Australian Football

Match Report

For the second time in season 2013, North Melbourne has given up a second-half lead to suffer a narrow defeat at the hands of Hawthorn. The Kangaroos led by as much as 26 points in the second quarter, and were still in front when the clock ticked into time on in the third quarter, but ultimately lost by 14 points. In round five, they had led by nine points against the Hawks but succumbed by three.

Saturday's match saw the two sides play out an even first quarter before North got right on top of the Hawks in the early stages of the second term, kicking the first four goals of that quarter. But Hawthorn kicked three of the term's last four goals to narrow the half timer gap to 13 points and stay in touch.

The third term was relatively even but Hawthorn again finished off the quarter stronger than North, and again kicked three of the term's last four goals to turn for home with a seven-point lead. North had a couple of early opportunities in the last quarter, but these produce behinds only and when Jarryd Roughead kicked the first goal of the final term at the six-minute mark, giving the Hawks an 11-point lead that they were able to protect for the remainder of the match.

As is so often the case, Hawthorn's win came on the back of a fine performance from captain Luke Hodge, who had 21 vital possessions. He received great support from ex-skipper Sam Mitchell (27 disposals) and power forwards Roughead (four goals and 16 touches) and Lance Franklin (five goals and 14 disposals). North's best included Daniel Wells (27 touches and a goal), Ben Cunnington (25 disposals) and Todd Goldstein (24 hitouts, 19 possessions, two goals).

Hawthorn's win guarantees it a top-two finish and a home qualifying final. Who the Hawks meet in that final will depend on whether they can beat the Swans at Stadium Australia next Friday night and other results. It is possible that they could meet Sydney again in week one of the finals.

North, despite the loss, can still make it to this year's finals if Essendon is stripped of its points. The Kangaroos wukld need to defeat Collingwood next Sunday afternoon and rely on Geelong and Port Adelaide beating Brisbane and Carlton respectively on Saturday.

GOALS
North Melbourne: Black, Goldstein, Ziebell, Bastinac 2; Wright, Wells, Jacobs, Thomas, Harvey, Mullett, Macmillan
Hawthorn: Franklin 5; Roughead 4; Breust 3; Rioli 2; Smith, Hill, Hale

BEST - AFL.COM.AU
North Melbourne: Wells, Cunnington, Wright, Harvey, Ziebell, Goldstein
Hawthorn: Hodge, Mitchell, Franklin, Roughead, Lake, Rioli, Stratton, Smith

BEST - THE SUNDAY AGE
North Melbourne: Wells, Cunnington, Goldstein, Gibson, Harvey, Ziebell
Hawthorn: Hodge, Mitchell, Roughead, Lake, Franklin, Guerra

INJURIES
North Melbourne: Adams (knee) replaced in selected side by Sierakowski
Hawthorn: Lewis (corked hip) replaced in selected side by Shiels, Shiels (ankle)

SUBSTITUTES
North Melbourne: McKenzie replaced Tarrant in the third quarter
Hawthorn: Hill replaced Shiels in the second quarter

UMPIRES: Farmer, Kamolins, Mitchell

TELEVISION BROADCAST: Fox Footy

COMMENTATORS: Anthony Hudson, Dermott Brereton, Mark Ricciuto, Barry Hall