Live: Cats try to stop the slide against Saints in Geelong

Geelong hosts St Kilda at Kardinia Park to kick off round 19 of the AFL, with the under-strength Cats desperate to stop a recent slide.

Injuries to Jeremy Cameron and Tanner Bruhn have added to the task for Chris Scott's men, who have lost their last three matches to go from top-four favourites to fighting for a wildcard.

St Kilda has won its last two games coming off the bye, but it has to keep the run going to stay in the top 10.

Follow all the action in our live blog.

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Cats vs Saints

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Thu 16 Jul 2026 at 9:17pm

Thu 16 Jul 2026 at 9:17pm

Liam Ryan narrows the margin with goal for Saints

Cats fans voices are getting a little edge now, as the Saints are lifting.

They are forcing the ball forward, and it bobbles around. Tom Stewart catches Liam Ryan high, and the Saints forward reacts as if he's been clotheslined in WWE. But he gets the free!

The crowd is unhappy, but Ryan kicks the goal, and it's a 17-point game!

Thu 16 Jul 2026 at 9:13pm

Thu 16 Jul 2026 at 9:13pm

Campbell Lake gives Saints back-to-back goals

By Andrew McGarry

Better from St Kilda!

They effectively go coast-to-coast, running out of the back half before a kick along the ground finds an attacker, then a chip clear to Campbell Lake inside 50.

The sixth-gamer takes a deep breath, goes back and kicks it!

That's two in a row. The Saints are back to 23 points down. Plenty of time.

Thu 16 Jul 2026 at 9:11pm

Thu 16 Jul 2026 at 9:11pm

Saints get answering goal from Marshall

By Andrew McGarry

The Saints need to give themselves more set shots this half as they try to rebound.

They did just then as they broke down the left wing, and the ball went deep inside 50 for Rowan Marshall to take a mark.

The big man went around and snapped his second of the game - vital is not the word! The lead is back to 28, but it needs to come down further.

Thu 16 Jul 2026 at 9:07pm

Thu 16 Jul 2026 at 9:07pm

Neale goal adds to Geelong's lead

By Andrew McGarry

Geelong are bringing the intensity here at the start of the third term.

The Cats get the intercept, and they go down the left side of the corridor. It gets out to Brad Close, and then on ... Dangerfield gets hold of it again, and he moves well and thumps it inside 50.

Jay Polkinghorne bodies the Saints defender out of it, and Shannon Neale takes the mark at the second grab.

He kicks it, and the Cats have the opener of the second half.

The lead is out to 33 points.

Thu 16 Jul 2026 at 9:05pm

Thu 16 Jul 2026 at 9:05pm

Dangerfield into the middle

By Andrew McGarry

Just when we mention his name, Patrick Dangerfield starts in the middle for the opening bounce, and he gets the ball and charges clear to set up an attack.

It doesn't come to anything, but that's a good sign for the Cats.

Thu 16 Jul 2026 at 9:01pm

Thu 16 Jul 2026 at 9:01pm

Danger not in it to half-time

By Andrew McGarry

On the Geelong side of things, Bailey Smith has his almost-expected 17 touches, and James Worpel has 15 and a goal.

Skipper Patrick Dangerfield has not been in it so far, with just one disposal to half-time. He spent some time off getting work on a leg. Is there a real issue, or is he having an off night?

The Cats are in control here, but they would be hoping Danger could get more involved after half-time.

Thu 16 Jul 2026 at 8:57pm

Thu 16 Jul 2026 at 8:57pm

Saints looking for more from Nasiah

By Andrew McGarry

It's been a hard first half for the Saints, and the standouts are few.

Hugo Garcia has a goal and 18 disposals, Darcy Wilson has 16 touches.

The big issue right now is Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera, who has been kept quiet by tagger Oisin Mullin. He's not alone in having problems against the Irishman, but so far he has nine disposals to half-time and just one score involvement.

Both numbers need to improve in the second half if the Saints star is to have more impact here.

Thu 16 Jul 2026 at 8:48pm

Thu 16 Jul 2026 at 8:48pm

HT stats

By Andrew McGarry

Inside 50s: 30-20 Geelong

Clearances: 22-19 Geelong

Centre clearances: 6-3 Geelong

Contested possessions: 75-69 Geelong

Uncontested possessions: 123-123

Marks inside 50: 8-2 Geelong

Tackles: 49-34 St Kilda

Tackles inside 50: 7-6 Geelong

Key Event

Thu 16 Jul 2026 at 8:45pm

Thu 16 Jul 2026 at 8:45pm

HT: Geelong 7.8 (50) leads St Kilda 3.5 (23)

By Andrew McGarry

Rowan Marshall had a late chance before half-time, but his kick slewed wide to the right to just make it for a point.

Then a poor kick out was chopped off by Darcy Wilson, but his kick after the siren was almost as poor. It's a 27-point game at Kardinia Park.

The Cats kicked 3.6 to 1.5 in that quarter, and they have established a big lead for any game, let alone a home night game at Kardinia.

The Saints will have to lift again - and substantially - if they want to get back in this one.

Thu 16 Jul 2026 at 8:40pm

Thu 16 Jul 2026 at 8:40pm

Saints get vital goal from Jack Higgins

By Andrew McGarry

That was a huge moment for the Saints.

