Match

North Melbourne vs West Coast Eagles

Commentary / 27 Mar 2022

Pre Game

00:00

When these teams last met, North Melbourne won by ten points on a wet Monday night in the west. Jaidyn Stephenson polled the three Brownlow medal votes for the Kangaroos in that game recording a career-high 38 disposals but has been left out of the team for this match.

Quarter 1

00:00

Q1 is now underway.

00:42

The opening clearance of the game has gone the way of the Kangaroos. Despite losing last week, North Melbourne outscored Hawthorn by ten points from stoppages, conceding only seven points from this source (ranked No.1 defensively).

03:35

West Coast is using Sam Petrevski-Seton in a central midfield role to start the game. Petrevski-Seton attended the opening centre bounce and has averaged less than four centre bounce attendances per game in his career.

05:34

The Eagles have taken the first two forward 50 marks to start the game, but have failed to register a score from both opportunities. Both of these teams were ranked in the bottom-3 for such marks in Round 1.

06:50

SCORE BEHIND - Kangaroos (Jy Simpkin)

07:30

The opening score of the game to the Kangaroos was sourced from a defensive half stoppage. North Melbourne did not score from this source in Round 1.

08:11

SCORE GOAL - Eagles (Willie Rioli)

08:48

The first goal of the game to the mercurial Willie Rioli was launched by an intercept in the midfield. The Eagles scored 29 points per game from this source in 2021 (ranked 12th).

11:13

The accurate Nick Larkey has provided the Kangaroos with their first goal which also followed an intercept in the midifeld. North Melbourne has won five of the first six clearances to start the game with an early midfield advantage apparent.

12:53

SCORE BEHIND - Kangaroos (Rushed)

13:43

West Coast has had Josh Kennedy (279 games) and Tom Barrass (100 games) as its bookends for much of the last five seasons. Today Jack Williams and Callum Jamieson make their debuts as key position players at either of the ground.

14:46

The Eagles averaged a competition-low 48.6 tackles per game last season and applied only 38 last week. West Coast has an early 14-8 lead in the tackle count and will need to apply strong pressure today.

16:05

SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Nick Larkey)

17:45

SCORE BEHIND - Eagles (Rushed)

18:49

With ruck talisman Nic Naitanui absent today, North Melbourne has an early 10-0 lead in hit outs and more importantly a 4-0 lead in hit outs to advantage.

19:39

SCORE BEHIND - Eagles (Jack Petruccelle)

20:04

SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Tarryn Thomas)

20:33

Both of the kick-ins for North Melbourne have resulted in an inside 50 entry, with the second leading to the long-range goal to Tarryn Thomas. The Kangaroos did not score a goal from a kick-in last season until Round 9.

25:15

While the inside 50 count is relatively even, North Melbourne has a 23-9 lead in forward 50 disposals indicating the ball has often not stayed long in the Eagle forward line.

26:33

SCORE GOAL - Eagles (Willie Rioli)

26:44

Willie Rioli has been involved in all four scores for the Eagles including kicking both of their goals. He has also attended two centre bounces, taking on a more prominent role today.

28:42

SCORE BEHIND - Eagles (Liam Ryan)

28:46

A very competitive first quarter from the undermanned Eagles who applied terrific pressure leading the tackle count 26-13. There were only two quarters last season when the Eagles applied more than 26 tackles.

Quarter 2

00:00

Q2 is now underway.

00:14

North Melbourne led in first possession wins at stoppages 15-8 during the opening quarter but conceded the clearances 10-11 to West Coast.

01:52

Kangaroos Interchange - Luke Davies-Uniacke off due to an injury.

04:19

Luke Shuey has made a strong return for the Eagles and currently has team-highs for all of contested possessions (6), clearances (4), and pressure points (28).

05:58

Willie Rioli had never recorded more than seven disposals in a quarter before this game. He had nine disposals in an influential opening quarter today.

07:26

SCORE BEHIND - Kangaroos (Jack Mahony)

09:41

The Kangaroos have had seven of the first eight inside 50 entries to start the second quarter, with a 4-0 lead in forward half intercepts this term seeing the Eagle defence under constant pressure.

