North Melbourne Kangaroos vs Melbourne Demons: JLT Community Series AFL live scores, blog

Expert

24th February, 2018

Where: Kingston Twin Ovals
When: 2:05pm AEDT
TV: Fox Footy
Betting: North $2.65, Melbourne $1.49

North Melbourne Kangaroos
B: M.Williams 2, R.Tarrant 25, R.Clarke 13
HB: J.Macmillan 34, S.Thompson 16, S.Atley 18
C: T.Dumont, 14, B.Cunnington 10, B.Jacobs 5
HF: B.Hartung 39, J.Waite 30, L.McDonald 11
F: N.Hrovat 8, B.Brown 50, K.Turner 28
Foll: T.Goldstein 22, S.Higgins 4, J.Ziebell 7 (c)
I/C: P.Ahern 15, M.Daw 1, L.Davies-Uniacke 9, S.Durdin 24, M.Hibberd 17, N.Larkey 20, B.McKay 23, A.Morgan 21, G.Narrier 41, E.Vickers-Willis 33, J.Williams 36, C.Zurhaar 44

Melbourne Demons
B: J.Wagner 42, O.McDonald 28, J.Lewis 6
HB: J.Lever 8, M.Hibberd 14, B.Vince 23
C: J.Hunt 29, J.Harmes 4, B.Stretch 15
HF: C.Oliver 13, T.McDonald 25, N.Jones 2 (c)
F: C.Petracca 5, J.Hogan 1, M.Hannan 19
Foll: M.Gawn 11, J.Melksham 18, A.Neal-Bullen 30
I/C: D.Keilty 45, C.Salem 3, H.Balic 27, A.Brayshaw 10, T.Bugg 32, H.Petty 35, B.Fritsch 31, S.Frost 17, J.Kennedy Harris 24, C.Maynard 20, T.Smith 38, C.Pedersen 21

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Luke Davies-Uniacke is primed for a big season. (AAP Image/Craig Golding)

Josh

Expert

24th February, 2018

Match result:

The Melbourne Demons have continued their excellent pre-season form with a no-nonsense 53-point victory over North Melbourne in Hobart on Saturday afternoon.

» Click here to read the full match report

Final score
North Melbourne 11.5 (71)
Melbourne 19.10 (124)

Match preview:

We’re a step closer to the 2018 AFL season on Saturday as the JLT Community Series kicks off with North Melbourne hosting Melbourne in Tasmania. None of that zooper goal rubbish – it’s time to get marginally more serious. Join The Roar for live scores and a blog from 2:05pm AEDT.

The pre-season games look set to get underway with a good contest here as both clubs have picked fairly strong sides that appear close to a full dress rehearsal for Round 1.

Aside from injured players, Taylor Garner and Braydon Preuss are the only real absentees for North, while Melbourne are missing midfielders Jack Viney and Dom Tyson, as well as All-Australian back pocket Neville Jetta.

Both contingents of fans can get excited at the likelihood that they’ll see some new faces in their colours for the first time – although keep in mind that four players will be withdrawn from each squad before the match.

For North Melbourne, it’s a pair of top ten drafts picks in Luke Davies-Uniacke and Paul Ahern who look set to make their first appearance for the club and give Roos fans a hopeful glance of what the future might look like. Former Hawthorn player Billy Hartung is also set to play.

It’ll also be nice to see players like Marley Williams and Ben Jacobs make a return from injury – Jacobs having barely played in the last two year, and Williams being near the top of the Roos’ best and fairest before injury last year.

As for Melbourne: Jake Lever, Jake Lever, Jake Lever. He’s been named to play his first game in the red and blue and if he turns out to be half as good as Melbourne fans hope, he’ll be huge.

Also keep an eye out for Bailey Fritsch, a draftee from Melbourne’s VFL team who is pushing for a Round 1 debut, and Angus Brayshaw, who I reckon is ready to tear the competition a new one in 2018.

Prediction
This could of course change wildly depending on which players sides pull out, but I’ll tip North as they look the closest to full strength, and we all know how matches between these two sides in Tasmania tend to go.

North Melbourne by six points.

Join The Roar for live scores and a blog from 2:05pm AEDT.

Join the conversation

Josh

Expert

Josh Elliott is a rusted-on North Melbourne tragic with a penchant for pun headlines - and also abnormal alliteration, assuredly; assuming achievability. He once finished third in a hot chilli pie eating contest.