Blog log from R21 of 2024: North Melbourne vs Richmond

Martin gathers in the pocket, does a one-two with Koschitzke to get around Corr and tries a Daicos special from 20m out… turns just a little too early, only a point! (Q1 1:04)
Corr mops up at half back and gives to McKercher who dithers in possession and gets claimed HTB by Green flying in from his blind spot 40m out in front. Green gets the first goal. (Q1 2:19)
Baker misses a flying snap from half forward. (Q1 4:06)
Campbell runs away from a stoppage on the HFF and decides to give inside to Taranto who checksides wide right from 35m. (Q1 13:18)
Bolton stands up in a McDonald tackle on the boundary 20m out to give inside to Mansell for his first goal. (Q1 14:04)
Sheezel has had a quiet start but he kicks from outer wing to 35m on the flank for Larkey to mark, his kick is straight but too short and touched on the line. (Q1 16:49)
Davies-Uniacke passes from the centre to Phillips to mark in front of Ralphsmith 35m out in front, he steers through North’s first major. (Q1 20:04)
Campbell intercepts a kick across half back by Davies-Uniacke and rams through an opportunist goal from 50m on a slight angle! (Q1 24:25)
Davies-Uniacke jets away from the next bounce after a feed from Phillips and repays the debt immediately with a goal from CHF! (Q1 25:29)
McKercher misses a handball at half back, Ralphsmith mops up and gives to Bolton who tumbles a poor snap wide right from 40m in front. (Q1 26:45)
North plays slow across the centre on an attack, long ball to a huge pack 30m out on a slight angle where Duursma makes it look good with a contested grab… but then a poster. (Q1 29:05)
Baker just sneaks a set shot inside the right post from 40m on a slight angle, after getting a holding free on Tucker chasing a chaos ball from Rioli. (Q2 2:02)
Larkey takes a trademark pack grab in front of Miller from a long Davies-Uniacke kick to 30m out and steers through goal number two, no chance that one was falling short. (Q2 7:02)
After a Duursma specky on the back of Balta on members wing, Xerri marks 40m out on the boundary but misses near side right. (Q2 11:04)
Davies-Uniacke roves and runs inside from a stoppage on outer wing, he reaches 50m on a slight angle and rams through another big goal! (Q2 13:07)
Larkey marks a centring ball from outer wing by Scott to 40m, Baker arrives late for some contact which is not punished, Larkey converts anyway, Roos hit the lead! (Q2 15:22)
Hopper bounces a snap wide right from 40m on a slight angle. (Q2 17:41)
Campbell has a ping on the lope from 45m on the flank but that one curls across the face to the left. (Q2 18:20)
Broad intercepts over Duursma on outer wing and spots Green on his own in the centre, he runs to CHF and chooses a pass to Brown 25m out on a slight angle, who misses. (Q2 19:07)
Richmond getting repeat inside 50s at will now, Taranto goes long to the square from the HFF where Brown beats Archer to mark and goal. Tigers regain the lead. (Q2 20:39)
Xerri down to Simpkin at the next bounce, Powell roves a pack at half forward and snaps a lovely finish from 50m on a slight angle. (Q2 22:07)
Campbell is on the end of a handball chain out of the next bounce, he spots up the lead of Koschitzke 30m out on a slight angle who converts. It’s a shoot out! (Q2 23:22)
Brown misses a low-percentage snap under pressure from the pocket 20m out. (Q2 25:58)
Rioli’s inside 50 kick hits grass inside CHF but Koschitzke gets a contact free on Zurhaar, Kosi’s kick is short for no score. (Q2 28:26)
Davies-Uniacke handballs behind his head from the pocket to Zurhaar who snaps the goal from 25m on the flank. (Q2 29:38)
Martin rolls a snap wide from 40m. (Q2 31:38)
Ralphsmith roves a pack at the hotspot and tries a dribbler which bounces into the right post. (Q2 32:20)
