At the centre of what is already shaping up to be a monumental afternoon for the Geelong Football Club, sits a crucial clash for the Cats against a resurgent North Melbourne team on Saturday. 

Geelong are firmly entrenched in the race for the top six and need two wins to close out the season, in order to give themselves the best chance of avoiding the Wildcard Round. 

But it will by no means be an easy challenge awaiting this weekend, taking on a North Melbourne team that is fresh off an impressive 23-point victory over the Western Bulldogs last week. 

It also marks Geelong's one and only trip to Marvel Stadium in the 2026 regular season, a venue that has only yielded one victory in the Cats' last four outings, but that win also came against the Kangaroos in Round 20 last year. 

Making the afternoon even more exciting is a historic double-header, with Geelong's AFLW team also commencing their season against the Kangaroos at 1.00pm AEST, prior to the AFL clash at 3.45pm. 

Take a look ahead to what is set to be a big day for the club, proudly presented by Lee Kum Kee. 

KEY DETAILS 

2026 AFL Season | Round 23
North Melbourne v Geelong Cats
Marvel Stadium, Melbourne
Saturday 15 August, 3.45pm AEST

TEAM SELECTION

LAST TIME WE MET

A fascinating battle unfolded in the most recent clash between the two sides, when North Melbourne ventured down the highway to Kardinia Park in Round 8 this year. 

The Cats kicked away early but the Kangaroos held their own, only a point separating the sides at half time and the visitors actually holding a seven-point lead at the 20-minute mark of the third term. 

But from there, Geelong put the foot down with a clinical patch of football, kicking 14 goals in the final 47 minutes of the match to close out a 49-point victory. 

Max Holmes (29 disposals, two goals) was electric, Shaun Mannagh (18 disposals, four goals) was heavily influential in the forward half, while Zach Guthrie (22 disposals, one goal) was also impactful off half back. 

LEE KUM KEE - PIVOTAL MATCH-UP

Zach Guthrie v Paul Curtis

North Melbourne has developed a strong forward line in recent years with a number of threats, but none have the same X-Factor and scoring impact quite like Paul Curtis. 

The star forward has kicked 36 goals this year, just three behind Nick Larkey for the most at the club, following on from two strong seasons where he kicked 30 and 38 goals in 2024 and 2025. 

He has only been held goalless on one occasion this year, while also kicking 14 goals from his last five games, carrying some strong form into Saturday's match. 

A potential match-up for Curtis could be the ever-reliable Zach Guthrie, who is set to celebrate his 150th AFL game in Round 23. 

Guthrie is in the midst of another strong campaign, averaging close to 16 disposals per game and sitting in Geelong's top five players for intercept marks, intercept possessions and effective kicks. 

VFL

Geelong will head to Arden Street this weekend in what will be their final game of the home-and-away season, set to take on North Melbourne in their last tune-up before Finals. 

The Cats have had the minor premiership locked away for a number of weeks already, so in a sense the result this weekend will not change anything, but the Cats will also be looking to build momentum heading into the post-season. 

Last week, Geelong enjoyed a bye to freshen up after suffering their second defeat of the season at the hands of Collingwood, but they still hold a remarkable 15-2 record heading into the conclusion of the regular season. 

This weekend will see Geelong take on the Kangaroos from 12.05pm AEST on Sunday afternoon, with Cats fans able to catch all the action through the AFL app and AFL website. 

HOW TO GET TICKETS

Geelong head to Marvel Stadium for the first time this year in what is set to be a historic double-header, with the AFL and AFLW Cats both set to take on North Melbourne this Saturday.

Tickets are available through Ticketmaster for the big day of football, follow the link below to secure your seat in what is set to be an exciting day for the club.

There are also still plenty of membership options available that you can make the most of, follow the link here to find the best option for you. 

WHERE TO WATCH 

Geelong's Round 23 clash with North Melbourne will be broadcast on Fox Footy and streamed through Kayo, with coverage starting from 3.30pm AEST ahead of the opening bounce at 3.45pm. 

Cats fans can also tune in via K rock from 1.00pm and catch the action from both the AFL and AFLW games. Listen via FM 95.5 across Geelong & the Surf Coast, delay-free via the K rock app, or the AFL app.