Just two weeks after the dramatic last-round draw between Richmond and North Melbourne in the game touted as the battle for a double chance, the two sides meet again, and this time, the stakes are even higher in a do-or-die semi-final.
A preliminary final awaits the winners, and season’s end for the losers. What could prove the big difference for the Kangaroos this time, according to ruck and key forward Emma King, is the inclusion of two key players: captain and stalwart defender Emma Kearney, back from knee soreness, and tall Kim Rennie, who missed last time with health and safety protocols.
North Melbourne players celebrate a goal celebrate a goal with Emma King (centre).Credit:AFL Photos
Having three talls in the team means that King and Rennie can rotate through the ruck, allowing the Roos to play two key forwards along with Tahlia Randall, and create more targets around the ground.
“Having Kim and myself in the ruck, it gives our mids [a] really strong opportunity to get first use of the ball, but then it also gives our forward line that depth and structure that we’d like having multiple contests,” King told The Age.
“It also spreads the opposition’s defence a bit more … and Richmond’s got a strong defensive get up at the moment. They’ve got a bunch of height with Bec Miller and [Libby] Graham, so that’ll be good to ease Tahls [Randall] off this time, having myself down there to split that up.”
With Rennie out last time, King took on the bulk of the ruck work. And while at times Vikki Wall came in as second ruck, King said this further disrupted the forward structure as it pulled an additional player out of it and upset their usual set-up, which had been working well for them this season.
North Melbourne’s defence will also have an added boost with Kearney’s inclusion at half-back beside Nicole Bresnehan and Brooke Brown.
“Our defence, similar to our forwards, have been building really well this year and they’ve got a nice little system that’s working really well for, not only them as a line, but for us as a team.
“They understand how each other plays and they’re moving how we want them to move. You saw it in the Geelong game. We were able to keep them to one goal – and obviously all the points – but it makes a difference in a low scoring game that they kept up with that pressure.”
King says this helped the Kangaroos secure a two-point win in the elimination final that was primarily played in Geelong’s attacking half with 41 inside 50s to 18, as they held the Cats to just one goal to their two.
Emma Kearney address the group.Credit:Getty
“We were able to hold on in a predominantly defensive game over the weekend,” said King.
Importantly, if another close game is looking likely, King says having “El Capitan” Kearney back could provide that needed spark.
“One of her biggest attributes is the way she leads in her actions on the field, and, for instance in the Brisbane game, in the third quarter we really needed a goal, and she comes off half-back, runs it down, and then scores a goal from the pocket.
“So, she just really steps up when in those moments you need someone to just bring that fire … it just ignites everyone else to go, ‘Yeah, we’re still in this and we can keep going here’. We just go into another gear when she’s on the field.”
This week that leadership and skill set earned the skipper a spot on men’s senior coach Alastair Clarkson’s coaching group and in contention for her seventh All Australian blazer.
King added while “finals always goes up a notch” and they’ll be expecting to embrace “really good pressure” from an in-hot-form Richmond side, the Roos will focus on playing their way: fast and in control.
“We just want to give ourselves the best opportunity and be predictable to each other,” she said.
And if another draw does happen, there’ll be a six-and-half-minute break, followed by two three-minute halves (plus time on) until the team to face Melbourne in a preliminary final is determined.
Richmond host North Melbourne at Punt Road Oval at 1.40pm on Saturday.
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