Match

Brisbane Lions vs North Melbourne

Commentary / 26 Aug 2017

Pre Game

59:30

Welcome to Gabba for the Brisbane Lions v North Melbourne Round 23 clash.

59:33

Outs for Lions: E.Hipwood

59:34

Ins for Lions: C.Cox

59:35

Outs for Kangaroos: B.Preuss, D.Nielson, J.Ziebell, T.Garner, C.Zurhaar

59:36

Ins for Kangaroos: B.McKay, J.Anderson, L.Hansen, L.Thomas, A.Mullett

59:40

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

00:00

North Melbourne's offence has fallen from sixth-highest (96.6 points per game) to Round 10 to just the 15th-best (80.6) since. The Kangaroos have dropped their ball use in the corridor from 24.2 per cent (ranked first) to 17.2 per cent (ranked 10th).

Quarter 1

00:00

Q1 is now underway.

01:09

SCORE BEHIND - Kangaroos (Lindsay Thomas)

02:08

SCORE BEHIND - Kangaroos (Shaun Higgins)

02:28

SCORE BEHIND - Kangaroos (Ben Cunnington)

03:21

SCORE BEHIND - Kangaroos (Shaun Higgins)

03:32

North Melbourne has completely controlled field position in the opening moments, with the ball inside its forward half since the opening bounce. Unfortunately for the Kangaroos they have only managed four behinds, with three coming from general play.

05:00

SCORE GOAL - Lions (Tom Rockliff)

05:58

Brisbane has made North Melbourne pay with a goal from its first forward 50 entry. The Lions have scored a goal from 28 per cent of their inside 50 entries this season, the second-highest percentage recorded by any side.

06:00

SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Sam Durdin)

07:02

North Melbourne has the quick reply, with the centre clearance from Trent Dumont setting up Sam Durdin. The Kangaroos have scored from 31 per cent of their centre bounce clearances this season, the second-highest percentage recorded by a side.

07:41

SCORE BEHIND - Kangaroos (Shaun Atley)

08:24

SCORE BEHIND - Kangaroos (Sam Gibson)

08:50

SCORE GOAL - Lions (Tom Rockliff)

08:59

Tom Rockliff has got on the end of Brisbane's second goal launched from an intercept. He has now kicked 16 goals for the season, just two behind his career-high of 18 goals in 2012.

11:25

SCORE BEHIND - Kangaroos (Luke McDonald)

15:46

SCORE BEHIND - Kangaroos (Ben Cunnington)

15:49

North Melbourne is on top across the ground but has not been able to convert into major scores. The Kangaroos have won seven more clearances than Lions but have let themselves down with just 13 per cent kicking efficiency from 15 kicks inside 50.

16:59

SCORE GOAL - Lions (Dayne Beams)

17:22

The Lions have looked very dangerous on the outside, with eight more uncontested possessions than the Kangaroos and playing on from marks on 15 per cent more occasions. Two of their three goals have been launched from defensive 50.

21:51

SCORE GOAL - Lions (Michael Close)

22:22

Brisbane has been clean with its disposals, with a kicking efficiency of 76 per cent compared to just 49 per cent of North Melbourne. Incredibly the Lions have kicked four goals from four shots, while the Kangaroos have managed 1.8 (14) from 12 shots.

24:16

SCORE GOAL - Lions (Claye Beams)

25:59

Brisbane has found the ability to create easy shots, with four of its five goals kicked from within 15 metres of goal. North Melbourne has just managed one of its 12 shots from this distance, in turn converting its only major.

30:20

The siren has sounded to end Q1.

30:30

Shaun Higgins racked up 11 disposals including ten kicks to quarter time, recording a game-high 358 metres gained and delivering the ball inside 50 on five occasions. Unfortunately, he also turned the ball over five times and managed two behinds.

Quarter 2

00:00

Q2 is now underway.

01:23

North Melbourne hasn't registered as many behinds (eight) in the first quarter with just one goal since Round 20 1983. In that match the Kangaroos also kicked 1.8 (14) to quarter time against Geelong.