10:06

SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Jack Mahony)

10:39

Jack Mahony has a game-high five score involvements for the Kangaroos (including the last goal) and seven of his nine disposals have been in the forward 50 where he has been prominent.

11:27

SCORE BEHIND - Eagles (Brayden Ainsworth)

13:12

SCORE BEHIND - Kangaroos (Kayne Turner)

14:12

SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Nick Larkey)

14:19

North Melbourne now leads 11-6 in forward half intercepts and 19-7 in points scored from this source following the last goal to Nick Larkey. The Kangaroos averaged 21 points per game from this source last season.

16:00

SCORE BEHIND - Kangaroos (Rushed)

17:17

SCORE BEHIND - Kangaroos (Nick Larkey)

18:09

North Melbourne recorded a shot at goal accuracy of only 35 percent in Round 1, which was ranked last and 14 percent below the league average. The Kangaroos have five goals from 13 shots today with accuracy again an issue at this stage.

19:17

SCORE GOAL - Eagles (Liam Duggan)

19:44

Liam Ryan averaged 1.1 score assists per game last season but has already contributed two score assists today including one on the last goal to Liam Duggan. Ryan has also recorded a team-high nine disposals in the forward half.

20:40

SCORE BEHIND - Kangaroos (Jared Polec)

21:42

SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Nick Larkey)

22:36

Nick Larkey is enjoying the absence of Tom Barrass with four first half goals and already eight disposals in the forward 50. The Kangaroos now lead 41-14 in forward 50 disposals despite having only a 25-20 lead for inside 50 entries.

23:37

SCORE BEHIND - Kangaroos (Rushed)

24:40

SCORE BEHIND - Kangaroos (Nick Larkey)

26:28

The Eagles recorded 32 clanger kicks last week, which was the most of any team for the round. West Coast currently has more clanger kicks (15-8) than North Melbourne.

26:29

Eagles Interchange - Brayden Ainsworth and is possibly out for the game.

30:03

SCORE GOAL - Eagles (Bailey J. Williams)

30:24

A handy late goal to the Eagles following an intercept in the midfield. West Coast now leads 20-19 in points scored from this source, and has also been more efficient at converting these intercepts into inside 50 entries.

30:53

Kangaroos Interchange - Tarryn Thomas and is possibly out for the game.

31:05

North Melbourne dominated much of the second term with a 37-23 lead in contested possessions and 64 percent time in forward half, but returned a wasteful 3.7.25.

Quarter 3

00:00

Q3 is now underway.

00:15

Luke Davies-Uniacke laid a career-high nine tackles last round, which was the third-most of any player for the round and eclipsing his previous best tally of five. Unfortunately, the talented Roo has been subbed out of the game today and emerging star Tarryn Thomas is also now out of the game.

02:42

SCORE BEHIND - Eagles (Luke Shuey)

03:01

The opening score of the third quarter to the Eagles came from a forward 50 stoppage. The two teams have now scored a combined 0.8.8 from stoppages today.

04:36

Kangaroos Interchange - Jason Horne-Francis off due to an injury.

05:32

Kangaroos Interchange - Todd Goldstein off due to the blood rule.

06:00

Aaron Hall averages 34.4 disposals in his last five games, which is the second-most of any player in the AFL behind only Jack Macrae. Hall is up to 17 disposals today and has launched four scores for the Kangaroos, with three of these from intercepts.

06:56

SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Kayne Turner)

07:05

North Melbourne now leads 14-1 in points scored from chains starting in the defensive 50. The Kangaroos have generated an inside 50 from 33 percent of such chains compared to the Eagles only 13 percent from their defensive 50 chains.

12:15

West Coast has had the last six inside 50 entries of the game but has not been able to score during this period of territorial ascendancy.

13:48

SCORE GOAL - Eagles (Willie Rioli)

14:00

The repeat inside 50 entries for the Eagles have eventually resulted in a goal to Willie Rioli who now has an equal career-high three goals from his team-high six score involvements.

