David Noble and North Melbourne have fallen agonisingly short of their second win and the biggest upset of the season as Collingwood flipped the switch in the final term to record a seven-point win.
Convincingly the better team for the first three quarters, the Roos faltered in the last term and simply couldn’t gather any momentum. Ben McKay (11 intercepts) led the North backline as they defended for their lives, but they couldn’t hold up under the weight of numbers.
Multiple reports had suggested the end of David Noble’s tenure at North Melbourne was nearing after 11 consecutive defeats of 47 points or more, and all eyes were on how big the Collingwood win would be on Saturday afternoon.
But it was the Roos that got off to a hot start, producing football the league hadn’t seen from them this season as they sliced through Collingwood’s defence with ease.
Nick Larkey was on early and fired throughout the game as the Roos finally found a way to score. Their big key forward finished with five goals.
While there were momentum swings in the first quarter, Noble’s men wrestled to get the upper hand with the first three of the second term and held the momentum throughout the middle quarters.
They were the better team in that period, and all eyes shifted to the final quarter to see if North could pull off the upset of the season.
But three goals to the Pies in the first five minutes of that term put the writing on the wall, running over the top with five majors to none in the final term in 30 minutes of football that will haunt David Noble and North Melbourne.
While it ultimately didn’t change the result, Collingwood fans made their feelings heard about the umpiring on various occasions of the clash.
In the first half, Todd Goldstein was gifted two free kicks from seemingly insignificant ruck infringements, the veteran able to convert both into goals as the Roos took a 20-point lead into half-time.
The other decision that will split fans was the holding the ball decision on Collingwood’s Jack Ginnivan in the third term.
With Collingwood coming hard, Ginnivan had the opportunity to cut the margin back to single figures when cornered in the pocket of his forward 50 by Luke Davies-Uniacke.
The Pies youngster went searching for a free kick when taking on the tackler, dropping the knees and surging his neck into Davies-Uniacke’s arm, yet the umpire refused to fall for it and instead paid holding the ball.
As the boos rang out across the ‘G, former Giants coach Leon Cameron dissected the call in commentary for AFL Nation.
“It looked like he dropped his shoulder, so it’s either one or the other,” he said.
Outstanding umpiring. Players that deliberately duck into tackles don’t deserve to be rewarded with a free kick. Really well adjudicated #AFLPiesNorth
— Campbell brown (@Browndogg_30x) July 9, 2022
Ginnivan finished the clash with two goals to his name, while Davies Uniacke was one of the best on the ground with 33 possessions.
He also dropped the knees in a passage of play with three minutes to play to suck a high free kick to the outrage of North fans.
Remarkably, yet not unsurprisingly, Craig McRae turned to Nick Daicos when the game was on the line. The youngster had spent most of the first half off half back but was thrown into the middle and played as a high half forward for much of the final two quarters.
“He might be the answer to try and provide that spark for the Pies” Cameron said in commentary.
“Everything he’s touched turns to gold… they’re trying to spin the wheels to provide a little bit of spark.”
The 19-year-old went to another level and kicked the goal of the game in the final quarter, a brilliant snap from the pocket that narrowed the margin to just eight points.
“You’ve got to be joking, what can’t this kid do,” Andy Maher exclaimed.
“A moment of pure football magic from Nick Daicos.”
Daicos finished with 21 disposals at 90 per cent efficiency to again be in the best handful on the ground.
It’s Collingwood’s seventh win in the row, putting the club right in contention for top four spots and sitting in fifth spot on the ladder.
With Arden Street in the midst of a mid-season review, the Roos put forward arguably their best performance of the year. It remains to be seen whether it’ll be enough to save Noble his job, but at the very least, it can be expected he’ll see out another week.
The question is, was this a flash in the pan for North in a final bid to save Noble’s job, or is this what can be expected for the rest of the season? Plenty rests on the answer.
FULL SCORE
Collingwood: 4.2, 5.2, 8.5, 13.10 (88)
North Melbourne: 4.2, 8.4, 12.7, 12.9 (81)
GOALS
Collingwood: Cameron 2, Ginnivan 2, Elliot 2, Sidebottom 2, J. Daicos, N. Daicos, McReery, Mihocek
North Melbourne: Larkey 5, Goldstein 2, Ziebell 2, Taylor, Zurhaar, Curtis
BEST
Collingwood: N. Daicos, Cameron, J. Daicos, Pendlebury, Elliot
North Melbourne: Davies-Uniacke, Larkey, Anderson, Goldstein, Ziebell
INJURIES
Collingwood: Adams (Head)
North Melbourne: Stephenson