Match

North Melbourne vs Sydney Swans

Commentary / 20 May 2023

Pre Game

00:00

Greg Williams (254 disposals) is the only player to have recorded more disposals than Harry Sheezel (251 disposals) in the first nine games of their respective careers. However Michael Barlow holds the record at 10 games with 281 disposals, so Sheezel will need 31 touches or more to retake the lead.

Quarter 1

00:00

Q1 is now underway.

00:44

SCORE BEHIND - Swans (Justin McInerney)

02:47

SCORE BEHIND - Swans (Isaac Heeney)

03:52

SCORE GOAL - Swans (Lance Franklin)

04:14

Sydney have already recorded four forward half intercept possessions, and launched scores from three of them. They scored 47 points from this source last round against the Dockers, the third highest tally of any side in Round 9.

05:55

SCORE BEHIND - Swans (Lachlan McAndrew)

09:31

SCORE GOAL - Swans (Hayden McLean)

09:49

Two goals from set shots to start the match for the Swans. Sydney have averaged 4.8 goals per game from this shot type over the last four rounds, the third-lowest average of any side in this four week period.

11:05

SCORE BEHIND - Swans (Lance Franklin)

12:23

SCORE BEHIND - Swans (Dylan Stephens)

12:53

The Kangaroos are getting beaten to the ball over the ground at the moment, losing the contested possession count 7-18, including 4-14 post-clearance. As a result, the inside 50 count has begun 10-1 in Sydney's favour.

15:20

SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Jy Simpkin)

15:30

The Kangaroos get on the board through their captain Jy Simpkin from just their second forward half intercept possession after the Swans recorded the first eight of the match. Since Round 6, the Kangaroos have scored 22 points per game from this source, the third-lowest average of any side.

18:22

SCORE BEHIND - Kangaroos (Rushed)

19:29

SCORE BEHIND - Kangaroos (Nick Larkey)

20:35

SCORE GOAL - Swans (Peter Ladhams)

21:37

Both sides are struggling with accuracy from set shots in the first term of today's match. Sydney's accuracy is at 33 per cent, and North Melbourne at 40 per cent. For context, Hawthorn rank last for goal accuracy from set shots in 2023 at 44 per cent.

22:04

SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Paul Curtis)

22:24

The Kangaroos get the first goal of the game launched form a centre bounce clearance in today's match, a source from which North Melbourne did not launch a single score from last round against Port Adelaide.

22:51

Swans Interchange - Luke Parker off due to the blood rule.

24:04

SCORE BEHIND - Kangaroos (Rushed)

25:45

SCORE BEHIND - Swans (Rushed)

27:24

SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Eddie Ford)

29:47

Before the Kangaroos were able to get on the scoreboard, the Swans had recorded five marks inside 50 to one but converted that to just two goals from 10 inside 50's. The Swans were in the top four attacking teams in terms of efficiency in 2022, but have found themselves in the bottom four scoring from just 40 per cent of their inside 50's since Round 6.

Quarter 2

00:00

Q2 is now underway.

07:25

SCORE BEHIND - Swans (Hayden McLean)

08:16

Sydney have lifted their pressure intensity significantly to start the second term. After recording their lowest pressure rating in any opening quarter this season (162) they have lifted to 213 in the second term so far.

13:07

Two Sydney players have joined the 1000 disposal club in the first half of today's match. Chad Warner and Errol Gulden have become the 1988th and 1989th players to reach this milestone respectively.

15:22

Todd Goldstein finally kicks the first goal of the term after 15 minutes played to give his side the lead for the first time. I’m going This goal was the first goal of the game to be sourced from a forward 50 stoppage, which the Kangaroos average 5.4 points per game from in 2023, the second lowest average tally of any side.

16:38

SCORE GOAL - Swans (Braeden Campbell)

18:43

Swans Interchange - Robbie Fox off due to an injury.

20:31

SCORE GOAL - Swans (Luke Parker)

21:14

The Swans get back-to-back goals for the first time since the 10 minute mark of the first term. The Swans have taken three contested marks inside 50 compared to the Kangaroos zero in today's match.

23:22

SCORE GOAL - Swans (Peter Ladhams)

23:33

Since the Kangaroos last score, the Swans have recorded six inside 50's to one and 20 disposals at 70 per cent efficiency compared to the Kangaroos nine disposals at 56 per cent efficiency.

24:50

SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Callum Coleman-Jones)

26:59

Both of the Kangaroos goals this term have been launched from forward half clearance chains. North Melbourne have averaged just 8.8 points per game from this source over the last four rounds, the second-lowest average score of any side from clearances.

27:47

SCORE GOAL - Swans (Justin McInerney)

27:52

Kangaroos Interchange - George Wardlaw off due to an injury.

