1998 Premiership Season

Goals: Carey 5, Abraham 2, Rock 2

Best: King, Carey, Stevens.

North Melbourne had a hard fought victory over the West Coast Eagles at Subiaco today. The game was a battle of attrition with both sides throwing everything at each other. The difference between the sides was once again Wayne Carey who's second quarter destruction of arch rival Glen Jackovich yielded four goals. The Ground looked terrible with Rugby lines and ugly green patches all over the ground due to a Union game being played at the ground on the previous night.

West Coast got the first goal of the game through Fraser Gehic after an unlucky bounce beat the defence. North was attacking the footy well early on. Worsford and King went at each other, Worsfold gave him a bump but King came back hard and a scuffle developed between the two sides. North got the free kick. WCE got the second goal as well though the same method the ball bounced the wrong way into the path of an Eagle who flipped it over the top to Ball waiting in the square. David King had two chances early but missed them both. Carey was more then holding his own in the dual with Jackovich, he did well to set up Abraham running back with the flight but Winston missed what he should have taken although he was unlucky not to get a free. North were lucky, the Matera brothers combining but stuffing it up, WCE had a lot more of the play which was a bit of a worry. King after missing some easy ones kicked a superb goal after North again went running back into the open spaces. Its was a great goal dribbling along the ground from an impossible angle. Read got it back for the Eagles though. Peter Bell who had been a bit quite early read the play well running onto the ball and kicking North's second goal. Shocking umpiring David King was decked in front of the umpire by Matera and the umpire didn't award a free, King did the same a few moments latter and the Eagles were given a free kick down field that resulted in a goal. North didn't need frees to goal though Carey outpointed Jackovich flipped it over the goalward running Rock who put it though. At quarter time North trailed the Eagles by 8 points.

North started well in the second term but couldn't convert , Brady Anderson was robbed of a goal by the over padded Western Australian goal posts. The Eagles nearly got another goal from a relayed free but Simpson touched it on the line. West Coast did get the first goal of the term though. A great tackle by Pickett injured Kemp who had been causing us trouble. Wayne Carey then took over for North he got his first goal for the afternoon and followed soon after again beating Jackovich. Carey was well on top he left Jackovich for dead 5 minutes later and went back and slotted it though from 45 metres out to level the scores. The next goal was the best of the lot taking the ball he took Jackovich on ran straight passed him and drilled it from hard on the boundary line. Carey had North's last three and could have got a forth soon after again marking in front of Jackovich, it mattered not though as Abraham slotted a goal and North was off and running. Malthouse dragged Jackovich both teams were going in very hard but it was the Eagles who managed to get the next goal. Archer was hit hard by Worsfold players continued to barrel into each other. Robert Scott snapped a beautiful goal to give North a bit of breathing space again. North got the next one King dashing though the middle before kicking to Carey who kicked his 4th. Ben Cousins has a chance but North were lucky and he missed. A stupid mistake by Banfield let North off the hook again moments later and North were able to go into the main chance 20 points in front.

Anthony Stevens had a good second term, North were on top in midfield after struggling in the early going, we have Pickett to thank for that the Eagles struggled after Kemp went off and although McKernan wasn't having an impact on the game Hewitt was doing well and North was able to take it away from the centre on a number of occasions. North started the second half well launching forward, a goal coming thanks to Anthony Rock. North followed it up with another after King had a kick part smothered while running into goal, there was three others waiting though and Abraham kicked the goal. The Eagles had a few chances but they missed, Macintosh was doing a much better job on Carey although the tactics he was using weren't exactly legal. North had total control of the game at this point, the injuries were mounting for the Eagles and North was able to run the ball out of the backline with ease. Cousins got the Eagles a goal to keep then in with a bit of a chance. Matera had a chance to goal but a lovely smoother by Scott denied him and North were able to clear from defence. A great chase by Wooden running down Abraham to stop a certain goal. Brady Anderson had his kick touched on the line, North only needed one more you felt to kill off the Eagles. Heady chipped in and stole the ball in the forward line to kick West Coast the goal they needed and all of a sudden they were back within striking distance. A great bit of play by Bell who ran down the wing and crossed it into King who marked but he missed it unfortunately. The Eagles got another goal to really close in and they had wrestled the ascendancy from North. The Eagles missed two gettable shots in the last minute of the term to allow North to stay 14 points clear.

North got the start they wanted in the final term, the ball falling to Sholl who was in space and ran in for the easy goal. The gap was back to 20 and it gave North enough to start to close the game down if they wanted to , Pikett was doing well across half back but he was a bit slack allowing Heady an opportunity to get the Eagles back in it. Another mistake by the Roos let the Eagles goal , Hewitt and Sholl both going at the ball on the ground spoiling each other and allowing the Eagles to swoop on it. They were still trying hard, Morrison just getting back to touch a certain North goal. North were the desperate ones soon after getting back to touch an Eagles ball on the line. North kicked the ball out on the full from the kick out but King made up for it defending well when the ball came back in. Worsfold marked in front and from the through in but again North were let off the hook with a bad kick. North though had stopped completely and it wasn't long till the Eagles got a goal and now they only trailed by a single goal. North Melbourne's season was on the line now. North went forward but the Eagles rushed a behind after Carey was again held out of the contest. Next time the ball came down though the Champ was up to it wrestling his way to the front and marking in the goal square. His 5th goal gave us a 13 point lead. North went forward again but it was turned over the Eagles burst forward and Matera marked the ball 30 out. Once again luck smiled on the Roos Matera kicked a shocker. Simpson nearly killed off the game but just missed, it was a handy point though. Worsfold was running into the open goal but he was run down by Scott brilliantly. It was the Eagles last chance and North were able to run the clock down. North won by 14 points.