The North Melbourne Kangaroos have celebrated Brent Harvey’s record-breaking game in style, with a 23-point win on Saturday night.
» Click here to read our full match report
Final score
North Melbourne 12.13.85
St Kilda 8.14.62
The North Melbourne Kangaroos are celebrating Brent Harvey’s record-breaking 427th, but the St Kilda Saints are very keen on stealing their spot in the finals. Join The Roar for live scores and commentary from 7:25pm (AEST).
As genuinely special as Brent Harvey’s occasion is tonight – North Melbourne have a game they need to win.
Their struggles against fellow top eight sides have been well documented, and with the Western Bulldogs, Hawthorn, Sydney and GWS to finish up the year, a loss could spell disaster for the Kangaroos.
Last week they finally brought a five-game losing streak to an end, although the 40-point margin in their win over Collingwood was very misleading.
They’ve got lots of work to do before September begins.
As much as North have been in the spotlight, St Kilda have flown under the radar a little.
An upset win tonight and they could be banging down the door of the top eight.
The Saints have built up a formidable 8-3 record at Etihad Stadium, with the Western Bulldogs and Geelong among those home scalps. North were in fact the last team to defeat St Kilda at the venue, but since then the Saints have won seven straight.
With Carlton, Richmond and Brisbane to come, a win tonight could set St Kilda up for a very interesting finish to the year.
These clubs are dead even all time, splitting 154 games at 76 apiece with two draws. North Melbourne have won the last five games however by an average margin of 41 points.
Prediction
This is shaping up to be a genuine thriller, with a clash between these sides earlier in the year decided by just seven points.
St Kilda have a prized finals berth to fight for, but so do their more experienced opponents. North will not let up for ‘Boomer’, and should have the will to get themselves over the line.
Kangaroos by 9 points
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
Where's Swannies? Another great prediction by him.
Stirling Coates
Editor
» Click here to read our full match report NORTH MELBOURNE v ST KILDA THE ROAR AFL MVP VOTES 3 VOTES - Jamie Macmillan (NM) - Used the ball extremely well all night, finishing with 31 disposals at 87%, eight marks, seven rebound 50s and a goal. 2 VOTES - Nick Dal Santo (NM) - Fantastic across half back, collecting 26 touches, six marks and six rebound 50s. 1 VOTE - Brent Harvey (NM) - Proved he's got plenty left in the tank in Game 427. 24 disposals at 83%, five marks and a goal for the little master.
Stirling Coates
Editor
NORTH MELBOURNE v ST KILDA FULL TIME REPORT North Melbourne - 12.13 (85) St Kilda - 8.14 (62) GOAL KICKERS Kangaroos: Brown 3, Waite 2, Petrie 2, Dumont, Mullett, Thomas, Macmillan, Harvey Saints: Bruce 2, Riewoldt 2, Acres, Weller, Montagna, Dunstan DISPOSAL LEADERS Kangaroos: Macmillan 31, Gibson 28, Cunnington 26 Saints: Ross 25, Billings 22, Acres 22 TEAM STATS Disposals: Kangaroos 371, Saints 324 Contested Possessions: Kangaroos 135, Saints 126 Tackles: Kangaroos 62, Saints 56 Inside 50s: Saints 57, Kangaroos 44 Clearances: Kangaroos 34, Saints 26
Stirling Coates
Editor
SIREN The siren sounds on a convincing win for North Melbourne. St Kilda had their chances throughout the night, but couldn't hit the side of a barn. A huge result in terms of finals - you'd have to say the top eight is all but set now. Kangaroos by 23 points. NM - 12.13 (85) STK - 8.14 (62) FULL TIME
Stirling Coates
Editor
Drew Petrie caps off a night in which he's returned to form with a great intercepting pack mark in defensive 50. He's been superb this evening. NM - 12.13 (85) STK - 8.14 (62) Q4: 1'
RooBoy16
Guest
Ouch...that's not good for our percentage!
Stirling Coates
Editor
GOAL SAINTS St Kilda showing a bit of fight late, and on this forward 50 entry Josh Bruce is able to take a great mark in a pack of four. Kicking from 30 out, directly in front, he slots it. NM - 12.13 (85) STK - 8.14 (62) Q4: 2'
Stirling Coates
Editor
GOAL SAINTS Two in a minute for St Kilda. Tim Membrey drops one he almost had in the forward pocket, Josh Bruce gathers and slams one home from in close. He's had a wretched night Bruce, with just six disposals. He can sleep a tiny bit easier now after that. NM - 12.13 (85) STK - 7.14 (56) Q4: 3'
Stirling Coates
Editor
GOAL SAINTS Nick Riewoldt gets in behind the North Melbourne defence, slotting his second goal from the goal line of the quarter. Margin back under 40 points. NM - 12.13 (85) STK - 6.14 (50) Q4: 3'
RooBoy16
Guest
Totally rapt for Boomer...what a champion! I really hope North can send him off in a GF this year.
Stirling Coates
Editor
BEHIND KANGAROOS Jack Ziebell tries his hand at another running goal from long range, but this one gets a cruel bounce and ends up wide across the face. NM - 12.13 (85) STK - 5.14 (44) Q4: 5'
Stirling Coates
Editor
Official crowd tonight is 44,287, the largest home and away crowd between these sides in AFL history. The previous record was 41,664 during a Round 20 clash in 2004. The all-time record is of course the 1997 Preliminary Final, which was played in front of 77,531. NM - 12.12 (84) STK - 5.14 (44) Q4: 6'
Stirling Coates
Editor
GOAL KANGAROOS Definitely party time now, as the margin blows out to 40 points. Jamie Macmillan with a fantastic sidestep in the corridor to get free, and his running goal from outside 50 rolls through! NM - 12.12 (84) STK - 5.14 (44) Q4: 7'
Stirling Coates
Editor
BEHIND KANGAROOS Aaron Mullett has a ping at the goals, but cannot split the middle. NM - 11.12 (78) STK - 5.14 (44) Q4: 8'
Stirling Coates
Editor
BEHIND SAINTS Maverick Weller tries a quick shot out of the stoppage, but he pulls it to the near side. NM - 11.11 (77) STK - 5.14 (44) Q4: 9'
Stirling Coates
Editor
BEHIND SAINTS Nathan Wright has a set shot from just on the numbers, and while it looks good off the boot, it ends up hitting the post. NM - 11.11 (77) STK - 5.13 (43) Q4: 10'
Stirling Coates
Editor
GOAL SAINTS Long kick to the forward pocket for St Kilda is gathered by Luke Dunstan, he throws it onto the boot and slots home a goal. NM - 11.11 (77) STK - 5.12 (42) Q4: 11'
Football Head
Roar Rookie
I'm no Lindsay Thomas fan but that was fantastic
Stirling Coates
Editor
It's amazing how sides have gone from being premiership fancies to having a line drawn through them (and back again) in the space of weeks this season. Remember when Geelong were pretenders and the Western Bulldogs were going to the Grand Final?
Stirling Coates
Editor
GOAL KANGAROOS North Melbourne just enjoying themselves in the final quarter now. Lindsay Thomas takes a superb mark over the top of the pack in the goal square, goes back, takes a breath, hands off to Brent Harvey and Harvey kicks the easiest of goals in Game 427! The crowd are in raptures and so are the North players. NM - 11.11 (77) STK - 4.12 (36) Q4: 12'