GWS Giants 15.15 (105) def North Melbourne 14.14 (98)
North Melbourne wore their first ever ANZAC guernsey on Sunday, and for three quarters they looked like a team writing their own heroic narrative in it. They led by 19 in the first quarter, pushed back, levelled at halftime, and then spent the final term desperately trying to overhaul a lead they couldn’t quite run down.
GWS survived by seven points in a genuine contest that had everything — milestones, contested football, injuries to both sides and a late call/non-call combo that will have the North Melbourne reddit moderators working overtime.
Toby Greene played his record-breaking 268th game and kicked two vital goals. For North, four from Larkey and a gallant effort that has shifted the perception of North from a percentage booster to mid-card status. GWS are 3-4. North are 4-3.
The ladder continues to make very little sense.
Last Five
GWS have not lost to North since Round 2 of 2020 — a game played in the Covid restart, which feels like an era we’ve all kind of blocked out from our memories. Since then, four wins, a draw in Hobart in 2021, and an average winning margin that suggests these match-ups have been fairly comfortable for the Giants.
The most recent meeting, Round 22 last year at this same ground, ended in a 53-point win to GWS, though that came with Larkey and Curtis both unavailable for North, and Callum Brown kicking a career-best five goals in Hogan’s absence.
This one was a lot closer, so, y’know… progress, I guess.
Recent Form
GWS (2-4): Won the opener against Hawthorn, lost four of the next five including a 41-point hiding from Sydney in Round 6 where they created 26 shots on goal and couldn’t convert. The injury list has been catastrophic this season — Tom Green, Josh Kelly, Darcy Jones, Sam Taylor and various others have all spent time unavailable. Getting Hogan, Cadman, Coniglio and Daniels back for this game gave Kingsley a forward line that finally resembled the one he planned to have in February.
North Melbourne (4-2): Best start since 2016. Four wins, two losses, fifth on the ladder, and a 75-point demolition of Richmond in Round 6 that probably should have been an even bigger percentage booster. It was like the players had no idea how to behave when on the other side of a ten-goal shellacking. The burning question all week was whether the wins were real or the soft fixture was making them look above average. GWS in Canberra was going to provide a cleaner answer than Port, Carlton, Essendon and Richmond had managed.
Ins and Outs
GWS Giants
In: Brent Daniels, Aaron Cadman, Jesse Hogan, Stephen Coniglio, James Leake
Out: Callum Brown (omitted), Jake Riccardi (omitted), Harry Rowston (omitted), Toby McMullin (omitted), Joe Fonti (suspension)
Five changes and most of them are welcome news, which makes a welcome change from the GWS injury bulletins of the previous six weeks. Hogan returning up forward gives the Giants the Coleman medallist they’ve been missing. Cadman coming back from concussion means Kingsley has two genuine key forwards presenting for the first time in months. Daniels and Coniglio add experience and structure. Leake comes in as the ruck backup.
Joe Fonti serves his suspension and the four omissions are all players making way for better options. Riccardi sitting out is the interesting one, given how often he’d been used as the second ruck this year, but with Leake available and Madden taking the primary duties, the puzzle was manageable.
North Melbourne
In: Toby Pink, Finn O’Sullivan, Tristan Xerri
Out: Charlie Comben (omitted), Tom Blamires (omitted), Callum Coleman-Jones (managed)
Xerri and O’Sullivan are key parts of North’s machine. Getting Xerri back lets Trembath spend more time up forward, and FOS has become the go-to run with player. Losing Comben at the last minute to be replaced by Pink is a bigger blow than it seems. Comben has been a vital part of score launches from the back half, intercepting and driving the counter-attack. His loss cost North some scoring chances (at least eight points worth would be my guess…)
Milestone: Cameron Zurhaar’s 150th AFL game. The Bull has become the backline bulldozer, and looks more at home than he has in a long time.
