NORTH MELBOURNE 3.4 4.6 8.11 10.15 (75)
SYDNEY 4.3 9.5 12.7 14.7 (91)
By MATTHEW BALMER
A three-goal first half from Sydney forward Lance Franklin set up the Swans' ninth win of the season.
A brave fight back in the second half wasn’t enough for North Melbourne and the Sydney Swans came out on top with a 16-point win at Etihad Stadium.
Sydney veteran Adam Goodes wound back the clock with a three-goal haul that ensured the Swans would go into their Round 12 bye in second place on the AFL ladder behind Fremantle.
Sydney forward Lance Franklin had a big impact on the game, kicking four goals for the match, including the sealer from outside 50 directly in front to put the result beyond doubt in the final quarter.
North Melbourne stand-in coach Darren Crocker said he believed the Kangaroos matched them for more than three quarters.
“It was a combination of things in the second quarter. Turnovers killed us,” Crocker said.
After a poor second quarter by the Kangaroos, midfielder Shaun Higgins kicked two goals within three minutes after half time to bring the margin back to 16 points. From there, however, Sydney were able to control the attacking play of the Kangaroos through Jeremy Laidler, who had seven intercept marks in defence.
Sydney’s on-ball brigade continued to find the footy, giving them a greater inside 50 contribution. Luke Parker had a game high 33 possessions, while fellow midfielders Josh Kennedy, Jarrad McVeigh and Tom Mitchell all had over 25 possessions.
North Melbourne’s second quarter let them down, with Sydney having 22 inside 50s to five in the second quarter, which led to a five-goal-to-one quarter setting up the match for the Swans.
“We were able to build the pressure [through repeat entries]. Keeping them to five inside 50s was a pretty good effort,” coach John Longmire said.
Sydney midfielder Dan Hannebery received a knee to the kidney area from Jack Ziebell after running back for a mark. Hannebery was sore and in pain from the contact, however he was able to play out the game and is expected to play in two weeks after the bye, with the injury not as serious as it first appeared.
“He’s really tough, it was a big hit – he got up and got going again,” Longmire said.
North Melbourne travel to Western Sydney to play the young and exciting GWS Giants side next Saturday, while Sydney has the bye before playing Richmond at the SCG.
THE WRAP-UP
GOALS
North Melbourne: Higgins 2; Thomas 2; Nahas 2; Petrie; Harvey; Wright; Dumont
Sydney: Franklin 4; Goodes 3; Tippett 2; Rohan 2; Jetta; Cunningham; Hannebery
BEST
North Melbourne: Ziebell, Goldstein, Cunnington, Harvey, Wright, Hansen
Sydney:McVeigh, Franklin, Laidler, Goodes, Kennedy, Parker
INJURIES
North Melbourne: None
Sydney: Grundy (knee)
SUBSTITUTES
North Melbourne:Trent Dumont replaced Scott McMahon in the third quarter
Sydney: Daniel Robinson replaced Gary Rohan in the final quarter
REPORTS
None
UMPIRES: Shaun Ryan, Ben Ryan, Jacob Mollison
CROWD: 32,217 at Etihad Stadium