Continuing on from last week, NMFC.com.au presents stats and facts relating to North Melbourne and Geelong before Sunday's clash at Etihad Stadium.
- North Melbourne's first ever win was against Geelong in the club’s first VFL match back in Round 1, 1925.
The 9.13.67 to 8.11.59 victory at Corio Oval was one of five in North’s debut season. It was led by Fred Metcalf who kicked three goals. In his 39 game career he kicked 68 goals.
- The most behinds North has registered in a game is 28, against Geelong in Round 9, 1971.
Luckily for the Kangaroos, the inaccuracy didn't cost them. They emerged 15-point victors after kicking 7.9 in the final term. Robert Peterson had a career-high seven goals for North on this day.
- Sunday will be just the fourth time since 2002 that Geelong and North have met at Etihad Stadium.
In the meantime the sides have played 10 times at Simonds Stadium, twice at Manuka Oval and once at the MCG.
- In a quirk of the fixture, North again faces Geelong coming off an Easter Monday meeting with Hawthorn.
The game falls on the same day, at the same venue, and with North's next opponent being Sydney, as it was in 2012.
- Ryan Bastinac averages over 23 possessions in two outings against Geelong, with his career-high of four goals when the teams last met in Round 3, 2012.
- North slightly edges Geelong in the seven games the two sides have played at Etihad, leading 4-3 overall.
The first three meetings at the ground went the Kangaroos’ way, before Brad Scott’s team broke a streak of three Cats’ win last season.
- Much like the Etihad Stadium record, the overall fortunes of the teams have traditionally gone in streaks. Geelong has won 10 of the last 13 matches between the two sides. Before that North had won eight of the previous nine.
Overall, the clubs have faced-off on 152 occasions; North has won 59, Geelong 92 and there’s been one draw.
- Several North players have connections to the Geelong area with the Delaney brothers (Luke and Cam) and Ben Cunnington recruited from the Geelong Falcons in the TAC Cup. Scott Thompson was also plucked from Geelong's VFL side.
- In a combined 22 seasons of playing between Brad and Chris Scott, only the former played every game in a year – in 1997 for Hawthorn, and 2002 for Brisbane.
