Review Round 5, 2026 - North Melbourne vs. Brisbane Lions

[braddsey]

I learnt that I'm still a nut case who loses it when an opposition i don't rate gets ahead of us in any part of a game.

I'm absurd. I believed we'd win, even when behind, but I still have the emotional reaction of a ... of a ... of a bloody toddler (aka football fan).

Is so frustrating. I want to be a grown up managing my emotions but don't want to stop watching the Lions. What to do?!?

Lobotomy sounds like your only path forward.

 

[Gadzorks]

Lobotomy sounds like your only path forward.

Tis been mentioned by others. Many others.

 

[Elixuh]

Lobotomy sounds like your only path forward.

That’s wha this website is for

 

[martinson]

Really thought the tag on Ashcroft worked to our advantage today.

Ashcroft was still able to have an impact and Neale ran riot. Back to his very best form. Injury free and no one bothering him.

 

[luthor]

I’m curious if the accidental elbow to the head that Kai received will be sighted. No concussion, but ultimately not dissimilar to Harris’s incident - fortunately more of a glancing blow.

Glad you mentioned this.

Very similar to the HA incident. Elbow flung back by the North player, intention unclear

It's ridiculous that these sort of incidences are assessed entirely on outcome rather than intent.

 

[luthor]

Really thought the tag on Ashcroft worked to our advantage today.

Ashcroft was still able to have an impact and Neale ran riot. Back to his very best form. Injury free and no one bothering him.

Good luck to oppos trying to tag all of Lachie, Wash and Clug.

Lachie looked great and Clug exceeded my expectations considering limited game time

 

[SpecialBruce]

Gather round is a shit concept in a shit state on shit grounds

 

[martinson]

Gather round is a shit concept in a shit state on shit grounds

Didn't seem much of a crowd at the big game tonight either.

Totally lacked atmosphere.

 

[JasRulz63]

Unnecessary and silly by Zorko, but Curtis doesn't mind going studs up when he goes for his marks from time to time.

 

[Mazza44]

Didn't seem much of a crowd at the big game tonight either.

Totally lacked atmosphere.

Our game was apparently sold out yet there were plenty of seats empty in the stands.

 

[DERRINALPHIL]

Our game was apparently sold out yet there were plenty of seats empty in the stands.

I think a lot of those empty seats were empty because their patrons were standing along the fence.

 

[Leuy LongerCombo]

It was a tick the box type of game, turned it on for a small patch and got the win, think we will move on pretty quickly though.

Thought Berry was great early, Neale was the standout. Was good for Will to get some attention, he will need to learn to deal with it better, but again a decent learning curve. Game time for McCluggage.
Draper was impressive again and Allen seems to be fitting in better than I expected.

Ty had some good and not so good moments, I think we will stick with him just so we get an understanding of his longterm propects there

 

[twhowler]

It was a tick the box type of game, turned it on for a small patch and got the win, think we will move on pretty quickly though.

Thought Berry was great early, Neale was the standout. Was good for Will to get some attention, he will need to learn to deal with it better, but again a decent learning curve. Game time for McCluggage.
Draper was impressive again and Allen seems to be fitting in better than I expected.

Ty had some good and not so good moments, I think we will stick with him just so we get an understanding of his longterm propects there

Yeah I think we got a bit lucky - umps helped us a bit. And North missed some sitters. But we missed our own shots earlier.

That said we did what a good side does - took stock at half time, got a good lead, and won a game in conditions that don't suit against a pretty dogged opponent

Clugga showed us what we have been missing with his poise and kicking.

Not too worried about Zorko out. Will be good to get a look at our backline without him, and Kiddy can maybe take some more responsibility. Am I the only one who thought he got Curtis on the thigh??

Berry would be close to leading our b and f so hoping he gets off. Seemed like forearm rather than fist. And low impact in that he got straight up. His tackling was awesome. And he has way more poise than he used to in the back half. He is a player that has improved year on year rather than dramatically at one point and I think he has become a bit underrated. Could have been a fun without his shoulders I suspect.

Big game against Melbourne in that if we win we are back on track for top 4, but a loss and 3-3 is on the back foot again. another game we should win but is no lay down misere. Some talk of Melksham missing on the dees board.

 

[DarthLehnsherr]

Another frustrating watch but I do think credit has to go to North more than any lack of effort from our part.

The good news is Allen, Draper, Kiddy and Linc have now settled in very well. It'll be an interesting convo as to who is left out if Answerth is fit next week. Thought Washcroft fought the tag well in the second half and Neale ran riot as a result.

Fletcher and Dunks continue to have very underwhelming performances though maybe it's not a coincidence with the off season surgeries but especially Dunks we're seeing how much we're taking for granted the high level he was playing last year.

 

[The Zork]

We’ve turned into the heel of the league. Everyone sick of us winning. Wanting our downfall.

I’m embracing it.

 

[Nunez]

We’ve turned into the heel of the league. Everyone sick of us winning. Wanting our downfall.

I’m embracing it.

Rumour has it Fagan is going to wear an NWO shirt to the next press conference

 

[Tom14]

Thought without Parker we probably beat them by 10+ goals. He did so much for them defensively and setting up their attack.

