First class ... Daniel Wells was a star for North Melbourne. Source: News Limited
NORTH Melbourne has become synonymous with lapses this season. The Roos had another lapse in its 122-point win at Etihad Stadium and it had a name: the second quarter.
Remarkably, it was a period of daydreaming in which it still managed to outscore the opposition three goals to two.
It tells you everything you need to know that this was Melbourne's best period of the game, a rare time when it scrapped and hassled to keep North goalless for a 10 and then a 13-minute period.
Other than that, Melbourne was at times, frankly, embarrassing.
After half time North Melbourne waltzed around the ground as though it were an optional Monday afternoon training drill at Arden St. It kicked the opening six goals of the third term to get to a 61-point and kill the contest.
The extraordinary part was, though, that the Roos managed to get out to that lead despite some fumbling, inept disposal and wasteful goalkicking.
No doubt largely because Melbourne dragged the Roos' standards down. It also looked as though the open roof at Etihad Stadium made the flukey wind a factor.
Captain ... Andrew Swallow may have suffered an Achilles injury. Source: Getty Images
In the final term North was even more dominant, pouring in eight unanswered goals as the dispirited Demons simply gave up. The Roos had an amazing 123 possessions to Melbourne's 57 in the final quarter.
Although this match will enter the archives for little more than boosting North's percentage as well as its faint finals aspirations, there were some encouraging individual performances for coach Brad Scott.
Rising Roos Ben Cunnington, Ryan Bastinac, Sam Gibson and Jamie McMillan all made impressive contributions, while Robbie Tarrant and Aaron Black provided excellent avenues to goal on a day when Drew Petrie and Lindsay Thomas were unusually quiet.
Lachie Hansen continued to make his presence felt across half back, while Brent Harvey again showed why at 35 he is the Kangaroos’ most damaging player.
The highlight of the match came late in the second term when Daniel Wells attempted to soccer a goal only to worried out of his attempt by some physical pressure from Jack Grimes. Lying on his back, Wells then somehow managed to swing his leg at the Sherrin and hooked it through for a goal from 10 metres out on an angle.
But for Melbourne, all of its progress since Neil Craig was appointed caretaker coach six weeks ago was in danger of being undone.
The tone was set from the game's opening bounce.
Both teams began with a loose man in defence: Hansen for the Roos, Tom McDonald for the Demons. One is familiar with the role, the other is an excellent stopper.
Not surprisingly the tactic worked to North's advantage, as the Roos were prepared to think their way through it, run to space, kick to advantage and take the game on.
Melbourne, by contrast, looked determined to move the ball sideways and backwards to avoid kicking to its outnumbered forwards, and then often ended up doing so anyway by bombing the ball high. Hansen picked up 12 possessions in the opening quarter.
Shocker ... Demons players walk off the ground at Etihad Stadium. Source: News Limited
The Demons had two inside 50s in that first quarter -- three if you include the time the boundary umpire threw it into the arc -- and those came in the opening and closing moments of the quarter. Over the same period North had 16 inside 50s.
There were few positives from this match for the Demons.
Max Gawn battled bravely in the ruck. Jimmy Toumpas might not be the most polished performer in the team but at least he had a crack. Despite watching 22 goals sail over his head, full back James Frawley had the better of Petrie.
The biggest problem was that Melbourne had about as much class as the Kangaroos president James Brayshaw showed during a pre-match radio interview in the rooms, when he spoke about plying his wife with liquor in the hope that he might get lucky.
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