North Melbourne turned some heads last week in overcoming the reigning premiers and have another test this afternoon in the Sydney Swans. Join us at 3.15pm AEST for minute-by-minute commentary and live score updates.
While the Swans are one of four teams who remain undefeated after three rounds, it is North Melbourne which is attracting much media attention due to the manner of their victory against the once-formidable Geelong.
Twin-brothers Chris and Brad Scott coach Geelong and North coaches respectively, and you could have been excused for seeing double last weekend with the ‘Catterfication’ of North’s game plan.
It came down to plenty of run and carry with no shortage of quick, intricate handball chains to create the loose man, who would then deliver with precision.
After three rounds North has the lowest kick-to-handball ratio in the competition, their primary weapon in beating the modern-game’s forward press.
The trick for the Swans is to not offer North Melbourne such an obvious route to goal, in terms of telegraphing the exact placement of their press, if they decide to use one.
Lucky for them, they have the personnel to offer a more traditional man-on-man structure, harrying the ball carrier and cutting off the receiver. This this will force North to re-adjust.
The Swans will need to ensure that North’s ball winners, such as Andrew Swallow, are not getting the ball out too easily to teammates such as Brett Harvey, who are able to set up play with pace and precision.
As long as one part of the chain is cut off, North’s dangerous forwards, such as Drew Petrie, need to work that bit harder to get hands to ball.
As far as the smalls go, Daniel Wells has been devastating near goal for North and he’ll need to be watched.
Adam Goodes will miss the game through a one-week suspension, and with that goes a fair bit of hard running for the Swans.
Sam Reid continues to take strong, contested marks in the forward 50 for the Swans, and a good conversion rate will keep the Swans on track for a win.
Both sides have some young guns in the engine room, with the Swans having Josh Kennedy and Dan Hannebery up against North’s Ryan Bastinac and Jack Ziebell.
Kennedy probably brings a tiny bit more strength and ball-winning ability at the stoppages and the Swans will be very happy to see the game slowed down.
Given North’s current form and the fact that Goodes is suspended, I was initially tempted to opt for the Kangaroos. But the Swans have a couple of things in their favour.
They are on their home ground, and the peculiar dimensions will assist the Swans in setting themselves up to counter North’s run and carry.
If that weren’t enough, it has been very wet in Sydney this week.
As the great Tom Hafey would say, this is not the time for too much finessing!
Watch for Sydney to do a bit of a shut-down job on North.
Favoured by the conditions, they will sneak in for a win with the margin under 10 points.
Can the Swans get up without Goodes? Find out from 3.15pm AEST as we cover the action, siren to siren, with live scores and commentary and if you’re watching, give us your thoughts in the space below.
Chris
Guest
One of the more sickening injuries I've seen. Poor bugger...
The Cattery
Roar Guru
Thanks for joining me today, plenty of sport still going on right now, enjoy the rest of your evening.
The Cattery
Roar Guru
FT Swans 17.11 (113) North 10.17 (77) As I said in the preview, North could not count on coming to Sydney today and trying to play as they did against Geelong last week. On the shorter SCG, especially on a wet day, the Swans brand of accountable footy was going to stop North in its tracks. If that weren't enough, the Swans were structured up forward to allow their little men to thrive on getting the ball off the deck, so Jetta and McGlynn were a handfaul getting 3 goals apiece off loose ball gets, and Everitt also got 3. North started the game with 3 talls, it was the wrong structure for today, and they paid the price of carrying too many talls for the whole game. Parker led disposals with 29 for the Swans, for North Anthony had 31. Continues Swans' strong start to the season, getting 4 from 4.
The Cattery
Roar Guru
Q4 28 min Swans 17.11 (113) North 10.17 (77) McGlynn wiht ball right on the siren, lining up from around 30 m, misses
The Cattery
Roar Guru
Q4 26 min Swans 17.10 (112) North 10.17 (77) Swans play Hawks next weekend in Tassie, set up for a big game in Lonnie
The Cattery
Roar Guru
Q4 25 min Swans 17.10 (112) North 10.17 (77) sting out of the game now as we count down to the siren North still handballing in back half, and Johnson forces the turnove and gets it to Armstrong who will line up from around 45m, comes in, gets it! good kick
The Cattery
Roar Guru
Q4 24 min Swans 16.10 (106) North 10.17 (77) Jack plays on, goes long on that trusty left, ball tunnelled out to Bolton, spins and snaps and gets it!
The Cattery
Roar Guru
Q4 23 min Swans 15.10 (100) North 10.17 (77) no one has scored for a while, but at least Swans have slowed down the head of steam North had been building this quarter
The Cattery
Roar Guru
Q4 22 min Swans 15.10 (100) North 10.17 (77) Parker still leads disposals with 29, 13 of them contested, very good game for the youngster
The Cattery
Roar Guru
Q4 21 min Swans 15.10 (100) North 10.17 (77) Teddy Richards coming off, perhaps for last time,
The Cattery
Roar Guru
Q4 20 min Swans 15.10 (100) North 10.17 (77) North doing most of the attacking this quarter, but time has run out you'd have to think
The Cattery
Roar Guru
Q4 17 min Swans 15.10 (100) North 10.17 (77) Swallow coming off the ground, helped off, looks like a sore knee, that's no good Thomas with another snap, and another behind
The Cattery
Roar Guru
Q4 16 min Swans 15.10 (100) North 10.16 (76) straight off the kick out, North get another snap, and it's a behind
The Cattery
Roar Guru
Q4 15 min Swans 15.10 (100) North 10.15 (75) this time it's White being wrapped up, gets to Thomas, snaps, poster!
The Cattery
Roar Guru
Q4 14 min Swans 15.10 (100) North 10.14 (74) Grundy wrapped up by Swallow, wins free, Petrie plays on and finds Wells, and it's back to Swallow right on 50, handballs, but it's lost - too much finessing!!
The Cattery
Roar Guru
Q4 12 min Swans 15.10 (100) North 10.14 (74) Bolton collects footy on wing, finds Malceski, not a great kick forward, rolls over line for throw in, on their HFF, inside 50m, Swallow with clearance
The Cattery
Roar Guru
Q4 10 min Swans 15.10 (100) North 10.14 (74) so North are making a fist of it, coming back from a long way behind, but margin now 27 points, Everitt with juggling mark in def goal square, comes back, and long shot touched on the line!
The Cattery
Roar Guru
Q4 9 min Swans 15.10 (100) North 10.13 (73) North doing a fair bit of attacking last few minutes, North trying to put more pressure on the ball carrier, they wrap it up just on their defensive side of the centre circle, Petrie gathers, puts it over the pack, and Campbell runs after the dribbling ball, and he gets boot to ball inches from the line!
The Cattery
Roar Guru
Q4 8 min Swans 15.10 (100) North 9.13 (67) Malceski gathers the ball near the middle, goes for the long torp, rolls out beside the behind post
The Cattery
Roar Guru
Q4 7 min Swans 15.10 (100) North 9.13 (67) Swans heading for a 4-0 record, for the first time since 1998