North Melbourne has won its second game for 2021, defeating the Gold Coast Suns by nine points.

Nick Larkey booted three goals, while Cam Zurhaar booted two to go with 24 disposals.

Jy Simpkin starred, racking up 30 disposals and a goal, while Ben Cunnington had 28 and 8 clearances. 

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Playing their third match at Blundstone Arena in succession, the Kangaroos opened up a 28-18 lead at quarter time.

Gold Coast lifted in a scrappy second quarter and hit the lead for the first time midway through the term thanks to a Sexton major.

The Kangaroos wasted several opportunities inside 50 and trailed by eight at the main break in front of a crowd of 6719.

They regained the lead with the breeze in the third term, with two Larkey goals early on setting up a 63-52 lead.

North Melbourne had a slew of inside 50s late in the third term but only managed a few behinds to take an 11-point advantage into the last quarter.

In a losing side, Touk Miller picked up a match-high 32 possessions.

Battle of the Bens
Under the setting Hobart sun, a curious battle played out in Gold Coast’s forward line on Saturday afternoon. Two players, who both arguably live in the shadows of their respective AFL-listed twin brothers went head-to-head. North’s Ben McKay had the job of shutting down Suns spearhead Ben King, who has been enjoying a prolific season in front of the sticks. While McKay’s twin brother Harry is a Coleman Medal fancy at Carlton, McKay has had a solid season in defence for North, regularly tasked with shutting down the oppositions key forward. King’s twin brother Max’s inaccuracy in front of goal has dominated headlines recently, while Ben has been quietly getting the job done for Gold Coast. In Hobart however, North Melbourne’s Ben won the battle, keeping King goalless for only the second time this season.

NORTH MELBOURNE 4.4 (28), 5.8(38), 8.15(63), 9.18(72)
GOLD COAST 3.0(18), 7.4(46), 8.4(52), 9.9(63)

GOALS
North Melbourne: Larkey 3, Zurhaar 2, Davies-Uniacke, Simpkin, Turner, Mahony
Gold Coast: Corbett 3, Ainsworth, Ellis, Sexton, Flanders, Smith, Greenwood

BEST
North Melbourne: Cunnington, Goldstein, Zurhaar, Davies-Uniacke, Simpkin
Gold Coast: Miller, Ellis, Corbett, Markov

INJURIES
North Melbourne: None
Gold Coast: Anderson

SUBSTITUTES
North Melbourne: Bosenavulagi (unused)
Gold Coast: Fiorini (unused)

Crowd: 6719 at Blundstone Arena