Match result
Williamstown 19.9. 123 def. North Melbourne 10.10 70
Player stats
AFL-listed
Paul Ahern (21 disposals), Tom Campbell (21 disposals, 33 hit-outs), Joel Crocker (21 disposals), Bailey Scott (17 disposals, 1 goal), Tom Murphy (16 disposals), Taylor Garner (12 disposals, 2 goals), Aaron Hall (12 disposals, 1 goal), Nathan Hrovat (12 disposals), Kyron Hayden (11 disposals), Lachlan Hosie (9 disposals, 2 goals), Ben McKay (9 disposals), Red Og Murphy (6 disposals), Declan Watson (6 disposals)
VFL-listed
Chris Jansen (17 disposals), Ty Leonardis (16 disposals, 1 goal), Louis Cunningham (11 disposals), Nash Holmes (11 disposals, 1 goal), Dan Robinson (11 disposals), Ryan Morrison (10 disposals), Alex Morgan (7 disposals, 1 goal), Brendan Whitecross (7 disposals), Jordan Ugle (3 disposals, 1 goal)
Recap
North Melbourne’s VFL side was outgunned by an aerially dominant Williamstown outfit, suffering a 53-point loss on Saturday afternoon.
The Roos were looking to continue their winning ways after upsetting Richmond at Arden Street last weekend, but it wasn’t to be, with the Seagulls leading from start-to-finish at Downer Oval.
The hosts got off to a quick start, booting three goals in succession, before North rallied to reduce the margin to just four points at the first change.
Despite doubling its first quarter goal tally, North struggled to keep a rampant Williamstown in check, conceding nine majors in the second term, as well as a further eight goals in the second half, sealing its fate.
A handful of AFL-listed talent pushed their cases for a return to the senior fold, including forward Taylor Garner, who booted two goals in a solid outing.
Meanwhile, Tom Campbell and Paul Ahern continued to put their hands up for a senior recall.
New recruit Lachlan Hosie provided another avenue to goal and would consider himself unlucky to not have booted more than his two goals from four efforts.
What the coach said
“We knew how they (the Seagulls) were going to play. They just did it better than we were able to counter it,” coach David Loader told North Media.
“Credit to them, they're big, they’re strong and they slaughtered us in the air. Their structure around the footy was better than ours and they outworked us across the ground.
“There’s always going to be plenty of positives to come out of the game. Paul Ahern was really good, Tom Campbell again, and Taylor Garner did some outstanding things today.
“Unfortunately there just wasn't too many players around that helped them out. That’s the disappointing part. We know what we’re capable of when we bring our best.
“We’ll just take the positives from today and move forward.”
Best of AFL
Tom Campbell
The experienced tall continues to make an impact in his first season at Arden Street, impressing those around him with his work-rate, strong hands and leadership.
Campbell’s presence across the ground was notable, posting big numbers, including 33 hit-outs, 21 disposals and eight tackles against the Seagulls..
“He’s certainly our most valuable player in the side at the moment, he sets the scene every week,” North VFL captain and development coach Brendan Whitecross said.
“He plays Shinboner footy, week in, week out. He's just one of those players you love going into battle with.”
Best of VFL
Ty Leonardis
The underrated left-footer continues to offer versatility for the Roos, irrespective of his position.
Deployed as a defender for the bulk of last season, Leonardis has thrived in a more traditional forward role, highlighting his potency with a single major on Saturday afternoon.
