In the space of an off-season, the Kangaroos have gone from one of the AFL’s free-wheelers to a club prepared to grind out wins, even at their favourite track, Etihad Stadium.
The change in their plan of attack is quite astonishing when looking at raw numbers. In 2013, North Melbourne averaged a bumper 130 points per game under the roof at Etihad, and in the 12 matches the Roos played there, a team hit the 100-mark on 15 occasions.
Fast forward to this season and in the six matches Brad Scott’s team has featured in, neither it or the opposition has posted a triple-figure score. The Kangas aren’t the excitement machine of previous campaigns, but it’s hard to believe fans of the Shinboners are complaining, given the team’s 4-2 start to the year, which includes victories over top-four hopefuls Port Adelaide, Sydney and Fremantle.
After a listless first-up effort against Essendon in round 1, the Roos bounced back to win their next two at Docklands over the Bulldogs and Power. It continued the team’s sparkling run at Etihad, where it went 8-5 last season, and they were in a position to win all 13 matches there. Those five defeats included one-point heartbreakers against Carlton and Adelaide, a four-point loss at the hands of Geelong, as well as close shaves with Collingwood and Hawthorn.
The Gold Coast SUNS make their first appearance at Etihad Stadium this season against North on Sunday. The team is yet to register a win at the venue, and vice-captain David Swallow said his side needs to work out the vagaries of playing indoors quickly if the visitors are to leapfrog the Roos on the table by the end of the round.
“It’s a bit of a strange oval to play at and I don’t know if that’s because of the roof there, or not,” Swallow told the Gold Coast Bulletin.
“The only thing we talk about is how the game is played there and the game is really fast and the ball just seems to fly around a lot quicker.
“We want to play well at all grounds and if we want to play well at Etihad, we’ve got to learn to play there.”
The match-up with the men from Arden Street is the first of four games at the venue this year, with St Kilda, Carlton and Essendon to come later in the season.
“We haven’t played a lot of footy there and that exposure will be pretty good for us,” Swallow said.
Swallow’s older brother, and North Melbourne captain, Andrew, made his comeback from a serious Achilles tendon injury for North Ballarat at the weekend.
The younger sibling said he will be surprised if his brother is rushed back in to a winning line-up, though.
“I doubt they will rush him back, but knowing him he will want to play.
“I hope he does play.”
