Adelaide v North Melbourne
Sunday, August 22 - 4:40pm AEST (4.10pm ACST)
Adelaide Oval
The final game of the home and away season is finally upon us, and this Sunday will be the last time North Melbourne is in action in 2021.
Taking on the Crows in Adelaide, this final game of the campaign offers a perfect opportunity for a somewhat undermanned Kangaroos side to showcase its improvement, having suffered defeat to Adelaide in Round 4.
An impressive fourth quarter comeback was not enough last week, with North going down to a finals-bound Sydney by 14 points in Round 22, after struggling in the first half.
Cam Zurhaar was at his intimidating best with 3 goals, while Eddie Ford played the best game of his young career, finishing with 2 goals and a game-high 10 score involvements.
Also falling to defeat, Adelaide’s fortunes in Round 22 were almost the opposite of North’s, challenging a strong Melbourne side before falling away in the final term.
The final margin of defeat was 41, with Bailey Fritsch kicking 3 late goals to pile the misery onto the Crows.
Darcy Fogarty was amongst Adelaide’s best players as he kicked 3 goals, while Paul Seedsman finished with 36 disposals.
Last time we met:
Round 4, 2021
After a wretched start the season, Round 4’s clash with the Crows offered the first real glimpse into what North’s football under David Noble could look like.
After staying in touching distance for the first half, a wickedly efficient third quarter saw the Kangaroos cut the margin to just four points at the final break, even hitting the front in the final term.
A late flurry from Adelaide saw the final margin extend out to 41 points, with the Crows kicking seven of the game’s last eight goals, but the signs of the side North can become were certainly shown.
Nick Larkey finished with 3 goals, as well as an exceptional 5 tackles inside 50. Aaron Hall led all comers with 33 disposals for the game, while Tom Powell impressed with 19 touches and 8 tackles of his own.
Darcy Fogarty kicked 3 goals for the Crows, while Rory Laird had 29 touches and 11 clearances.
The matchup:
Ben McKay v Darcy Fogarty
There might not be a North player who had more pressure on him at the start of this season than Ben McKay, with the unavailability of Robbie Tarrant and Aidan Corr launching him into the role of defensive leader.
Taking the opposition’s most dangerous forward week in, week out has been a brilliant learning experience for the now 36-gamer, and with the proper support around him, he has entered the realm of the league’s best key-defenders.
Never left wanting for effort, McKay ranks eighth in the AFL for total one percenters with 147 for the season, as well as 10th for total time on ground. His influence this season has been strong and it’s been constant.
With one more scalp to take in 2021, North’s number 23 will be backing himself to finish off the season just as strongly as he started it.
Adelaide’s forwards have needed to step up in the absence of spearhead Taylor Walker, and step up Darcy Fogarty has.
Relishing the role of now being Adelaide’s number one target, Fogarty has kicked 24 goals in 15 games this season, the best return of his young career.
He’s been held goalless just twice this year, and has kicked multiple goals eight times.
Fogarty rarely fails to hit the scoreboard in some capacity, but should ‘Buckets’ blanket him like he has so many forwards this season, Adelaide’s forward structure could just fail.
The key men:
Aaron Hall and Brodie Smith
With both Jack Ziebell and Jake Kelly missing Sunday’s clash through injury, it will be up to the other key ball-using defenders of both sides to step up in their absence.
Aaron Hall has been a revelation all season on the half back flank, with his composed and accurate kicking opening up the game for teammates time and time again.
Ranking second in metres gained per game (620m) and kicks per game (20.79), as well as 17th in effective disposals per game (20.79), Hall could well bump his numbers up by deputising for Ziebell by taking North’s kick-ins.
Effective counter attacks out of the back half of the ground are an imperative part of North’s game plan, and it will be interesting to see how North copes without its skipper.
Should Hall step up and fill the void like his ability shows he can, North’s effectiveness out of its defensive region could prove a point of difference.
Brodie Smith fulfils a strikingly similar role to Hall on Adelaide’s half back flank, ranking fourth in metres gained per game (611.15) and sixth in rebound 50s per game (6.65), just one place behind Hall.
A key difference between the two though is Smith’s level of turnover, with the Crow ranking ninth in the AFL with 5.7 per game.
While Kelly is the more efficient kick and effective interceptor, Smith’s role within Adelaide’s system can’t be understated.
For Adelaide to set up effectively and efficiently throughout the game, he’ll have to be at his very best.
The stat:
Phoenix Spicer is set to make his first appearance at AFL level this weekend, and will become the 11th player to debut for North Melbourne this season.
While injuries have restricted the likes of Charlie Comben and Aidan Corr to one and two games respectively, the excitement of having so many young players not only debut, but impress, is huge for the future of the club.
Spicer will become the 164th player to debut for North Melbourne since the turn of the century, at an average of 7.45 a year. The 11 debutants this season ranks third in that timeframe.
2001 saw 14 players debut for North, including club legends Drew Petrie and Saverio Rocca, plus cult hero Digby Morrell.
2017 saw 13 players debut for the club, including key members of the current North side in Ben McKay, Jy Simpkin, Nick Larkey and Cam Zurhaar.
The opportunity and responsibility afforded to the young Kangaroos this season has been something to behold, and Spicer’s debut is a continuation of that.
No chance at AFL level is just handed out, and Spicer’s first North jumper is a just reward for his effort over the course of the year.
