When the heat was on in a tough contest, a number of Geelong stars rose to the challenge and helped to guide their team to an important victory over North Melbourne. 

One pleasing factor to come from the night was the Cats' ability to score, recording 12 individual goal-kickers which was led by a career-high four goals from Shaun Mannagh. 

Max Holmes dominated through the midfield and generated a spark with his run and carry, while Geelong's defensive unit played their part to restrict the Kangaroos after half time. 

Take a look at some of the standout performances from Saturday afternoon at the Cattery. 

Max Holmes

29 Disposals, 802 Metres Gained, Two Goals

There might be no player in this Cats team that plays GMHBA Stadium better, and the premium run and carry of Max Holmes was a telling factor in Saturday's result. 

The star Cat finished with a team-high 29 disposals and generated a stunning 802 metres gained, also winning four clearances and recording six inside 50s while maintaining an 89.7% efficiency. 

Holmes did the bulk of his damage in the third quarter when the game was on the line, collecting nine disposals and kicking two goals to help flip the momentum at a crucial stage. 

With Saturday's performance, Holmes has collected 25 disposals or more in every game this year, certainly starting the season in dominant fashion. 

Jeremy Cameron 

19 Disposals, Three Goals, Four Goal Assists

The reigning Coleman Medallist did his thing en route to a fourth three-goal haul in seven games, taking his season tally to 23 goals in another brilliant display from the superstar forward. 

But it was what Cameron was able to do up the ground throughout the night that really stood out, using his elite skills by foot to bring teammates into the game to finish with four goal assists and 12 score involvements. 

Jezza even roamed into defensive 50 and made some big plays, including a clutch spoil on the last line of defence to stop a certain North Melbourne goal in the second quarter. 

Cameron collected 19 disposals and took eight marks to cap off a sensational afternoon, certainly hitting his straps nearing the middle portion of the season. 

Jake Kolodjashnij 

14 Disposals, Five Marks, 10 Spoils

While plenty of his hard work does not show up on the stat sheet, Geelong's defence simply looks more stable and reliable with the presence of Jake Kolodjashnij roaming through the backline. 

In just his third game for the season, the Cats veteran collected 14 disposals and took five marks, but it was his ability to kill the contest that was crucial with an equal game-high 10 spoils. 

He was able to collect four intercept possessions and helped rotate through a unit that held Nick Larkey to just one goal, as Kolodjashnij continues to remind Cats fans just how important he is. 

Shaun Mannagh

18 Disposals, Four Goals, Seven Inside 50s

Plenty was made of Geelong's inability to link up through the midfield against Port Adelaide, but the connector and key link in the chain on Saturday afternoon was Shaun Mannagh, who played the role to absolute perfection. 

Mannagh accumulated 18 disposals and pushed up around stoppages to win four clearances, registering seven inside 50 entries and ultimately recording nine score involvements. 

But he was also able to push inside 50 and capitalise on his hard work, kicking a career-high four goals to help punish the Kangaroos on the scoreboard. 

Mannagh has now kicked 10 goals from eight games in 2026 and has been brilliant in clashes against the Bulldogs and North Melbourne, rounding into some terrific form at a pivotal stage of the season. 

Oisin Mullin

18 Disposals, Six Tackles, Seven Intercept Possessions

Similar to Kolodjashnij, Oisin Mullin is another player that is typically unheralded but his impact can not be understated, playing another pivotal role for the Cats in Round 8. 

Lined up on Kangaroos star Harry Sheezel, Mullin was able to restrict his opponent to just 20 disposals and three clearances, while also finding 18 possessions and four clearances of his own. 

Sheezel had collected 30 disposals or more in six of his seven games entering today's clash, highlighting the importance of Mullin as he adds another scalp to his collection in 2026. 

The Irishman also worked hard defensively and finished with seven intercept possessions, capping off a brilliant day for the emerging Cat.