05:46

SCORE BEHIND - Lions (Rushed)

07:16

SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Nathan Hrovat)

07:53

The script has been flipped in the second term, this time with the Lions managing one behind from five forward 50 entries while the Kangaroos have converted from just their second inside 50.

09:09

SCORE BEHIND - Lions (Jake Barrett)

11:21

SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Ben Brown)

12:03

Ben Brown has kicked his 57th goal of the season as North Melbourne gathers in Brisbane's lead. The Kangaroos' have a forward half kicking efficiency of 69 per cent this term, up from 48 per cent in the first quarter.

14:52

SCORE BEHIND - Kangaroos (Jed Anderson)

15:17

The Kangaroos have had 11 shots in general play and have only managed 1.7 (13) in return. Jed Anderson has taken North Melbourne's fifth snap resulting in a score, however all five have only managed behinds.

15:56

SCORE BEHIND - Lions (Claye Beams)

19:45

SCORE BEHIND - Lions (Dayne Beams)

20:37

SCORE BEHIND - Lions (Daniel Rich)

23:18

Brisbane has kicked five consecutive behinds in the second quarter after five straight goals in the first term. This quarter, all of the Lions' shots have been from outside 40 metres or from an acute angle.

24:26

Kangaroos Interchange - Sam Gibson off due to the blood rule.

25:08

SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Shaun Higgins)

25:58

Shaun Higgins has continued to have an impact in the second term, kicking his first goal from his third clearance for the term. Across the match he has registered seven forward 50 entries and 471 metres gained.

27:20

SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Ben Brown)

28:16

North Melbourne is now in front after Ben Brown again kicks truly from his second set shot for the quarter. The Kangaroos have improved their ball control with 71 per cent of kicks to short options, up from 58 per cent in the first quarter.

30:04

The siren has sounded to end Q2.

30:14

The ball was inside the North Melbourne forward half for 71 per cent of the first term, yet Brisbane led by 16 points. Play was inside the Lions' forward half for 56 per cent of the second quarter, yet the Kangaroos won the stanza by 20 points.

Quarter 3

00:00

Q3 is now underway.

01:34

SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Ben Brown)

02:38

Ben Brown now has three goals since quarter time, as the Kangaroos launch their third goal from centre bounce clearances. Trent Dumont has six clearances for the match, three of which have launched scores for North Melbourne.

04:04

SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Jy Simpkin)

05:19

SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Lindsay Thomas)

06:08

North Melbourne has jumped Brisbane to start the second half, with 81 per cent the play inside its forward half. The Kangaroos have been in possession for 75 per cent of the opening six minutes, and have kicked three goals from four entries.

07:14

SCORE BEHIND - Kangaroos (Rushed)

08:33

SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Todd Goldstein)

08:57

North Melbourne has now kicked 8.2 (50) since its opening quarter term of 1.8 (14), while Brisbane has scored 0.5 (5) following its first term score of 5.0 (30). In this quarter the Kangaroos have recorded 19 kicks at 95 per cent efficiency.

09:50

SCORE BEHIND - Kangaroos (Ryan Clarke)

11:48

SCORE BEHIND - Lions (Michael Close)

13:25

SCORE BEHIND - Lions (Rushed)

13:54

SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Ben Brown)

13:57

North Melbourne have transitioned from the kick in following the poor miss of Michael Close, for Ben Brown to kick his fourth goal and the Kangaroos' ninth consecutive major. This season the Kangaroos have launched a score from 6.5 per cent of kick ins.

16:18

SCORE BEHIND - Lions (Tom Rockliff)

16:47

Dayne Zorko has kicked Brisbane's first goal since the 25th minute of the first quarter, after intercepting a handball from Aaron Mullett. Four of the Lions' six goals have been launched from inside their forward half.

19:39

SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Jed Anderson)

19:50

North Melbourne has been dominant from the stoppages, winning nine more clearances than Brisbane. The Kangaroos have won seven fewer hit outs, but three more hitouts to advantage, and have outscored the Lions from clearances by six goals.

