The thirteenth round of the 2024 AFL season saw the North Melbourne Kangaroos record their first win of 2024, Collingwood light up the MCG and the domination of the Sydney Swans continue.
North Melbourne records first win of the season
After 11 straight losses to begin the season, the North Melbourne Kangaroos have finally recorded their first victory of the 2024 AFL season. Entering the match against West Coast as underdogs, they emerged from the three-quarter time break with a 27-point lead. However, this would be dragged back down within one goal following a late surge by the Eagles in the final quarter.
Thankfully for Kangaroos fans, the club managed to hang on and walked away with the four points. Forward Nick Larkey (five goals) and Jy Simpkin (two goals) led the scoresheet for the Kangaroos, while Zac Fisher and Harry Sheezel each had 30+ disposals.
“I thought over the course of the game the better side ended up winning the game, which was really pleasing,” Kangaroos coach Alastair Clarkson said.
“It was full of heart and spirit, and a lot of the stats that we’re searching for around pressure and our contested ball and our clearances were really good over the course of the day.”
Larkey has FIVE and North are starting to run away with it! 🔥
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🔢 MATCH CENTRE https://t.co/1H95HwkmwW pic.twitter.com/aKqCsMWuyk— Fox Footy (@FOXFOOTY) June 8, 2024
Concerns for Melbourne as Magpies dominate on Monday
Collingwood’s strong season has continued with a dominant performance and impressive victory against rivals Melbourne Demons. The win is even more impressive considering they played the match without six star premiership players in Jordan De Goey, Scott Pendlebury, Tom Mitchell, Jamie Elliott, Brody Mihocek and Mason Cox – Nick Daicos was also subbed out of the match after the win had become obvious to Craig McRae.
As the Magpies celebrate the victory, Melbourne’s loss comes after they were embarrassed by the Fremantle Dockers in Alice Springs. The Demons’ woes continued after four-time All-Australian Christian Petracca was ruled out of the match during the four quarters and is likely to spend a lengthy time on the sidelines with injury.
“He is in hospital. He is just getting a scan at the moment,” Melbourne coach Simon Goodwin said after the 38-point loss on Monday.
“We think it might be some cracked ribs, but we’ll give more information as soon as we get it, but hopefully that’s all.”
Nick Daicos LAUNCHES a bomb from 55 metres out to inject himself into the game 💣
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🔢 MATCH CENTRE https://t.co/RYHgcp8b4f pic.twitter.com/h18BWzyAkp— Fox Footy (@FOXFOOTY) June 10, 2024
Swans domination continues
The Sydney Swans have continued their winning streak after coming back to defeat the Geelong Cats on Sunday to remain eight points clear on top of the AFL ladder. Led by a magnificent performance from Errol Gulden (37 disposals and five tackles) and Isaac Heeney (26 disposals and 2 goals), the Swans managed to defeat the Cats by six goals despite training 32-3 at quarter time and 41-36 at half-time.
Despite the victory, coach John Longmire was unimpressed with the team’s start and will be looking to work on it in the next few weeks and at training. The match marked the sixth time this season that the Sydney Swans have trailed heading into the quarter-time break.
“We’ve still got a bit of work to do on our starts,” Longmire said after the match.
“Probably for the last month, we’ve been aware of it a little bit and today we certainly got exposed.
“We got beaten in contested ball or around the footy, a fair bit in the air in that first quarter, and in the second quarter we turned that right around. (We were) really strong in all those areas as the game went on.
“That was really good to be able to turn that around but we can still get off to a better start.”
That left foot is something else Errol.
Goal of the Week, presented by @originenergy pic.twitter.com/64b5EJ7tD1
— Sydney Swans (@sydneyswans) June 10, 2024