Geelong bounced back onto the winners' list with a 40-point win over North Melbourne at Blundstone Arena on Saturday. 

The Cats posted their third 100-plus point scoreline in the past five weeks, defeating the Roos 16.10 (106) to 10.6 (66). 

A well-rounded performance set the Cats up, with Tyson Stengle and Ollie Dempsey (three goals each) leading the way on the scoreboard, while Tom Stewart and Jack Henry proved near impassable, with 13 and 10 intercept possessions respectively. 

00:47

Quick Cat robs Roo after howler on goal line

Oliver Dempsey brilliantly snatches the footy from Aidan Corr to sneak through his side’s first goal of the game

Stewart had the third-highest disposal tally of his AFL career with 32 – a team-high – to go with nine marks, four clearances, four score involvements and 523 metres gained as he split his time between midfield and defence. 

Jeremy Cameron worked his way into the game, pushing up the field and finishing with a game-high 545 metres gained from his 19 disposals, taking eight marks and kicking two goals. 

When North threatened in the third term, cutting the margin back to just 10 points after a purple patch of form, it was some Stengle brilliance that got the Cats back on track, with a quick kick from a stoppage bouncing through, before sending through a beautiful kick from the boundary moments later. 

A strong pack mark from captain Patrick Dangerfield on the three-quarter-time siren saw the skipper extend the Cats’ lead to 28 points at the final change, and they never looked back. 

The Cats didn’t get through the game unscathed, however, with Gary Rohan subbed off midway through the third quarter following an accidental clash of heads with North Melbourne’s Tom Powell. 

The Kangaroos started the contest strong, kicking the opening three goals of the game, before the Cats’ launched a response with some clever thinking and quick reflexes on the goal line from Dempsey to get Geelong on the board. 

Stengle showed great composure and class to get the Cats’ second from the pocket, before a Shannon Neale set shot saw the Cats enter the first break three points up. 

00:33

Double trouble for sensational Stengle

Tyson Stengle conjures a pair of stunners in the third term to put Geelong back in control

The Kangaroos were quick out of the blocks in the second quarter, but from that point the Cats muscled their way to ascendancy, with a trio of goals to young guns Max Holmes, Dempsey and Ollie Henry. 

Goals to Cameron and Ollie Henry extended the Cats’ lead, but the Kangaroos were able to fight back, trapping their ball in their forward half and generating goals through Nick Larkey, Harry Sheezel and Zane Duursma, before Stengle sparked the Cats’ turnaround. 

The Cats return home next week to host Adelaide at GMHBA Stadium on Saturday evening. 

AFL ROUND 20 

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: TBC at Blundstone Arena