North Melbourne has made eight changes to its VFL side for its final home game of the home and away season.

The Roos will take on Geelong at Arden Street Oval on Saturday at 1.05pm, with a spot in the top 10 still a possibility for Tom Lynch's group despite a tough run of matches remaining.

Utility Toby Pink is expected to line up against the Cats after being the AFL holdover emergency last weekend.

He's joined by a host of VFL-listed additions, with Sam Lowson, Ben Davis, Hamish Murphy, Alex Noblett, Bode Stevens, Nick Newton and Nick Hodgson all included in the Round 18 side.

Zane Duursma, Will Phillips, Jaidyn Stephenson and Charlie Lazzaro are on AFL duties and will miss the reserves clash, while Curtis Taylor (calf) and Tyler Sellers (concussion) are forced outs.

Tom Cappellari and Kade De La Rue also make way.

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Round 18

Saturday, July 27
North Melbourne v Geelong at Arden Street Oval, 1.05pm AEST

Geelong has proven too good for North Melbourne, winning by 21 points on a slippery Saturday afternoon at Arden Street Oval.

The Roos were in striking distance of the Cats at three-quarter time, but two quick goals coming out of the final break saw the latter end up taking a 7.9 (51) to 10.12 (72) victory.

Forwards Toby Pink (13 disposals, three contested marks) and Sam Lowson (15 disposals) were active in attack, kicking two goals each.

Hugh Greenwood put in a commanding performance in the midfield, racking up 30 disposals, 11 clearances, nine tackles and a goal, while Finnbar Maley - who was playing as the No.1 ruck - tallied 24 disposals, 22 hitouts and eight clearances.

Miller Bergman (15 disposals, five clearances) helped get the Roos off to a strong start, breaking through the lines before passing the ball off to Blake Drury (one goal, 11 disposals) who set up Lowson for a classy finish.

Geelong adapted better to the conditions early though, kicking four goals to North Melbourne's one to head into the first break with a 21-point buffer.

However, visitors came out of quarter-time break napping and the Kangas took advantage, slotting three goals in a row in 10 minutes to reel Geelong back in. 

Lowson dribbled through his second from a tough angle, Pink won a free kick and nailed the set shot and Drury capped off the run by curling one home on his opposite foot from the boundary. 

The Cats responded through Jhye Clark on the brink of the half-time siren, bringing the margin back out to 10 points with two terms to play. 

KANGAROOS v CATS Full match coverage and stats

Mitch Knevitt and James Willis snagged the first two goals of the third quarter before some individual brilliance from Greenwood saw the Roos stop Geelong's purple patch, as the veteran busted through a stoppage and snapped one through on the run.

A clean passage of play from Lowson, Nick Hodgson and Bergman saw Connor Downie give the Roos a sniff as the home side remained resilient, but the Cats managed the next three majors to ultimately secure the win.

Youngster Geordie Payne applied constant pressure throughout the contest, laying 10 tackles to lead the count for his side, while collecting 16 disposals.

Jarrod Lienert was strong in defence, amassing 21 disposals and a game-high eight intercepts, while captain Jack Watkins finished with 26 disposals and four clearances from midfield.

Bigoa Nyuon went off in the second quarter with a shoulder complaint, but returned to the action, while a shoulder injury in the fourth quarter to Hodgson saw the onballer remain on the sidelines until the final siren.

This loss sees the Roos on the outskirts of the Wildcard race with two games remaining against Williamstown and Southport.

NORTH MELBOURNE     1.1    4.2    6.5    7.9  (51)     
GEELONG CATS              4.4    5.6    8.7    10.12  (72)     

GOALS  
North Melbourne: Pink 2, Lowson 2, Drury, Greenwood, Downie
Geelong: Knevitt 2, Willis, Sarcevic, Parfitt, Lewis, Hughes, Hardie, Clark, Bradtke

BEST  
North Melbourne: Greenwood, Watkins, Payne, Lowson, Maley, Bergman

INJURIES
North Melbourne: Hodgson (shoulder)