NORTH MELBOURNE 4.3 8.5 13.9 19.9 (123) MELBOURNE 4.3 8.5 9.7 14.9 (93)
Goals: North Melbourne: K Turner 4 B Brown 3 M Wood 3 J Ziebell 2 A Mullett D Currie D Petrie L Adams N Dal Santo R Bastinac S Atley. Melbourne: D Kent 3 C Dawes 2 D Tyson 2 J Fitzpatrick 2 T McDonald 2 B Vince L Dunn M Jamar.
BEST North Melbourne: Turner, Swallow, Petrie, Brown, Atley, Thompson, Ziebell. Melbourne: Tyson, Jones, Dawes, Cross.
Umpires: Justin Schmitt, Jordan Bannister, Brendan Hosking.
Official Crowd: 17,174 at Etihad Stadium.
If North defeated Melbourne in this low-profile encounter, the Roos would play Essendon next week. If the Roos were upset by Melbourne, they would play Essendon next week.
The Demons would remain 17th if they won, and would probably stay in that position if they lost, given the improbability of St Kilda beating the Crows.
The point is that these teams weren't playing for sheep dip, much less sheep stations. They couldn't gain, and North could only lose players for the elimination final against the Bombers.
North had rested or taken no risks with Todd Goldstein, Michael Firrito, Lindsay Thomas and Luke McDonald — protecting old and young bodies alike. Pre-finals management was evident, too, in the decision to start Nick Dal Santo as the sub.
In a game without incentive, the question is always this: who wants the win more? Arguably, North could lose momentum/form.
When North cleared out to a three goals to nil lead in the opening 10 minutes, the match seemed to be following the anticipated plotline, as Jack Ziebell, Drew Petrie and Kayne Turner booted what seemed relatively easy goals. We prepared for a rout, in what might prove to be James Frawley's last game in red and blue.
But the notion that the small crowd would witness a flogging was soon dispelled, as the Demons began to win the ball and to play with a level of freedom that bordered on flamboyant by their standards. Chris Dawes, providing a viable tall target in attack, booted a pair of goals, while Bernie Vince was a force around the midfield/half-forward, with Daniel Cross doing what he does – finding the ball.
North's midfield, as yet, hadn't been at full throttle, with Andrew Swallow one of few. So, as the Dees raised their intensity, we had a competitive game and one that was more entertaining than projected. The even nature of the contest was reflected in the scores – level at both quarter and half-time, with four goals each per quarter.
The Dees held an edge in the contested ball, North in the tackling count.
But, if the dead rubber had shown signs of life, one always sensed that North had a gear shift, if necessary.
Dal Santo came on as sub and immediately caressed a lovely long left-foot goal, and when Turner sank another, you could sense that the natural order was being restored. Soon, the margin had been extended to beyond four goals, as Melbourne's forward entries and goals dried up – Dom Tyson finding the Demons' first major at the 26-minute mark. Nathan Jones' persistence was offset by Vince's sudden disappearance from the action.
The final quarter was, relatively speaking, a goal-fest. The pressure had subsided, as both sides found room. Dean Kent twice kicked deft lateral passes to Tom McDonald, the defender who booted his first two goals in league footy within a few minutes.
Ben Brown looks as untidy as his hair, but shows an aptitude for snapping a goal across his body – as he did late in the third quarter, and again in the last. Mason Wood put up his hand for selection (three goals).
North was cantering, the Dees flowing forward with a more open brand that we've seen for most of this season. They ended their season on a slightly more upbeat note, given that their last win was over Essendon – after the siren - in round 13.
North won't have the suspended Boomer Harvey next week, but it will regain Goldstein, McDonald, Thomas, Levi Greenwood (calf) and Firrito for the Essendon final.
The report card for the finalist should read as follows: Offensively, it did the job. Defensively, it would need to perform better against the Bombers to be confident of seeing the second week of September.
As Melbourne prepares for the draft and trading season, North finishes the season a top-six home-and-away side. The pass mark, though, is surely to win its first final since 2007.
