North Melbourne ended up 31 point winners but it really was a much closer, and better, game than that. The last quarter was a blow out for the Dockers and they just crumbled at the final hurdle.
REPORT: UNBEATEN NORTH TOP THE TABLE
Kangaroos outscored the Dockers 39 to 15 in the final stanza, making them the only team still undefeated in the AFL after four rounds.
Fremantle on the other hand will head back to Perth without a single mark in the wins column so far this year.
Final score
North Melbourne 20.12 (132)
Fremantle 14.17 (101)
The undefeated North Melbourne Kangaroos will look to continue their hot run of form against the winless Fremantle Dockers this afternoon inside Etihad Stadium. Join The Roar for all the action and highlights from 4:40pm (AEST).
The Kangaroos snuck past a determined Demons outfit last week, getting home by five points in a high-scoring affair, notching up their third straight win on their way to a tie for top spot.
Contrastingly, the Dockers have failed to find their minor premiership winning form from last year, slumping to three straight losses last week against West Coast. Trailing by just six at the halftime break, Freo slipped in the second stanza and went down by 33 in the end.
The biggest blow to come out of the loss was the injury to 13-year Fremantle veteran Aaron Sandilands, the big man will miss at least six weeks after suffering a punctured lung and some badly broken ribs in a clash with Nic Naitanui.
It really is a story of opposites coming into the game, North Melbourne are sitting in second place on the average points per game table with 120, while the Dockers are third from the bottom with just 65 points a game this season.
The usual clearance specialists, Fremantle are at the wrong end of the stats in that regard as well, sitting in 14th with just 32 per game while the Kangaroos sit up in second for the same category, averaging 42 clearances a game.
Etihad Stadium will be another barrier for the Dockers to leap over if they want a win, having won only a single game against North Melbourne in the six visits to the venue.
Prediction
Fremantle are in desperate need of a win to get their season kickstarted at the moment, falling in the early stages of 2016. North on the other hand are in flying form, having put over 100 points in the board in every round so far.
With no Sandilands and a vulnerable midfield, this one could be a blowout and an ugly game for the Dockers fans.
North to win by 48
Can North Melbourne continue their unbeaten streak and hold their place at the top of the table? Or will Fremantle get a win on the board with an upset away from home? Catch all big action from 4:40pm (AEST) on The Roar.
Tim Holt
Roar Guru
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/6b/b2/8a/6bb28aac11654a75862e2a2c1261699d.jpg Tut Tut Pope! A bit hypocritical after that awful Todd Goldstein headbutted Jordan Lewis's elbow last year and got off!
gbomg
Guest
oohhh its a deep burn. I like you Pope
Pope Paul VII
Guest
You know all about leadership and knuckeheads. Hawthorn lead from behind and it usually involves a fist or the nearest behind post. Sometimes both. You'll notice North didn't resort to the dead leg on the golden boy of the west either.
Perry Bridge
Guest
Ironically the form line this weekend shows North to have a reasonable list of scalps so far. Melbourne put Collingwood to the sword (given no Vince and Sidebottom returned to the Pies), Brisbane - got past the Suns despite wastefulness, and Adelaide are being lauded by many now - North had to dig deep in Round 1 to get past them. 4 wins banked. An improved self belief as a unit - and that's an important intangible. Suns this week at Metricon is an important match up - alas - not the top of the table battle of undefeated current and past Gold Coasters!
Tim Holt
Roar Guru
Ahhh papal one, you are so one of those Norf knuckleheads like one of the many Arden Street ferals who used to boo poor, butter wouldn't melt in his mouth Lethal Leigh incessantly all because at times in his career he had tried to knock some sense into the lesser North players Once more in 2016, Norf will flatter to deceive and be exposed when it most matters
Pope Paul VII
Guest
Ha you hope Timmy
Perry Bridge
Guest
Back home after a hard fought but in some respects professional win - put the game to rest with a power first 10 mins of the last quarter. Good to see Mason Wood showing his wares and meanwhile Waite and Brown were effective in the air - just wonder why North fiddle so much at times instead of use them more often??? Fyfe is class for Freo. Anyway - first time North on top in my kids life time - first time since Rnd 22 1998 when we knocked over the Doggies at the 'G in front of 68,000 on the way to ...... gee, I forget what happened at the end of that season!!.
jax
Guest
Freo were gallant. There were some good signs but too many silly mistakes and missed opportunities in front of the sticks. Pav has had a really good start to the season. If he can keep it up he should consider going around again. If they have a strong trade period and land McCarthy and possibly Hooker and get Bennell on to the park then who know what 2017 might bring? Carey said he wouldn't be suprised if Freo snuck into the eight even st 0-4. Once they get through the next 4 games the draw opens for them. I hear all the talk about no team coming back from 0-4 but the draws weren't loaded like they are now, Freo has played 3 very good teams. I'm not prepared to say that they will make it but I think they'll win their fair share of games in the backend of the year. North deserved the win but they have only played one good side. Their draw will start getting more difficult. In saying that they are one of those dogged, determined teams that just keeps coming at you and they can score quickly. They are on a mission this year and they should make top 4 or be very close.
