As the North Melbourne players enjoy a well-earned break heading into the bye, NMFC.com.au is looking back at the season so far.
Today, we review the opening four rounds of 2016.
Round 1 v Adelaide
Heading into the-season opener, all the focus was around the Roos’ supposed ‘round one hoodoo’. Having lost its last seven round opening round matches, North was under pressure to perform.
Jed Anderson lined up for his first game in the royal blue and white after making the switch from Hawthorn, and North boasted close to a full squad at Etihad Stadium on a Saturday night.
The Crows bounced out of the blocks, and by early in the second half had a 24-point buffer, as Anderson left the field with a hamstring injury.
But it was Brent Harvey who stood tall when he was needed most, booting three goals in just eight minutes to lift his team.
In his first game in nearly a year, Daniel Wells was influential, while Todd Goldstein took several key marks late.
Ben Cunnington and Jack Ziebell led the way through the middle, with Jarrad Waite in fine form up forward and Robbie Tarrant holding Taylor Walker at the other end, as North surged home.
Young gun Taylor Garner sealed the win after an inspiring comeback with a goal at the 23-man minute mark of the final term.
The coach said
"They (the Crows) outplayed us for periods and then we responded for periods as well.
"I think it was a mature win, and a win full of character because we were challenged for large parts of the game but we found a way to hang in there and prevail in the end." – Brad Scott
The player said
“Wining Round 1 is like winning a final because there’s been so much build up before that, you do three or four months of pre-season, so when you lose that Round 1 clash it’s like the world’s ended.
“To get the win last night, let me tell you, it was an easier sleep than losing.” – Brent Harvey
The media said
“Burying the demons of an error-prone first-half, North’s third term showcased why it threatens again to push for September action.
“It ran, harassed and bullied - and Adelaide cracked. Waite, Petrie and Ben Brown created mayhem in attack while the tireless Cunnington, Ziebell, Swallow and Gibson provided plenty of drive.” – Leo Schlink, Herald Sun
RELATED: Photo Gallery | Match Highlights | Match Report
NM 2.3 6.6 13.7 16.11 (107)
AD 3.5 9.6 13.8 14.13 (97)
GOALS
North Melbourne: Waite 3, Harvey 3, Brown 2, Garner 2, Petrie 2, Goldstein, Higgins, Dal Santo, Thomas
Adelaide: Jenkins 5, Walker 2, Betts, M.Crouch, Douglas, Jacobs, Lynch, Mackay, Seedsman
BEST
North Melbourne: Cunnington, Goldstein, Tarrant, Ziebell, Waite, Dal Santo, Harvey
Adelaide: Jenkins, Thompson, Laird, Smith, M.Crouch, Walker
Coaches votes (NM): Goldstein 6, Cunnington 5, Ziebell 5, Tarrant 4, Waite 2
Official crowd: 25,485 at Etihad Stadium
Round 2 v Brisbane
In: Hansen, Jacobs
Out: Anderson (hamstring), Thompson (soreness)
North went in as strong favourites against the Lions at the GABBA, bit it was the home team who made the early running.
Brisbane took a four-point lead into the first change, despite wasting opportunities. Justin Leppitsch’s team booted 2.7 in the opening term.
Led by Jarrad Waite, the Roos fought back though; the key-forward kicked three of his five goals in the second term, as North turned a deficit into a 21-point lead by the main break.
Late inclusion Ben Jacobs played a key role with his tagging job on Daniel Rich, holding him to a career-low seven disposals, while Daniel Wells looked every bit back to his best form with 23 disposals.
Jack Ziebell and Andrew Swallow had 22 touches each, as North recorded a convincing 34-point victory.
The coach said
"We were probably a bit cute early and Brisbane are a very good counter-attacking team.
"Everyone knows they kicked over 100 points last week over in Perth, and if you make mistakes, they're able to capitalise on that pretty well.
"I thought overall, we took out a lot of ways for them to score, and then we were the recipients of scoring from turnovers as well." – Brad Scott
The player said
“We didn’t start too well, overusing the footy early, but I think we adapted better after quarter-time and followed the game plan and the instructions a little bit better and we were able to kick a few goals.” – Jamie Macmillan
The media said
On Jarrad Waite: “Could be in the best form of his career. Swayed the game against the Crows with three goals, seven marks and 20 disposals. Followed up with a best on ground against Brisbane. His contribution as a key forward was staggering.” – Mark Robinson, Herald Sun
RELATED: Photo Gallery | Match Highlights | Match Report
BL 2.7 4.11 7.12 11.17 (83)
NM 2.3 8.8 13.13 17.15 (117)
GOALS
Brisbane Lions: Green 2, Taylor 2,Zorko 2,C Beams, Bell, Lester, Rockliff, Walker
North Melbourne: Waite 5, Brown 3, Dal Santo 2, Gibson 2, Harvey 2, Goldstein, Petrie, Ziebell
BEST
Brisbane Lions: Hanley, Zorko, Bewick, Taylor
North Melbourne: Waite, Wells, Ziebell, Jacobs, Brown, Swallow, Goldstein
Coaches votes (NM): Waite 10, Wells 8, Jacobs 5, Ziebell 4, Harvey 1
Official crowd: 18,021 at the Gabba
Round 3 v Melbourne
In: Thompson
Out: Hansen
The wind played havoc at Blundstone Arena, with North taking full advantage early in the match.
