Round 10 - 7:50pm Friday, May 23, Simonds Stadium
Friday night will be a family affair at Simonds Stadium, with siblings in the coaches box and a number of father-sons likely to take the field. The men calling the shots are identical, the club strips are similar, and the two teams are very evenly matched. North Melbourne have not won in Geelong since 2007, but will travel down the highway brimming with confidence after beating Brisbane by 87 points. The Cats are vulnerable returning to their fortress after a defeat to the Dockers. The Kangaroos are the only the team to defeat Fremantle at home this season and, at their best, are the equal of any team in the competition. They are capable but unpredictable, failing to bring their best on a consistent basis. Geelong delivered a poor performance at Paterson’s Stadium and have room for improvement. They are certain to start favourites under lights on their home track, however it remains unclear whether the Kangaroos will be switched on.
KEY MATCH-UP
Jed Bews vs Luke McDonald
Jed Bews made the toughest trip in football for his AFL debut, travelling to Perth to face Fremantle. The son of former Geelong captain Andrew Bews, Jed was selected with pick 86 in the 2011 draft under the father-son rule. Geelong born and raised, he played for Leopold as a junior and for the Geelong Falcons in the TAC Cup. Bews worked hard to gain a spot in the Geelong defence and made the most of his opportunity on Saturday, collecting 15 touches and taking eight marks. He made an impressive start to a promising career that will, hopefully, match his father’s 207 game contribution to the club.
Luke McDonald is another father-son selection with a promising future. The captain of Vic Metro in the under 18 national carnival, McDonald was a highly rated junior. As a result North Melbourne were forced to use pick eight in last year’s draft to ensure he became a Kangaroo. McDonald played his first AFL game in round one and has not missed a match since. He has averaged 17.5 disposals in his debut season and collected 22 possessions last week against the Lions. Deciding he was worth a first round pick, North Melbourne hope that Luke McDonald will have a long and illustrious career and exceed the 155 games his father Donald played in light blue and white.
LAST TIME THEY MET
Geelong 13.8 (86)
Nth Melbourne 15.6 (96)
After conceding goals early in the match North Melbourne regained momentum and reached quarter time with an eight point advantage. The lead changed four times in the second term before the Kangaroos kicked four unanswered goals. The Cats came out after half time with new-found aggression and ground their way back to within a kick at the end of the quarter. A goal on the cusp of three quarter time gave the Kangaroos breathing room and two more soon followed after the final change. Geelong threatened but could not get close enough to clinch victory. Brent Harvey’s 38 possessions was pivotal for North Melbourne, who were playing with their season on the line.
DID YOU KNOW?
Geelong defeated North Melbourne by four points in round two last year, the first of five games the Kangaroos lost by four points or less.
Jed Bews played three games in the Cats’ VFL side in 2011 before he was drafted. The following year he finished the season as a premiership player, part of the Cats’ victory over Port Melbourne in the VFL grand final.
All-Australian Kangaroo defender Scott Thompson was also a premiership player with the Geelong VFL team. He played in the Cats’ 2007 VFL victory and was drafted by North Melbourne later that year.
