In a similar vein to previous weeks, the Kangaroos trailed at half-time, only to pile on seven goals to two in the third term before holding on to win by 21 points.
What made the win even more remarkable was that they had just three goal kickers. The unassuming Kyl Ewart booted seven majors, while Nick Lynch took his season tally to 30 with four and Nicholas Brannelly kicked three goals.
Ewart’s versatility was praised by Macleod coach Cristian Brandt.
“Kyl [Ewart] is likely to go to full back next week, he’s not going to like it but we don’t care who is kicking our goals as long as we are getting into dangerous positions,” Brandt said. “Four points is four points – I would take one goal kicker.”
The Cougars, who still lack a key forward presence and were missing the injured Jake Mills, were wasteful in front of goal, recording 3.8 in the second half. However, it was the lack of endeavour around the ball that frustrated Northcote Park coach Jason Heatley the most.
“Clearly we got smashed around the footy,” he said. “We’re a quiet sort of group as it is, so in those situations [around the contest], that’s when we need our leaders to stand up and Bronik Davies was just outstanding, we needed four or five of him out there today.”
Despite Justin White’s dominance in the opening term, Northcote Park was still able to take a slender five-point lead into first break.
In the second term, the game stepped up a notch both in intensity and skill, almost as if the first quarter had been a lacklustre dress-rehearsal for the real thing.
Matthew Deledio was instrumental across half-back, displaying composure and sure handedness not befit of the sloppy conditions at Bill Lawry Oval. Equally vital were Brock McLennan’s tireless contributions at the other end of the field – rummaging and burrowing underneath countless contests and competing well above his weight category.
When Bronik Davies swivelled, found space where their seemingly was none and then goaled for the Cougars, Macleod looked shot. It had toiled hard for much of the quarter for little reward and as a result its ensuing fight back immediately after the main break came as a complete shock despite last week’s heroics.
The Kangaroos haven’t lost a quarter in the second half for five weeks and Brandt said it was simply a matter of time before things would click into place: “[I put the second-half down to] fitness and a bit of belief. Our practises that we have been working on all over summer take a long time to come together and today was really good.”
In light of Macleod’s newfound aggression, Northcote Park was unable to win consistent ball in the clinches in the third quarter. When presented with opportunities to foray forward the Cougars were, according to Heatley; “A little too cute” with their decision making and skill execution.
The fact that key playmakers Paul Scanlon and Daniel Ledda were given their marching orders severely debilitated the Cougars’ midfield stocks. This impeded their ability to extract the ball, which by now resembled a sticky mud-cake more than a traditional Kangaroo Sherrin.
Northcote Park briefly threatened in the final term, bringing the margin back to within ten points before Ewart kicked two majors in quick succession to close the door on the home team.
Astonishingly, Macleod its now just one game out of the top five, and with five of its last nine games of the season at De Winton Park, has catapulted into finals contention.
Next week the Kangaroos travel to Montmorency, to take on a team that defeated them by 29-points in Round 1 and has won six of its past seven matches.
Northcote Park, on the other hand, is slipping perilously close to a relegation scrap and will face Whittlesea next Saturday in what shapes as a must-win game for both teams.
Final score: Northcote Park 10.12 (72) def by Macleod 14.9 (93)
