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“Oh Umpire!” – Commentary left stunned | 00:42
North Melbourne has tasted AFL victory for the first time since Round 2 — and for the first time at the MCG since 2017 — after holding on for a thrilling four-point win over Richmond at the MCG.
After three near misses in recent weeks, the Kangaroos broke through to beat the Tigers in a see-sawing, stoppage-heavy contest that five-time premiership Hawk Dermott Brereton dubbed a “beautifully ugly” game.
Key defender Toby Pink was the hero for North, taking a brave intercept mark in the final minute to thwart Richmond’s final attacking foray and seal victory, 12.6 (78) to 11.8 (74).
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After slipping behind at three-quarter time, the Tigers got their noses back in front early in the final quarter, but North hit back with the next two goals on the back of repeat forward 50s and opened up a 12-point lead.
The Kangas could’ve iced the game, but squandered shots on goal from George Wardlaw, Jy Simpkin and Jack Darling kept Richmond alive.
Tom Lynch cut the margin to six points shortly after, but it was then Richmond’s turn to be wasteful in front of goal with the game on the line as Kane McAuliffe and Tim Taranto sprayed their set shots to claw the Tigers within four points with 4:36 remaining. They would prove to be the last scores of the game.
Tristan Xerri was huge in the ruck for the Kangaroos with 19 possessions (13 contested), 52 hit-outs, 11 clearances (three centre), Luke Davies-Uniacke got better as the game wore on, finishing with 27 disposals (15 contested), seven clearances (three centre) and a goal, while Cam Zurhaar was a constant menace up forward, booting four majors.
Tim Taranto was Richmond’s best again with 30 touches (18 contested) and 10 clearances and Seth Campbell starred in attack with three goals from 15 disposals.
THE 3-2-1 …
3. UNLIKELY HERO DELIVERS ‘BEST MOMENT OF HIS CAREER’
A game like this one was always going to come down to a moment.
And Toby Pink delivered it with a game-saving mark.
With one last surge at victory, Tigers youngster Kaleb Smith sent a long ball deep into attack in the Tom Lynch direction.
But with strength, Pink bustled Lynch out of the way to take a strong grab with 40 seconds left.
It would prove to be the last meaningful foray by either side as the Kangaroos held on for victory.
“Toby Pink, this is the best moment of his career,” Brereton said.
But it wasn’t Pink’s only meaningful moment in that fourth term.
With Tom Sims streaming down the wing, Pink sprinted towards the Tigers youngster and ran him down for an inspirational holding the ball tackle.
Pink finished with 12 touches, six marks and a team-high seven intercepts.
2. ‘OFF THE CHARTS’ NUMBERS IN ‘BEAUTIFULLY UGLY’ GAME
The numbers had to be seen to be believed.
Just seconds before the final siren, Toby Nankervis and Tristan Xerri contested the ruck at the 137th stoppage of the game. Yes, 137.
For context, the Essendon-Bulldogs games last night featured 77 across the four quarters. By half-time in the North-Richmond game, there had been 8.
“This is fantastic! It’s beautifully ugly footy, isn’t it? It’s a scrap, it’s a mass of bodies,” Brereton said.
“I never thought I’d say this, but this is a game that is scrappy, full of congestion, full of stoppages – and I’m loving it! It’s fantastic, it’s contest after contest.
“Sixteenth played 17th — and we didn’t even care. It was a great game,”
As Brereton pointed out, the nature of the game ultimately played into the hands of the Kangaroos, who came in as a top-four clearance team.
“This is the game North Melbourne want to play and they just seem after that first possession, they’re too quick with their feet to get away from Richmond,” Brereton told Fox Footy.
“I think North Melbourne thought: ‘This is our best chance. At stoppage, we can run away from the Tigers’ midfielders … If we can win the pressure and clearance, we’ll be able to move away from them too quick.’”
Ultimately, the Roos smashed the Tigers in clearances 54-33 and centre clearances 14-4.
But when the Tigers put scoreboard pressure on North, it was after they’d embraced the stoppage-heavy nature of the game.
This was especially the case in the second quarter, with the Tigers booting 4.1 to 1.1 as they upped their pressure and locked the ball in their front half. They were +9 for contested possessions and +15 for inside 50s for the quarter alone.
At one stage in the second term, the Tigers had a pressure rating of 275.
“I haven’t seen that on screen before,” Brereton said. “They have just been rabid trying to get tacklers to the ball.”
Western Bulldogs games record-holder Brad Johnson added: “That’s an enormous number, that’s off the charts.”
1. DUSTY IN THE HOUSE FOR ‘POWERFUL’ PICK 1 STATEMENT
With Dustin Martin back at the MCG to watch his beloved Tigers, it seemed appropriate that Martin-like emerging star Sam Lalor delivered an eye-catching second quarter.
Lalor, the Round 1 Rising Star nominee, played a crucial role in helping the Tigers turn the tables on North, kicking 2.1 from six disposals and two forward-50 tackles for the term.
“He’s a powerful kid, isn’t he?” Brereton told Fox Footy.
Lalor added another magic moment to his highlight reel when he belied his 188cm of height to take a massive pack mark surrounded by four Kangaroos in the goalsquare before slotting the set shot to get Richmond back within six points.
“That contested mark in the goalsquare was absolutely outstanding,” Johnson said.
“Then to work through stoppage – this is the growth in his game as he continues to get going in his career and get more moments around the midfield, you can see what he’s able to produce. It’s exciting for the Tigers.”
Martin was in attendance, not just to cheer on his former club, but also pay tribute to premiership teammate Kamdyn McIntosh, who played his 200th game on Sunday.
And McIntosh had some lovely moments, kicking two goals from 13 touches.
“How perfect is that!” Fox Footy commentator Corbin Middlemas said after McIntosh’s first goal.
