Blog log from R2 of 2024: North Melbourne vs Fremantle

Hughes is pinged for getting over the shoulder on Curtis in a tackle 40m out in front, the set shot is professional for the opening goal of the day.
Long centre clearance by Serong to the hotspot, Treacy marks strongly in front of Corr and also delivers a nice straight kick. It’s an early shoot out! (Q1 3:03)
Curtis chips in front of a flat-footed Walker to mark a Fisher kick up the guts to 45m. His set shot starts straight but fades left into the post. (Q1 11:19)
Xerri gets a ruck free on Jackson for a hold 50m out on the flank. He goes back purposefully for the kick, but it’s short and Jackson takes a pack grab to prevent the score. (Q1 12:34)
Walker is behind the play at half back but gets scythed past by the North runners on a rebound, Stephenson baulks past him and dobs the goal on the run from 50m on a slight angle. (Q1 14:09)
Treacy’s desperate chase on Stephenson on outer wing forces a turnover, Walters goes to Taberner 40m out on the flank whose shot is right across the face for a behind. (Q1 16:20)
Coleman-Jones takes a pack intercept mark on members wing and sends it back down the flank to 25m where Zurhaar marks uncontested with plenty of purple jumpers nearby. He goals. (Q1 18:09)
Pink intercepts at defensive hotspot to start a rebound, Simpkin runs freely to half forward and chooses a pass to Larkey on his own 30m out on the flank. Souva goals. (Q1 20:11)
Pink intercepts on members wing and gets a 50m penalty on Walters for timewasting, he gives off to Sheezel whose kick from 50m is short for no direct score. (Q1 26:16)
Walters ducks into a clumsy high tackle by Corr 30m out on a slight angle, ump pays the free but it could have gone either way. Sonny goals on the QT siren to a chorus of boos. (Qtr Time)
Curtis marks a pass by Tucker down the flank to 25m in front of Walker, who has so many cobwebs on him he might get a new nickname of Spider-Man. Kick is good. (Q2 1:35)
North gets a loose man going rebounding around outer wing from a ball up, Wardlaw passes inboard to Simpkin 35m out on a slight angle who kicks the goal. Pretty play! (Q2 4:03)
McKercher passes to the pocket from the HFF to bring Zurhaar to the ball and mark 20m out. Zurhaar’s screwing snap is in, the Kangas are bouncing away now! (Q2 8:00)
Frederick marks an Aish sack of a kick inside 50 over Wardlaw 40m out on a slight angle. His kick is textbook to give the purple travellers something to cheer about. (Q2 10:18)
Powell roves a stoppage near the hotspot and snaps across the body to restart the party for the Roos. (Q2 11:48)
Powell is released from the next bounce to pass up the guts to Simpkin 35m out, North irresistible now. Simpkin misses, however. (Q2 16:21)
Fisher delivers a lovely diagonal pass from outer wing to the centre to get a rebound going, Sheezel kicks inside 50 for the diving Duursma near the hotspot, who hits the post. (Q2 17:03)
Hughes’ bomb rebound kick to a pack is roved easily by Davies-Uniacke, give inside to Powell who spots up Larkey 40m out on a slight angle, who misses. Way too easy, that play. (Q2 18:03)
Fundamentals are all big red flashing red lights for Fremantle, they are getting beaten all over the ground. (Q2 18:37)
Sharp misses on the run from 50m on a slight angle after the Dockers hit the corridor on a rebound for once. (Q2 19:02)
Again Fremantle switch on a rebound, this time Banfield finds a target in the pocket, it’s Switkowski 20m out. Switta tumbles in the goal, ugly but straight. (Q2 20:34)
Brayshaw does a one-two with Fyfe to exit the next bounce with a scoot to CHF, long ball to the square where Jackson can’t mark over Pink, eventually Corr rushes. (Q2 22:19)
Amiss marks a nice pass by Jackson in front of Dawson 30m out on the flank, his first possession of the game which is a miss. (Q2 24:04)
Banfield speculates with a blind kick from the HFF to the hotspot, Jackson makes it look good with a mark going back with the flight, he pops through the goal. (Q2 25:23)
