Australian Football

Match Report

A withering third quarter has enabled North Melbourne to record a big 75-point win over the GWS Giants and cement itself in sixth place on the ladder. An even first half saw GWS within four points of the Kangaroos at the long break but Brad Scott's men blew the Giants away with an eight-goal-to-zero third quarter to lead by 54 points at the last change.

A goal to fifth-gamer Ben Brown opened proceedings for the Roos at the four-minute mark and North went on to score three more goals for the term through Drew Petrie, Leigh Adams and debutant Kayne Turner with his first kick in league football. The Giants' only reply was a major to Devon Smith at the 16-minute mark and the Kangaroos led by 15 points at quarter time. They extended that lead to 26 with two goals to Ben Cunnington in the first six minutes of the second term but the Giants dominated the remainder of the first half, goals to Josh Kelly, Smith, Adam Treloar, Jonathon Patton (two) answered by just one from Michael Firrito as GWS closed the gap to under a goal at half time.

Unfortunately the Giants lost all momentum when the long break came along and a goal to Drew Petrie in the opening minute mark of the third term set the scene for a period of North Melbourne dominance. The Kangaroos went on to register a further seven goals for the quarter (with two more to Petrie), while restricting GWS to a solitary behind. The Roos did not take their foot of the pedal in the final quarter, adding a further four goals, with Will Hoskin-Elliott kicking the Giants' only major of the entire second half at the 11-minute mark.

Cunnington was outstanding for North, with 29 disposals and three goals, while Ryan Bastinac (28 possessions, nine marks) and Drew Petrie (five goals, nine marks) also played fine games. For the Giants, Toby Greene (35 possessions, nine marks), Heath Shaw (31 disposals, eight marks) and Devon Smith (nine marks and 21 touches) were among the best.

North remains sixth on the ladder with 11 wins, a game behind Port Adelaide and one game clear of Adelaide, Essendon, Collingwood and Gold Coast. The Kangaroos will close out the home and away season with matches against the Western Bulldogs, Adelaide and Melbourne. The Giants are second-last on the ladder with a 4-15 record and will look for a win in the last three matches against Melbourne, Collingwood and the Western Bulldogs. 

GOALS
GWS: Smith, Patton 2; Kelly, Treloar, Hoskin-Elliott
North Melbourne: Petrie 5; Cunnington 3; Brown, Harvey, Ziebell 2; Turner, Adams, Firrito, Black, Bastinac

BEST - AFL.COM.AU
GWS: Greene, Shaw, Shiel, Treloar, Smith, Patton
North Melbourne: Cunnington, Petrie, Bastinac, Adams, Goldstein, Harvey

INJURIES
GWS: Lamb (ankle)
North Melbourne: Lachlan Hansen (hip) replaced in selected side by Aaron Mullett, Levi Greenwood (leg) replaced in selected side by Nathan Grima

SUBSTITUTES
GWS: Tim Golds replaced Jed Lamb in the third term
North Melbourne: Aaron Mullett replaced Aaron Black at three-quarter time

UMPIRES: Donlon, Hosking, O'Gorman

TELEVISION BROADCAST: Seven Network