Despite watching North Melbourne hit back to get within striking distance of Geelong in last night’s 20-point AFL loss at Simonds Stadium, Brad Scott wasn’t fooled.
He reckoned it would have been daylight robbery had the Kangaroos somehow found a way to get over the line.
“We had 17 (forward-50) entries in the last quarter and nine shots but even if we’d converted all those, we didn’t deserve to win,” said Scott, whose team now has a 5-4 win-loss record.
“You can’t give a good side like Geelong a start like that, be second to the footy and be obliterated around the contest and outside the contest like that and expect to win. “When you go forward and you’re outnumbered and then the ball goes up the other end and you’re outnumbered there as well it’s pretty simple – you’re being horribly outworked.
“It was an appalling effort early and when you dish up that sort of performance early on, you can’t walk away happy or satisfied.”
The Cats had most of the best players on the ground including key forward Tom Hawkins (four goals, seven marks and 17 possessions).
The Kangaroos’ attack was much less effective, with Scott intimating that Sudanese-born forward Majak Daw’s place in the senior team was under threat for next weekend’s crucial clash with West Coast in Perth.
Daw had only nine touches and was well beaten by makeshift Cats defender Mark Blicavs, who went to the back line when Tom Lonergan was subbed off with concussion.
“(Daw) doesn’t need a rest in terms of physically,” said Scott.
“We’ve got to weigh up his value to the side.
“I’ve still got great confidence in him in the future but he’s … playing like a rookie at the moment.
“He’s getting pushed off the footy which doesn’t make sense because he’s strong enough and getting better at reading the ball in flight, but he’s just a rookie making rookie mistakes.”
Aaron Black also failed to make much of an impression as a key forward for North, although Drew Petrie and Lindsay Thomas managed three goals apiece.
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