1998 Premiership Season

Goals: Harvey 5; Abraham 4; Sholl 2, Blakey 2; Grant, Bell.

North Melbourne came away with a comfortable 29 point win over Port at Football Park last night. North dominated the first half before easing up late in the game to allow Port to add some respectability to the score board.

The match was played in terrible conditions, it rained heavily for most of the night making it hard for both teams. North Melbourne included Brent Harvey as at the last minute for John Longmire and it was a move that turned out to win the game. The conditions suited Harvey to a Tee, he kicked 5 goals himself and set up a few others. It was never going to be a game in which big men dominated, Corey McKernan was kept on the bench for the first three quarters , Bell, Abraham , Harvey , Pickett and Grant were all important players. So too was Craig Sholl who kicked 3 goals although two of them were from free kicks in the goal square.

The game was over as a contest at Quarter time after North kicked 7.1 to 1.1 in the first term. Port kicked the first goal of the game but after that it was all North Melbourne, they hit the packs well forcing the ball forward at every opportunity. North played high quality football despite the terrible conditions. Winston Abraham was again dangerous up forward and there was no way Port would be able to kick the required goals to close the lead. Cummings was taken from the ground in the second term and without him their attack is somewhat limited.

North continued to stretch the lead in the second term kicking four goals to one, Carey switched from Centre half back to Centre half forward and took some strong marks. North's defense was rock solid Martyn and Pike rebounding the few Port attacks that came in the first half. Despite the conditions the game had a number of great goals, Harvey's in the first was good, so to was Blakey who slid over the goal line with him opponent keeping the ball in then recovered the better of the two and putting though the goal.

Port to their credit did keep at North and managed to add some respectability in the second half. They out scored the roos in the 2nd and 3rd Quarters, the only worry to come from the game was an ankle injury to David King that was sustained in the second quarter. McKernan looked dangerous when he was finally put on late in the game, hopefully he will be ready to play a full game against Brisbane next week. In the end North was just too experienced for Port in the conditions, North had got a good recent record in the wet and was better all over the ground.

Next week North take on the strugling Brisbane Lions at the MCG, should be another big win.