Roar Guru
North Melbourne have kept their AFL finals hopes alive with an upset 40-point win over West Coast in Hobart.
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Final score
North Melbourne Kangaroos 12.9.81
West Coast Eagles 6.5.41
The North Melbourne Kangaroos welcome an in-form West Coast Eagles to Blundstone Arena in a game the Kangaroos simply have to win if they have any aspirations to play finals football. Join The Roar for live scores and a blog of the match, starting from 1:10pm (AEST).
North Melbourne were shocking last week against the Collingwood Magpies. The Kangaroos have been hailed this season for being able to maintain a competitive edge that many sides have struggled to counter.
There is no denying Brad Scott’s team are not the most talented, but they have found a way to stay in games with a solid defence and applying great pressure around the contest.
In the past few weeks, they seem to have gone away from what brought them success at the beginning of the season. Losing Ben Jacobs and Jarrad Waite to injury certainly hasn’t helped.
Saying that, they will fancy themselves down in Tasmania as they do play the ground so well, but they won’t win if they play anything like they did against the Pies.
In team news for North, Mason Wood returns from injury and Will Walker will make his AFL debut. Alex Morgan (injured) and Luke Davies-Uniacke (omitted) make way.
As for the Eagles, they just look a really good outfit at the minute. For a team that did make significant list changes at the end of last season, they have thrived with younger faces running around.
They put the Western Bulldogs to the sword last week. They have so many avenues to goal which makes them a real threat when finals football comes around. It is difficult seeing anyone beating them at the Optus Stadium.
Jack Darling and Jamie Cripps kicked three majors each last week. Josh Kennedy and Mark LeCras chipped in with two goals each as well.
Andrew Gaff keeps improving as he reeled in 35 disposals, and Elliot Yeo continues to show his worth. They are just so even across the ground which no doubt makes them premiership contenders.
In team news this week for the Eagles, Tom Barrass comes in for the injured Lewis Jetta.
Prediction
Such a tough game to predict this one in terms of a winner. North Melbourne have been so strong down in Tasmania over the years, but their recent form compared to the Eagles’ will be the difference here.
Eagles by 17.
Join The Roar for live scores and a blog of the match, starting from 1:10pm (AEST).