NORTH Melbourne big man Drew Petrie underlined his status as one of the AFL's best key forwards with a devastating seven-goal performance in his team's 53-point win over Carlton on Friday night.
It was an equal career-best haul for the 29-year-old, and came in just three quarters of football.
He was subbed at three-quarter-time with what he later played down as "adductor tightness".
Fellow tall Lachlan Hansen booted four goals for the match, and between them the duo proved too much for Carlton's defenders to handle.
The Kangaroos as a collective booted an amazing 16 goals straight from set shots.
After the match, Hansen lauded Petrie as one of the most underrated players in the competition.
"He's one of the best key forwards in the game, and he doesn't get the recognition he probably deserves," Hansen said after the match.
"But within our club he's rated as highly as anyone."
Hansen only played his first match for the season in round 13, after a NAB Cup hamstring injury and then a VFL suspension kept him on the sidelines.
Since then he, Petrie and Robbie Tarrant have formed a difficult-to-handle combination in the Kangaroos' forward line.
"The past few weeks we've had the three big key forwards, so there's always someone that we think will get out," the former No.3 NAB AFL Draft pick said.
"Tonight Drew was all over his opponent, and 'Tazza' worked really hard, and we were all just doing what we had to, and it showed on the scoreboard."
Hansen said Petrie's leadership was just as important as his on-field contribution.
"He's been a real mentor to me and the other key forwards, and pretty much anyone," Hansen said.
"He's a ripper bloke, such a nice guy off the field, and on the field he just directs, and even if he's not playing well he's up and about and letting myself and the other forwards know to keep our heads up and keep going.
"Tonight he was just unbelievable.
"I'd just lead up and turn around and watch him mark the ball. It was pretty good to watch."
Petrie has now booted 36 goals for the season, and sits fifth in the Coleman Medal race.
His previous bag of seven came against the Western Bulldogs in round 13, 2007.
The views in this article are those of the author and not necessarily those of the AFL or its clubs
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