Last Week: A tight, physical encounter at the MCG as North triumphed over Footscray
A rare home game at Princes Park was on the agenda for North Melbourne in Round 11 of 1996.
Its opponent was a rapidly improving Sydney side. Not having made the finals since 1987, the Swans had only lost one game between Round 3 to 10 to sit comfortably inside the eight.
It meant the predictions were for a close game.
“Sydney is thriving under the coaching of Rodney Eade … he spent three seasons at Arden St and should have a good idea about how the Kangaroo machine operates. That in itself doesn’t guarantee it will bring about North’s downfall, but it is a factor.” – Geoff Poulter, Herald Sun
“If form is true, expect Sydney to put up a bold showing but the might of North will overpower them in the end.” – Anthony Mithen, The Age
“I suspect they (Sydney) will find North too accomplished this afternoon, but I also suspect we will know by 4:40pm that the Swans are a formidable unit. The Swans are good; North is very good.” – Mike Sheahan, Herald Sun
Early on it appeared North was going to blow those predictions out of the water. It completely dominated the first quarter, and only inaccuracy prevented the margin being past four or five goals.
As it was, it had to settle for a 16-point break at the first change. When the teams re-emerged for the second term, everything changed.
A different Sydney side rattled on five consecutive goals in rapid succession, taking a lead it would never relinquish.
10 more goals in the third term led to a rout, and the Swans cruised to a 79-point victory.
“Almost every season there is a team that not only confounds pre-season ladder predictions, but continues to defy and exceed expectations.
“After yesterday’s extraordinary 79-point demolition of North Melbourne, Sydney seems like the obvious successor to the mantle of most underestimated in 1996.” – Jake Niall, The Age
Sydney’s tactics were different to anything North had seen before.
In a piece published in 2015 discussing the origins of Pagan’s Paddock, Darren Crocker explained how the Swans set up.
“It was the first time we’d ever encountered a team really dropping numbers back against us and basically surrounding Wayne Carey.
“Basically what the opposition and Rodney Eade (Sydney coach) were doing, they were using Carey as a reference point. Thinking we’d always go forward and kick it to him, in that particular game they played with eight defenders.
“They brought two wingers back, brought their half-forwards up to the wing and only played with four genuine forwards.”
The unique setup for the time flummoxed North on the day, and meant it would have to go back to the drawing board. It was a fact not lost on Leigh Matthews at the time, on special comments during the TV broadcast.
“The Kangaroos’ style of kicking the ball long into their forward 50 area is only successful if the ball is marked or can be crumbed by the North running players.”
The thumping loss left question marks over North’s status as a premiership contender as it relinquished top spot on the ladder.
Next week: North attempts to bounce back in another blockbuster at the MCG against Essendon
North Melbourne: 4.5.29, 5.6.36, 8.10.58, 10.13.73
Sydney: 2.1.13, 8.4.52, 18.6.114, 24.8.152
NMFC changes
In: Mark Stevens
Out: Matthew Capuano
Goals
North Melbourne: Archer 3, Carey 3, Daniltchenko 2, Roberts 1, Rock
Sydney: Lockett 10, Kickett 3, Grant 2, Luff 2, Roos 2, Barry 1, Chapman 1, Garlick 1, Kelly 1, Maxfield 1
Brownlow Medal
3 – Paul Kelly (Sydney), 2 – Troy Luff (Sydney), 1 – Tony Lockett (Sydney)
