Match

North Melbourne vs GWS Giants

Commentary / 08 Apr 2017

Pre Game

59:30

Welcome to Blundstone Arena for the North Melbourne v GWS Giants Round 3 clash.

59:33

Outs for Kangaroos: J.Simpkin, S.Thompson, M.Daw

59:34

Ins for Kangaroos: T.Goldstein, S.Durdin, R.Clarke

59:35

Outs for Giants: M.Buntine

59:36

Ins for Giants: A.Corr

59:40

Don't forget to enter your tips for this match, you have until the bounce to make your selection.

00:00

Much talk about Josh Kelly during the week. Kelly had a career-high (and equal club record) 15 score involvements last week, and his 22 score involvements in the first two rounds is the equal most in the AFL.

Quarter 1

00:00

Q1 is now underway.

01:45

SCORE BEHIND - Giants (Steve Johnson)

01:59

The Giants get the first score of the game comes from a stoppage to Steve Johnson (who currently has 499 career goals). GWS has scored 37 points per game from stoppages (ranked fifth), and the Kangaroos have scored 50 points (ranked first).

03:50

SCORE BEHIND - Giants (Rushed)

05:52

The Giants have won the first four clearances to start the game. GWS has used a handball to clear a stoppage 66 percent of the time this season (ranked No.1), and has recorded the best overall handball efficiency (89 percent).

07:37

SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Todd Goldstein)

07:43

Todd Goldstein gives the Kangaroos the opening goal of the game, and it comes from a chain started with a defensive half clearance. North Melbourne has scored 12 points per game from this source (ranked first).

09:05

SCORE GOAL - Giants (Rory Lobb)

10:48

SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Jack Ziebell)

11:23

The Kangaroos get their second goal of the game, this time from a forward 50 intercept. North Melbourne has scored just six points per game from this source (ranked 16th).

12:58

SCORE BEHIND - Kangaroos (Ben Brown)

14:38

SCORE GOAL - Giants (Jeremy Cameron)

15:03

Jeremy Cameron took an equal career-high 12 marks last week against the Suns, and with the last goal is now the equal leader in the Coleman medal race with 11 goals.

15:26

Giants Interchange - Ryan Griffen off due to the blood rule.

17:42

The Kangaroos are doing some good work defensively, leading in tackles (15-8), spoils (6-2) and intercept marks (5-2).

18:35

SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Braydon Preuss)

20:44

Blustery conditions at Blundstone Arena are contributing to both teams having kicking efficiency of less than 60 percent. (the AFL average is 67 percent).

21:02

SCORE BEHIND - Kangaroos (Braydon Preuss)

23:26

SCORE BEHIND - Giants (Sam J. Reid)

25:42

SCORE GOAL - Giants (Toby Greene)

25:54

A clever forward 50 intercept and goal from Toby Greene gives the Giants back the lead. GWS has averaged 19 points per game from this source (ranked second).

27:05

SCORE BEHIND - Giants (Rushed)

29:41

The siren has sounded to end Q1.

29:51

Despite some good defensive work, North Melbourne was unable to capitalise on kicking with the wind (and a 16-10 advantage for inside 50s) in the opening quarter.

Quarter 2

00:00

Q2 is now underway.

00:40

SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Braydon Preuss)

01:15

Braydon Preuss able to sneak a goal from a forward 50 stoppage for the Kangaroos to start the second quarter. North Melbourne had only scored one point from this source across the first two games (ranked last).

01:52

SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Andrew Swallow)

02:52

SCORE BEHIND - Giants (Jeremy Cameron)

04:13

SCORE GOAL - Giants (Toby Greene)

05:27

While the Kangaroos lead the hitouts 12-11, the Giants lead in hitouts to advantage 7-3 and clearances 14-12. Shane Mumford has contributed six hitouts to advantage and an equal best three clearances.

09:35

Jack Ziebell currently leads all players for clearances (four), and is equal leader for contested possessions (six), tackles (three) and intercept possessions (four).

12:56

North Melbourne has maintained control of the ball well into the wind early the second quarter, leading effective disposals (43-23) and uncontested marks (13-3) this quarter.

14:32

SCORE BEHIND - Kangaroos (Kayne Turner)

15:32

SCORE BEHIND - Giants (Dylan Shiel)

16:00

GWS has generated eight of the last nine inside 50s, but has not scored a goal during this period.

16:38

SCORE BEHIND - Kangaroos (Lindsay Thomas)

16:41

Giants Interchange - Josh Kelly off due to an injury.

18:17

In the first quarter, the Giants had 21 short kicks and 15 long kicks, but in the second quarter, perhaps overplaying the wind advantage, they have had just 5 short kicks and 13 long kicks.