Brad Scott’s men were clinical in the first quarter, booting eight goals, as Todd Goldstein continued his outstanding form with three himself.
A 36-point lead was a seven-point deficit by half-time, as Melbourne fought back in outstanding fashion. The visitors booted nine goals in the second term alone.
It was an amazing game to watch, with over 12,000 fans in Hobart treated to an exhibition of football at its finest; high-scoring and end-to-end.
Seven goals to three in the third term gave North a three-goal buffer, but it wasn’t until the final kick of the game that the result was decided.
With five points separating the teams, the Demons burst from the middle, only for time to expire as Billy Stretch snapped for goal. Lindsay Thomas’ diving spoil in the lead-up was huge in the final seconds.
It was three wins in a row for North and another big game from Brent Harvey, who booted a career-high six goals, while Goldstein and Max Gawn fought out an amazing battle in the ruck.
The North ruckman booted five goals, while Jack Ziebell set the tone with his tackling pressure, laying 19 in all.
The win took North to third place on the table, as just one of three undefeated teams.
The coach said
"They (the Demons) outplayed us around the ball. They've recruited some really good, hard midfielders and I thought on balance they convincingly beat us in the contest throughout the day.
"It was only some fantastic defensive efforts, Ziebell's 19 tackles, particularly some tackles late, some desperate acts to get us across the line.” – Brad Scott
The player said
“Six goals, it’s nice. First time I’ve done it in the career.
“I’m more pleased and relieved about the win clearly. Today was a slog, we kicked a lot of goals early and they came back. It was a weird old game.” – Brent Harvey.
The media said
“It was the experience of North Melbourne that prevailed in the seesaw contest, encapsulated in veteran Brent Harvey who turned back the clock to boot his highest goal tally in 412 games with six.” – Lauren Wood, Herald Sun
RELATED: Photo Gallery | Match Highlights | Match Report
NM 8.2 10.4 17.7 21.10 (136)
ME 2.2 11.5 14.7 20.11 (131)
GOALS
North Melbourne: Harvey 6, Goldstein 5, Waite 4, Petrie 2, Gibson 2, Ziebell, Macmillan
Melbourne: Kent 4, Watts 3, Hogan 3,Oliver 2, Gawn 2, Jones, vandenBerg, Dunn, Tyson, Harmes, Viney
BEST
North Melbourne: Harvey, Goldstein, Waite, Ziebell
Melbourne: Vince, Viney, Oliver, Gawn, Hogan
Coaches votes (NM): Goldstein 10, Harvey 6, Ziebell 3
Official crowd: 12,607 at Blundstone Arena
Round 4 v Fremantle
In: Wood
Out: Garner (Hamstring)
No-one would have expected Fremantle to be 0-3 heading into this match, after finishing last season as the minor premier.
Nevertheless, the Dockers fell behind early again, with Jack Ziebell and Jarrad Waite again setting the tone at Etihad Stadium.
The Roos led by 15 points at quarter-time, with a finals-like intensity keeping over 23,000 fans on their edge of their seats.
Led by Nat Fyfe and Matthew Pavlich, Fremantle fought back though. By midway through the third term, Ross Lyon’s team was in front.
But again it was Waite who proved the difference, as he’d done regularly in the opening rounds.
The in-form forward kicked two goals late in the premiership quarter to get his team back into it, as North stormed home with eight of the last ten goals.
The Roos went to 4-0, and with that took top spot on the AFL ladder for the first time in 17 years.
Ziebell was a star, finishing with 26 disposals, likewise Jamie Macmillan and Sam Gibson, who both found plenty of the footy.
The coach said
"I think it was another mature win.
"It was not our best performance or at the optimum that we're capable of, but I think the players had a real sense of calmness out there even when they were under pressure or when Fremantle came at us.” – Brad Scott
The player said
"There were plenty of skill errors out there but that just shows the pressure that was on.
"The team that was able to stand up to the pressure was able to score. A few times we turned it over, a few times we forced them to turn it over - but in the end we're happy to take the four points." – Jack Ziebell
The media said
“North Melbourne has won the first four games of the year for the first time since 2005 and while they will face sterner tests in the weeks to come, for the first time in a long time they’re not trying to overcome a poor start to a season. The decision to introduce a higher-intensity pre-season has already paid dividends.” – Sam Edmund, Herald Sun
RELATED: Photo Gallery | Match Highlights | Match Report
NM 5.4 10.6 14.9 20.12 (132)
FR 2.7 7.12 12.14 14.17 (101)
GOALS
North Melbourne: Waite 4, Ziebell 3, Gibson 3, Brown 3, Higgins 2, Thomas, Cunnington, Macmillan, Harvey, Wood
Fremantle: Fyfe 4, Pavlich 2, Ballantyne 2, Walters 2, Barlow, Neale, Hill, Mayne
BEST
North Melbourne: Ziebell, Macmillan, Waite, Gibson, Brown, Dal Santo
Fremantle: Fyfe, Pavlich, Neale, Johnson, Hill, Walters
Coaches votes (NM): Ziebell 10, Waite 5, Goldstein 4, Gibson 3, Macmillan 2
Official crowd: 23,393 at Etihad Stadium
The entire 2016 season will be relived at the Syd Barker Medal on October 7 at Peninsula on Central Pier. Book your tickets now.
