Despite keeping the Kangaroos to just three second-quarter goals on Saturday, St Kilda’s inability to take their own goal-scoring opportunities must have been particularly galling for coach Alan Richardson. Nick Riewoldt, Lenny Hayes and Tom Hickey all missed gettable shots in the second term and if you add these to wayward set-shots from Riewoldt and Rhys Stanley in the first quarter, the 8.4 to 1.9 half-time scoreline becomes particularly telling. After the Saints opened with nine behinds, skipper Riewoldt eventually kicked his side’s first major about 30 seconds before the main break, but by then North were out by 37 points and on their way to a comfortable win.
2. North with room to move
Whether chipping their way out of defence or streaming through the centre en route to the tall timber in their forward line, the Kangaroos found space at will during a dominant first-half performance. By the main break they had 60 more disposals and 20 more marks than the Saints – and by the final siren had out-possessed St Kilda by 389-320. The gap in these statistics may have been even greater with better ball use going forward, and while it might seem trifling given the 59-point win, coach Brad Scott will know his side must execute better if they’re to keep winning on the run towards September.
3. Welcome home, Ben
Having relocated from Tasmania in 2013 to chase his footy dream with Werribee in the VFL, North big-man Ben Brown enjoyed a homecoming of sorts against the Saints on Saturday. Taken with pick 47 in last year’s National Draft, the 21-year-old appears to be occupying the role previously filled by Majak Daw as a third tall forward and second ruck. In front of 10,641 supporters at Blundstone Arena, the four-game rookie had Sam Fisher’s company for much of the afternoon and gave North fans a glimpse of his potential with a neat snap for goal during the final term.
4. Who’s on Boomer?
As he helped himself to 27 disposals and a couple of goals to ice the cake, North veteran Brent Harvey must have wondered how long his luck would last – and when the hard tag would come. Frustrated late in the match when paid closer attention by Tom Curren, Harvey did as he pleased at times earlier in the piece, going at 88.9% disposal efficiency and driving the Roos inside the forward 50m arc on six occasions to lead all comers.
5. Full house at Blundstone Arena
While the match in Hobart was declared a ‘sell out’ early last week, calling it a ‘full house’ at Blundstone Arena only told half the story. The southern stand and the hill on the eastern side of the oval were packed to capacity, but on the opposite wing only a handful of hardy tradesmen sat on cold concrete watching from the partially completed new grandstand. It’ll be 2015 before the Kangaroos get a chance to genuinely fill their Tasmanian ‘home’ ground, a task that will become ever-easier if they can continue to rack up big wins on their trips south.
