Australian Football

Match Report

North Melbourne and GWS went into Saturday night's match with vastly different motives, the Kangaroos looking to arrest a three-game losing streak as they head into the finals while the Giants knew the a win would guarantee themselves a place in the top four and a double chance to go with it. North started the stronger of the two and led by a couple of points at the first change, and was still within 11 points of the Giants at half time, but GWS got on top after the long break, kicking eight goals to four to win by 37 points. 

Big Ben Brown got the Kangaroos off to a perfect start when he gathered the ball and kicked truly with a minute of the match starting. After a dour few minutes, Callan Ward goaled on the run to give the Giants a one-point lead, but a mark and accurate kick from Brown gave him his second goal and the lead back to North. Jonathon Patton kicked truly at the 16-minute mark to put GWS back in front but the lead changed again when Brown kicked his third after a free kick. The time-on period was goalless, the Giants kicking three behinds to one as the Roos took a narrow lead into the first break. 

Five minutes passed in the second term before there was a score, behind to Lindsay Thomas after he marked 30 metres out. The Giants responded with two behinds of their own before straightening up and kicking goals via Steve Johnson and Patton to take the lead by 11 points. North hit back with majors to Luke McDonald and Jack Ziebell and led by two points at the 20-minute mark, but Patton's third goal returned the lead to GWS, one which would not be relinquished for the remainder of the night. Jacob Hopper added another goal just before half-time, giving the Giants an 11-point advantage at the long break. 

North started the third quarter strongly and, after missed shots from Brown and Brent Harvey, drew within three points when Harvey had another shot at goal and kicked truly. That was as close as the Kangaroos would get for the remainder of the evening, and the Giants controlled the next 20 minutes, with goals to Patton, Devon Smith, Johnson and Jeremy Cameron opening up a 27-point lead at the last change of ends. 

As he had done in the third, Harvey again kicked the first goal of the final term, raising the hopes of Kangaroos' fans but the next seven minutes settled the result once and for all, with Johnson kicked two more goals and Patton slotting his fifth as the Giants opened up a 40-point gap. The final 20 minutes of the game were little more than a formality. North managed a couple of goals via Majak Daw and Ben Cunnington, but Devon Smith closed out a strong win with his second goal, GWS victors by 37. 

Patton's nine marks and five goals stamped him as one of the Giants' best, while North Melbourne was well-served by veteran Harvey, who had 26 possessions and took six marks. 

GWS will go into its first finals series in good form and health, ready to take on crosstown rivals Sydney in Saturday week's Qualifying Final at Stadium Australia. The Kangaroos will go into the finals on the back of a very poor lead-up, having lost four matches in a row, and they will be at long odds to defeat Adelaide at the Adelaide Oval in next Sunday week's Elimination Final. 

GOALS
North Melbourne: Brown 3; Harvey 2; Ziebell, McDonald, Daw, Cunnington
GWS: Patton 5; Johnson 4; Smith 2; Cameron, Hopper, Ward

BEST - AFL.COM.AU
North Melbourne: Harvey, Brown, Ziebell, Mullett, Gibson
GWS: Patton, Johnson, Smith, Shiel, Scully, Shaw 

BEST - THE SUNDAY AGE
North Melbourne: Harvey, Brown, Ziebell, Mullett, Gibson
GWS: Patton, Johnson, Smith, Shiel, Scully, Shaw

INJURIES 
North Melbourne: Macmillan (hip)
GWS: Whitfield (ribs)

UMPIRES: Donlon, Schmitt, Meredith

TELEVISION BROADCAST: Seven Network

COMMENTATORS: Brian Taylor, Luke Darcy, Matthew Richardson, Cameron Ling