18:42

SCORE GOAL - Giants (Jacob Hopper)

20:47

SCORE BEHIND - Giants (Jeremy Cameron)

22:51

SCORE BEHIND - Giants (Toby Greene)

25:15

SCORE GOAL - Giants (Jeremy Cameron)

25:36

Jeremy Cameron continuing to look dangerous for the Giants, now has eight score involvements, and GWS has had 17 of the last 20 inside 50s.

27:05

SCORE BEHIND - Giants (Callan Ward)

27:56

Giants Interchange - Ryan Griffen and is possibly out for the game.

29:24

SCORE BEHIND - Giants (Jacob Hopper)

30:15

In the last 10 minutes, the Giants lead the clearances 7-1, contested possessions 16-8, and inside 50s 13-1.

30:41

SCORE BEHIND - Giants (Dylan Shiel)

31:23

Giants Interchange - Zac Williams off due to an injury.

32:01

The siren has sounded to end Q2.

32:11

The Giants undoing their good work at the contest with kicking efficiency of only 59 percent in the first half (and 18 clanger kicks compared to the Kangaroos nine).

Quarter 3

00:00

Q3 is now underway.

00:18

While Braydon Preuss has impressed for the Kangaroos, Shane Mumford has game-highs for hitouts to advantage (11) and clearances (seven), to go with 11 disposals (at 100 percent efficiency).

03:04

SCORE BEHIND - Giants (Rushed)

03:45

The Giants get the opening goal of the third quarter (and career goal 500 for Steve Johnson) following a Kangaroos turnover. GWS has scored 5.6.(36) from turnovers, compared to North Melbourne 2.3.(15) from this source.

06:02

The behind to Turner came from the Kangaroos first inside 50 entry since the 22 minute mark of the second quarter. The Giants had 17 consecutive inside 50s during this period.

07:08

SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Trent Dumont)

10:19

The goal to Rory Lobb was the first score of the game to come from a free kick. The Giants have now kicked five of the last six goals.

12:56

SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Ben Brown)

14:30

North Melbourne lead in intercept marks 16-4, and Lachie Hansen has taken more of these marks (five) than GWS. He also has a game-high 11 intercept possessions (no other player has more than six).

16:20

SCORE BEHIND - Kangaroos (Rushed)

21:10

SCORE BEHIND - Giants (Jeremy Cameron)

22:10

North Melbourne is ranked first for both scores from stoppages (51) and scores from centre bounce clearances (30) this season. So far today it has scored 24 points from stoppages and six from centre bounce clearances, with GWS negating this strength.

24:16

The Kangaroos have averaged 17 forward 50 marks per game this season (ranked third), but have taken just five such marks today.

24:35

SCORE BEHIND - Giants (Sam J. Reid)

25:40

SCORE GOAL - Giants (Jeremy Cameron)

27:13

SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Ryan Clarke)

28:42

SCORE BEHIND - Giants (Josh Kelly)

29:01

Shane Mumford now has a career-high (and game-high) ten clearances and 17 disposals at 100 percent efficiency.

29:56

The siren has sounded to end Q3.

30:06

GWS was able to out score North Melbourne by two points into the wind in the third quarter, on the back of dominance at the contest (clearances 11-6 and contested possessions 45-33).

Quarter 4

00:00

Q4 is now underway.

04:28

SCORE BEHIND - Giants (Dylan Shiel)

05:39

Since quarter time the Giants lead in both tackles 52-29 and contested possessions 94-77.

08:20

North Melbourne has had four of the first five inside 50s to start the final quarter, but has not scored.

08:58

SCORE GOAL - Giants (Nathan Wilson)

09:45

GWS is able to score the important first goal of the final quarter to get its biggest lead of the game (22 points), and has now kicked seven of the last ten goals.

11:42

SCORE BEHIND - Kangaroos (Ben Brown)

13:45

SCORE GOAL - Giants (Sam J. Reid)

14:20

GWS lead in clearances 43-29, and now leads in scores from stoppages 5.8.(38) to 5.0.(30).

14:43

SCORE BEHIND - Giants (Sam J. Reid)

16:20

SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Kayne Turner)

16:29

Giants Interchange - Phil Davis off due to an injury.

16:55

The goal to Turner was the first of the game for the Kangaroos to come from a chain started in the defensive 50. North Melbourne has scored 1.3.(9) from this source, and has averaged 18 points in the first two rounds.

17:22

SCORE BEHIND - Giants (Tim Taranto)

18:50

SCORE BEHIND - Giants (Devon Smith)

21:44

Jeremy Cameron providing his third score assist for the Josh Kelly goal. Kelly now has a game-high 30 disposals, and 11 score involvements.

23:36

SCORE GOAL - Giants (Sam J. Reid)

24:49

SCORE GOAL - Giants (Callan Ward)

27:51

SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Taylor Garner)

31:27

SCORE GOAL - Giants (Toby Greene)

32:54

The siren has sounded to end Q4.

33:04

The Giants controlled the game, winning the contested possessions (166-137) and inside 50s (71-49), and if not for some inaccuracy in front of goal may have won by a larger margin.