The Start
Both teams came out of the blocks flying with less foreplay than two uni students in a situationship while their six housemates did the grocery shopping. Leek Aleer kicked the first goal of the game for GWS, a long ball from a defensive chain, and then the Kangaroos proceeded to kick three consecutive goals and open up a 19-point lead that had the Canberra cold doing very little to cool the momentum of a team that arrived with genuine belief.
This is all despite GWS’ coaching panel throwing everything at them, with tough tackles, a bit of niggle, and going to the trouble of staging a whole wedding just so they could time the church bells with Paul Curtis’ opening shot—a diabolical scheme that shows just how much influence the Orange Tsunami has in our nation’s capital!
George Wardlaw worked a crumb intelligently for one. Charlie Spargo, the North recruit, earned his goal with a chasedown tackle on Lachie Whitfield that got the crowd going. Nick Larkey, doing what Larkey does when Sam Taylor isn’t around to shadow him, was already presenting a problem that GWS’s backline wasn’t sure how to solve.
Jesse Hogan fixed the mood. Two quick goals from the returning spearhead cut the margin back to seven at quarter time, and suddenly it felt like a proper football match again rather than a rehearsal for a North highlight reel. GWS scored 3.2 for the quarter, North 4.3. The Giants came in trailing, which is not where they’d planned to be.
The Second Quarter
GWS hit the front early in the second quarter and started to look like the side that had planned these returns for weeks. Cadman, fresh from his concussion protocols, started finding the ball with the assurance of a player who had waited long enough and was making up for lost time. Stringer conjured one from nothing to get the locals on their feet. Hogan and Cadman both threatened to put the game away as Corr, Pink and Logue all struggled to contain their opponents without Comben filling the hole that they were leading into..
But Larkey is Larkey. He created a goal for first-year forward Lachy Dovaston out of essentially nothing, then kicked his own third goal to level the scores at halftime — GWS 7.7 (49), North 7.7 (49). The scoreboard felt about right. Both teams had had the game on their terms at times, though it felt like North were in control for longer, but never really looked confident about that positon.
Second Half
The third quarter was where GWS made their move and almost made it stick. They kicked three goals to two for the term, building a six-point lead by the final change after winning nine of the last ten clearances in the quarter. Toby Greene kicked one that felt like a captain’s effort, Harvey Thomas goaled in his best passage of the year, and Cadman continued to make the most of a forward line that suddenly had numbers in it.
Aaron Cadman kicked three goals for the day and looked every bit the player GWS drafted him to be. North kicked their three for the quarter through their veterans Larkey and Simpkin. Simpkin’s lovely one came off Xerri forcing a turnover with a heavy tackle that shows just why North need him so badly, and kept themselves within touching distance of the lead. Six points at 3QT. A goal and a bit. North have been here before this year, but despite the recruiting patterns of the past decade, GWS is not Carlton.
The Finish
The last quarter was not for the faint-hearted, and it was not for Griffin Logue, who will be replaying one particular moment for some time.
North came out of the rooms with intent. Sheezel kicked one. Darling added another. The lead was narrowing and the Kangaroos smelled a boilover. Cadman gave GWS some breathing room with his third, but O’Sullivan replied for North, and then Luke Parker slotted a goal that brought the margin within range. Stringer kicked back-to-back goals for GWS in a five-minute stretch that looked like it had sealed the game.
The game swung back and forth, GWS always threatening to seal it, North teasing that they may steal it.
Then, we had the O’Halloran goal, which reviews strongly suggest was the result of a bad call, which I’ll touch on in the next bit. But as the saying goes, you can complain about the umpiring decisions all you like, but that and a tenner won’t get you a beer at the G.
After some more back and forth, North goaled through Darling and Sheezel as Finn Callaghan left the ground with a niggle and a single goal the margin.
North came hard, but the Giants were just a little too poised, maintaining control when they needed to, but not quite well enough to put their hand on the four points until the dying seconds of the match. Time had run out, and GWS held on.
Final score: GWS 15.15 (105), North Melbourne 14.14 (98).
