Round Nine, Toyota AFL Indigenous Round
Adelaide v North Melbourne
Sunday, May 26 at 2:45pm (SA time)
Etihad Stadium
Latest news
North name unchanged team
North Melbourne has named an unchanged side to play Adelaide at Etihad Stadium on Sunday, with Taylor Hine, Will Sierakowski and Jordan Gysberts the emergencies.
Out of action (estimates only)
Taylor Garner (ankle) – test
Ben Speight (ankle) – test
Robbie Tarrant (leg) – 1-2 weeks
Kieran Harper (ankle) – 2-4 weeks
Tom Curran (foot) – season
North Melbourne’s recent form
Round Eight, West Coast 12.18 (90) d North Melbourne 13.10 (88), Patersons Stadium
Round Seven, North Melbourne 22.19 (151) d Western Bulldogs 15.7 (97), Etihad Stadium
Round Six, North Melbourne 14.9 (93) d Port Adelaide 12.11 (83), Blundstone Arena
Round Five, Hawthorn 14.15 (99) d North Melbourne 13.18 (96), MCG
Round Four, North Melbourne 18.17 (125) d Brisbane Lions 9.8 (62), Etihad Stadium
Recent form against Adelaide
2012, Round 13, North Melbourne 17.19 (121) d Adelaide 13.11 (89), Etihad Stadium
2011, Round 11, North Melbourne 18.7 (115) d Adelaide 10.8 (68), Etihad Stadium
2010, Round Eight, North Melbourne 12.12 (84) d Adelaide 11.9 (75), Etihad Stadium
2009, Round 12, Adelaide 9.14 (68) d North Melbourne 3.6 (24), AAMI Stadium
2008, Round Seven, Adelaide 15.17 (107) d North Melbourne 11.8 (74), AAMI Stadium
Brownlow Medal votes from last meeting
3. Leigh Adams (North), 2. Ryan Bastinac (North), 1. Daniel Wells (North)
Team
B: Aaron Mullett, Scott Thompson, Jamie Macmillan
HB: Daniel Wells, Nathan Grima, Michael Firrito
C: Sam Gibson, Shaun Atley, Ryan Bastinac
HF: Ben Cunnington, Drew Petrie, Brent Harvey
F: Lindsay Thomas, Majak Daw, Leigh Adams
Foll: Todd Goldstein, Andrew Swallow, Jack Ziebell
Interchange: Lachie Hansen, Sam Wright, Aaron Black, Aaron Mullett
Stats that matter
The unlucky Roos have lost three games (against Geelong, Hawthorn and West Coast) by less than five points this season, including an after-the-siren defeat at the hands of the Eagles last weekend. As a result, the Kangaroos are 0-5 against top eight teams of 2012.
The last three games between Adelaide and North Melbourne have been played at Etihad Stadium. The Kangaroos have won all three games by an average margin of 29 points. Adelaide has not beaten the Roos since Round 12, 2009.
Crow Scott Thompson is the second-best player in the competition at hitting a target inside 50m, with 13 of his inside 50m entries resulting in Adelaide marks.
The miserly Crows defence has conceded only 643 points this season - ranked third behind Fremantle (625) and Essendon (642). Daniel Talia is sixth in the AFL for spoils (53).
The Crows were the fifth-youngest team in Round Eight, with an average age of 24.4 years. Only Port Adelaide and Melbourne (both 24.1), Gold Coast (22.7) and GWS (21.9) were younger last weekend.
Adelaide is ranked second in the AFL for contested marks, averaging 13.5 per game.
The Kangaroos have won seven of their eight first quarters this season. They are the fourth-highest scoring team in the competition, averaging 105 points per game.
Patrick Dangerfield is the best contested-marking midfielder in the game this season. Dangerfield has taken eight contested marks. Scott Thompson (seven) and Rory Sloane (six) are also in the top 10 for contested grabs by onballers.
Josh Jenkins is the fourth-most used inside 50m target in the AFL. The Crows have gone to Jenkins 63 times in the opening eight rounds. Travis Cloke is the most used target (90).
Lindsay Thomas leads North’s goalkicking with 25 and is equal-seventh in forward 50m tackles. Thomas also leads the competition in free kicks for (23).
North Melbourne defender Scott Thompson is one of the best intercept marks in the game, having chopped off 20 opposition kicks this season.
The Kangaroos, who like to switch the ball, kick backwards (121) more than any other team.
News Bites
North name unchanged team
North Melbourne has named an unchanged side to play Adelaide at Etihad Stadium on Sunday, with Taylor Hine, Will Sierakowski and Jordan Gysberts the emergencies.
North add three to squad
North Melbourne have included Will Sierakowski, Jordan Gysberts and Taylor Hine in a squad of 25 to play Adelaide at Etihad Stadium on Sunday. Gysberts is in line to play his first game in Roos colours since switching from Melbourne.
Young Kangaroo sidelined for a month – AFL.com.au
North Melbourne livewire Kieran Harper could miss up to a month of footy after injuring his ankle during Werribee’s clash with Coburg in the VFL.
North Melbourne defender can accept a reprimand for striking Matt Rosa in the second quarter at Patersons Stadium on Friday night. The incident was assessed as reckless conduct (two points), low impact (one point) and body contact (one point). This is a total of four activation points, resulting in a classification of a level one offence, drawing 80 demerit points and a reprimand. He has no existing good or bad record. An early plea reduces the sanction by 25 per cent to a reprimand and 60 points towards his future record.In summary, he can accept a reprimand and 60 demerit points towards his future record with an early plea.