Connor Bennett
Editor
I said it at three quarter time, but the the majority of the game was a real see-sawing affair, both sides just continued to trade goals right up until the final stanza. The Kangas shot right out of the gate kicking the first four goals of the game before Freo came back with a run of consecutive goals. Just when the Dockers got back into it, NM took their lead back and ran out to a decent lead. But it sdidn't last long and Freo even took the lead at one point in the first half. The third quarter was arguably the best and certainly most entertaining. Both teams went goal for goal and the pace of the game accelerated from siren to siren as the hosts went into the break with a slender lead. The fourth quarter was a shambles for the visitors, conceding seven goals in a row to completely sink their chances at a season opening win.
Tim Holt
Roar Guru
True, but they will get pantsed against real quality
Connor Bennett
Editor
It's hard to pick a best on field for the Kangaroos, they really did put together a whole team performance to get home on this one. Jarrad Waite slotted 4 goals, 3 goals for Ziebell, Gibson and Brown were the other main contributors. Nat Fyfe was the main man yet again for the Dockers, booting 4 goals with 27 disposals, second only to Lachie Neale with 35 which was a match high for both teams
Connor Bennett
Editor
FULLTIME Well North Melbourne ended up 31 point winners but it really was a much closer, and better, game than that. The last quarter was a blow out for the Dockers and they just crumbled at the final hurdle. Kangaroos outscored the Dockers 39 to 15 in the final stanza, making them the only team still undefeated in the AFL after four rounds. Fremantle on the other hand will head back to Perth without a single mark in the wins column so far this year Dockers 14.17 (101) Kangaroos 20.12 (132)
Connor Bennett
Editor
They might not have had the hardest schedule but the best teams know how to win the ones they should and how to win the gritty games. Nothing pretty fro NM so far but they're getting the job done
Connor Bennett
Editor
Q4' The footy was all over the place inside the Dockers defensive 50 and the ball is sent up out of traffic. Thomas fumbles the mark before reeling it in and he'll get the last shot on goal as the siren sounds in the back ground. Oh well he was just a few yards left of being straight in front but he's missed!! Doesn't matter in the end. FULLTIME. Dockers 14.17 (101) Kangaroos 20.12 (132)
Connor Bennett
Editor
Q4' Kangas are making sure to take up as much time as possible with their marks. Just playing it from right to left then back again inside their own defensive 50. A minute remaining Dockers 14.17 (101) Kangaroos 20.11 (131)
Connor Bennett
Editor
Q4' Time running down and North Melbourne are just playing around now, chipping it between themselves through the back before firing it up field. Dockers 14.17 (101) Kangaroos 20.11 (131)
Connor Bennett
Editor
Q4' Brown takes the mark on the left edge inside the Dockers 50. This is as tight as tight can get in terms of angles. GOAL KANGAROOS!! Ben Brown didn't care how tight the angle was, he runs it around a few steps in the field of play and snaps it near perfectly past the left post and through for the goal, his sides 20th for the evening Dockers 14.17 (101) Kangaroos 20.11 (131)
Connor Bennett
Editor
Q4' Well Freo aren't giving up here. Great work off the centre bounce to get the clearance up field into the forward 50. NM have plenty of numbers back though and quickly smother it. Dockers 14.17 (101) Kangaroos 19.11 (125)
Connor Bennett
Editor
Q4' GOAL DOCKERS!! You can't help but feel the Kangas half let up a bit with a healthy lead. Nothing against Fyfe though who kicks his fourth goal and makes it look easy from 40 metres out and a few yards right of the sticks Dockers 14.17 (101) Kangaroos 19.11 (125)
Connor Bennett
Editor
Q4' Crozier I think it was, had all the time in the world with footy in hand inside the forward 50. Slows don his run to steady for the kick but he's sprayed it left and he drops the head almost instantly. He knows that was really the last chance to realistically get back in this one Dockers 13.17 (95) Kangaroos 19.11 (125)