Serong sums it up and goes himself with a bomb from 50m on the flank, Taberner tries to shepherd on the line but Dawson reaches over and gets a finger on it, review… ruled point. (Q2 29:14)
After some more strong Treacy body work, Serong has a moment to compose himself for a snap in space 40m out on a slight angle but leaves it left, disappointingly. (Q3 4:24)
Switkowski is dropped after disposal by Xerri on the HFF, downfield free to Taberner 20m out in the pocket which he shanks for no score, intercepted by Pink. (Q3 5:53)
Fyfe catches Davies-Uniacke HTB at defensive hotspot, rebound up the corridor ends with Walters passing to Taberner 35m out on a slight angle, he punches through the goal. (Q3 8:38)
Clark long and high after the next bounce after a feed by Jackson, Taberner marks in front of the pack on his chest 20m out on a slight angle and goals again! (Q3 10:23)
Jackson marks an Aish kick near the behind line over Pink, he’s been the catalyst for this comeback and he puts the Dockers in front after a 50m penalty! (Q3 13:08)
Ryan gets back to touch through a Stephenson snap from 30m after Powell bombs long from the next centre bounce. (Q3 14:10)
Banfield sharks near the hotspot and gives to Amiss who snaps wide under a tackle from 20m. (Q3 15:31)
Brayshaw skids through a grubber from a ball up at the hotspot to extend the Docker lead! (Q3 16:37)
Frederick hits the post with a flying snap form half forward. (Q3 17:48)
Brayshaw kicks inside 50 again, Frederick takes a mark over McKercher in a pack 30m out on a slight angle and slots the goal. Dockers on fire on the docks! (Q3 19:09)
Amiss toepokes into the post under pressure from the square at the end of a surge play. (Q3 22:06)
Sheezel worries Frederick off the crumb from a Jackson contest in the pocket 15m out but Stephens lets Banfield gets free to rove and tumble through the goal. (Q3 24:08)
Young is smothered at true CHF but the ball sits up for Fyfe who shoots off a step… just clears Pink on the line for another one for the purple tsunami! (Q3 26:09)
Wardlaw leaps over Aish to mark a Larkey pass 50m out on a slight angle. North needs this in Q3 red time… it’s a beauty from George! (Q3 28:54)
It is often said that rucks don’t matter in the modern game, but Jackson destroying Xerri in Q3 was the major form swing that turned this game. (3 Qtr Time)
Clark rushes a bouncing snap by Curtis from the pocket. (Q4 0:18)
Walters marks on the boundary 20m out but hits the near right goalpost. (Q4 2:28)
McKercher swerves past Clark in the centre and goes over Aish to Ford 40m out on a slight angle. Ford, just off the subs bench, misses near side left. (Q4 4:08)
Fisher fumbles a ground ball 45m out in front and is lucky to get a holding free on Treacy who didn’t see it. Ball lands on the goal line, Ryan touches it, review… just a point. (Q4 7:28)
Serong sharks Wardlaw at half forward, Walters has Amiss all alone in the square for the goal to just about kill off the contest! (Q4 9:08)
Davies-Uniacke runs from a stoppage on the HFF after a Young fumble and feeds Duursma for a snap from 35m… across the face. (Q4 11:53)
Draper roves on the last line but two chasing Roos put him off the kick straight to Simpkin, who goes inside to Powell just inside 50m on a slight angle. Powell goals, his second. (Q4 13:28)
10:23 to go, very much enough time left if North makes a surge. Freo have found a better midfield mix since Brayshaw has shifted from wing to the centre, however. (Q4 14:23)
Pearce drops an intercept mark from a long Zurhaar bomb to the hotspot, Curtis throws a boot at it but the grubber rolls wide right. (Q4 15:32)
Xerri gets swamped in midfield and coughs a handball up to Brayshaw, pass eventually in to Banfield at the hotspot who goals to put a full stop on the win. (Q4 20:54)
Sharp gets a champagne footy special from the HFF to bring the purple pocket to their feet. (Q4 25:09)
Serong feeds O’Meara to run through CHF and shoot from 45m into the right goalpost. (Q4 26:30)
Scott scores a junk time goal from 50m on a slight angle after intercepting a dump kick from a stoppage. (Q4 29:54)