Geelong head home to GMHBA Stadium for their round four clash, preparing to take on Melbourne on Friday night.
In an exciting week for the club, the Cats and Ford will be celebrating their 100 year partnership, one of the longest running partnerships in sport.
Friday will also mark an important game for Geelong, as they look to bounce back from two consecutive losses and get themselves back on the winners list.
Take a look ahead to Friday night and everything you need to know.
KEY DETAILS
2025 AFL Season - Round Four
Geelong Cats v Melbourne
GMHBA Stadium
Friday 4th April, 7.40pm (AEDT)
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Geelong: Tom Atkins
One player that has had an exceptional start to the year for Geelong, Atkins has been ultra consistent through the first three weeks.
The tough on-baller collected 20 disposals, six clearances and 11 tackles in round two against St Kilda, before performing strongly in a designated run-with role on Lachie Neale at the Gabba last Saturday.
Atkins finished with 14 disposals, 14 tackles and seven clearances while also holding Neale to 20 disposals and four clearances, the Brisbane midfielders fourth lowest disposal total in his last 30 games.
Facing another strong midfield this week with the likes of Christian Petracca and Clayton Oliver, Atkins will be very important once again on Friday night.
Melbourne: Christian Petracca
Speaking of importance, there is no player more important to the Melbourne team than Christian Petracca.
The star midfielder missed a large chunk of the 2024 season through injury, but has bounced back strongly with a solid start in 2025.
Petracca has collected 23 disposals or more in each of the Demons first three games, while also hitting the scoreboard with four goals to this point.
He might be spending more time forward than through the midfield, but Petracca's impact will need to be nullified by the Cats on Friday night.
RECENT HISTORY
Another reasonably underrated rivalry in the modern game, Geelong and Melbourne have squared off a number of exciting clashes over the past decade.
Each side has won five of the last 10 matches, with six of the past 11 games decided by 15 points or less dating back to the 2018 season.
Geelong have won five of the last six clashes against Melbourne at GMHBA Stadium, and will be looking to extend that dominance on Friday night.
| SEASON | HOME | AWAY | GROUND |
| 2024 - Round 8 | Melbourne 10.14 (74) | Geelong 9.12 (66) | MCG |
| 2023 - Round 15 | Geelong 11.12 (78) | Melbourne 8.15 (63) | GMHBA Stadium |
| 2022 - Round 17 | Geelong 12.19 (91) | Melbourne 9.9 (63) | GMHBA Stadium |
| 2021 - PF | Melbourne 91.11 (125) | Geelong 6.6 (42) | Optus Stadium |
| 2021 - Round 23 | Geelong 12.5 (77) | Melbourne 12.9 (81) | GMHBA Stadium |
HOW TO GET TICKETS
Tickets are available for Friday night's clash with the Demons at GMHBA Stadium through Ticketmaster. Follow the link here to secure your seat.
In what is set to be a historic night as the Cats and Ford celebrate 100 years of partnership, fans will get the opportunity to maximise their experience with a number of exciting activations planned.
Members will also be able find their tickets through the Geelong Cats app, check out Mobile Membership to download your ticket prior to Friday night.
WHERE TO WATCH
Geelong and Melbourne's clash sits in a Friday night prime time slot, meaning the match will be broadcast live and free on Channel 7.
Coverage will start on Channel 7 from 7.30pm AEDT ahead of the opening bounce at 7.40pm, with the match also broadcast on Fox Footy and streamed through Kayo from the same time.
For those listening on the radio, K rock will be broadcasting Friday night's match. Tune into 95.5FM, krockfootball.live or the AFL app from 6.00pm to catch all the pre-game build up.
Cats fans looking to catch all the action at home this year can secure a 2025 Digital Plus Membership, which includes a 12 month subscription to Kayo Premium. Follow the link below for more details.
Cats Membership: 2025 Digital Plus
Broadcast Details: 2025 AFL Broadcast Guide
