Match

North Melbourne vs Adelaide Crows

Commentary / 06 May 2017

Pre Game

59:30
Welcome to Blundstone Arena for the North Melbourne v Adelaide Crows Round 7 clash.
59:33
Outs for Kangaroos: A.Mullett, T.Garner, J.Simpkin
59:34
Ins for Kangaroos: J.Waite, R.Clarke, C.Wagner
59:35
Outs for Crows: W.Milera
59:36
Ins for Crows: R.Knight
59:40
Don't forget to enter your tips for this match, you have until the bounce to make your selection.
00:00
Adelaide has averaged 18 marks inside their forward 50 this season, four more than any other side in the competition.

Quarter 1

00:00
Q1 is now underway.
02:54
SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Ben Cunnington)
03:22
Kangaroos Interchange - Corey Wagner and is possibly out for the game.
04:42
SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Jarrad Waite)
05:04
A great start to the Kangaroos with the first two goals of the game, both launched from intercepts. Adelaide has committed four turnovers in 10 disposals compared to North Melbourne with just two turnovers from 20 disposals.
05:42
SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Jarrad Waite)
06:15
Three goals in six minutes to the Kangaroos as they take the next centre bounce clearance inside 50, resulting in a second goal to Waite in his comeback game. North Melbourne has scored from 37 per cent of centre clearances this season (ranked first).
07:41
SCORE BEHIND - Kangaroos (Todd Goldstein)
10:05
After a fast start, North Melbourne has jumped the undefeated Adelaide side. Although the Crows are the top-ranked side in score differential this season (plus 305 points), in the first ten minutes of games they are ranked third (plus 17 points).
13:07
SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Ryan Clarke)
13:15
The Kangaroos are bounding away at Blundstone Arena, having double the disposals of the Crows (46 to 23) yet still with the ability to apply six more tackles (10 to four).
14:46
SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Shaun Higgins)
15:23
It's raining goals for North Melbourne as Higgins kicks its fifth, with three straight goals from set shots. North Melbourne has recorded a set shot accuracy of 57 per cent this season, the best conversion rate of any team in the league.
17:32
SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Kayne Turner)
18:59
SCORE BEHIND - Kangaroos (Mason Wood)
19:32
SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Jarrad Waite)
19:35
Everywhere you look the numbers are supporting the domination by North Melbourne. The Kangaroos have already amassed 23 more kicks than their opposition and with a kicking efficiency of 71 per cent, compared to just 47 per cent by the Crows.
22:39
North Melbourne is dominating field position, with the ball inside its forward half for 69 per cent of the quarter. This season, Adelaide is ranked second for time in forward half differential (an average of plus 9 minutes 24 seconds game time per game).
22:50
Kangaroos Interchange - Ben Brown off due to an injury.
27:32
SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Trent Dumont)
27:55
North Melbourne has enjoyed the advantage of a breeze this quarter but has capitalised with it, now with Trent Dumont kicking the Kangaroos' second goal from outside 50 metres.
29:01
SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Mason Wood)
31:11
SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Jack Ziebell)
31:40
North Melbourne has now taken the ball inside 50 on 26 occasions compared to just four by Adelaide. The Kangaroos have gathered 38 more uncontested possessions than the Crows but have also laid 10 more tackles.
32:28
SCORE BEHIND - Kangaroos (Trent Dumont)
33:38
SCORE BEHIND - Kangaroos (Jarrad Waite)
34:15
The siren has sounded to end Q1.
34:25
Jarad Waite was arguably the most dominant player on the ground in the first term, recording seven kicks, taking three marks inside 50 and finishing with three goals and one behind.

Quarter 2

00:00
Q2 is now underway.
03:11
SCORE GOAL - Crows (Charles Cameron)
03:28
Adelaide has finally scrounged its first goal by kicking the first of the second term. In the early play the Crows have lifted their kicking efficiency to 63 per cent after it was measured at only 47 per cent across the whole first quarter.
05:46
SCORE BEHIND - Crows (Josh Jenkins)
06:39
SCORE GOAL - Crows (Eddie Betts)
07:20
SCORE GOAL - Crows (Eddie Betts)
07:33
Eddie Betts has kicked his 500th and 501st career goal following an immediate free kick after the first against Scott Thompson. The Crows have already had five forward 50 entries this quarter after just four in total for the first term.
10:24
SCORE GOAL - Crows (Jake Lever)
10:43
Adelaide is now working its way into its 64-point quarter time deficit, winning ten intercepts this quarter and taking six of the ensuing possession chains inside forward 50. These entries have resulted in a score of 4.1 (25).
11:55
SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Shaun Higgins)
12:16
After 14 goals to the end favoured by the wind, Shaun Higgins has finally kicked one heading the other way. The North Melbourne forward has amassed eight disposals and a game-high 324 metres gained, as well as two goals.
14:04
SCORE BEHIND - Kangaroos (Shaun Higgins)
16:10
SCORE BEHIND - Crows (Rushed)
17:33
SCORE GOAL - Crows (Taylor Walker)
17:58
North Melbourne's discipline has slipped this quarter, conceding all six free kicks for the term and an extra 50-metre penalty than Adelaide. In the first quarter the Kangaroos received five more free kicks than the Crows.
18:57
SCORE BEHIND - Crows (Taylor Walker)
20:17
SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Trent Dumont)
20:48
North Melbourne is capitalising on the strength of its forward press, winning its 16th forward half intercept to launch its fourth resulting goal. Adelaide has won seven forward half intercepts and converted two into major scores.
26:25
SCORE BEHIND - Crows (Rushed)
26:52
SCORE BEHIND - Crows (Jake Lever)
27:02
Rory Sloane is averaging 15.7 contested possessions (ranked first) and 7.7 clearances (ranked third) per game this season. Today under the tag of Sam Gibson he has recorded an equal game-low of 2 disposals, even with 81 per cent game time.
28:50
SCORE BEHIND - Crows (Rory Atkins)
29:44
SCORE BEHIND - Kangaroos (Ben Brown)
29:51
Crows Interchange - Luke Brown off due to an injury.
32:32
The siren has sounded to end Q2.
32:42
Although the Crows recorded 14 extra forward 50 entries in the second quarter, they only managed five goals, with three from the goal square. Away from this distance, North Melbourne pushed Adelaide wide where it managed just 2.4 (16) from scoring shots.

