The Northern Blues have picked up their first win of the VFL season, defeating Geelong by 15 points at Simonds Stadium on Friday night.

The Blues took the lead late in the second quarter and held on for a stirring victory, prevailing 16. 8. (104) to 14. 6. (90).

The Cats started stronger, leading by 18 points at quarter-time and restricting the Blues to a single goal.

The game flipped on its head in the second however, as Northern piled on seven goals to lead by 13 points at half-time.

Liam Jones spearheaded the effort, kicking three goals in the second quarter and looked dangerous every time he went near the ball.

The fluctuating game kept with the trend in the third term, with Geelong coming back hard and reducing the margin to a point at the final change.

In a see-sawing last quarter, it was Brent Bransgrove’s seven disposals and Daniel Gorringe (two final term goals) that sealed the deal for the Blues.

Simon White was the most prolific for the Blues with 22 disposals, while holding up well in defence alongside Kieran McGuinness and Jesse Glass-McCasker.

Geroge Horlin-Smith was the leading disposal winner for the Cats with 23 and Cameron Tudor booted four goals.

The key forwards combined for 10 goals with Liam Jones finishing with five goals, Kristian Jaksch three and Gorringe two in what was a game dominated by tall forwards.

Jones was at his effective best for Northern, turning the game on its head in the second term to finish with six contested marks in a dominant display.

The tackling pressure of the Blues was evident all night, with Clem Smith and the returning Dennis Armfield putting in some superb individual efforts.

It was a great win for the Blues, with the returning Armfield describing it as “a super result and super performance”.

“That kind of win is the true Blues spirit. It’s a brilliant effort and a superb team game: we couldn’t be any happier,” Armfield said.

“It’s been a while for me since playing, but to finish it off with the win was a credit to the boys, the whole team and the whole coaching staff."

The Northern Blues face Port Melbourne at Preston City Oval next Saturday afternoon in the club’s first home game of the season.

GEELONG CATS           4.1    6.2    11.2    14. 6. (90)
NORTHERN BLUES      1.1    8.3    11.5    16. 8. (104)

GOALS
Northern Blues: Jones 5, Jaksch 3, Gorringe 2, Kerbatieh 2, Bransgrove, Tutt, Cuningham, Gowers.

BEST
Northern Blues: White, Jones, Wilson, McGuinness, Jaksch, Dick