He’s like Japanese soldiers still fighting in the pacific, he still thinks it is the fourth quarter of the 2024 grand final.

 

[braddsey]

It'll be an interesting convo as to who is left out if Answerth is fit next week.

That’s the easy one. Zorko is out injured and possibly suspended.
The interesting discussion is who comes in for Zorko if Answerth doesn’t get up.

 

[Section 5]

Our game was apparently sold out yet there were plenty of seats empty in the stands.

I am not sure if it was a sellout.
The day before i looked to see if tickets were available and they were.

Official crowd was 10,613
Below from Austadiums
.........................................

Barossa Park, officially known as the Lyndoch Recreation Park, is an Australian football and cricket facility located in the regional South Australian town of Lyndoch in the Barossa Valley. A $45 million redevelopment of the facility was completed in 2025 ahead of Gather Round, where two AFL matches will be played in April.

Works included a new multi-purpose building comprising a 300-seat event space and clubrooms with commercial kitchen, multi-sport change facilities and gym. The venue includes a mini Adelaide Oval replica bar and service area to support events and the cricket club, plus new netball courts, a recreation green and second oval, athletics track, shelters, a new playground and family garden, more carparks and a formalised roadway.

For Gather Round, Barossa Park's 5,000 capacity was doubled to 10,000 in 2025 with the installation of temporary grandstands and then further to 12,000 for 2026, while other infrastructure will be brought in including video screens, spectator and corporate facilities.

 

[Conlan12]

Gather round is a shit concept in a shit state on shit grounds

Get out. Go on, get out. How dare you question the wisdom of the almighty AFL. Outrageous.

Anyway, good to get away with the 4 points. Looking forward to next week. I'm sure this will come across the wrong way but losing Zorko could be a blessing in disguise?

 

[braddsey]

Get out. Go on, get out. How dare you question the wisdom of the almighty AFL. Outrageous.

Anyway, good to get away with the 4 points. Looking forward to next week. I'm sure this will come across the wrong way but losing Zorko could be a blessing in disguise?

If it is and the backline purrs, selection will get very interesting when he’s fit again.

 

[Quigley]

I think a lot of people underestimated North yesterday. They put on a lot of pressure and this was the type of game we would often lose in the last couple of years. Also I thought the backline held up well. The mids turned it over a bit and it was coming in pretty fast and whilst there were a few goals this way I thought they covered well.

Gallop is coming on quickly in the backline and his athleticism stood out. I like the idea of having him as a swingman going forward.

 

[morsie]

Get out. Go on, get out. How dare you question the wisdom of the almighty AFL. Outrageous.

Anyway, good to get away with the 4 points. Looking forward to next week. I'm sure this will come across the wrong way but losing Zorko could be a blessing in disguise?

Strikes me as an occasion for the AFL "elite" to get on the piss and tell each other how wonderful they are.

 

[M Malice]

From Fox website:

1. LION’S ‘CRUDE’ ACT TO COME UNDER MRO SCRUTINY

Integral Brisbane midfielder Jarrod Berry is set to come under Match Review scrutiny after what was described as a “crude hit” on North Melbourne’s Dylan Stephens.

In the second quarter, Berry arrived late to a marking contest on the wing involving Stephens, who marked before getting clobbered by Berry’s swinging arm.

Fortunately, the Kangaroos wingman was able to bounce back up and take his kick, with the umpire paying a free kick but not a 50-metre penalty.

At face value, it appeared as though it was a late spoiling attempt by the Lion. But after multiple replays, questions will be asked over whether there was intent behind Berry’s act.

“That was a crude hit from Berry — thankfully Stephens gets to his feet,” Fox Footy caller Leigh Montagna said in reaction.

“That will be certainly looked at, you’d think, from the MRO.”

At half-time, the panel revisited the incident, with Jordan Lewis saying: “I think any time a player gets hit in the head, whether it be from a bump or in this case a swinging arm … it will certainly get looked at.

“I think he might be lucky that Stephens was able to get up and continued to play, which certainly comes into calculations.”

A theoretical grading of careless conduct, medium impact and high contact would result in a one-match suspension. Alternatively, an intentional, low and high grading would still see a one-game ban dealt Berry’s way.


Either way, the media will get their way and the campaigner that Christian is who has always had a hard on for non Victorian teams will on cue give him a suspension even though the North guy was fine and the umps didn’t deem it worthy of a 50m.

The push is on from the Vic media, and that imbecilic media lackey Michael Christian will follow the lead, I do not hold out much hope that Berry will elude suspension.

 

[Paul Mac]

How lovely to hear Matty Lloyd reviewing our game and all he was interested in was saying a premiership team should not be able to access a guy like Oscar Allen

4

Oscar Allen

Age

27

Ht

196cm

Wt

96kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

9.8

2star

K

6.6

3star

HB

3.2

3star

M

3.8

4star

T

2.4

4star

G

1.1

4star

No current season stats available

D

8.6

3star

K

5.8

3star

HB

2.8

3star

M

3.8

4star

T

2.0

4star

G

1.2

4star

to bring into their team.
Geez people are really getting hung up on us being successful.
Come up with something new velvet sledge hammer.