FOR THE first time since 2019, North Melbourne has won three consecutive games as Essendon's season only gets worse.
Sunday's 14-point victory under the Marvel Stadium roof is North's eighth win of the season – another first in seven years – as they enjoyed an inaccurate 10.19 (79) to 9.11 (65) victory.
As they have so often done this year, the Bombers came to life in the last quarter to vaguely threaten, but it was too little, too late.
It was laborious, as skill errors made a mess of sure opportunities in front of goal for both sides.
KANGAROOS V BOMBERS Full match details and stats
The Roos got busy on transition, opening up a somewhat disorganised Essendon defensive unit with end-to-end play, but then totally broke down once inside 50. Missed kicks, dropped marks, and players lacking confidence to take the shot meant they simply couldn't punish the Bombers once close to goal.
Hitting up targets on the lead inside 50 and shuffling the ball around the attacking arc to create holes for those targets generated calm, high percentage opportunities at goal early in the third term.
They racked up the marks inside 50 – particularly in the third term where the Roos took nine in the arc to Essendon's one – as the Bombers became decreasingly accountable to those Roos sliding into holes in attack.
It was a backline under immense pressure all afternoon, however, given Essendon's poor defensive efforts higher up the ground, with the Bombers unable and potentially unwilling to slow that ball movement. They recorded just seven tackles in the third quarter, and conceded 14 inside 50s for the term.
The eventual tackle count was 51-35 North Melbourne's way.
Sam Durham (25 disposals, two goals) was a bright spot for Essendon on an otherwise dour day. His attack on the footy was one thing, but more important was his capacity to press forward and kick team-lifting goals.
And in the front half, Nate Caddy (four marks, two goals) worked especially hard to both provide a link going inside 50, and remain a target close to goal, running direct opponent Aidan Corr up and back all afternoon.
Essendon leant heavily on switching the ball in defence, but often those switches forced them very deep, giving up a lot of territory, and as the Roos became more proactive in attack and brought the pressure, it started to create opportunities for the home side to score.
Despite carrying some soreness through the game with an ongoing left knee concern, veteran Mason Redman (29 disposals, 563 metres gained) continued to stand tall, working to lift his side where possible.
Caddy on the goal line
In the fourth quarter, Nate Caddy was awarded his first goal of the day following a near-two-minute review into a goal line soccer. After Mason Redman sent a long, high kick toward goal from outside 50, it dropped short to the waiting pack. The quick thinking of Caddy saw him get a boot to the ball before it fully crossed the goal line, and while the goal umpire deemed it to be a major, the review was called, which ultimately backed in the umpire's view.
Review underway
The opening half of Sunday's clash featured four ARC interventions for goal line incidents. Two were to check the legality of marks from Cooper Trembath following inaccurate shots on goal from teammates, one a similar marking attempt from former Essendon captain Zach Merrett, and the fourth an overturned Dylan Stephens goal after the Bombers managed to get a touch on the ball. None of the reviews resulted in a major, but all earned groans from the crowd.
NORTH MELBOURNE 2.6 5.9 8.15 10.19 (79)
ESSENDON 2.2 4.6 5.8 9.11 (65)
GOALS
North Melbourne: Konstanty 2, Darling 2, Spargo 2, Davies-Uniacke, Simpkin, Trembath, Larkey
Essendon: Durham 2, El Achkar 2, Caddy 2, McKay, Robey, Merrett
BEST
North Melbourne: Sheezel, Davies-Uniacke, McKercher, Trembath, Harvey
Essendon: Durham, Reid, Robey, Redman, Caddy
INJURIES
North Melbourne: Wadlaw (right knee)
Essendon: Redman (left knee soreness)
Crowd: 37,054 at Marvel Stadium
