Australian Football

Match Report

In a game that was very much one of two halves, North Melbourne has recorded an unconvincing win over Essendon at Docklands on Saturday afternoon, to remain undefeated and on top of the ladder after eight rounds. The Kangaroos looked to be heading for a huge win at the long break, having held Essendon goalless in the first half for the first time since 1915, but the Dons vberyt much dominated proceedings in the third and fourth terms, eventually succumbing by just 14 points after having been behind by 50 at half time. 

As expected, the Roos started off strongly against the Bombers, with Drew Petrie getting North's first goal in his 301st game as he had in his 300th. By the 23-minute mark, Petrie had his second and Mason Wood his first as the Kangaroos led 3.2 to 0.1 and a Ben Jacobs major three minutes later saw North take a four-goal lead into the first break. 

North threatened to blow the game apart in the first five minutes of the second quarter, ad Lindsay Thomas and Ben Brown kicked majors, and then Majak Daw, playing his first match of 2016, kick a 'miracle' goal from the boundary to put the Kangas 42 points clear. The Dons stemmed the flow after that, with North's only other goal going to Daw the 24-minute mark, but couldn't make any impact on the scoreboard themselves, and they trailed by 50 points - 0.4 to 8.6 - at the long break. 

The Bombers finally scored their first goal at the three-minute mark of the third quarter when Orazio Fantasia rolled one through. Jarrad Waite responded for North three minutes later but Mason Redman had Essendon;s second on the board at the nine-minute mark. Neither side scored for the next nine minutes, Waite breaking the drought with his second at the 18-minute mark. Remarkably, that was to be North's last goal of the match. The Dons got on top in time on and majors to Adam Cooney, Joe Daniher and Fantasia had the margin back to 35 at the final change of ends. 

Essendon kept coming in the last term, with Zach Merrett and Cooney both having shots within the first minute, but both missing. North then added three behinds but the Bombers dominated the last 20 minutes go the match and, but for some inaccuracy, could well have pushed for what would have been an amazing win. They added three goals via Kyle Langford (two) and Daniher but also missed five other shots. Eventually, the siren saved the Kangaroos, who held on to win by 14 points. 

Sam Gibson (15 marks, 36 touches) was a standout for the victors, while Zach Merrett (36 possessions, eight tackles) played a fine game for the Dons. 

The undefeated Kangaroos will take on the resurgent Blues at Docklands on Saturday night, while Essendon will take some confidence into its match against St Kilda at the same venue the next day. 

GOALS
Essendon: Fantasia, Langford, Daniher 2; Redman, Cooney
North Melbourne: Petrie, Daw, Waite 2; Wood, Jacobs, Thomas, Brown

BEST - HERALD SUN
Essendon: Goddard Merrett Cooney Baguley McDonald-Tipungwuti Dea Paris
North Melbourne: Gibson Tarrant Ziebell Swallow Dal Santo Harvey Goldstein

BEST - AFL.COM.AU
Essendon: Merrett, Goddard, Fantasia, Cooney, Daniher, Kelly
North Melbourne: Jacobs, Thompson, Tarrant, Goldstein, Daw, Harvey

INJURIES
Essendon: TBC
North Melbourne: Wood (concussion)

UMPIRES: Brown, Ryan, Fleer

TELEVISION BROADCAST: Seven Network

COMMENTATORS: Hamish McLachlan, Basil Zempilas, Tim Watson