Geelong v North Melbourne
Saturday, June 9
GMHBA Stadium
First bounce: 1.45 pm (AEST)
Storyline
It’s arguably the best match of Round 12, and given the ladder positions and form of both North and Geelong, it’s easy to see why.
Sitting sixth and fifth on the ladder respectively, with just 3.5 per cent separating the two teams, the winner of this clash could find itself in the top four given the healthy percentages of both sides.
For North, it is in the middle of a three-game win streak, the club’s longest since the early part of 2016, and will be looking to further validate its standing amongst the competition.
When it comes to Geelong, it has won its past two matches, and will no doubt be hoping to put on a show for its home fans.
Jacobs’ task
Geelong’s midfield this weekend is likely to be made up of 585 Brownlow Medal votes, 12 club Best and Fairests and 781 games of experience, with Joel Selwood, Patrick Dangerfield and Gary Ablett expected to unite in the middle.
This is likely to be Ben Jacobs’ biggest task of the season, with the in-form midfielder a chance to go to any of the three elite Cats.
This whole season we’ve seen Brad Scott willing to experiment with Jacobs’ tasks, often changing his role in the middle of matches, and this week will be no exception.
Patrick Dangerfield is capable of playing a Jack Ziebell-esque role by providing a strong target down forward and heavily impacting the game, which is likely to force Jacobs to re-align his focus.
The same applies for Ablett, who has spent more time forward following the hamstring injury he suffered earlier in the year.
When Dangerfield plays midfield it’s likely Jacobs will be assigned to him given his ability to change the game, and size and strength won’t be a problem for North’s number five, who has successfully reduced the impact of Dustin Martin and Nat Fyfe.
Anderson’s absence
After injuring his hamstring in the first couple of minutes of North’s win over Brisbane last weekend, Jed Anderson will miss Saturday’s match.
Anderson’s absence will give North’s midfield somewhat of a new look given the 24-year-old has played every home and away match this season.
The midfielder has been partly responsible for making North the third best contested football side in the competition, with the likes of he and Cunnington winning the ball in tight and feeding it outside to teammates such as Billy Hartung and Luke McDonald.
Cameron Zurhaar is the player coming in, but it may be Jy Simpkin or Paul Ahern who are rewarded with more midfield minutes after being forced to buy their time forward or on the wing.
Both are capable of winning the ball in tight, and have the skills to deliver the ball well inside 50, and are well suited to fill the hole left by Anderson.
Best two defences
After allowing the Brisbane Lions to score 87 points last weekend, North has lost its mantle as the best defensive team in the competition, with Geelong currently holding the title.
The Cats restricted the Suns to just 36 points in Round 11, taking their average number of points conceded in 2018 to 67.3, narrowly better than North’s 71.3.
This is the second time this season that North has been a part of a clash between the league’s two stingiest sides, with the first one coming in Round 8 against Richmond.
That match didn’t fall short of the expectations, with the Tigers and Roos restricting eachother to 82 and 72 respectively in a tightly contested match.
Geelong’s side
B Aaron Black, Jake Kolodjashnij, Jed Bews
HB Tom Stewart, Mark Blicavs, Zach Tuohy
C Mitch Duncan, Joel Selwood, Jordan Cunico
HF Tim Kelly, Wylie Buzza, Sam Menegola
F Brandan Parfitt, Tom Hawkins, Jamaine Jones
FOL Rhys Stanley, Patrick Dangerfield, Gary Ablett
I/C Lachie Fogarty, Jack Henry, Lincoln McCarthy, Jordan Murdoch
EMG Ryan Abbott, Cory Gregson, James Parsons, Sam Simpson
Burning questions
Can North overcome the Geelong fortress?
Geelong has lost just one of its games at GMHBA Stadium this season, and has a near flawless record at its spiritual home in recent years. The hostile crowd and unique ground dimensions usually cause havoc for opposition sides, but if any side can win there, it’s a red-hot North outfit.
Who goes to Ben Brown?
With injuries to Harry Taylor and Lachie Henderson, it seems likely that the task of restricting Ben Brown will be given to makeshift defender Mark Blicavs. A natural athlete, Blicavs could be preparing to face his toughest task for the season, with Coleman Medal leader Ben Brown having an outstanding season.
Which Scott brother will reign supreme?
They say there is no greater rivalry than a sibling rivalry, and since both Brad and Chris Scott began their senior coaching careers, it has been exactly that. While neither coach plays into the storyline too much, there is no doubt both would love to hold the bragging rights at Christmas lunch this year.