Baker roves a stoppage and kicks from the centre to Bolton to leap in front of Archer and mark on his chest 45m out in front, he starts Q3 with a goal after a quiet first half. (Q3 0:58)
Bolton gives wide from much the same spot to Mansell who spins and blazes well wide right from 35m on the flank. (Q3 2:42)
Taranto shanks an unpressured kick across the centre from outer wing, Simpkin mops up and feeds Sheezel who has Larkey over the back 20m out for his third goal. (Q3 8:12)
Simpkin misses a running snap from 40m on the flank, Larkey bobbles it into the behind post for no score. (Q3 13:03)
McDonald sets up Davies-Uniacke on members wing who dithers and is stripped by Campbell, Ralphsmith gets the turnvoer goal from the hotspot. (Q3 15:27)
Larkey runs to 30m in front and kicks the quick replying goal after North bosses the next bounce through Powell and Sheezel. (Q3 17:02)
Both sides using the ball poorly in Q3 exchanging turnovers, finally Curtis passes to Davies-Uniacke 20m out in front, it’s an ugly sack of a kick but it’s through for his third! (Q3 24:48)
Teakle gets a contact free on Vlastuin 40m out on the flank but shoots across the face to the left. (Q3 26:27)
Another sloppy Tiger turnover in midfield, this one by Short, ends up with Sheezel passing to Teakle 35m out on a slight angle. The ex-Power big man levers that one through. (Q3 28:27)
Another centre clearance to North with Davies-Uniacke starting the chain, Pink mark 35m out in front but kicks to the right. (Q3 30:03)
Baker flashes in to rove a kick towards McIntosh which pitches behind him in the pocket 20m out but Powell’s chase pressures the snap across the face. (Q3 31:46)
Stephenson gets a free just before the 3QT siren for a throw by Ralphsmith under his tackle, his kick from 40m on the flank falls on the line… review confirms a goal! (Q3 34:09)
Koschitzke roves his own contest to a Graham speculator in the pocket and dribbles as he is being challenged, that one skids through from 20m out. (Q4 2:06)
Curtis fends off Prestia on members wing to set up a Pink link mark and pass to Larkey at the hotspot for his fifth major. (Q4 4:31)
Brown marks a Graham pass in front of Corr 45m out on the flank. Tigers need this badly… across the face for no score. (Q4 6:30)
Martin marks a Campbell pass 45m out on the flank and goes only a few blades of grass further on to Graham on a worse angle. Graham kicks across the face. (Q4 13:20)
Prestia receives from Banks and snaps wide left from half forward. (Q4 14:59)
Balta’s tap sets up a running snap from CHF by Baker but that one swerves left of the stick. (Q4 18:08)
Campbell also misses a snap from the HFF. Tigers getting looks but aren’t good enough to bridge this gap at the moment. (Q4 19:32)
The Tigers handball their way through traffic in the centre, McIntosh releases Baker who runs to the hotspot and finally gets a shot online! Two kicks in it, 6:43 to go. (Q4 21:32)
Rioli marks left of true CHF and goes back for the long set shot, kicks falls near the behind line for Xerri to rush. (Q4 23:32)
North Melbourne have a string of close late losses on their recent record, Richmond are pressing to create another one. (Q4 25:02)
Clock ticks under 4:00, ball mostly in the Tiger forward half. (Q4 25:17)
Corr beats Balta in the centre to intercept a dump kick by Banks, North finally finds a target inside 50 with Scott marking 40m out on a slight angle, he dobs it! (Q4 26:27)
2:30 to go and by all rights that should be the official sealer. It’s the Kangas though, who will still be biting fingernails. (Q4 27:02)
Nankervis to Taranto for the next centre clearance but it’s a shank that is easily cleaned up and rebounded, that’s the ball game you’d think. (Q4 28:32)
Scott beats Ralphsmith to intercept at half back to ice the game for good. (Q4 29:57)