Controversial Moment
In a game that had some great snaps, long set shots and clever kicks, it’s a pity the most memorable six points of the game will probably be the one where the umpire paid a goal to Xavier O’Halloran. From the ARC footage, Logue appeared to get a fingertip to it, which would have made it a behind. North fans at home no doubt yelling at their screens in indignation. Even the commentary box was animated. The GWS fans in attendance were very happy. The final margin was seven points.
If Logue touched it, the margin at the time would have dropped back to two straight kicks with North in possession, even if the ARC took long enough to let the GWS defence set up.
Finn O’Sullivan, to his credit, responded quickly by kicking a goal to cancel out the call, but with the blunder in the Saints game already putting the ARC under pressure, it’ll be a hard week for AFL house.
No one likes delays. Everyone just hanging out while the disembodied voice tells the production crew to switch angles and roll frames back and forth on the second-hand gopro they’ve positioned as the goal line camera.
If the goal is for the ARC to catch the howlers, that’s fine. It’s doing its job, but is it really worth the delay when it is barely any more reliable than a good human umpire?
For my money, if they want to keep the ARC and avoid the blunders and the delays, they need to invest in the technology. Use some of that $60 million operating surplus to develop a high-confidence system that isn’t just based on reworking stuff that works in cricket or soccer. Get high definition, high framerate cameras, train the ARC umpire to use the system independently of the TV crew, and even plug in some AI probability analysis.
But it also should be stressed that this is all about making the game better for fans. It’s got nothing to do with the result of this match. Right or wrong, bad calls and missed calls are always part of such a chaotic game. There will never be 100% accuracy. All we can hope for is consistency and that the good teams and good players can make things happen, even when they don’t get the calls they think they should.
Midfield Matchup
North won the clearance count 36-34 overall and the centre clearances 17-9, which is a thumping advantage in the contested ball. By that measure, the Kangaroos should have dominated the inside 50s, but GWS won that stat 56-54. That came down to what GWS did with the ball once they got it into their forward half, running their guts out to take advantage of the size of the ground to find space, while North struggled to take advantage of the width.
Tristan Xerri was North’s best midfielder on return from suspension: 25 disposals, 10 clearances, 12 tackles, 25 hitouts. The 10 clearances and 12 tackles are the key stats there. His influence can’t be understated. Without him, GWS would have had the game on their terms from the first whistle.
Finn O’Sullivan played 24 disposals and seven clearances in his return from a fractured jaw, which is a strong game from a player who had surgery during the week. Sheezel amassed 32 disposals wearing a glove — he’d had minor finger surgery during the week and played like he couldn’t quite feel it, which is either inspiring or slightly concerning.
Caleb Daniel had 30 disposals and 707 metres gained at half-back, running the team brilliantly from behind the ball. Zurhaar had 31 disposals and 425 metres gained in his 150th game.
For GWS, Toby Greene played with the authority of a bloke who has done this 268 times: 28 disposals, 2 goals, 8 clearances and 502 metres gained in a performance that deserved the milestone it accompanied. Lachie Ash was extraordinary — 30 disposals and 757 metres gained, barely losing a one-on-one contest all day. Whitfield had 32 disposals and 503 metres gained as his half-back partner. Clayton Oliver had 26 disposals and four clearances. Finn Callaghan added 21 disposals before going off with an injury in the last quarter, which is the part of the match report nobody at GWS wanted to type.
Ruck Battle
Surprising one. GWS won the hitouts 36-29. Nicholas Madden, who has been stepping into the role all season with the usual rucks unavailable, outpointed Xerri on most of their one on ones. Xerri won the clearances in the middle and was the better player by some distance when you include everything away from the bounce, but Madden gave GWS first use often enough to matter.
The hitout advantage around the ground contributed to GWS winning 14 marks inside 50 to North’s eight, which is where the game was functionally decided. North won more of the ball. GWS did more with it once it arrived.
The Stats That Sting
- North won the centre clearances 17-9. They won the overall clearance count 36-34. They won the disposal count 391-376. They still lost by seven. If North fans are looking for solace, if North can keep winning those stats, they’ll win more games than they lose.
