Last Week: One of North’s best victories for the season, defeating reigning premiers Carlton by 55 points
Coming off a thumping win over Carlton, the Kangaroos were flying high. Six wins from their last seven games had earned them top spot on the AFL ladder and almost unanimous favouritism for their Round 15 clash.
Their opponents, the Magpies, had started the season well by winning four of the first six matches. But a last quarter fadeout in Round 7 against the Saints had triggered a form slump, with Collingwood still on four wins by the time Round 15 rolled around.
“Top of the ladder North Melbourne should be able to handle an undermanned Collingwood. The Magpies have struggled against North in recent years and with so many injuries their run of outs looks like continuing. It hasn’t beaten the Roos for four years.” – Geoff Poulter, Herald Sun
“North...rarely passes up the opportunity to dish out a decent old pummelling. A quality side that is in form and seeking to shore up a double chance in September against a depleted, out of form team in decline? No way Pies.” – Stephen Rielly, The Age
And in the opening minutes of the Saturday afternoon clash, it appeared the pre-match predictions were well on their way to being vindicated.
Two early goals to Wayne Carey, and the first three of the match to the Kangaroos, and it was a commanding early 20-point lead.
From there the match changed. Saverio Rocca started to get his chances up forward for Collingwood, and the Magpies worked their way back into the game.
After the early burst, North was rarely in control of the game. Collingwood pushed its lead past four goals in the third quarter, and just when it appeared a Roos comeback was on the cards, the match blew out.
Collingwood kicked the last nine goals of the game to run out 61-point victors.
“It must surely be the upset of the season. First versus 12th. The last time the Magpies beat North Melbourne, Wayne Schimmelbusch was coach of the Kangaroos. The gravest concern for Pagan must be that whenever his team loses, it loses big. Again yesterday, it was unable to fight back when it was off key.” – Jake Niall, The Age
To North coach Denis Pagan, the issue was a simple one.
“We were really concerned about our guys’ approach at having such a huge win (over Carlton)…a couple of blokes were lairising during the week and certainly came to fruition today. Our attitude was as sloppy as anything.
“You don’t change physically in the space of seven days. From my point of view it was very much an attitude problem.”
The humbling loss knocked North off the top of the table and outside the top two, which is where a finish was needed to secure a double chance.
However, although no-one was to know it at the time, another late season upset by Collingwood was to prove highly beneficial for the Kangaroos…
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Next week: After falling from first to third, North looks to bounce back against the Saints at the MCG
Round 15 v Collingwood
North Melbourne: 5.1.31, 7.7.49, 12.8.80, 12.11.83
Collingwood: 4.7.31, 7.8.50, 15.11.101, 22.12.144
NMFC changes
In: Craig Sholl
Out: Anthony Dwyer
Goals
North Melbourne: Carey 3, McKernan 2, Sholl 2, Simpson 2, Archer 1, Bell 1, Rock 1
Collingwood: Rocca 8, Williams 5, Pitt 4, Burns 1, Francis 1, Monkhorst 1, Patterson 1, Pyman 1
Brownlow Medal
3 – Tony Francis (Collingwood), 2 – Saverio Rocca (Collingwood), 1 – Nathan Buckley (Collingwood)
