A match-saving mark from unheralded defender Toby Pink has allowed North Melbourne to record their first win at the MCG since 2017.
In a tense final term between two teams filled with players who have little experience winning, the Kangaroos made plenty of mistakes but somehow found themselves in front when the siren went, with Pink the most unlikely of heroes.
Toby Pink was the last-gasp hero for the Kangaroos.Credit: Getty Images
They were lucky the umpire was unwilling to pay a free kick against Luke Davies-Uniacke for insufficient intent late in the game when he deliberately fumbled the ball over the boundary line in the back pocket and that Richmond missed two set shots to gain the lead within the final five minutes.
But after last week’s draw, and despite their lack of experience, North Melbourne just had to break through for a win. It took three moments of inspiration after they had lost the lead in the final quarter to give them the two final-quarter goals they needed.
The first came when Pink left his man to take an intercept mark and then the desperate George Wardlaw gained a ground ball to set up Nick Larkey for a goal. The second was when Davies-Uniacke was strong over a loose ball and the Kangaroos earned a downfield free kick which Jack Darling converted.
This was season-on-the-line stuff as not only did the Kangaroos need to prove their rebuild was ahead of the Tigers, but they needed some sustenance to fuel their belief.
But there was little cause for belief heading into the game, with the Roos’ record standing at 16 wins from their past 116 matches, while they had not won a game in their previous nine visits to the MCG, a cruel streak stretching back to their last victory at the home of football in round nine, 2017.
Luke McDonald was the only remaining Kangaroo from that match and 14 of his teammates on Sunday had never tasted victory at the venue, three of whom were playing their first game at the top level on the hallowed turf.
The Roos looked to be taking a massive step forward when they jumped from the blocks, booting six goals straight to lead the Tigers by 23 points. That gave them both their highest quarter-time score and first lead at that stage of a match this season.
While the Tigers are starting their rebuild, their foundations are stronger than the Kangaroos. They still had six premiership players in their line-up on Sunday, as well as the class of Tim Taranto, Jacob Hopper and No.1 draft pick Sam Lalor.
The Tigers had legendary former teammate Dustin Martin in their rooms pre-match, and lifted the pressure after quarter-time. Apart from the determined Wardlaw, the Kangaroos wilted momentarily. Lalor, who has been likened to Martin, kicked two goals and Hugo Ralphsmith broke a Colby McKercher tackle to conjure a Peter Daicos-like dribbler goal from the boundary line to test North’s mettle.
Broken tackles allowed the Tigers to stay in the hunt in the third quarter, with Pink and Aidan Corr the culprits. McDonald was fighting hard in defence making a desperate smother to stop Steely Green from kicking a goal and Cam Zurhaar and Darling joined in at the other end.
The last quarter was a nervous race to the finish, with the siren just arriving in time for North Melbourne, who have suddenly found the defensive intent needed to win such matches.
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