Last Week: North’s season got underway with a topsy-turvy clash against St Kilda at Waverley
The Herald Sun’s match report scathingly summed up North Melbourne’s clash with Footscray.
“North Melbourne exposed Footscray as an insipid opponent in a demolition unworthy of a pre-season match yesterday at the MCG.”
Yet in the build-up, the Kangaroos were dealing with a growing injury list of their own. Already without John Longmire and Chris Groom for the long-term, Schwass and Capuano were new additions from the victory against the Saints.
The duo was out for the game against the Bulldogs, but the third change came as somewhat of a surprise; Ross Smith hadn’t missed a single game since Denis Pagan arrived at the start of 1993.
But he made way - Stuart Anderson coming into the side and David King moving further back into defence.
The veteran was philosophical about his demotion, as he told The Age.
“Right now I need to go back and get a kick. I haven’t had one in weeks. I’m not the slightest bit begrudging of anyone.
“It’s probably the best way to go, I think. I haven’t missed a game for three years under Denis so it’s not as if I’ve been on the outer or anything.”
Smith’s reaction endeared himself further to Pagan, with the senior coach full of praise for the veteran.
“He (Smith) has really got respect on his own terms. Just the way he handled it, Ross Smith is a real man.
“He sat in the same spot at Thursday’s team meeting and contributed. He played in the seconds, gashed his knee and came off early in the second quarter. And he was in the rooms straight after the senior game.”
King, entrusted with more of North’s run out of the backline, came in for a special mention from the coach after his performance against the Bulldogs.
“At this stage David is really attacking the ball with real confidence. But I said to him after the game not to sit down and relax because I know Ross will be out there trying as hard as he can to take his spot back off him.”
As it turned out, the intrigue around the team was largely the talking point considering the lopsided margin.
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Wayne Carey’s six goals were only termed ‘workmanlike’ by the media – the ball was in North’s forward half so often.
It was another forward who came in for significant praise, with Scott Gullan from the Herald Sun making an early prediction; one which would begin to echo in the media.
“Corey McKernan dominated the ruck and across half forward making short work of two opponents. Get on him for the Brownlow Medal.”
Next week: North looks to make it three from three as it returns to Waverley to take on the battling Hawks
North Melbourne: 7.5.47, 15.7.97, 20.9.129, 26.12.168
Footscray: 1.0.6, 1.5.11, 4.6.30, 5.7.37
NMFC changes
In: Stuart Anderson, Darren Crocker, Glenn Freeborn
Out: Matthew Capuano (knee), Wayne Schwass (arm), Ross Smith (omitted)
Goals
North Melbourne: Carey 6, Sholl 4, Blakey 3, McKernan 3, Crocker 2, Freeborn 2, Rock 2, Allison 1, Scott 1, Simpson 1, M Stevens 1
Footscray: Johnson 2, Grant 1, Hargraves 1, Kellett 1
Brownlow Medal
3 – Craig Sholl (NM), 2 – Wayne Carey (NM), 1 – Corey McKernan (NM)
