After last week’s one-point loss to the Blues, North Melbourne’s finals chances are all but over but they get the chances to begin making amends when they meet Melbourne at Etihad Stadium this afternoon. We’ll have live scores from 2.10pm AEST.
After a 14-8 season led North Melbourne to the finals last year, Brad Scott’s up-and-coming charges were expected to make the step up to becoming a genuine top-four contender in 2013.
It hasn’t panned out that way.
Scott’s side have lost fives matches by a kick or less and at 6-10 will not be in the top eight come season’s end.
It’s a path similiar to Richmond’s 2012 campaign and there is nothing to say that the Tigers’ improvement this year can’t be replicated by North Melbourne in the 2014 season.
Until then, the Kangaroos have six games left to start re-building confidence and momentum before another off-season.
They get a great opportunity to begin this afternoon against the 17th-placed Demons, who’ve managed just two wins over the course of their 2013 campaign.
The Demons were competitive in their 19-point loss to the Lions in Darwin last Saturday night, leading by two goals midway through the second term, but were eventually overrun by Michael Voss’ side.
Neil Craig has made just one change to last weekend’s side, bringing in Cameron Pedersen against his old side for Colin Garland, who makes way with an ankle injury.
North have made two changes to the side that lost to Carlton, with Cam Delaney coming in for the omitted Scott McMahon. Despite being carried off last Friday night, Jack Ziebell has been passed fit to play.
The Demons don’t go into many games fancied as a winning chance these days and nothing changes this afternoon against a side who’ve completely dominated them in recent times.
North Melbourne have won their past ten matches against Melbourne and have never lost against the Dees in six matches at Etihad Stadium.
Beating sides below them has never really been an issue for the Kangaroos under Scott and that shouldn’t be any different this afternoon.
Ash of Geelong
Guest
Tell you what lucky it was a replacement home game for North Melbourne , there was only 16,000 and two thirds of it was North it would have been the lowest attendance in history. As a North fan the only Melbourne player for the day that didn't give up was Nathan Jones I felt sorry for him.
pope paul v11
Guest
Can't believe Melb didn't overrun our lads in the last quarter.
marty
Guest
We should beat gws if we dont watts frawley and sylvia wiil surely be moving on
John HAmilton
Guest
So do Melbourne or GWS start favourites next weekend? Could this be the first time ever that a team who has lost 21 matches in a row starts as favourites?
Connor
Roar Rookie
Forgot to put in no respect for the red and blue jumper. Get 22 supporters on. They'll get smashed, but at least they would show heart and would never give up.
Connor
Roar Rookie
Weak and pathetic. All progress under Neil Craig has vanished in the blink of an eye. Put Casey on, they can't be any worse. Or better still, since both the Dees and the cricket team are doing so badly, switch them around. Grimes would be a terrific opener. Blease would be a great fast bowler. Howe could jump in the air and take catches. And we could have Cowan as full forward and Watson in the ruck. It can't be any worse!!!! God help us!
marty
Guest
This is embarassing even for a long suffering dees supporter like myself its a shame because they had shown massive improvement the last few weeks