Video: Scott and Firrito | YouTube
Video: Match highlights | YouTube
Video: Wells brilliant soccer goal | YouTube
kangaroos.com.au recaps all the highs and lows from North Melbourne's clash against the Bombers.
The build-up
7.35pm - The players are shown a motivational video in the rooms before running out onto the ground pumped up for Drew Petrie's 200th. Matt Campbell is named as the North Melbourne substitute.
.jpg) |
7.43pm - The National Anthem makes for a perfect introduction to North’s 2012 campaign. Over 43,000 are packed into Etihad Stadium before the first bounce.
.jpg) |
18.00 remaining - Drew Petrie almost has an early nomination for Mark of the Year with a massive fly. He just misses pulling it down on the second grab.
 |
13.40 remaining - Drew Petrie causing early problems for Cale Hooker. A free kick for holding results in a roving GOAL to Leigh Adams and the Kangaroos are on the board. North by 2.
11.50 remaining - Paddy Ryder makes North Melbourne pay on the rebound with his first GOAL for the night. The Bombers have the early ascendency. Essendon by 4.
10.45 remaining - Drew Petrie has a hand in another goal. The 200-gamer is spoilt from behind, but Leigh Adams is there at the front to rove once again, dishing a handball to Kieran Harper who kicks truly for a GOAL. North by 2
10.25 remaining - Another reply from the Bombers and it's a game of ebbs and flows early. Dyson Heppell puts through his first GOAL. Essendon by 4.
6.20 remaining - Kieran Harper continues his good early form to take a good mark, runs through the middle and delivers to Drew Petrie. The big man bangs through his first GOAL of the night to give his side the lead back. North by 2.
5.30 remaining - One of the more interesting moments in round one action as the boundary umpire is BOWLED OVER and is hunched on the sidelines for a matter of minutes.
3.25 remaining - Brent Harvey shows his brilliance with a clever knock-on. The ball falls to Todd Goldstein who handballs into space. Leigh Adams pounces, weaves around a player and kicks a GOAL to bring the crowd to its feet. North by 8.
END OF QUARTER - North Melbourne heads into the first change with a seven-point lead. Daniel Wells has a massive 13 POSSESSIONS, while Leigh Adams and Kieran Harper have had a big impact.
The score: North Melbourne 4.3.27 leads Essendon 3.2.20
MAJOR GOALS: Adams 2, Harper 1, Petrie 1
LEADING POSSESIONS: Daniel Wells 13, Ryan Bastinac 8, Liam Anthony 7
The second term
16.20 remaining - After a scrappy start to the second term, Jake Melksham does some good work off a ruck tap and snaps a rolling GOAL for the Bombers. Scores level.
15.35 remaining - Drew Petrie and Robbie Tarrant fly high but can't mark. Brent Harvey roves the pack and kicks a GOAL around the corner. In what could prove a turning point in the match, Drew Petrie receives a second free kick for high contact and kicks another GOAL. His second. North by 12.
14.30 remaining - MORE CONTROVERSY when Jobe Watson snaps out of the pack and celebrates with what he thinks is a goal. The umpires throw to the REPLAY and it's ruled that a North player touched it before it went through. North by 11.
 |
.jpg) |
.jpg) |
10.40 remaining - Despite having his influence negated early by the North defenders, Michael Hurley is able to slip clear for a brief moment and his opponents paid the price. He kicks straight from 30m for his first GOAL of the night. North by 4.
9.25 remaining - Scott McMahon stops a potential Essendon goal with a brilliant smother as the Bombers were on the attack.
8.45 remaining - Andrew Swallow is starting to have an impact on the game. He's up to 10 possessions and once again gets the ball inside 50. Lindsay Thomas does the roving work and kicks his first GOAL of the night. North by 10.
7.30 remaining - Desperate to get the momentum back, Essendon's way Jake Melksham marks on 50. His subsequent set shot crashes into the behind post and goes out on the full.
4.00 remaining - With numbers on their side, the Bombers easily break from the stoppage. The ball ends up with Brent Stanton who kicks a GOAL to reduce the margin. North by 4.
3.20 remaining - Keen to stake his claim for a spot in the starting 21 for the Bombers, Nathan Lovett-Murray runs on to another kick inside and bangs through a GOAL from 45m. His team has the momentum back. Essendon by 2.
 |
1.00 remaining - Desperate to get the ascendency back before half-time, North creates a turnover but Kieran Harper has no long options. Instead he kicks into the middle but it's intercepted by Courtenay Dempsey. The Bombers are fast on the counter-attack and in no time it's marked by Patrick Ryder in the square. With a chance to take a handy lead into half-time he misses from close range.
