Saturday’s second AFL Round 9 match is between North Melbourne Kangaroos and Brisbane Lions. The opening bounce is set to commence at 4:40pm local time with the game to be played at Etihad Stadium. The home team North Melbourne Kangaroos are the favourites for the match. View our preview and teams for the game between North Melbourne Kangaroos and Brisbane Lions.
Round: Round 9, Saturday May 17, 4:40pm
Stadium: Etihad Stadium
Weather: 22° Mostly sunny.
Featured Bookmakers:
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Odds Comparison:
All odds are subject to change. Odds listed are correct at the time of the latest update.
Tips: North Melbourne to win and cover the minus line.
Preview:
ON PAPER, this looks a relatively easy assignment for North Melbourne. The Roos’ best this year has been good enough for wins over top-four contenders Port Adelaide, Sydney Swans and Fremantle, so taking on the bottom-placed Brisbane Lions at home shouldn’t present too many problems. However, the Roos have been dogged by inconsistency this year and the Lions know that they crumbled under the unrelenting defensive pressure applied by Essendon in round one and Collingwood in round five. The Lions were extremely competitive against the Bombers last week, but North will be keen to atone for its round seven loss to Gold Coast and should be refreshed after the bye. The Roos are also likely to be buoyed by the return of their skipper Andrew Swallow, who is set to play his first match after a long-term Achilles tendon injury.
LAST FIVE TIMES
R16, 2013, Brisbane Lions 18.9 (117) d North Melbourne 17.3 (105) at the Gabba
R4, 2013, North Melbourne 18.17 (125) d Brisbane Lions 9.8 (62) at Etihad Stadium
R9, 2012, North Melbourne 17.10 (112) d Brisbane Lions 15.6 (96) at Etihad Stadium
R18, 2011, North Melbourne 17.20 (122) d Brisbane Lions 11.11 (77) at Etihad Stadium
R9, 2011, Brisbane Lions 10.13 (73) d North Melbourne 8.11 (59) at the Gabba
THE SIX POINTS
1. Both teams’ scoring output has dropped significantly this season. The Lions are averaging only nine goals a game this year compared to 12.5 in 2013, while North is averaging 11 goals a game compared to 15.5 last season.
2. North is equal-last for free kicks received this season alongside Collingwood (103), while the Lions have fared much better and are ranked third in the competition (144).
3. But the Lions have also conceded the second-most free kicks this season and are averaging almost three more a game than North, 18 compared to 15.1.
4. In 45 contests between the teams, North Melbourne holds a 25-19 advantage, with one of the games a draw.
5. The biggest individual goal tally kicked in a North-Lions game is eight, a haul achieved four times, by former North full-forward John Longmire on three occasions and by Lion Jonathan Brown once.
6. Pearce Hanley starred for the Lions when these teams last clashed in round 16 last year, racking up a game-high 25.3 points in the Official AFL Player Ratings. Drew Petrie was the best performed Roo in their disappointing 12-point loss, recording 17.1 points.
Teams:
North Melbourne Kangaroos
B: Luke McDonald, Joel Tippett, Aaron Mullett
HB: Nick Dal Santo, Scott D. Thompson, Shaun Atley
C, Sam Gibson, Andrew Swallow, Leigh Adams
HF, Lindsay Thomas, Aaron Black, Brent Harvey
F, Majak Daw, Drew Petrie, Lachlan Hansen
Fol, Todd Goldstein, Jack Ziebell, Ben Cunnington
I/C, Ryan Bastinac, Sam Wright, Levi Greenwood, Robin Nahas
Emg, Brad McKenzie, Liam Anthony, Scott McMahon,
In, Andrew Swallow, Sam Wright, Robin Nahas,
Out, Nathan Grima (Foot), Michael Firrito (Omitted), Brad McKenzie (Omitted)
Brisbane Lions
Backs: Gardiner Clarke Patfull
Half-backs: Hanley Adcock Cutler
Centres: Paparone Redden Raines
Half-forwards: Rockliff Paine Taylor
Forwards: Green Merrett Brown
Followers: West Aish Zorko
Interchange: Beams Lisle Lester Golby
Emergencies: Crisp Robertson Close
In: Lisle Golby Beams
Out: Maguire (suspended) Mayes (concussion) Robertson
