Season 2012 continues to produce amazing highlights early in the year, with Essendon clinching a two-point win over North Melbourne after Kangaroos ruckman Hamish McIntosh missed a shot at goal after the siren.

 

 

After Essendon looked to be cruising to victory in the last quarter leading by 25 points, the Kangaroos kicked four consecutive goals to get within three points with a minute remaining.

Essendon lost possession and the ball swept forward, where McIntosh marked it on his second attempt, in the forward pocket about 40 metres from goal.

 

The siren rang as he went back to take the kick, but the big Kangaroo missed to the right, granting the Bombers a 14.20 (104) to 15.12 (102) win.

McIntosh immediately walked in the direction of the North rooms after the miskick, but was pulled back by teammates, all of whom had played a part in an amazing contest.

Essendon coach James Hird watched on last year when Sydney Swan Adam Goodes missed a shot after the siren to hand Essendon victory in round 20, and said the Bombers need to learn with how to deal with a side surging late.

""It's not a nice experience,"" Hird said of watching an opponent kick at goal for the four points.

""We need to get better at handling when a team comes at us. We didn’t handle the defensive side of the game well in that last quarter. It's a learning experience and luckily we got away with the four points, and we can move on.

""But that game will be really important for us to go back and show our players what we did well, but what we didn’t do well in that last quarter.""

Games between these clubs in recent years have often captured football's physical essence, carrying a healthy sense of aggression, rivalry and competitiveness.

But this was a North and Essendon game reminiscent of their famous battles between 1999-2001, full of goals, skill and speed - and with the toughness still ever present.

Brent Stanton was superb, gathering 35 disposals and proving to be the most influential midfielder on the ground, while Jobe Watson (28 touches) and David Zaharakis (25) were solid contributors.

But the Bombers never had it all their way, and the Kangaroos opened a 16-point lead midway through the second term.

 

Essendon had a few other struggles they needed to overcome, losing tagger Heath Hocking to concussion in the first quarter. It coincided with 200-gamer Drew Petrie appearing set to be the most dominant big man on the ground.

North's strategy to get the ball in as deep and quick as possible to Petrie was working, and although he finished the term with only one goal, he played a part in each of the Roos' three for the quarter.

But at the other end of the ground Bomber Michael Hurley was causing problems for the North defence. In the corresponding game between Essendon and North last year Hurley booted four. He looked on track for another bag.

Things turned sharply in North's favour early in the second quarter. Bomber Jake Melksham snapped the first goal of the term, but the Roos responded with three of their own in a row.

For a short period everything seemed to go against the Bombers: they were penalised for an after-goal altercation (which resulted in another goal), a video review decision went North's way, and defender Kyle Hardingham left the field with a shoulder injury after colliding with a teammate.

Hardingham returned late in the quarter, and the Bombers did as well.

They began to win the midfield battle, had shut down North's key movers (Wells had only four touches for the term after 13 in the first), and started playing on their own terms. The Bombers kicked five of the last six goals and created a nine-point lead at the main break.

It proved to be the most pivotal of many swings of momentum in the game, and one the Roos were unable to resurrect, as close as they may have come.

NORTH MELBOURNE 4.3 8.5 10.10 15.12 (102)
ESSENDON 3.2 9.8 13.14 14.20 (104)

GOALS
North Melbourne: Harvey 3, Adams 2, Edwards, Petrie 2, Thomas 2, Harper, MacMillan, McIntosh, Wells
Essendon: Hurley 2, Lovett-Murray 2, Melksham 2, Stanton 2, Heppell, Hille, Jetta, McVeigh, Ryder, Watson

BEST
North Melbourne: Wells, Swallow, Petrie, Firrito, Adams, Harper, Thomas
Essendon: Stanton, Watson, Heppell, Myers, Hille, Hibberd, Zaharakis

SUBSTITUTES
North Melbourne: Tarrant replaced by Campbell in the third quarter
Essendon: Hocking replaced by Lovett-Murray in the first quarter

INJURIES
North Melbourne: Tarrant (hamstring)
Essendon: Hocking (concussion), Hardingham (shoulder)

Reports: Wright (NM) for charging Stanton (Ess) by umpire Stevic in second quarter

Umpires: Stevic, Armstrong, Bannister

Official crowd: 45,699 at Etihad Stadium 

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