Thomas places himself in the perfect spot to rove a huge pack at the 35, snapping with class on his right boot for the first of the day! (Q1 1:10)
A piece of individual brilliance from Jack Darling gets the quick reply for the Eagles. After fumbling the footy, he scoops it up and barges through a few Roos before goaling. (Q1 3:55)
Simpkin takes a little too much time to release, allowing the Eagles to turn it over, and for Petruccelle to run toward goal. From 40m on the run, the speedster hits the post. (Q1 5:27)
Waterman has a set shot opportunity but slips slightly as he kicks, forcing it to drop short and be punched over the line. (Q1 5:56)
Petruccelle pops a pass over the top to Kennedy who marks just inside of the field of play. The angle proves to be no issue whatsoever, and despite a review, JJK kicks his first. (Q1 7:31)
Masten’s 45m running shot drops short and eventually is off hands for a minor score. (Q1 9:14)
Watson sends it in from true CHF in the direction of the twin towers. Ryan crumbs and snaps the goal, however, a review indicates a clear Pittard touch, therefore a minor score. (Q1 12:41)
LDU belts a kick to Dumont in attacking space. His snap is about to sail through for a goal before Wood marks unopposed on the line and kicks the easy one. (Q1 13:30)
One sidestep, two sidesteps, and then a dazzling right-foot snap in what will be a GOTY contender from Willie Rioli in the pocket. (Q1 14:41)
The Eagles are on song early, with Kennedy slotting another one after marking the Allen centre clearance. This time from 40m, directly in front. (Q1 15:41)
A line-ball push-in-the-back decision is paid against Barrass, gifting Larkey a shot from 25. Despite a challenging angle, he has no issue splitting the middle. (Q1 19:21)
Yeo intercepts a handball on the wing. His high kick lands with Darling at 55 who kicks to a contest which always favoured Ryan. Liam marks at 25 on a slight angle and goals. (Q1 23:40)
A timely spoil from Tarrant on the wing allows Higgins to release Simpkin who pops a pass laterally to LDU. His 50m set shot doesn’t have the accuracy. (Q1 28:23)
Yeo storms down the wing ahead of Simpkin with severe pace. His centering kick isn’t perfect, but the Eagles mop it up, with Kennedy eventually nailing the 50m set shot. (Q1 33:11)
Hickey centre square work is effective early, kickstarting a play that ends with the ball in sticky Liam Ryan hands. From the 50, his shot is just wide. (Q1 34:07)
Polec squeezes out an ineffective defensive clearance that’s deemed OOTF. Rioli takes the drop punt but it falls short, knuckled over the line. (Q2 2:22)
Garner does all the hard work, roving and busting through tacklers, yet his left-foot snap is nowhere near it… OOTF. (Q2 3:37)
Yeo crashes through opposition and tumbles a kick toward goal from distance. It bobbles and bounces, but it the end was never online. (Q2 5:05)
A 50m penalty is paid against Hickey for stepping over the mark, gifting Polec a look from 40. The shot is flawless. (Q2 6:22)
Redden collects off the stoppage at the HFF and launches it to the Kennedy contest in the square. Josh outmuscles Tarrant and kicks his fourth. (Q2 8:20)
Jetta’s kick from the centre is a bullet to Darling who plays on immediately at 45 but can’t keep his shot on target. All the play is with the Eagles up to this point. (Q2 14:36)
Dumont spots Zurhaar in space amongst a cluster of Eagles. Cam goes back, shoots from 45 and slots it. (Q2 16:05)
It doesn’t take long for the Eagles to respond, thanks to a finesse checkside pass from Rioli into the path of Kennedy. He snaps his fifth and it’s only halfway through the second! (Q2 17:50)
Kennedy almost has his sixth with a soccer from the goal square, but a brilliant diving Marley Williams saves the day. (Q2 19:24)
Polec gets the one-two with Simpkin before finding Dumont inside 50. Simpkin keeps running and receives the pass at the 35m. On a moderate angle, he misses by millimetres. (Q2 22:36)
Zurhaar lays a typical tough tackle, catching Watson HTB at CHF. The kick drops short and bobbles off hands before crossing the line for a minor score. (Q2 24:52)
