Match

North Melbourne vs Gold Coast Suns

Commentary / 06 Jul 2024

Pre Game

00:00
North Melbourne has won the contested possession count in five straight matches - the first time it has done that since 2018.

Quarter 1

00:00
Q1 is now underway.
00:53
SCORE BEHIND - Kangaroos (Rushed)
03:38
Nick Larkey has the first shot at goal of the match. He has been goalless in each of his last two matches.
04:00
SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Tristan Xerri)
06:23
SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Brynn Teakle)
06:33
The Kangaroos are having the better of the territory game early in this first term, leading inside 50s 4-1. They have taken three marks inside 50 already.
08:30
SCORE BEHIND - SUNS (Rushed)
09:49
The Suns need to the their hands on the ball as they trail the disposal count 47-15 and the uncontested possession count 38-8.
13:23
SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Liam Shiels)
13:48
Liam Shiels gets the third goal of the match for North Melbourne and its second via a turnover. It ranks last in scores from turnover differential in 2024.
15:03
SCORE GOAL - SUNS (Ben Ainsworth)
17:27
The Kangaroos' pressure has been red-hot in this first term with a pressure factor of 194 compared to Gold Coast's 164. North Melbourne ranks second in the AFL for pressure since Round 12.
19:04
SCORE GOAL - SUNS (Sam Day)
20:41
Sam Day is proving to be a handful already for the Kangaroos' defence. He has won both his offensive one-on-ones and taken two contested marks - also booting two goals straight.
23:51
North Melbourne has denied Gold Coast's kicking game. The Suns have posted a kick-to-handball ratio of just 1.08 - well down on their season average of 1.85 which is the second-highest of any team.
26:03
SCORE GOAL - SUNS (Will Graham)
26:39
After conceding the first three goals of the game, Gold Coast has hit back with four goals straight of its own. In the last 10 minutes, it leads time in forward half 82% to 18%.
29:37
SCORE GOAL - SUNS (Jack Lukosius)
31:42
The Kangaroos couldn't defend their defensive half turnovers - conceding 18 points via that source. In comparison, they had just two forward half intercepts and weren't able to hit the scoreboard with either.

Quarter 2

00:00
Q2 is now underway.
01:42
SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Nick Larkey)
01:55
Nick Larkey boots his first goal of the match. He has now kicked 23 of 29 goals via set shots this year.
04:05
Gold Coast needs to get Ben King into the game. He is the only player on the ground outside the two subs without a disposal to his name. His opponent this afternoon is Aidan Corr.
04:41
SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Luke Davies-Uniacke)
07:23
The Kangaroos have been extremely efficient when entering the forward 50 - generating seven scores from just nine disposals in that zone. The Suns have generated six scores from 17 disposals inside 50.
09:50
SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Toby Pink)
10:20
We have seen an even spread of goals for North Melbourne with three coming via set shots and three from general play. Four of Gold Coast's five goals have come from set shots.
12:17
SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Nick Larkey)
12:40
North Melbourne has booted 4.1 in the second term from just seven inside 50s. Gold Coast has failed to score from either of its two attacking entries. The Kangaroos lead time in forward half 78% to just 22% in this term.
15:26
SCORE BEHIND - Kangaroos (Jy Simpkin)
16:43
SCORE GOAL - SUNS (Noah Anderson)
17:10
After failing to kick a goal in any of his last five matches, Noah Anderson gets a much-needed goal for the Suns. They have now booted five goals straight from set shots this afternoon.
21:03
The Kangaroos have ramped up their pressure to 197 in the second term, well up from 176 in the first quarter. Will Phillips has a team-high 14 pressure acts - twice as many as the next best teammate.
22:44
SCORE BEHIND - SUNS (Ben Long)
24:50
SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Kallan Dawson)
27:05
Luke Davies-Uniacke and Darcy Tucker have an equal game-high 10 disposals apiece in the second term. There are five Suns with six disposals led by Touk Miller and Sam Flanders.
27:29
SCORE GOAL - SUNS (Ben King)
30:06
SCORE BEHIND - SUNS (Joel Jeffrey)
33:16
Tha Kangaroos lead at half-time for just the fourth time this season. It was on the back of a strong second term - outscoring Gold Coast 25-8 from turnovers and 7-0 from stoppages.

