kicked a goal in the final term, but had a relatively quiet day on the whole.

4. The Tigers’ forwards had very few opportunities, but Nahas had a couple of standout moments.

During the first quarter, he put in multiple efforts in a contest before laying a strong tackle and earning a free kick in front of goal.

Early in the last term he marked across half-forward, sold the dummy to an opponent and kicked a goal from 50.

5. It’s not often you see 200cm-plus players finding the ball at ground level, but Braydon Preuss did just that late in the game.

The 205-centimetre ruckman gathered a ball inside the 50, before snapping a great goal on his right foot to show off his athleticism.

Most likely AFL call-up: Declan Mountford, Ed Vickers-Willis
Next week: Saturday July 23 v North Ballarat at Avalon Airport Oval, 2:00pm