While North was renowned for its ability to burst out of the blocks in 2013, it’s been a very different story this season.

In each of their five losses, the Kangaroos have been behind at quarter-time and for the most part by significant margins.

With a combined 103-point deficit, the team has been on average, 20 points down at the first change in defeats.

Scott pointed to an unwillingness to put the ball inside 50 during the first half and the stats illustrate it. North managed just 8 inside 50’s in the opening term, with a noticeable trend in games it’s lost. The Round 1 game against Essendon is the only exception.

"If you want to get pressured and cough up the ball, do what we did tonight,” Scott commented post-match.

"We only had 15 (19) inside-50s in the first half because we kept kicking backwards."

North struggled to get the ball into its big forwards and when it eventually did, the Crows’ defenders had time to get back and cover.

This is supported most by the ‘scoring success’ statistic. On just 26 per cent of its entries in the first half, the Kangaroos managed to score from an unbroken chain of possession. Adelaide pushed back in numbers and rebounded with relative ease.

With an average of 41.3% scores from entries this season (second in the league), North was being beaten at its own game.

With time to re-jig at the main break, the improvement was obvious.

A more direct approach resulted in 15 inside 50’s, but ultimately the Kangaroos still wasted possession. 10 of those entries went direct to the opposition, as Adelaide went more defensive to soak up the momentum. The damage was done.

As is often the case, the game opened up in the final term and with 9 scores (3.6), North was able have easily its most productive quarter of the game. Just 3 of its 16 entries were countered by the opposition. But it was all too late.

*The team attacking scores a goal from the inside 50 with an unbroken chain of possession.

Ultimately it was wasted opportunities going forward that cost North most in the 36-point loss.

Of its inside 51 entries, 19 went to the opposition, the worst efficiency of any side in Round 13.

The Crows took 29 marks in their defensive zone too (third in the league), suggesting the pressure in the air and on the counter was lacking.

Perhaps the greatest positive to come out of the game – Levi Greenwood.

Remarkably, he has averaged 30 possessions in the last six matches, only topped by Josh Kennedy (Sydney), Dion Prestia (Gold Coast) and Gary Ablett (Gold Coast).

The number 24 would have to be an early smoky for Syd Barker Medal honours, alongside Brent Harvey who had a typically instrumental game.