Quarter 3

00:00
Q3 is now underway.
00:45
SCORE BEHIND - Kangaroos (Rushed)
01:52
SCORE BEHIND - SUNS (Rushed)
02:46
Ben King has posted a career-high shot at goal accuracy of 66.7% this season, but he misses the first shot at goal of the second term.
04:18
SCORE BEHIND - SUNS (Sam Day)
05:26
SCORE GOAL - SUNS (Mac Andrew)
05:56
The first goal of the second half goes to the Suns from a turnover as Mac Andrew kicks the first goal of his career. He has taken a game-high three intercept marks and has an equal game-high six intercept possessions.
07:28
SCORE BEHIND - Kangaroos (Rushed)
09:16
Tristan Xerri has imposed himself defensively once again, laying seven effective tackles from eight attempts. He has posted a tackle efficiency of 79.4% this year which is the second-best of the top-50 in the AFL for attempts.
11:26
SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Cameron Zurhaar)
13:11
SCORE BEHIND - Kangaroos (Eddie Ford)
13:24
After conceding seven of the first eight inside 50s of the third term, North Melbourne has hit back with three of the next four entries. It's one goal apiece with the Suns leading the inside 50s 8-5.
14:25
SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Nick Larkey)
17:30
The pressure factor is over 200 for both teams in the third term, with the Suns taking their defensive effort up to 217 after having a pressure factor of just 164 in the second term.
19:32
SCORE GOAL - SUNS (Ben Long)
19:52
Both sides have now kicked six goals each from marks. North Melbourne entered this match as the most accurate team in the AFL and it has continued that today - recording a shot at goal accuracy of 67% - up from its season average of 56%.
22:16
SCORE BEHIND - SUNS (Rushed)
22:30
Ben Long has now had three shots at goal this afternoon and kicked 1.1. He has only been goalless once this season which was in his first match of 2024 in Round 2.
24:03
SCORE BEHIND - Kangaroos (Liam Shiels)
25:56
SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Harry Sheezel)
26:37
Harry Sheezel extends North Melbourne's lead to 13 disposals with his first goal of the game. He has now booted 7.0 from set shots in 2024.
28:52
The Kangaroos have the ascendancy in the forward half game - scoring 45 points to 27 via that source. They also lead scores from stoppages 28-13.
29:18
North Melbourne has been able to nullify Sam Collins' intercept game. He has had just four intercept possessions which is currently a season-low tally. He is averaging a career-high 8.9 intercepts - ranked equal-first in the AFL.

Quarter 4

00:00
Q4 is now underway.
01:52
SCORE BEHIND - SUNS (Ben Long)
03:26
SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Brynn Teakle)
04:05
The Kangaroos kick to Brynn Teakle inside 50 for the first time in this match as he takes his second mark in that zone. He becomes their second multiple-goalkicker with Nick Larkey as he boots his second major.
05:55
SCORE BEHIND - SUNS (Matt Rowell)
07:37
SCORE BEHIND - SUNS (Ben King)
08:18
SCORE BEHIND - SUNS (Wil Powell)
08:33
The Suns haven't been able to make the most of their early dominance in this final term - scoring 0.4 from nine inside 50s. They have kept the Kangaroos to just one inside 50.
11:06
Colby McKercher is up to 34 disposals - a game-high tally. Nine of those have come in the final term. He has also gained a game-high 587 metres.
11:54
SCORE GOAL - SUNS (Ben Long)
12:58
Neither side has been able to kick three goals in a row since the 12-minute mark of the second term. Gold Coast lead time in forward half 75% to 25% in the final term.
13:41
SCORE GOAL - SUNS (Sam Flanders)
17:49
SCORE GOAL - Kangaroos (Paul Curtis)
19:49
SCORE BEHIND - Kangaroos (Luke Davies-Uniacke)
20:00
The Kangaroos hold an 11-point lead late in the final term. They have won just one of their previous two games when leading at the final change this year.
25:41
Both sides have taken 13 marks inside 50 apiece as Wil Powell brings the margin back to five points. The Suns have kicked three of the last four goals.
25:45
SCORE GOAL - SUNS (Wil Powell)
27:18
SCORE BEHIND - SUNS (Ben Ainsworth)
29:07
A poor shot at goal accuracy of 38% in the final term proved to be costly for the Suns - scoring 3.5. That is their first defeat of the season when winning the inside 50 count.