20:43

SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Shaun Higgins)

23:08

SCORE BEHIND - Kangaroos (Rushed)

24:28

SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Ben Brown)

24:40

North Melbourne has now kicked eight goals for the term, for the first time against Brisbane since Round 2 2015 when it managed eight goals in the second term. Ben Brown now has five goals since quarter time and 61 goals for the season.

27:57

SCORE GOAL - Lions (Hugh McCluggage)

29:38

Kangaroos Interchange - Sam Durdin off due to the blood rule.

32:19

Kangaroos Interchange - Ben McKay and is possibly out for the game.

34:45

Unfortunately North Melbourne debutant Ben McKay has suffered concussion and has left the ground. The 21st selection in the 2015 National Draft managed nine disposals, a mark and three tackles in his first game at senior level.

35:07

SCORE BEHIND - Lions (Daniel Rich)

36:15

SCORE GOAL - Lions (Daniel Rich)

36:30

Daniel Rich has produced another solid performance in what is turning out to be a big loss for Brisbane. He has won seven intercepts, amassed 12 kicks and laid four tackles with two winning free kicks.

38:59

The siren has sounded to end Q3.

39:09

The Kangaroos were simply dominant in the third quarter, kicking eight goals within 25 minutes. Not only did they won five more clearances and record eight more forward 50 entries than the Lions, they also applied nine extra tackles for the term.

Quarter 4

00:00

Q4 is now underway.

02:35

SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Lindsay Thomas)

02:52

North Melbourne has now launched 8.4 (52) from stoppages, now with four goals from ten throw in clearances to match the four launched from 19 centre bounces clearances.

04:04

SCORE GOAL - Lions (Alex Witherden)

04:17

Alex Witherden has been a shining light for Brisbane off half-back. To go with his goal, the Round 17 nominee for the 2017 Rising Star award has recorded 16 kicks and 494 metres gained, as well as launching possession chains ending in 3.1 (19).

05:48

SCORE BEHIND - Lions (Daniel Rich)

07:43

SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Ben Brown)

10:20

SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Ben Brown)

10:37

Ben Brown has capped off a strong season with a great performance, kicking a career-high seven goals from 11 kicks and seven shots. He now has 63 goals for the season, the highest tally for a Kangaroos player since Wayne Carey kicked 69 goals in 2000.

11:28

SCORE BEHIND - Kangaroos (Jed Anderson)

14:13

SCORE GOAL - Lions (Dayne Zorko)

14:16

Once again this season Dayne Zorko has been Brisbane's best player. The 2015 and 2016 Lions best and fairest winner has won five intercepts, recorded 25 disposals and been involved in a team-high eight possession chains ending in a score.

14:36

Lions Interchange - Ryan Lester off due to an injury.

15:57

SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Kayne Turner)

17:33

SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Lindsay Thomas)

17:53

North Melbourne has won 13 more centre clearances than Brisbane and is capitalising, launching five goals from the centre bounce. This matches the five goals the Kangaroos launched against the Hawks in Round 21.

19:35

SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Ben Cunnington)

21:08

With Ben Cunnington kicking his first goal, North Melbourne have now registered ten individual goal kickers. This exceeds the Kangaroos' season average of 8.55 individual goal kickers per game, the fourth-highest average of all teams.

21:26

SCORE GOAL - Lions (Rhys Mathieson)

23:22

SCORE BEHIND - Lions (Dayne Zorko)

26:08

SCORE BEHIND - Lions (Tom Rockliff)

29:04

Todd Goldstein has regained some form in a strong performance in the ruck. He has served his team with 12 hitouts to advantage, helping to launch 65 points from stoppages. He has also recorded 15 disposals, four marks, five clearances and a goal.

30:30

SCORE BEHIND - Kangaroos (Nathan Hrovat)

30:57

SCORE BEHIND - Kangaroos (Ben Brown)

32:02

SCORE BEHIND - Lions (Hugh McCluggage)

33:22

SCORE BEHIND - Kangaroos (Ben Brown)

33:28

The siren has sounded to end Q4.

33:38

North Melbourne has run out handsome winners to avoid last place for 2017. The Kangaroos had an early scare, but outscored the Lions by 12 goals after quarter time. North Melbourne outscored Brisbane by eight goals launched from stoppages for the match.