North Melbourne learnt from last weekend’s low-scoring elimination final and put on an attacking masterclass in front of a sold-out crowd Punt Road Oval on Saturday afternoon, knocking Richmond out by 36-points to secure their maiden spot in the preliminary finals.
The Kangaroos now will face off against flag favourites Melbourne for a spot in the grand final after their second semi-final win in competition history. They beat Collingwood in 2020, but that season was cut short due to COVID-19.
North Melbourne’s Jasmine Garner celebrates a goal.Credit:Getty
Richmond entered their first finals series with a double chance, having finished the home-and-away season undefeated for eight straight games. However, they lost to Brisbane in the qualifying final by 17-points and were overrun by a polished North Melbourne side.
After a close first quarter with each side kicking three goals a piece, North Melbourne put their foot down in the second term with five goals to one and taking a healthy 29-point lead at half-time.
While Richmond captain Katie Brennan and star midfielder Monique Conti tried to take the game back with goals each in the third quarter, the Roos were able to build on their lead as they controlled the ball around the grounds.
North Melbourne looked a different side to the one who scraped through with a two-point win over Geelong last weekend when the ball was trapped in their defensive half for the majority of the game. Against the Tigers, they lowered their kicks and had better linking passages of play – with 65 marks to 32 – as they commanded the ball and drove it forward.
Richmond’s Ellie McKenzie tackles North Melbourne’s Jasmine Garner.Credit:Getty
In the first quarter, they bagged more goals than in their entire game against the Cats, and finished with 11 goals from seven different goalscorers. It’s the first time this season the Kangaroos have kicked more than 10 goals.
The game saw plenty of fast free-flowing play as the ball travelled end-to-end, but North Melbourne, who have been plagued with inaccurate kicking this year, created more opportunities to goal and converted.
Jasmine Garner was phenomenal, finishing with 22 disposals, seven tackles and seven clearances. Last time the two met in round 10, she was heavily tagged by Meg McDonald, but this time, was ready for the added attention and was all shots firing.
Throughout the game, a range of Tigers attempted to quieten the North Melbourne star, including McDonald and Eilish Sheerin, but none were successful as she flexed her muscle, along with Ashleigh Riddell, who finished with a game-high 30 disposals and seven clearances.
For Richmond, Conti (22 disposals, seven clearances) and Ellie McKenzie (19 disposals, five clearances) were relentless at the source, while defender Sheerin and ruck Gabby Seymour didn’t make things easy for the Roos.
But the team effort from the visiting side and depth across each line made them just too strong.
Richmond are yet to beat North Melbourne in the competition.
In the second semi-final on the day’s agenda, Adelaide host Collingwood at Unley Oval, with the winners heading to a preliminary final against Brisbane and season’s end for the losers. The game was scheduled for 3.40pm but has been delayed by half-an-hour due to lightning.
Richmond: 3.0 4.0 6.0 6.2 (38)
North Melbourne: 3.1 8.4 10.6 11.8 (74)
GOALS
Richmond: Yassir 2, Cox, Wakefield, Brennan, Conti.
North Melbourne: Garner 2, Abbatangelo 2, Eddey 2, O’Loughlin 2, Randall, E King, Gavalas.
BEST
Richmond: McKenzie, Conti, Seymour, Sheerin, Wakefield.
North Melbourne: Garner, Riddell, Bruton, Bresnehan, Brown.
