1. Paddy enters Danger Zone

When Patrick Dangerfield is in the sort of mood he was on Saturday night, he shifts what we thought was possible from an individual in a team game. He equalled a club record with 48 disposals, matching former Cats centreman Peter Featherby. The numbers tell one part of the story of Dangerfield's night – 48 disposals, 13 clearances, two goals (including 10 centre clearances and 23 contested possessions) – but they don't account for the power, strength and explosiveness that enables him to direct the course of the game. He wins 30-70 contests, releases players with handballs over the shoulder and is still capable of kicking the big goal. At three-quarter time Dangerfield had 37 possessions – the most of any player at that point of a game this season – and had gained 722 metres. He did not stop and by the end of the night he had gone past 1000 metres gained in an incredible performance.

2. Daniel Menzel returns to Etihad
Five years had passed between Daniel Menzel's third and fourth game at Etihad Stadium as he overcame four knee reconstructions. The lack of familiarity with the venue didn't affect him however as he roamed with intent inside a forward 50 that was missing the suspended Tom Hawkins. Menzel began the second quarter with a great snap goal before sending a scare through all football watchers when he crashed into a fence and left the ground limping. It turned out to be a sore ankle, but it was not enough to keep him quiet as he stormed through the third quarter and kicked two big goals. He then looked to have kicked one of the goals of the season with 15 minutes to go only for a score review to declare that the kick was touched off the boot. Steve Motlop made amends for Cats fans late when he kicked a miracle goal off the ground in his 100th game to contend for goal of the year.

3. Where's Shane Kersten's jumper?
Things don't seem to go smoothly when the Cats head to Etihad Stadium in 2016. This time, the No.39 jumper of promising forward Shane Kersten was left in Geelong. Perhaps the property steward was giving the coach a subtle hint that he preferred Nathan Vardy because he packed his No.30, the number made famous by Geelong defensive coach and triple-premiership player Matt Scarlett. At quarter-time Kersten had just one handball but he became like Superman putting on the cape once the late-arriving No.39 turned up. It's doubtful Kersten will want to return to the No.30 anytime soon, particularly after he kicked three set-shot goals in the first 11 minutes of the second half to turn the game the Cats' way in No.39.

4. Concussed Kangaroo
The AFL Match Review Panel is sure to scrutinize the tackle Geelong forward Lincoln McCarthy applied to North Melbourne skipper Andrew Swallow in the first quarter, but its decision on whether a penalty is necessary will be tough. The tackle was fair but it left Swallow concussed after his head hit the Etihad Stadium turf. The AFL is keen to crack down on tackles that make players' heads vulnerable, although there appeared little wrong with McCarthy's action. He grabbed Swallow from the front and collapsed under him. As Swallow tried to handball, his head hit the ground and he was knocked out and sat out the rest of the game. The Kangaroos' midfield was further depleted when Ben Cunnington suffered a corked thigh.

5. Boomer Harvey's school of goalkicking
In game 421, the North Melbourne champion had kicked four goals before half-time in a typical elusive display. He bobbed up inside 50 to take marks or kicked goals on the run, as he has in 20 of his 21 seasons (he only played one game in 1996). The 38-year-old has 23 goals in his 12 games this season after passing the 500-career goals mark last week. He went quiet after half-time with only six disposals to finish the game on 16. The champion Kangaroo will break Michael Tuck's games record of 426 later this season and will roar past in good form.