While many at home would have been wondering 'what just happened?', Brad Scott was quick to put a finger on the issue in his post-match media conference.
"Our players know what happened around five goals from stoppages. It's just completely unacceptable, disorganised, embarrassing."
To get an idea on just much the Lions hurt their opponents in that quarter, it's worth considering North conceded just two goals from stoppages for the entire game last week.
It was perhaps an anomaly to provide their opponents so much leverage, but it was a damaging one.
In the other three quarters, they conceded just one goal from a stoppage. It was simply a forgettable term.
At times during the second quarter, it seemed Brisbane was moving the ball with ease and the stats back that up.
The Lions racked up 96 disposals, just three more than North, but it was their use that ball made all the difference.
With an 80 per cent kicking efficiency for the quarter, the Lions had just 13 non-effective kicks (out of 66). When you consider the rain was starting to team down, it's quite an achievement.
Kicking efficiency (2nd quarter) | Percentage |
Brisbane | 80.3% |
North Melbourne | 70.5% |
League average | 62.0% |
There seemed to be little pressure from the Kangaroos. With 33 uncontested marks for the quarter, Brisbane simply had control of the game.
They finished with 100 for the game. North had only 34.
A week is a long time in football and the differences between Round 14 and 15 were vast.
Uncontested marks (total) | North | Opposition | Difference |
Round 14 v Melbourne | 116 | 80 | +36 |
Round 15 v Brisbane | 34 | 100 | -66 |
While Levi Greenwood got the job done on Tom Rockliff for the most part, Pearce Hanley roamed free in the second quarter.
The Herald Sun reported Hanley gained a remarkable 439 metres in the second term. Drilling down more into those numbers, only Geelong's Jimmy Bartel had more impact in a single quarter in Round 15.
He finished with 816 metres gained for the match. North's best was Andrew Swallow with 455.
The loss of Robin Nahas looks to have hurt the Kangaroos too.
While they got the ball inside 50 on more occasions than Brisbane across the game, an inability to keep the ball in there proved costly.
Team | Inside 50’s | Team | Stop | Opp |
North | 52 | 30 | 3 | 19 |
Brisbane | 48 | 26 | 12 | 10 |
Differential | +4 | +4 | -9 | -9 |
Team - Team attacking wins or maintains possession
Stop - A stoppage occurs immediately after inside 50
Opp - The opposition wins ball immediately after inside 50
What does it mean? North was dangerous with its attacking entries, but if not marked by a forward, the ball was too easily turned over.
