The Kangaroos had to win their elimination final to earn themselves a crack at the Western Bulldogs. Despite leading by 10 points at half time, they were blown away after the main break, eventually going down 17.8 (110) to 11.9 (75).
The 35-point loss not only drew the curtains on North Melbourne’s 2008 season but also on Shannon Grant’s superb AFL career, with the 301-game veteran bowing out in disappointing fashion.
Brent Harvey and Drew Petrie tried hard to lift for their retiring teammate, while youngster Ed Lower was promising whether tagging Tadhg Kennelly or kicking goals up forward.
Daniel Wells was also lively early but, like his team, faded the longer the match went on.
The night had started in a promising manner for the Kangaroos, with Dean Laidley’s side looking the better team for much of the opening two quarters.
But North had no answer to the blitz after half time, as the Swans booted 13 goals to five to gallop into next week’s semi-final showdown with the Bulldogs.
North Melbourne must now start reflecting on went wrong in its final two weeks, as the side first squandered a double chance with a round-22 loss to Port Adelaide, and then faded at ANZ Stadium.
The Swans’ eight-goal third quarter ultimately proved the difference as the home side, which had only kicked four goals in the first 60 minutes, came out like men possessed.
All the Swans’ big guns fired, with co-captains Brett Kirk, Adam Goodes and Barry Hall leading the charge.
Four goals in 11 minutes at the start of the term turned a 10-point deficit into a two-goal lead.
The margin was only 14 points at three-quarter time after Hale slotted what looked like being an important goal on the siren – seemingly keeping the Roos in touch.
But after Lower missed a kickable chance early in the final term, North Melbourne heads dropped and the Swans kicked away to win easily.
Earlier, the Kangas had been up to their eyeballs in the game.
A couple of contentious goal umpiring decisions not only had fans talking but had them wondering whether any possible error might affect the outcome.
North started brightly and looked to have put its round-22 loss against Port Adelaide behind it, booting the first four goals of the game.
Harvey kicked two in the opening term, his first causing frustration for Swans supporters after replays appeared to show his soccered attempt looked to have crossed the goal line before the champion midfielder’s boot made contact with the ball.
North’s on-ball brigade was doing better early, with Wells particularly lively, while big men Hale, Aaron Edwards and Nathan Thompson shrugged off the heavy conditions to provide a target in attack.
The Swans eventually got on the board through Ryan O’Keefe, but Josh Gibson was doing a good job negating Hall and the home side looked to be struggling finding avenues to goal.
Paul Roos’ side showed signs of lifting in the second term but the Kangas were holding sway.
Matt Campbell seemed unlucky to not have a snap close to goal awarded full points –replays appearing to show the ball pass through the big sticks – and O’Keefe booted his second.
Grant, determined not to finish his career on a wet, dreary Sydney night, booted the next two goals, the second through some Hale desperation that left the big man with a cut near the eye, to increase the Kangas’ lead to 16 points.
But Goodes, who was struggling to inflict much damage, cleverly found Jarred Moore, who slotted the final goal of the half and North only led by 10 points at the long break.
However the Kangas would come out to face a different opposition after the change, and they simply couldn’t keep pace with the rampaging Swans.
Sydney Swans 1.5 4.6 12.7 17.8 (110)
North Melbourne 4.1 6.4 10.5 11.9 (75)
GOALS
Sydney Swans: Hall 3, Jack 3, Goodes 3, Moore 2, O’Keefe 2, Malceski, McVeigh, Richards, Veszpremi
North Melbourne: Grant 2, Hale 2, Harvey 2, Lower 2, Petrie, Sinclair, Thompson
BEST
Sydney Swans: Kirk, Richards, Goodes, Jolly, McVeigh, O’Keefe, Hall, Jack
North Melbourne: Harvey, Petrie, Pratt, Harris, Lower, Hale
INJURIES
Sydney Swans: Bird replaced in selected side by Veszpremi.
North Melbourne: Hansen replaced in selected side by Urquhart.
Reports: Nil
Umpires: Vozzo, McBurney, Chamberlain
Official crowd: 19,127 at ANZ Stadium
The views in this article are those of the author and not necessarily those of the club
