Australian Football

Match Report

This was a match that would test whether North Melbourne, who had shown promising signs over the previous two months, and who had clawed their way to sixth on the ladder, were the "real deal". The Kangaroos faced Collingwood, a side who they not only hadn't beaten in four years but which had monstered them each time since, winning by an average of 10 goals. And for the first 15 minutes of this game, it looked like an all-too-familiar story was going to unfold for North Melbourne, as the Magpies piled on four goals and the Kangaroos appeared to be lost. But a Lachie Hansen goal in the 17th minute, North Melbourne's first for the match, signalled a remarkable transformation in this game. North Melbourne adjusted to the game's early fast tempo and began a concerted counter-attack. With further goals to Robbie Tarrant, Drew Petrie and Lindsay Thomas, the Kangaroos were actually in front when the siren sounded to end the first quarter.

Collingwood peppered the goals early in the second term but were rewarded with only a single goal. North Melbourne then slipped into overdrive and kicked the next five, going into the main break with a 25-point lead and all the momentum. The pace of the game slowed in the third quarter and, although Collingwood were able to restrict North to just three goals for the term, could only manage two themselves. As they had done in the first three quarters, the Magpies kicked the first goal of the last term (through Pendlebury) and sparked hopes of a come-from-behind win but North Melbourne, as they had done a week earlier against Essendon, showed that the 2012 Kangaroos model is made of sterner stuff than any other of recent times. Pendlebury's goal was matched by Petrie's third five minutes later and the final 15 minutes of the match was a defensive arm-wrestle, with North showing that they could play quality man-on-man, tough footy as well as being fast and attacking when required. Neither side scored a further major, and the Kangaroos' final winning margin of 30 points was well-derserved.

Despite another fine effort from Dayne Beams in what is proving to be a break-out season, the Magpies sorely missed Dane Swan, who was serving the second week of a club-imposed two-game suspension. Key forwards Travis Cloke and Chris Dawes again struggled to have an impact, which would surely be cause for concern for coach Nathan Buckley. North's effort was strong across the board, with veteran Brent Harvey ably backed up by the "new guard" of Bastinac, Cunnington, captain Andrew Swallow and Jack Ziebell returning from his own three-game suspension. Since capitulating meekly by 115 points to Hawthorn in Round 10, North Melbourne have won nine of 10 matches, with their only loss being a two-point heartbreaker to West Coast in Hobart. Along the way the have comfortably beaten top-four contenders Adelaide and Collingwood, along with four teams vying for a spot in the eight, Carlton , Essendon, St Kilda and Richmond. Victory in their final two matches against Fremantle and GWS would see North probably finish in fifth place, with a home final in week one of their September campaign. Collingwood face West Coast in Perth and Essendon at the MCG in their final two encounters and would need to win at least one of those to ensure a top-four finish and the double-chance.

GOALS
Collingwood: Beams 2, Tarrant, Fasolo, Didak, Blair, Sinclair, Pendlebury
North Melbourne: Tarrant, Thomas, Petrie 3; Hansen 2; Garlett, Ziebell

BEST - THE AUSTRALIAN
Collingwood: Beams, Thomas, Pendlebury, Blair, Sidebottom
North Melbourne: Goldstein, Cunnington, Harvey, Gibson, Swallow, Thompson, Petrie

BEST - AFL.COM.AU
Collingwood: Beams, Blair, Pendlebury, Thomas, Sidebottom

North Melbourne: Goldstein, Harvey, Thompson, Petrie, Delaney, McMahon, Hansen

COACHES' COMMENTS
Nathan Buckley (Coll): The whole side was poor tonight. I don't reckon we had any winners in their positions.
Brad Scott (NM): We went in with a plan, we executed the plan really well and I think that it's a superb effort by the players.

Umpires: Stevic, Nicholls, Pannell