It was Lachie Hansen's 25th birthday on Saturday and the North Melbourne defender celebrated with an excellent performance across half-back. Hansen has enjoyed a breakout year, full of consistent efforts. It has probably come with finding a role and making it his own. Hansen's aerial expertise has always been part of his repertoire but he has used it better at AFL level in 2013, averaging eight marks a game. The Bombers left Hansen loose for most of the game, and Hansen made them pay, picking up 24 disposals and nine marks in his side's 45-point win.
2. Ruck honours shared
Both sides went into the game with only one ruckman, so the duel between Bomber Tom Bellchambers and Kangaroo Todd Goldstein had a bit weighing on it. Or so we thought. In the end, not much hinged on their clash and neither dominated play. It was interesting nonetheless to watch the pair roam around the ground side-by-side and do battle for the full four quarters. Goldstein took a couple of marks when drifting around half-forward and won the hit-outs count, but Bellchambers kicked two goals. Even the clearance count was just about equal (32 to 31, Essendon's way). We'll call it a draw.
3. Where's Hurley?
The Bombers were without key forward Michael Hurley for the third straight week, with what the club has described as an ankle injury he suffered in round 18 against Hawthorn. It is no surprise Essendon's malfunctioning forward line has lacked even more chemistry without Hurley, who competes hard when the ball hits the ground and always makes a contest. The merry-go-round of Essendon forwards continued against the Kangaroos, with Scott Gumbleton out and Stewart Crameri and Joe Daniher brought back into the side. They tried, and the delivery was far from classy, but they would have been aided by Hurley's presence.
4. Ziebell's late fitness test
North Melbourne midfielder Jack Ziebell, along with defender Scott Thompson (soreness), was a late withdrawal for the game with his ankle injury. In a video posted to North Melbourne's website, Ziebell gave a revealing insight into a fitness test he went through on Saturday morning. In a number of game-like scenarios, like tackling and using his ankle to take off, Ziebell tested the injury to see if he would be right to take on the Bombers. "It was pretty close but there was a couple of certain things I couldn't do that I'm required to do. That was probably the determining factor I think," Ziebell said.
5. Grima's goal
After an error-riddled three quarters, most at the ground were just waiting for the final siren by the middle of the last term. Enter Nathan Grima. Grima, who debuted back in 2009 for the Roos, was shifted forward, and will remember the moment for a long time. The ball swung into the Roos' forward fifty and fell into his hands after a marking contest. Grima whacked it onto his left boot and it sailed through for the first goal of his five-year and 72-game career. Every one of his teammates ran to congratulate him.
