v's
Friday, September 19 (MCG, Night)
v's
North Melbourne 4.0 8.2 8.4 11.7 (73) St Kilda 6.3 9.6 13.12 15.14 (104)
Goals
Nth Melb: Crocker 4, Allison 3, Carey 2, Sholl, Freeborn
St Kilda: Heatley 7, Winmar 3, Loewe 3, Thompson, Harvey
Jason Heatley kicked seven straight to end North's finals campaign. Heatley, who kicked 9 goals against North last meeting, was too elusive and had great support from his teammates. St Kilda was superb in defeating North, and sealed the game in the third quarter. North kept fighting though, despite losing four key players with injury during the match. In the end North was undermanned, and with the third game in 12 days probably ran out of puff in the end. St Kilda had the benefit of a week's rest, as North did last season - and goes in to the Grand Final as hot favourites.
A cruel blow was dealt to North 8 minutes in to the game. McKernan, who was clearly winning the ruck, was the key to North's gameplan. With St Kilda missing Everitt and Vidovic, McKernan would try to exploit the Saints lack of height. But McKernan dislocated his shoulder, at the same end of the ground where Carey has done the same in Round 1. The season had come the full circle - with North losing a champion player via the same mode of injury. McKernan was to take no further part in the game. Longmire was forced to ruck, but injured his ankle in the third quarter and was forced off the ground. North had to rely on Roberts in the ruck - but Roberts body failed to hold up. He had gone in to the game with a lower back injury, and could no longer ruck. This left Adam Simpson to start the last quarter as the first ruckman - which just about summed up North's season.
Despite North's injuries, and the suspensions of Archer and Schwass, the Roos were not disgraced. They put up a spirited performance, and one could not be too critical of the team making the preliminary final for the fourth year in a row. St Kilda was superb, and deserved victory. They have clearly been the best team this season, winning their eighth game on the trot. St Kilda has lost only 3 of their last 19 games.
St Kilda lept to a 27 point lead during the first quarter, and North was lucky to have kicked accurately to be within 15 points. Carey kicked a superb snap goal which got North going. The second quarter was much like the first - St Kilda playing to use their speed and the marking talents of Heatley and Loewe. Allison kick a goal after the siren to put North just 10 points down at halftime. The kick was touched by the man on the mark, but the umpires did not realise this.
A ten point deficit could have been overturned, as North started to get over the loss of McKernan. But St Kilda stormed out after the half, and put the game away. North didn't really have any real structure on the night, kicking goals with sheer desperation. North could not be faulted for their effort - they were beaten by a better team.
North struggled in defence - the loss of Archer was clearly apparent. Heatley and Loewe had excellent games. The St Kilda midfield of Burke, Harvey and Daniels were particularly damaging. North had problems in clearing the ball out of defence, particularly from the kickout. Without the tall target of McKernan North seemed unsure where to kick the ball too. On at least 2 occassions the kickout went to the side of the ground where North had no players further afield. This lead to turnovers about 70 metres from goal, which St Kilda was able to score from. A prime example occurred when King, hurried up by the field umpire, kicked short to Stevens. Stevens ran on the Southern Stand wing, with no teammates afield, and kicked the ball straight to 3 St Kilda players. They were able to return the ball for a goal.
North ended the game with Simpson in the ruck - which highlighted the injury problems. McKernan and Longmire were injured, and on the bench, Roberts hobbling about the field, and Capuano missed the whole season. With the four ruckmen injured, North turned to Simpson - about a head shorter than most other ruckmen. With Schwass and Archer also missing North just couldn't get their best team on the ground. It was the pattern of the whole season - with the competition so even this season, the premiership will go to the team that gets its best 21 on the field. Next season their will be an expanded interchange bench - either 4 or 6 - which will ease the pressure on all clubs. The year was not too disappointing for North, but after the success of last season it was always going to be a downer if North did not go back to back.