Larkey tees it up for his fellow forwards to run and jump, and that’s exactly what Wood does. Mason shoots from 30m and nails a much-needed North Melbourne goal. (Q2 26:05)
The undersized Schofield gives away a soft free to Brown for holding the arm in the boundary throw-in contest. Following the long run-up, Brown smacks his 35m shot into the post. (Q2 29:17)
Sheppard cannons into the back of Larkey seconds before the HT siren, giving away a clear free. Nick shoots after the siren from 55 but it’s not close. No score. (Half Time)
Darling intercepts a North Melbourne switch, then collects and dishes to Kennedy. JJK snaps his sixth of the day and 600th of his career in what’s the perfect 2nd half start. (Q3 2:12)
A strong and sticky Sheed tackle on Higgins allows Darling to pick up the loose footy and snap the clean goal off a step from 30. (Q3 5:28)
With eyes only for the footy, Zurhaar reads the flight of the Williams kick best, clunking it at the 40. The kick is straight through the middle! (Q3 8:37)
LDU’s clean pickup is followed by Zurhaar busting through a couple of Eagles. He then links with Ahern whose 45m snap is offline. (Q3 13:04)
Ryan collects on the HFF with a paddock of space and centres to one of Allen and Petruccelle, take your pick. Allen marks, shoots from 35 and extends the Eagles’ lead. (Q3 14:13)
Elliott Yeo roves the forward stoppage and snaps a top-quality goal on his left, with Ziebell hot on his heels. (Q3 20:42)
After a chain of sloppy play, the Eagles finally move it forward from the wing with Rioli hitting Waterman lace out. From 40m on a 45-degree angle, Jake makes no mistake. (Q3 22:13)
Garner crumbs nicely in the pocket, however, his snap has just a tad too much bend, hitting the inside of the post. (Q3 23:57)
Pettruccelle receives from Gaff outside 50, popping it up to the hot spot where – guess who – Josh Kennedy flies in from the side to mark and slot number seven for the day! (Q3 26:27)
Despite a push concurrent to his kick, Yeo finds Petruccelle, likely unintentionally, on the lead. The speedster was simply the first to react, and he nails the goal from 45. (Q4 4:31)
Brown keeps the footy in play, knocking it back to Ziebell who dishes to Goldy. The big man rushes a kick toward the goal which is touched by Nelson. (Q4 5:30)
Thomas waits down at the feet of a large pack and is able to get a snap away, however, the accuracy was always in doubt. (Q4 6:43)
While Atley lays dormant with a dislocated kneecap, Sheed finds Rioli free in the goal square who has the easiest of finishes. (Q4 10:16)
Zurhaar’s long-range set shot has the distance but not the accuracy. However, a minute later he gets another opportunity from much closer range which he has no problem converting. (Q4 13:44)
A poor Dumont kick allows the Eagles to find Sheed who bounces down the HFF and take his pick of free teammates. Waterman marks at 40 and kicks the goal from straight in front. (Q4 15:11)
This kick from Dumont is an improved one, hitting Ben Brown inside 50 in the pocket. He’s had a quiet day thus far, but Ben nails the 40m set shot, despite the tricky angle. (Q4 17:26)
Darling has a chance to extend the lead with a 50m set shot but doesn’t strike it well enough, through for a minor score. (Q4 19:29)
Anderson emerges through traffic and gets a wayward shot away from 35. It was also touched by a diving McGovern, so results in a minor score either way. (Q4 20:45)
Another opportunity presents for Anderson just a minute later, this time with a set play from 40. Again though, he can’t convert. (Q4 21:14)
Rioli wastes an opportunity for an almost certain goal, not releasing the handball, instead electing for the grubber dribbler kick from 40 which narrowly misses. (Q4 23:14)
The Eagles go end to end, exposing North’s lack of pressure yet again. Rioli pokes a pass to Hickey who goes back and squeezes it home from 35. (Q4 24:27)
LDU works it forward solo from the centre bounce to the hot spot. Scholfield drops the mark which allows Brown to pounce and snap a late goal, taking the margin back to 50. (Q4 26:30)
Great running from big Goldstein is unrewarded, as his galloping 35m shot is reviewed and determined touched off fingertips. (Q4 28:27)
