North Melbourne's forward pack led the way as the Kangaroos enjoyed a runaway 70-point win over Richmond in Hobart.
It was carnage at times at Blundstone Arena on Friday night as the Roos demoralised the Tigers 18.16 (124) to 7.12 (54).
North booted five goals in less than 10 minutes at the start of the third quarter to open a 57-point margin from which Richmond never recovered.
Standing in for Brad Scott who was unable to make the trip to Hobart having been hospitalised in Melbourne with a virus, North Melbourne Director of Coaching Darren Crocker could not have been happier with the efforts of his senior players in a big win for the ladder-leading Roos.
“The leadership group was terrific, and the experienced players around the place, and the young players just got swept up in it,” he said.
“Obviously the curve ball was thrown at us this morning with Brad not being able to make the trip, but we’ve always been - and since Brad’s come to the club he’s always spoken about - a player-driven culture and environment, and they really stood up tonight.”
On a nightmare night for Richmond, before play had even started the Tigers lost defender Dylan Grimes with a hamstring complaint picked up in the final warm-up.
He was the first of four Tigers to fall, with just one fit player left on the bench by the final siren.
Steven Morris was stretchered from the ground with a knee injury nine minutes after the first bounce.
Key forward Ben Griffiths was visibly in pain, grabbing at his ankle, and taken off mid-way through the third quarter, while Nick Vlastuin was sidelined with concussion after knocking his cheekbone.
Richmond coach Damien Hardwick refused to blame the injuries for his side’s defeat, pointing to a lacklustre opening quarter as the first sign of his side’s demise.
“You can sit there and say we’ve got some injuries but the reality is they were very good early and we were poor,” he said.
“The fact of the matter is I felt the game was over at quarter-time. We were probably lucky to be in it at that stage.”
Despite missing star ruckman Todd Goldstein - ruled out an hour before play due to a knee injury suffered last round - North Melbourne shone.
Club stalwart Brent Harvey, playing his 420th game, found the middle pegs four times, bringing up his 500th goal.
Daniel Wells was valuable for the Roos with 30 disposals and three goals.
Majak Daw, who replaced Goldstein, finished with 19 hit outs and a goal in front of a record Hobart crowd of 17,844 on a chilly night.
When the Tigers managed possession they scrambled kicks and quickly lost the ball.
Missed opportunities were costly for Richmond in the first quarter with Ty Vickery, Corey Ellis and Kane Lambert each missing goals that would have kept Richmond up to speed.
Their best included Shaun Grigg with 38 disposals and Shaun Hampson with 51 hit outs, while Jack Riewoldt and Vickery top-scored with two goals each.
MEDICAL ROOM
North Melbourne: The Roos came away from the game relatively unscathed, Sam Wright’s left ankle injury their only concern. Crocker confirmed post-match Wright had damaged his ‘other’ ankle having only recently returned to the team following a stint on the sidelines.
Richmond: The injury carnage commenced before the opening bounce for Richmond when Dylan Grimes tweaked a hammy and was replaced by Troy Chaplin. The change was so late in the piece Chaplin didn’t actually arrive on the bench until well into the opening term and eventually made his entry onto the ground as Steven Morris went the other way on a stretcher having damaged his right knee in a seemingly innocuous contest early in the first term. Worse was to come when Nick Vlastuin started the second half in a tracksuit and took no further part in the game. Ben Griffiths suffered an ankle strain during the third term to really pile on the misery at Richmond.
NEXT UP
North Melbourne has another serious test taking on a Geelong side keen to re-establish its claims as a flag chance, while Richmond will hope to rekindle its slim finals chances when it hosts Gold Coast at the MCG.
NORTH MELBOURNE 5.4 7.9 13.13 18.16 (124)
RICHMOND 1.5 3.8 4.10 7.12 (54)
GOALS
North Melbourne: Harvey 4, Wells 3, Wood 2, Thomas 2, Atley, Brown, Daw, Petrie, Dal Santo, Cunnington, Macmillan
Richmond: Vickery 2, Riewoldt 2, Lloyd, Deledio, Miles
BEST
North Melbourne: Wells, Ziebell, Dal Santo, Cunnington, Swallow, Daw, Harvey
Richmond: Miles, Cotchin, Grigg, Hampson, Deledio, Rance
INJURIES
North Melbourne: Sam Wright (leg)
Richmond: Dylan Grimes (hamstring) replaced in selected side by Troy Chaplin, Steven Morris (leg), Nick Vlastuin (concussion), Ben Griffiths (leg)
Umpires: Brendan Hosking, Ray Chamberlain, Robert Findlay
Official crowd: 17,844 at Blundstone Arena