- GWS’s efficiency inside 50 was 58.9% to North’s 51.8%. They took 14 marks inside 50 to North’s eight. The Giants didn’t create more opportunities — North actually had 54 inside 50s to GWS’s 56, effectively even. They just finished better.
- Lachie Ash: 30 disposals, 757 metres gained. That’s more than Harry Sheezel and Finn O’Sullivan combined. Staggering. He covered the ground from half-back all day without appearing to raise a sweat, linking the play and generating rebound attacking plays that frustrated North all day long.
- Eight inside 50s for Brent Daniels, and most of them found a clean target. Inside 50 delivery is the single most important skill in modern footy (I said it, I stand by it) and when you have someone doing it as crisply as Daniels, your forwards should be shouting him dinner at least three nights a week.
- Three frees against for Aidan Corr. Three goals from that. I don’t want to be too hard on Corr, because being a backman and playing against a forward line that boasts Hogan, Stringer, Cadman and Greene is no easy task. But, despite the stereotype, backmen need to be smart. Yeah, there are plenty of little grabs, nudges and sneaky limp entanglements that a key defender can (and must) use, but have some subtlety mate!
Final Thoughts
Toby Greene played his 268th game, overtaking Callan Ward as GWS’s all-time games record holder. At 32, in the last year of his contract, pondering free agency, leading a team that was 2-4 going in, he kicked two goals, including one that levelled the scores in the final quarter, and his side survived. He was the best player in an orange jumper on the day, which is fitting. Surely he will stay on? He’s a quality player, but no team will love him quite as much as the Giants do. He’s a favourite son, and a barely-tolerated step child to most of the rest of the league.
GWS needed this one to stay in touch with the top eight conversation, and the way they won it, largely without dominating the clearances or the disposal count, says something about how well-structured Kingsley’s side is when all the pieces are on the ground. The forward line with Hogan, Cadman and Stringer is a genuine asset when it’s available. The problem is keeping it available, and Callaghan and O’Halloran going off injured is the sort of news that follows GWS around like a bad smell at a petrol station.
For North, the “False Dawn or New Day” question doesn’t really get answered here. They pushed a quality GWS side to the wire at Manuka on the road and lost by seven, with the margin depending at least partly on a contentious umpiring call. Larkey was excellent. Xerri’s return was exactly what they needed. Sheezel played through a gloved hand. These are not the signs of a team going backwards.
The fixture gets harder from here. The next four weeks include Geelong, Sydney, Adelaide and Gold coast, all teams that expect to play finals, if not contend for the flag. The first four rounds gave North a way to show what they can do, the next four will tell us who they are.
Next Up
GWS travel to People First Stadium on Sunday night to face a Gold Coast side that just had 49 points put on them by Hawthorn at UTAS — not the confidence-boosting result the Suns were hoping for heading into a home game.
GWS are 3-4 and need the points badly. Gold Coast are 4-3 and needs to prove the Hawthorn belting was a one-off to avoid being relegated to ‘pretender’ status. With fresh injury questions around Callaghan and O’Halloran, Kingsley will be reading his team news carefully this week. Petracca and Rowell will give the Suns a midfield edge if the Giants are running short. Could go either way, but at home, with a genuine need to put GWS to the sword, I can see the Suns going in for the kill.
Gold Coast by 34.
North Melbourne has a six-day turnaround to head to GMHBA on Saturday afternoon to face Geelong, who just had Port Adelaide put 30 points on them and will be desperately keen to restore their credentials at home.
This is the game the “False Dawn or New Day” question was really waiting for. North have beaten Port, Carlton, Essendon, West Coast and Richmond, and faltered in the second half against Brisbane. Now they face a wounded Geelong at Kardinia, which is a proper test.
Geelong are 4-3 themselves and won’t be rolling over. North by a point if they’re feeling combative. Smart money says Geelong (and so do I), but don’t be surprised if the return of Comben gives the Roos some much-needed back-line intercept options that they desperately needed against the Giants.
Geelong by 17.