15:19

SCORE BEHIND - Eagles (Rushed)

17:24

SCORE BEHIND - Kangaroos (Jason Horne-Francis)

17:37

The Eagles have a 7-0 lead in forward half intercepts this quarter but have not scored from any of these opportunities. Both teams have now had 15 such intercepts in total, with the Kangaroos leading 27-13 in points scored from this source.

20:47

North Melbourne leads 34-20 in first possession wins at stoppages but has only converted this into a 26-24 edge in clearances. There have still been no goals for either team from this source.

21:25

SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Kayne Turner)

22:06

A second goal to North Melbourne following a 50-metre penalty. The Kangaroos have also scored one goal from a free kick and lead 6.4 to 2.2 in set shots at goal.

25:02

SCORE GOAL - Eagles (Willie Rioli)

25:26

Willie Rioli continues to cause problems for the Kangaroos with his career-best fourth goal being the first goal of the game to come from a stoppage.

27:11

Luke Foley averaged 11 disposals per game across his first seven career games before winning 24 last round. He also took a team-high eight marks last week. The young Eagle has recorded an equal game-high eight disposals this quarter.

29:28

The Eagles had the better of the third term with 59 percent time in forward half, a 12-5 edge in forward 50 disposals, and a 19-13 lead in tackles contributed to a major 8-2 advantage in forward half intercepts.

Quarter 4

00:00

Q4 is now underway.

00:21

SCORE BEHIND - Kangaroos (Kayne Turner)

00:31

North Melbourne now leads 11-6 in centre bounce clearances but has scored only 0.4.4 from these opportunities, while West Coast has scored 0.2.2 from its centre bounce clearances.

01:16

SCORE BEHIND - Eagles (Liam Ryan)

02:18

SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Nick Larkey)

02:37

The Kangaroos have a 20-1 lead in points scored from defensive 50 chains following the latest goal to Nick Larkey. Jack Mahony was again involved in the scoring chain and he now has a game and career-high eight score involvements today.

03:26

SCORE BEHIND - Eagles (Jack Petruccelle)

04:36

Jeremy McGovern has worked hard to disrupt Kangaroo ball movement today. McGovern has game-highs for all of intercepts (8), spoils (8), and intercept marks (5).

05:21

SCORE BEHIND - Kangaroos (Cameron Zurhaar)

07:32

SCORE GOAL - Eagles (Aaron Black)

07:52

The terrific first AFL goal for WAFL star Aaron Black came from a forward half stoppage. West Coast now leads 2.4.16 to 0.7.7 in points scored from stoppages.

09:48

SCORE BEHIND - Kangaroos (Nick Larkey)

10:09

The inaccuracy in front of goal for the Kangaroos has continued. North Melbourne has now scored 2.5 from shots at goal in the 15 to 40 metre range. West Coast has scored 5.2 from its equivalent attempts.

12:20

SCORE BEHIND - Eagles (Liam Ryan)

13:22

SCORE BEHIND - Eagles (Rushed)

13:29

Liam Ryan and Jack Petrucelle have now had a combined nine shots at goal for a return of 0.5 with four attempts failing to score.

17:27

Tristan Xerri has won first possession at ten stoppages (a game-high) and contributed six hitouts to advantage and five clearances, while also recording a career-high 19 disposals.

18:20

SCORE BEHIND - Eagles (Jack Darling)

21:59

Luke McDonald recorded a career-high eight intercept marks and 13 intercept possessions last round. The veteran Roo has again won a team-high nine intercepts and contributed 476 metres gained from his 20 disposals.

23:34

SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Nick Larkey)

23:43

Nick Larkey has been too much for the Eagles today. He has been the target of 15 inside 50 entries, had 13 forward 50 disposals and taken six marks in the forward 50. Larkey had kicked five goals in three games against West Coast prior to today.

26:47

SCORE GOAL - Eagles (Declan Mountford)

29:14

A hard-fought win for the Kangaroos who had a major edge in contested possessions (141-114) and then used the ball more effectively (handball receives 125-76 and forward half kicking efficiency 55 percent to 49 percent). North also had a dominant key forward in Nick Larkey (six goals) to separate the teams.