Roos edge Swans in AFL pre-season clash

Recruit Nathan Hrovat helped a new-look North Melbourne to a come from behind two-point AFL pre-season win over Sydney on Sunday.

Hrovat, who was traded from Western Bulldogs, kicked the first two goals of the final quarter in Coffs Harbour to tilt the game in North’s favour.

Ben Cunnington and Declan Mountford added further majors to seal the 0.9.11 (65) to 0.8.15 (63) win.

“He (Hrovat) is pretty polished, he’s a smart player, he knows what to do,” acting Kangaroos coach Leigh Tudor said.

“He’s fitted in really well to the group. He’s energetic and bubbly and I think we’ll see a bit more of him.”

Down 22-2 at the first break, North outscored the Swans six goals to three after halftime.

It was a spirited effort from a North side which lost almost 1800 games of AFL experience from last year.

“It’s been an exciting pre-season, there’s a whole different feel to the club,” Tudor said.

“You can see out there today they are excited, they want to play for each other and they want to learn off the older guys.”

Captain Jack Ziebell and fellow stalwarts Shaun Higgins, Jamie McMillan, Shaun Atley and Cunnington all impressed for the Kangaroos.

Of their younger brigade, robust ruckman Braydon Preuss and young defenders Ed Vickers-Willis and Sam Durdin did well.

Last year’s Rising Star winner Callum Mills was a standout for the Swans, tallying match-highs of 29 possessions and eight marks.

Zak Jones and Isaac Heeney showed plenty of zest in midfield, where each could find themselves spending more time this season.

First round draft pick Oliver Florent, ruckman-forward Darcy Cameron and defender Jack Maibaum were the youngsters praised by acting Swans coach Brett Kirk.

Florent kicked two first-quarter goals to give Sydney the early ascendancy.

North scored the first 16 points of the second quarter, but still trailed by 12 at the long break and four at the final change.

“We were happy with the intent and the hit and the pressure put on the ball,” Kirk said.

“We felt we probably turned it over a bit in the second half and let them back in.”

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