Australian Football

Match Report

North Melbourne finally put two good performances together in a row. The pressure had been on the Kangaroos to play with some consistency after a season of mixed results. But this win was arguably their most important for the season as they replaced the side they beat, St Kilda, in the top eight. St Kilda had been North’s bogey side under the coaching tenure of Brad Scott. The Saints had demolished the Kangaroos in their past four encounters, but North was able to turn the tables with a spirited performance. The game was tough and fierce, played with finals-like pressure. The Saints looked like running away with the game when they led by 20 points early in the second quarter. But an inspirational chase from North defender Michael Firrito on Saints speedster Ahmed Saad turned the game in the underdogs favour. The game was still in the balance at three-quarter time, but the floodgates opened in the final term as North kicked eight goals to run away with a morale-boosting victory.

GOALS

St Kilda: Armitage, Hayes, Milne, Montagna, Steven 2; Gram, McEvoy, Milera, Riewoldt, Schneider

North Melbourne: Petrie 4; Hansen, Thomas 3; Adams, Wells 2; Bastinac, Harper, Harvey, MacMillan, Swallow, Tarrant, Wright
 

BEST - THE AGE
St Kilda: Hayes, Armitage, Steven, McEvoy, Schneider, Geary, Montagna
North Melbourne: Wells, Adams, Petrie, Grima, Swallow, Goldstein, Bastinac

BEST - 
SPORTAL
St Kilda: Armitage, Dempster, Montagna, Clarke, McEvoy

North Melbourne: Adams, Wells, Hansen, Anthony, Swallow, Grima, Petrie

COACHES COMMENTS
Scott Watters (StK): [It was] probably one of the first times this year when I really think our midfield lowered their colours. And that puts the rest of your game under enormous pressure.

Brad Scott (NM): From the box you don't know what's being said out there, but it looked like there was a bit of niggle. I think our boys handled themselves really well.