Round 1 - North Melbourne v Melbourne

Thursday, March 27 (MCG - Night)

v's 

North Melbourne	2.1	3.4	4.7	7.13	(55)
Melbourne	2.2	4.5	8.9	10.10	(70)

Goals
Nth Melb: Allison 2, Roberts, Carey, Longmire, Anderson, Sholl
Melbourne: Farmer 3, Charles 3, Clarkson, Ingerson, Lyon, Lovett

Carey out for 3 months

Wayne Carey dislocated his shoulder during the second quarter, and was carried off by stretcher. Carey will miss at least 3 months of football. Corey McKernan also injured his knee (strained lateral ligament) and will miss between two and four weeks. It was a disastrous start to the season for the 1996 Premiers. Having already lost Cameron Mooney and Matthew Capuano for the entire season, and vice-captain Wayne Schwass suspended, the last thing North needed was for its best two players to be injured.

The tragic injury to Carey will be assess later in the week. Carey has already had reconstructive surgery on the shoulder before, and the likelihood of further surgery is strong. He will be assessed by arthroscopy tomorrow.

Earlier in the evening, the Premiership flag was unveiled by Club President Ron Casey, and his wife. North Melbourne wanted a low-key ceremony, which is why the players were not present for it.

The game began in atrocious conditions, with the heaviest rain for 4 months bucketing down. The game was fairly even for the first half, with only 7 goals kicked in the entire game up to that stage. After Carey and McKernan left the game early in the second quarter, Melbourne lifted. The Demons kicked the next 4 goals of the match, which was a large enough lead to win the match.

At three quarter time North looked out of the match. With the best two players injured, and 5 goals down, North did lift during the last quarter. However poor kicking resulted in just one goal in the first 10 minutes. The ball moved to the Melbourne forward line where two appeals for holding the ball were turned down by umpire Andrew Malcolm. Lovett goaled from the bounce, and then a second goal was awarded without the ball being bounced, ending North's chance of a comeback. The abhorrently technical freekick was awarded against David King, for kicking the ball after the goal was scored. This decision highlights the apalling standard of umpiring during the game, and how over-officiated football has become in recent years. Umpires have no appreciation for the spirit of the law, and are becoming overly technical in their interpretation of the rules. I was extremely unimpressed in the performance of umpire Andrew Malcolm.

Melbourne, having scored two goals without the ball going back to the centre became defensive for the rest of the quarter, and failed to goal again. North did manage 2 consolation goals, but it was all too late.

The injuries to Carey and McKernan left North without a focus in the forward line. North lacked the ability for a player to take a mark at centre-half-forward. The loss of McKernan, and the fact that Matthew Capuano is injured for the entire season, leaves North without a ruckman. John Longmire rucked for most of the match, but surely he cannot be expected to start in the ruck again. Jason Daniltchenko and Mark Roberts may have to try to fill the void, but neither are true ruckmen.

Carey's injury left North trying Archer, Crocker, Sholl and Roberts up forward at various stages, but none could really provide the focus. North's gameplan revolves around long kicking to tall marking forwards. Having lost both forward targets North could not kick a winning score.

Good players for North were Martyn, who eclipsed Neitz, Bell and Scott. There were few other players that played up to standard in the match. Denis Pagan kept the players in the rooms for a long period after the match, feeling extremely disappointed about the loss. He also declared a media-ban on all players, as the injuries will surely create media headlines.

North's next match is against Carlton. With an injury list of :

North's depth is going to be tested - and a change of luck is needed.

First Quarter Goals (including time elapsed):
0:25 M - Farmer
1:20 N - Carey
6:35 N - Longmire
24:10 N - Farmer

Second Quarter Goals (including time elapsed):
4:50 N - Sholl
5:45 M - Clarkson
17:00 M - Ingerson

Third Quarter Goals (including time elapsed):
9:10 M - Lyon
10:30 M - Charles
16:00 N - Anderson
20:50 M - Charles
24:50 M - Charles

Fourth Quarter Goals (including time elapsed):
5:40 N - Allison
12:40 M - Lovett
13:20 M - Farmer
24:30 N - Roberts
28:45 N - Allison