A late goal from Aliir Aliir has given Sydney the win in one of the best matches seen all year.
Final score
North Melbourne Kangaroos 15.8.98
Sydney Swans 16.8.104
The match of the round, with the North Melbourne Kangaroos looking to bounce back into the top 8 against the high flying Sydney Swans. Join The Roar for live scores and blog of the encounter, starting from 3:20pm AEST.
The Kangaroos were solid without being spectacular in their win over the disappointing Suns last week, with the form of Ben Brown and Majak Daw being the major highlights to come from the match.
The key though for the Roos is their ability to keep the opposition to suffocated up front, and Brad Scott would have, in all likelihood, been happier with the 58 points conceded than the 95 points scored.
Individually, the star continues to rise for Shaun Higgins, and he will enjoy the match up against one of the more highly fancied opposition midfields presented by today’s opposition.
As for Sydney, it’s backs to the walls stuff, coming off a damaging home loss to Geelong that hurt more than simply on the scoreboard.
No Jarrad McVeigh, no Kieren Jack, no Dan Hannebery. Ouch, and you would likely say that losing that type of talent would ultimately hurt any team in the comp.
But the Swans talent pool runs deep, and it is something of a luxury to be able to bring in the likes of Tom Papley and Isaac Heeney, the latter likely going to end up being a top-5 player in the comp when he hits his peak.
Meanwhile, Buddy Franklin, sitting on 899 career goals, will look to hit that 900-mark early in this game, and start his steamrolling towards 1,000.
This will be a real test for John Longmire, as despite the Swans current strong ladder position, their season is at something of a turning point. Win here, and the Swans can solidify their hold on a top-8 position.
Lose, and who knows from where the Swans might tumble?
The Kangaroos were 2-point victors when these teams last met in Round 7, at the SCG, but this is a whole different kettle of fish, and the Swans will still be confident against Norths, having managed to win 6 of the last 9 encounters between the two sides.
This should be a tight contest.
Prediction
If you flip a coin in your head often enough, you can sometimes still be none the wiser, and it’s a bit like this in this game.
Do you tip the home team in form, or the away side with the higher table position. My head says the home side, but funnily enough more so because of the cattle that the Swans have lost.
North Melbourne by 10.
Join The Roar for live scores and blog of the match between the North Melbourne Kangaroos and Sydney Swans in Round 17 of the 2018 AFL Season at Etihad Stadium, starting from 3:20pm AEST.
Kane
Guest
Hahaha, so u should. I actually backed the Swans in with 2.30 to go, they just seem to know how to get the job done at the death.
Aw
Guest
Il put my hand up and eat a decent serving of humble pie. I shouldnt be so negative. Just wow swans u have certainly put me back in my box
perry cox
Roar Guru
Full Time Siren sounds. Swans are home by 6. What an epic contest. It was end to end stuff, with more lead changes that you could count. Swans owned the early stages of the last quarter, however North showed real character to charged back into the lead late. The Swans, already up against it with the loss of key personnel during the week, then lost Josh Kennedy to a lower back injury, and were suddenly long odds to come away with anything. Buddy Franklin was a colossus in the last term, but the winner ultimately came from Allir Allir, who had a blinder up back, and scored the winner in a match where no team deserved to lose. For North, Ben Brown and Majak Daw were the stars up front, but the key man for North, Jack Ziebell, almost singlehandedly dragged his side over the line, only for the Swans to steal it at the death. Swans take the win by the last goal of the match, and the four competition points to go back into the top 4. North, who can hold their head high, don't deserve to come away with nothing from that, but they will hope that continued performances like that will see them surge for a finals place come September. one of the matches of the season, in the balance until the end, but it is Sydney who walk away the winners.
North Melbourne: 98 Sydney: 104
XI
Roar Guru
What a game! Saturday and Sunday making up for Friday's game.
perry cox
Roar Guru
4th Q 31' - Smith takes a crucial mark int he middle. That will slow it right down. Swans' to lose from here.
North Melbourne: 98 Sydney: 104
perry cox
Roar Guru
It's been pretty open stuff.
perry cox
Roar Guru
4th Q 30' - Buddy has almost taken someone's head off, but North stand it off, send it out. Ball comes back again, and Allir on the ball int he middle. Minute to go, and Swans can run down the clock.
North Melbourne: 98 Sydney: 104
Kane
Guest
Best game of the year by a mile!!!! So much for the Swans playing clog footy.
perry cox
Roar Guru
4th Q - Goal 29' - Allir comes through for the Swans, and now the Swans are back in front!
North Melbourne: 98 Sydney: 104
Typical
Guest
As usual for North games the umpiring has been an utter disgrace in their favour. They have consistently been the team with the best free kick differential despite being one of the softest sides in the AFL. The sooner they are moved to Tasmania or fold the better.
perry cox
Roar Guru
4th Q - Behind 28' - Ronke again with the crumbs at the 50, he kicks it long ... oh, he's put it wide. And the game once again has no leader!
North Melbourne: 98 Sydney: 98
perry cox
Roar Guru
4th Q - Goal 27' - Ronke is the man! He waits at the back of the pack, crumbs it, kicks it, one point game! North by 1.
North Melbourne: 98 Sydney: 97
perry cox
Roar Guru
4th Q 26' - Now the Swans come out. Allir sends it long, terrible ball, but the Swans close it down for a throw in in the left pocket.
North Melbourne: 98 Sydney: 91
perry cox
Roar Guru
4th Q 25' - The centre bounce is intense, but the Roos come away with the ball. Jed Anderson is playing out of his skin, Ziebell left his skin in the first quarter. Here come North ... the contested pack sees the ball go back, and Swans come away with the ball.
North Melbourne: 98 Sydney: 91
perry cox
Roar Guru
4th Q - Goal 24' - But the Swans butcher the kick out, and that man: Ziebell, kicks from 50. The umpire moves only marginally, and it's a goal to the home side. Swans behind by two kicks now. North by 7.
North Melbourne: 98 Sydney: 91
Aw
Guest
FFS Swans !!! Lift your bloody game!
perry cox
Roar Guru
4th Q 24' - Majak kicks wide. North by 1.
North Melbourne: 92 Sydney: 91
Aw
Guest
Swans choking as usual
perry cox
Roar Guru
4th Q 23' - And North have fought in defence, moved it with speed up front, and it is Majak who marks. Massive kick to take the lead either way.
North Melbourne: 91 Sydney: 91
perry cox
Roar Guru
4th Q 22' - North have lifted. The centre bounce is tied up in the middle. Robinson with a huge mark for the Swans.
North Melbourne: 91 Sydney: 91