NEW North Melbourne coach Brad Scott has enjoyed a winning start to his coaching career with the Kangaroos recording an upset 14-point win over Geelong in the first round of the NAB Cup at Etihad Stadium on Sunday.
The Roos led by 46 points in the third term but had to withstand a spirited fight-back from the Cats, eventually prevailing 2.11.11 (95) to 2.10.3 (81).
North will now face the winner of the clash between Fremantle and Melbourne in a NAB Cup quarter-final at Etihad Stadium next Sunday while Geelong will play Richmond in a bushfire benefit game in the Victorian country town of Yea.
Liam Anthony racked up a game-high 38 possessions while Sam Wright (24), Matt Campbell (21), Levi Greenwood (19), Jack Ziebell (18) were impressive.
Ben Warren was influential with four goals, including a super goal while Drew Petrie and Leigh Harding chipped in with two majors apiece.
For the Cats, Corey Enright was busy in defence with 34 disposals, Cameron Ling (27), Gary Ablett (25), Joel Selwood (23) and James Bartel (19) were prolific in the middle while Cameron Mooney booted three majors.
Mitch Duncan showed he is a player of the future with 14 possessions and two classy goals while defender Josh Hunt collected 17 disposals in his first match after rupturing his ACL in last year's NAB Cup grand final.
After a scrappy opening the Kangaroos got the first goal of the match through Warren at the eight-minute mark before Mooney managed a quick reply.
Tom Hawkins then exerted his influence on the contest, slotting home a major before kicking a super goal to give the Cats a handy early break.
Warren’s second in the final minute of the opening stanza reduced Geelong’s advantage to just eight points at quarter-time.
Bartel kicked the first goal of the second term before North took control of the contest.
They suffocated the Cats with immense pressure, dominated the clearances, won the inside 50 count 13-5 and booted five of the last six goals of the first half to go into the main break with an 18-point buffer.
The Roos got off to a dream start in the third quarter with a 50m penalty against Andrew Mackie for encroaching on the mark resulting in a nine-pointer to Warren before regular goals from Petrie, Warren and Leigh Harding saw the margin blow out to 46 points at the 14-minute mark.
It appeared to be a matter of how far for the Kangaroos but the Cats' star midfielders lifted their rating.
Geelong moved the football quickly through the middle of the ground and hit back with six unanswered goals, including a super goal from Selwood to close to within eight points at the final change.
When Steve Johnson snapped truly from an acute angle at the three-minute mark of the final stanza the deficit was just one point.
The Cats looked set to overrun North but they steadied through Todd Goldstein who goaled on the run before Petrie received a downfield free kick and made no mistake from 15m out to seal an impressive win for the Roos.
GEELONG: 1.2.1, 1.4.2, 2.9.2, 2.10.3 (81)
NORTH MELBOURNE: 0.2.2, 1.6.8, 2.9.10, 2.11.11 (95)
SUPERGOALS: Geelong: Hawkins, Selwood
North Melbourne: Campbell, Warren
GOALS: Geelong: Mooney 3, Duncan 2, Hawkins, Bartel, Podsiadly, Varcoe, Johnson
North Melbourne: Warren 3, Harding 2, Petrie 2, Swallow, Jones, Adams, Goldstein
BEST: Geelong: Enright, Selwood, Bartel, Ablett, Ling, Kelly, Mooney
North Melbourne: Anthony, Warren, Ziebell, Campbell, Petrie, Greenwood
INJURIES: Geelong: Nil
North Melbourne: Petrie (corked thigh)
REPORTS: Nil
CHANGES: Nil
UMPIRES: McBurney, Wenn, McKenzie, Ryan
CROWD: 12,989 at Etihad Stadium
TonyK
Cibbuano
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