Geelong Vs North Melbourne: Cats Target 15th Straight Win After Port Adelaide Loss
Geelong vs north melbourne comes at a useful time for the Cats, who want a quick response after their upset loss to Port Adelaide. Chris Scott wants that reset to start at GMHBA Stadium on Saturday, with Geelong sitting 4-3 and carrying the longest active winning streak one club has over another.
The streak is already at 14 straight meetings, and Geelong beat North Melbourne by 101 points the last time they played. That sort of control has made this fixture a measuring stick for how sharply the Cats can recover when they are pushed off course.
Scott’s response window
Scott did not sound interested in letting one poor night grow into a bigger issue. “We're not at the stage where we're going to dig ourselves into a bigger hole by focusing on all the things that went wrong (against Port Adelaide) when we don't think that constitutes a pattern.”
He added: “But we've got to be vigilant. I don't think anyone could or should interpret what I'm saying as, 'Oh, it was just one of those nights and we've got to move on'.” Geelong’s task is simple enough in the short term: take the Port Adelaide result, strip out the mistakes, and make sure they do not follow the team into a matchup it has dominated for more than a decade.
Mark Blicavs' knee
The other immediate issue is Mark Blicavs, who suffered a knee injury in the Port Adelaide game and has lateral ligament damage in his left knee. He is walking with the knee in a brace, and Scott said the club is hopeful about a short-term return without setting a firm date.
“What's clear is it looks unlikely that it's a long-term thing,” Scott said. “Then they're kind of open-minded and thinking about what's possible over the next couple of weeks. I think that gives you a bit of an idea.” He also cautioned against overreading the optimism: “But I try not to get too excited about it. You hear it might be much better than we think, and then you set yourself up for disappointment.”
Dangerfield's output
Patrick Dangerfield is another pressure point. The 36-year-old had just four disposals against Port Adelaide, was uncharacteristically quiet, and has played only three games this season.
Scott said: “I don't think it's a secret to say that he's not at his best at the moment, but we are prepared to work with him to get him to that point.” For Geelong, that leaves Saturday as more than a routine home game. It is a chance to steady the record, protect momentum in a 4-3 start, and see whether the two biggest selection questions from the Port Adelaide loss can settle into something more stable over the next couple of weeks.
