The Cats needed just 30 minutes to spoil the North Ballarat party – pouring on nine goals in the opening quarter of the first match on the refurbished ground.

Just as it was against Essendon a week earlier, the Roosters had no answer to Geelong’s tall timber led by Nathan Vardy and Alex Robinson around the ground as they capitalised on a handy breeze at their back.

From there it was just a matter of damage control for North Ballarat.

And considering just how easy it was for Geelong in the formative stages, the young Roosters did close the gap in general play and stalled the Cats’ charge.

It was never easy though. The Roosters’ workrate was highlighted by its domination of contested possessions, but the ease with which Geelong was able to open up the play was reflected by the amount of time it found the football uncontested.

Rowan Marshall and Orren Stephenson typified North Ballarat’s determination to be more competitive after the early Geelong onslaught.

Despite facing a spread of options for the Cats, they won the ruck battle with 51 tap-outs 48.

Stephenson was nursed through the game, his first back from a hamstring battle, but the longer the nigtht went the better he became.

Marshall found himself in various roles – forward, back and on the ball – and again underlined his promise and emergence as a leading big man in the VFL. 

His game would have been even better had he had his kicking boots non in front of goal, but he was not alone in that category, Geelong was also astray after quarter time, kicking 4-11 before finding its range in the closing minutes.

Lachie Cassidy was a busy player for the Roosters through the midfield with 19 disposals and with Luke Kiel typified the way the Roosters lifted with their hardness at the ball and Geelong with 10 tackles.

Nick Rippon was again a ball magnet with 31 disposals.

George Horlin-Smith was prominent in Geelong’s running game along with former Rooster James Tsitas.

With one win in three rounds, North Ballarat now has a two-week break with a bye and a chance to freshen up before facing Footscray Bulldogs.

GEELONG 9.2  11.5  13.10  16.15 (111)

NORTH BALLARAT 1.0  4.3  4.4  5.7 (37)

GOALS – Geelong: Bates 2, Tudor 2, Rees,  McLachlan,  Lucey,  Haintz,  Horlin-Smith, Stewart,  Parsons,  Atkins, Luxford,  Cornell,  Hickey,  Murdoch. North Ballarat: Lyle, Keeble, Marshall, Youl, Rippon 

BEST – Geelong: Atkins, Stewart, Cornell, Horlin-Smith, Tsitas, Lucey. North Ballarat: Cassidy, Kiel,  Stephenson, Johnston, Marshall, Rippon