30:18

Despite giving away five free kicks in their defensive 50, the Kangaroos conceded just 1.1 (7) to Sydney from these free kicks. By comparison, they scored a goal from their one free kick won inside 50 in the first half.

Quarter 3

00:00

Q3 is now underway.

04:01

SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Jy Simpkin)

04:22

The first goal of the second half goes to the Kangaroos through Jy Simpkin, and makes it four goals to one from clearances in today's match in North Melbourne's favour. The Kangaroos have been outscored by a league-high 29 points per game from this source in the last four weeks.

08:41

SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Harry Sheezel)

09:33

North Melbourne's hot start to the third term can be attributed to their 83 per cent kicking efficiency, by far the best efficiency by foot in any period of the match so far for either team. Despite doubling the Swans in disposals to start the term (33-15) the Kangaroos have half the amount of turnovers (2-4).

10:44

SCORE GOAL - Swans (Lance Franklin)

12:19

SCORE GOAL - Swans (Lance Franklin)

13:52

SCORE BEHIND - Kangaroos (Paul Curtis)

15:22

This is now the 219th game of Todd Goldstein's career in which he has recorded at least 25 hitouts. He is the only player in the history of the game to have accomplished this feat on at least 200 occasions.

15:32

Swans Interchange - James Rowbottom off due to an injury.

17:13

SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Bailey Scott)

18:13

Bailey Scott gets a just reward for his work in the match so far, bringing the margin back to single digits in the process. He leads all Kangaroos players for disposals (19), metres gained (406) and inside 50's (seven).

21:06

SCORE GOAL - Swans (Chad Warner)

22:39

North Melbourne lead the clearance count 11-6 in the third term so far, however they also lead the turnover from clearance count 3-0.

24:38

SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Jaidyn Stephenson)

27:32

Daniel Howe has replaced Blake Drury as the tactical substitute.

28:40

Despite only registering half as many inside 50's as their opponents in this term (7-14) Sydney's accuracy in front of goal have allowed them to maintain their lead. They have kicked four goals from four shots at goal for the quarter. Their season accuracy rate of 46 per cent ranks them equal 13th in the AFL.

30:49

Swans Interchange - Peter Ladhams off due to an injury.

31:55

Angus Sheldrick has replaced Peter Ladhams (ankle) as the medical substitute.

33:53

SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Nick Larkey)

35:26

Swans Interchange - Luke Parker off due to the blood rule.

36:45

The Kangaroos have been outscored by 9.3 points per game from centre bounce clearances in 2023, ranked last in the AFL. However in that third term they won the centre clearance count 7-1 to stymie the Swans offence out of the middle.

Quarter 4

00:00

Q4 is now underway.

01:36

SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Callum Coleman-Jones)

01:55

The Kangaroos get the first goal of the final of the final term to bring the margin back under a goal. North Melbourne has conceded 24 goals from free kicks in 2023, the most in the league. However they have outscored the Swans from free kicks 18-13 in today's match.

04:08

SCORE BEHIND - Kangaroos (Harry Sheezel)

05:31

SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Tom Powell)

06:01

North Melbourne are charging to the finish line, recording a pressure factor of 227 to start the final term and winning the clearance count 4-0 allowing them to win the inside 50 count 4-1.

07:17

SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Nick Larkey)

09:24

SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Harry Sheezel)

09:51

Three of the Kangaroos four goals in the final term have been scored from shots at goal in general play, to make it seven goals straight from nine shots at goal from this shot source for the match. Their season average accuracy of 35 per cent from general play ranks them 14th in the AFL in 2023.

11:43

SCORE GOAL - Swans (Errol Gulden)

17:10

Lance Franklin has taken four contested marks among nine total marks in today's match. This is the sixth match in his last five seasons in which he has recorded at least four contested marks, and his third game with at least nine marks in his last three seasons.

20:19

SCORE BEHIND - Swans (Will Hayward)

21:13

SCORE BEHIND - Swans (Rushed)

24:04

SCORE BEHIND - Kangaroos (Harry Sheezel)

25:21

Sydney just won their third clearance of the final term, as opposed to the Kangaroos 11. If the Swans do not win another clearance for the match, it will be their lowest clearance tally in any quarter this season.

26:30

SCORE GOAL - Swans (Isaac Heeney)

27:21

Isaac Heeney breathes life into the match for the Swans. Both of Sydney's goals in the final term have been launched from intercepts in midfield. They average 38 points per game from this source in 2023, ranked third in the AFL.

30:32

SCORE GOAL - Swans (Hayden McLean)

30:51

The Kangaroos concede a goal to give the lead back as a result of an interchange breach which gifts the Swans a goal from the goal line after a 50 metre penalty. The Kangaroos used a 76th interchange which prompted the penalty.

32:25

After only managing six points from intercept possessions in the third term, all 20 of the Swans points in the final term came from intercept possessions. They won this tally 66-29 for the match to propel them to a narrow victory.