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North Melbourne will be keen to continue to ride the good news wave on Saturday and finish a horror 2022 campaign in style as it faces the Gold Coast Suns at Marvel Stadium.
The Kangaroos (2-19, 56.5%), who appointed Alastair Clarkson as coach for 2023 and beyond on Friday, would usurp West Coast on the ladder with a win. And with the Eagles playing top-placed Geelong in Geelong later in the day, that would likely see North avoid the wooden spoon.
The Suns (9-12, 99.1%) can equal their best ever season record with a victory and jump to 10-12 — they finished with that ratio in 2014. But they have a bad record at Docklands, winning just seven of their 29 games there.
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North Melbourne made a late change, with Callum Coleman-Jones (ankle) ruled out and Charlie Comben coming into the side. Kayne Turner was named medical sub.
The Suns made no late changes, with Charlie Constable named medical sub.
This match gets underway at 2.10pm AEST from Marvel Stadium.
Watch it live on Fox Footy (channel 503) from 2pm AEST.
QUARTER-BY-QUARTER MATCH REPORT
First quarter
Despite the positive vibes around North pre-game, it was the Suns that got the fast start, with Noah Anderson and Malcolm Rosas kicking two goals within the first two minutes.
Then the Roos got their ball movment going, with debutant Josh Goater pulling off a terrific centering kick that set up a Bailey Scott goal.
“The ball movement has been sharp from both sides,” Fox Footy’s Leigh Montagna said.
But both teams struggled to find targets inside 50, leading to an array of intercept marks deep in defence.
Just before quarter-time, Alex Davies pulled off a lovely finish off his non-preferred boot then Alex Sexton added another to extend the Suns’ quarter-time lead to 15 points.
Second quarter
After 10 minutes without a goal, Nick Larkey broke the drought with a terrific set-shot kick from a tough angle.
The two teams then went goal-for-goal, with Sexton booting his second followed by majors to Jack Mahony and David Swallow.
Ultimately the Suns’ ability to capitalise on stoppages was crucial, booting three goals to zip from clearances in the first half to set up a 20-point lead at the main break.
“It’s a first half for both teams that have missed opportunities going forward of the football,” triple All-Australian Nick Dal Santo told Fox Footy.
“At times they have had those options, but where is that goal going to come from?
“It hasn’t been through lack of effort, it’s been just a lack of connection and system going forward.”
Third quarter
Davies continued his impressive outing, kicking a lovely running goal.
But against his old side, Kangaroos veteran Hugh Greenwood snuck forward to snap a rare goal and keep his side within striking distance.
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