Match Report v North Melbourne | Round 14

08/07/2019

SANDRINGHAM:               2.1   3.4    5.6     5.11    (41)   
NORTH MELBOURNE:     3.2   7.6  11.12  14.14   (98)

Disposals: B.Seccull 27, White 23, Rice 22, Answerth 18, Marsh 18, Armitage 17, & Fox 16.
Goals: Lonie 3, Answerth & Rice.

It was a game to forget, as North Melbourne were too good for Sandringham, registering a 57-point win.
 

It was a great day for footy, with only a slight cross-ground breeze causing any problems. A big crowd had also turned up to welcome Majak Daw back to competitive footy.
 

Sandringham started the game off the brightest, with Answerth receiving a short kick from Jack Noone, which he converted from a slight angle, 45 metres out.

North replied with back-to-back goals, courtesy of Morrison and Taylor. Campbell then added North’s third, converting an easy set shot and extending their lead to 13 points.

We were able to cut the margin to seven points late in the quarter, courtesy of a Jack Lonie mark in front of goals. It was made a certainty after a fifty-metre penalty put him on the goal line.

It was a tight first quarter on the scoreboard, but North looked the stronger side. Brede Seccull was providing the grunt in the middle, but we struggled to contain North’s outside game, which allowed them to transition forward easily.
 

We looked to stop North’s outside game early in the second quarter, forcing them to kick down the line. We soon reaped the rewards of our effort, with Lonie slotting his second, from the goal square, when we broke over the back of North’s defence, cutting the margin to a point.

However, this was as close as we got, as North took the ascendency kicking the next four in a row. Morrison, Rippon, Taylor and Garner were all able to hit the scoreboard.

North went into the main break with a 26-point lead and the momentum. Our notable performers included Lonie, who looked dangerous up forward, kicking two for the half, whilst B. Seccull and White were racking up the ball with 14 disposals each.

We made a few tweaks to start the second half, with Brandon White being sent forward. We also attempted to play aggressively through the corridor, however, we couldn’t execute well enough, with North picking off our loose kicking. Morrison capitalised on this, opening proceedings in the fourth minute for North, slotting his third goal for the game.

We held tough for the middle part of the quarter, stifling North’s scoreboard dominance. However, North eventually broke us down, with Rippon ending the goal-scoring drought in the 15th minute. North quickly added another goal, taking their lead to 48 points.

We were able to strike back adding two goals of our own, as Lonie kicked his third of the afternoon and Rice dribbled home his first of the game. Garner also hit the scoreboard for North to keep us at bay.

It was not the third quarter we were after, as North went into the main break with a 42-point lead.
 

With nothing to lose, we attempted an all out attack strategy in the final term. However, it was North who struck first through Rippon. Taylor added another soon after from a free kick, sending the lead to 55 points.

North controlled the quarter with regular forward entries and good hand and foot skills. We couldn’t buy a goal in the last, with two of our efforts striking the post from Fox and Smith.

The siren eventually sounded as, North Ran out 57-point winners. The game could be summed up by the scoring shots, as North dominated with 28 (14-14) to Sandy’s 16 (5-11).

Captain Brede Seccull worked hard in the middle, whilst Marsh and White toiled hard all day. Lonie looked dangerous when the ball was up forward, kicking three for the day. Bailey Rice had his best game for the season, spending majority of his time in our backline.

We head to Geelong next Saturday in an important round 15 clash.