Quarter 3

00:00
Q3 is now underway.
01:19
SCORE BEHIND - Kangaroos (Nathan Hrovat)
02:25
SCORE GOAL - Crows (Josh Jenkins)
03:02
The wind appears to have dropped off after half time, as Josh Jenkins kicks the first to the low-scoring end. This is the first goal to either side launched from a kick-in, while the Crows average a score from 10 per cent of kick-ins this season.
03:57
SCORE BEHIND - Crows (Rushed)
06:23
SCORE BEHIND - Kangaroos (Scott D. Thompson)
07:31
No luck for Scott Thompson from the set shot following a 50-metre penalty. With a minor score he takes his career scoring tally to six goals and ten behinds. The North Melbourne defender hasn't kicked a goal since Round 3 2014 against Port Adelaide.
09:30
SCORE BEHIND - Kangaroos (Rushed)
11:38
SCORE GOAL - Crows (Charles Cameron)
13:40
SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Ben Brown)
14:12
North Melbourne is on top in the middle this term but hasn't been able to put it onto the board until now through Ben Brown. The Kangaroos have launched 13 separate possession chains from the midfield compared to just four by the Crows.
15:07
SCORE BEHIND - Kangaroos (Jarrad Waite)
16:09
SCORE BEHIND - Kangaroos (Trent Dumont)
17:26
SCORE BEHIND - Kangaroos (Mason Wood)
18:03
SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Luke McDonald)
18:17
The pendulum has once again swung in this quarter, with North Melbourne registering six more kicks, applying six more effective tackles and committing five fewer turnovers than Adelaide. The Kangaroos have also recorded nine extra forward 50 entries.
20:06
SCORE GOAL - Crows (Eddie Betts)
21:42
SCORE GOAL - Crows (Richard Douglas)
21:45
Matt Crouch has been the most prolific midfielder on the ground with a game-high 25 disposals. His fifth clearance, an equal-team high with Richard Douglas, from the centre bounce has launched the goal to Douglas.
23:40
SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Mason Wood)
24:26
North Melbourne has been very strong in its forward half, applying 26 more tackles and winning nine more intercepts in that zone than Adelaide. From forward half intercepts, the Kangaroos have outscore Adelaide by 25 points for the match.
25:52
SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Jarrad Waite)
29:11
SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Jarrad Waite)
29:49
Two in a row for Jarrad Waite and, in his first game since Round 1, he has five goals for the match. Adding to his four marks inside 50 and 16 disposals, the North Melbourne forward has also laid six tackles.
30:27
The siren has sounded to end Q3.
30:37
North Melbourne has strengthened its grip on this match following a strong third quarter, mirroring the 5.6 (36) also kicked by Adelaide in the second term. The Kangaroos laid 15 more tackles and also recorded 15 more forward 50 entries than the Crows.

Quarter 4

00:00
Q4 is now underway.
02:15
SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Ben Brown)
02:20
Ben Brown has kicked his third of the match, and North Melbourne's third goal from outside the 50 metre arc. The Kangaroos have won 70 intercepts and launched 87 points as a result, their highest return sourced from this intercepts this year.
05:39
SCORE GOAL - Crows (Josh Jenkins)
07:33
SCORE BEHIND - Kangaroos (Mason Wood)
07:43
He missed that set shot from 49 metres, but Mason Wood has been an important prong in North Melbourne's forward setup today. He has taken a game-high ten marks, with five inside forward 50, and has been involved in 11 scoring chains.
09:46
SCORE GOAL - Crows (Richard Douglas)
10:54
Richard Douglas has been one of Adelaide's better players, gaining a team-high 418 metres for his side through his 24 disposals. He has won five clearances and now also has kicked two goals.
11:04
SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Nathan Hrovat)
13:04
SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Jarrad Waite)
13:13
Jarrad Waite has now kicked six goals, his highest tally in a game since he kicked seven goals in his second game for North Melbourne against Brisbane back in Round 2 2015.
17:27
SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Shaun Atley)
17:48
The lead is now out to a game-high 66 points, surpassing North Melbourne's 64-point lead at quarter time. This is now North Melbourne's highest score since Round 18 2013 when it kicked 22.18 (150) against Melbourne.
22:12
SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Ben Cunnington)
22:18
Ben Cunnington has been the general for North Melbourne in the middle, winning a game-high ten clearances and a team-high 26 disposals, to go with his six tackles and four inside 50s. He has put the icing on the cake with his second goal.
26:00
SCORE BEHIND - Crows (Josh Jenkins)
27:23
SCORE GOAL - Crows (Sam Jacobs)
29:32
SCORE GOAL - Crows (Rory Atkins)
30:25
North Melbourne has taken the ball inside forward 50 on 78 occasions, the highest tally by any team this season and just five off the highest by any team in a game since 1999 (83 by North Melbourne against Greater Western Sydney in 2012).
30:56
The siren has sounded to end Q4.
31:06
North Melbourne's record-breaking first quarter has set up a strong win against the previously undefeated Adelaide. The Kangaroos won 13 more clearances and laid 42 extra tackles than the Crows, running out 59-point winners.