They were stuck in defence, but they managed to clear their lines and went right up the corridor before drawing the Geelong defence before a huge handball over the top to Jack Higgins in the square.

The Saints' number one thumped it into the stands, and a vital goal. The lead is back to 30 deep in time on.

Thu 16 Jul 2026 at 8:36pm

Thu 16 Jul 2026 at 8:36pm

Polkinghorne everywhere on debut

By Andrew McGarry

Debutant Jay Polkinghorne has had a few chances tonight.

He's hit the post and has a goal, and a couple of pulled kicks that needed a bit of work.

But now he's working up the ground and taking intercept marks in the back half - and then stepping round the man on the mark and unloading kicks down the ground.

Good stuff from the 20-year-old.

Thu 16 Jul 2026 at 8:34pm

Thu 16 Jul 2026 at 8:34pm

Frustration mounts for Saints as Hall misses from long range

By Andrew McGarry

Genuine breaks from the Saints have been few and far between tonight.

They had one just then, and some quick ball movement sent Max Hall free. There was a one-on-one inside 50, but Hall just roosted it, and it ran through for a point, with his Saints teammate not really happy with the delivery.

Hall wasn't happy either.

Thu 16 Jul 2026 at 8:29pm

Thu 16 Jul 2026 at 8:29pm

Ollie Henry adds another goal for Geelong

By Andrew McGarry

The alarm bells will be ringing loudly in Ross Lyon's coaching box.

The Cats have all the answers right now, they whack it inside 50 once more, it's Cal Wilkie on Ollie Henry deep, both of them are holding on but the umpires give the free to Henry.

Wilkie is in disbelief, but it's not changing anything.

Henry kicks it, and the lead is out to 34 points.

Thu 16 Jul 2026 at 8:26pm

Thu 16 Jul 2026 at 8:26pm

Cats pressure leads to another goal from Miers

By Andrew McGarry

Ok, that burst of pressure late in the first quarter from the Saints looks like it might have been an outlier.

Geelong has just raised the game here, and they are just hammering St Kilda. They get holding the ball with their seventh tackle inside forward 50, and Brad Close decides not to try and kick for goal, but chips to an open Gryan Miers.

It's too easy, and Miers slots the sixth of the night for the Cats.

The lead is back out to 27 points, nearly midway through the second term.

Thu 16 Jul 2026 at 8:20pm

Thu 16 Jul 2026 at 8:20pm

Gryan Miers pounces on Saints error to extend Geelong lead

By Andrew McGarry

The Cats have settled here, and are raising the pressure.

Max Holmes' big kick from distance hit the post, but then they keep the pressure up, and Jack Silvagni ducks and dives trying not to get caught in the left back pocket.

His clearing kick, unfortunately, goes straight to Gryan Miers who takes a couple of steps and drills it from a difficult angle.

Thu 16 Jul 2026 at 8:17pm

Thu 16 Jul 2026 at 8:17pm

Jay Polkinghorne hits the post for Geelong

By Andrew McGarry

The Cats are getting some looks inside 50 through their debutant Jay Polkinghorne. He's just outmarked Cal Wilkie inside 50.

He goes back from the pocket, and his kick looks on line, but it just thumps into the post. He's showing a bit, though, the first-gamer.

Thu 16 Jul 2026 at 8:15pm

Thu 16 Jul 2026 at 8:15pm

Saints pushing forward as players slipping everywhere

By Andrew McGarry

There hasn't been any rain in Geelong today, but it's definitely damp out there, and players are slipping over everywhere.

The pressure is on, and the Saints are lifting.

Darcy Wilson and Hugo Garcia made a combined burst down the left there, it didn't come to anything but they are looking dangerous.

Key Event

Thu 16 Jul 2026 at 8:06pm

Thu 16 Jul 2026 at 8:06pm

QT: Geelong 4.2 (26) leads St Kilda 2.0 (12)

By Andrew McGarry

The siren sounds at Kardinia Park, and the Cats fans are probably ok with the quarter ending.

It's been a fierce, dominant display by the home side early on,  and St Kilda just hasn't been at the races in the first 20 minutes of play.

But late in that quarter they began to turn things around, and suddenly it's the Cats who are making the mistakes.

If the Saints can keep that level going when we start the second term, then we will really have ourselves a game.

Thu 16 Jul 2026 at 8:03pm

Thu 16 Jul 2026 at 8:03pm

Rowan Marshall sharks a goal for the Saints in time on

By Andrew McGarry

The visitors are lifting at Kardinia Park!

They have raised the pressure levels and are managing to keep the ball inside forward 50 for longer.

A stoppage inside the arc saw Rowan Marshall grab it out of the ball-up, and he snaps it through from 25!

That's two in a row, and the lead is back to 14 points.

Thu 16 Jul 2026 at 8:01pm

Thu 16 Jul 2026 at 8:01pm

Hugo Garcia gets St Kilda on the board

By Andrew McGarry

It took the guts of the first quarter, but the Saints are finally on the board.

For once Geelong gave it away in their defensive half, and the ball came straight back and Huge Garcia used his pace to run well inside 50 and drill their first goal of the night.

It's still a 20-point lead to the Cats, late in the quarter.