Australian Football

Match Report

North Melbourne has taken another step towards a place in the top eight with a comfortable win over the Western Bulldogs at Docklands in Saturday's twilight game. The match was highlighted by a six-goal performance from Kangaroo Majak Daw in just his fourth AFL match. The 22-year-old had 18 disposals and 10 shots at goal in what was clearly the best game of his fledgling career.

The match was relatively even for the first three quarters with North Melbourne leading by 10 points at quarter time, 14 points at the main break and 19 points at the last change. But after the Bob Murphy kicked the first goal of the last quarter for the Bulldogs to reduce the margin to just 13 points, North Melbourne powered away to kick nine of the last 12 goals of the match to record a 54-point win. The big final margin was important for the Kangaroos, given the tight battle between a clutch of sides for places in the top eight. (North is one of five sides that are one game out of the eight. It has the third best percentage of those sides.)

Daw was one of North's best, as were Jack Ziebell and Sam Gibson. Griffen was a tower of strength for the Dogs and Minson and Lower were also very good.

As well as being pleased with the win, all involved at North Melbourne would have been very happy to see the return to team of ex-skipper Brent Harvey. The 347-game veteran had missed the first six matches of 2013 after being suspended for incidents he was involved with in last year's elimination final against West Coast.

Though they fell away badly in the final term, the Bulldogs showed further signs that they are making progress under second-year coach Brendan McCartney. The return from injury of Ryan Griffen, Murphy and Daniel Giansiracusa gave the Dogs some more hardness and the midfield continues to do well in contested possession.

North have a chance to push further towards the top eight when they take on West Coast at Subiaco. The Kangaroos will be keen to put up a better effort than the one the displayed in last year's elimination final at the same venue. The Eagles won that encounter by 96 points. The Western Bulldogs will travel to the Gold Coast to take on the Suns, a match Brendan McCartney's team will see as a chance for a second victory of the season.

GOALS
Western Bulldogs: Giansiracusa 4; Markovic 3; Murphy 2; Griffen, Minson, Dahlhaus, Smith, Wallis, Austin
North Melbourne: Daw 6; Petrie 3; Black, Goldstein, Ziebell, Thomas, Macmillan 2; Harvey, Sierakowski, Atley

BEST - AFL.COM.AU
Western Bulldogs: Griffen, Minson, Lower, Markovic, Murphy, Dahlhaus
North Melbourne: Ziebell, Daw, Harvey, Gibson, Bastinac, Thompson, Atley

BEST - SPORTAL.COM.AU
Western Bulldogs: Griffen, Minson, Dahlhaus, Lower, Murphy, Boyd
North Melbourne: Ziebell, Daw, Gibson, Atley

COACHES' COMMENTS
Brendan McCartney (WB): There was a couple of signs late in the third quarter that the game changed the way it was shaped. It was very avoidable but there were a couple of momentary lapses where we let them out with the ball and the heat went out of the game for them. Their last quarter was very good and we couldn't keep up.

Brad Scott (NM): The Bulldogs came out with great intensity as we expected. I think Ryan Griffen's a top 10 player in the competition. He's a genuine superstar and just about the most dynamic midfielder in the game. We had a really hard time curtailing his influence. We weren't rapt with the way we played the first three quarters but I think the Bulldogs had a fair bit to say about that.

INJURIES Western Bulldogs: Nil
North Melbourne: Mullett (left ankle), Swallow (knee)

SUBSTITUTES
Western Bulldogs: Daniel Cross replaced Jason Tutt in the third quarter
North Melbourne: Daniel Wells replaced Aaron Mullet at halftime

UMPIRES: Donlon, Foot, Mitchell