END OF QUARTER: Following an exciting quarter of footy, the Bombers head into half-time with a nine point lead. A quieter second quarter from Daniel Wells but he has 17 POSSESSIONS. On the other side of the ledger Brent Stanton and Jobe Watson have 18 possessions each.
The score: Essendon 9.8.62 leads North Melbourne 8.5.53
MAJOR GOALS: Leigh Adams 2, Brent Harvey 2, Drew Petrie 2
LEADING POSSESSIONS: Daniel Wells 17, Liam Anthony 12, Andrew Swallow 11
The third term
19.40 remaining - North break the ball straight from the centre and inside 50 to Hamish McIntosh. The big man gets the Kangaroos off to the perfect start with a GOAL. Essendon by 3.
.jpg) |
14.35 remaining - Like opposition substitute Nathan Lovett-Murray, Matt Campbell has an immediate impact upon his arrival in the match. He gathers the ball outside the 50 and passes to Lindsay Thomas. The small-forward kicks his second GOAL of the night to give the Kangaroos the lead. North by 4.
12.05 remaining - After an eight possession first half, Michael Hurley bobs up again with a mark in attack. His second GOAL puts the Bombers back in front. Essendon by 3.
10.20 remaining - Jobe Watson is starting to take control of the game and already with 22 possessions to his name he's able to stretch the margin further with a long GOAL from outside 50. Essendon by 10.
9.50 remaining - With the momentum back in the Bombers' favour, David Hille joins the party after some strong work from Stewart Crameri. Hille's first GOAL of the game makes things a lot harder for North. Essendon by 16.
7.55 remaining - MORE TROUBLE for the umpires with a goal umpire knocked over this time. Again there's a REVIEW after a line-ball decision and it's judged the kick hit the post. Essendon by 17.
3.40 remaining - A couple of wasted opportunities by North Melbourne prove costly. The Bombers move the ball from one end to the other and Stanton kicks his second GOAL to go with 25 possessions. Essendon by 21.
 |
The score: Essendon 13.14.92 leads North Melbourne 10.10.70
MAJOR GOALS: Leigh Adams 2, Brent Harvey 2, Drew Petrie, Lindsay Thomas 2
LEADING POSSESSIONS: Daniel Wells 22, Andrew Swallow 19, Lindsay Thomas 16
The final term
16.50 remaining - While Essendon have had all the early chances in the final term, the Kangaroos kick the first GOAL of the term thanks to some good work on the rebound. Jamie Macmillan is composed from 40m. Essendon by 17.
16.20 remaining - Daniel Wells' move into attack is already paying dividends with the North star picking up a couple of early touches.
12.50 remaining - A free kick to Jake Melksham for a push in the back and his resultant GOAL takes the Bombers out to a handy lead with time running out. Essendon by 25.
11.45 remaining - North Melbourne isn't going to give in yet. Brent Harvey's one-two with Leigh Adams sees the former captain bang through a GOAL from 40m. Essendon by 19.
9.20 remaining - Aaron Edwards breathes more life into the game with a mark and GOAL from a tight angle. Essendon by 14.
8.45 remaining - Andrew Swallow is up to 24 POSSESSIONS, along with Daniel Wells.
7.55 remaining - More individual brilliance from Daniel Wells. Off the back off a pack he kicks it off the ground, then SOCCERS A GOAL FROM 30M. Essendon by 9.
6.10 remaining - With the game in the balance, Michael Hurley marks close to goal. However he hasn't heard the umpire's whistle. It's a FREE KICK to Scott Thompson and the Kangaroos are able to clear.
5.25 remaining - North works from one end to the other. A kick inside 50 sees Aaron Edwards pull down a BRILLIANT CONTESTED MARK. Calm as ever, he goes back and boots the GOAL to reduce the margin further. Essendon by 4.
.jpg) |
.jpg) |
 |
 |
.jpg) |
.jpg) |
MAJOR GOALS: Brent Harvey 3, Leigh Adams 2, Aaron Edwards 2, Drew Petrie 2, Lindsay Thomas 2
LEADING POSSESSIONS: Andrew Swallow 26, Daniel Wells 25, Liam Anthony 23, Brent Harvey 21
Related content: Match report
Video: Scott and Firrito | YouTube
Video: Match highlights | YouTube
Video: Wells brilliant soccer goal | YouTube
