AFL round 10 Richmond v North Melbourne: All the news, fallout and analysis from the Kangaroos’ four-point win
Cam Zurhaar had to grit his teeth to play a major part of the Roos’ first win in two months. And the mercurial forward has some teammates to thank for the unlikeliest of assists.
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Cam Zurhaar had to grit his teeth through a dramatic case of “elephant foot” to produce the four-goal haul that helped secure North Melbourne’s first win in eight weeks.
The explosive forward was hailed for his mental strength after he faced Richmond on Sunday wearing boots two sizes above his usual fit after sustaining a nasty injury to his left foot in training.
North Melbourne captain Jy Simpkin revealed on the ground after the four-point win that his teammate had burst an artery in his foot which had caused a build-up of fluid and severe swelling.
“He’s massive, and not many people would’ve known, but he came in with a fair injury today,” Simpkin said on Fox Footy.
“To even get up and play, let alone have such an impact on the game, just shows how tough he is and why we love him.”
Zurhaar told the Herald Sun that first-year key defender Matt Whitlock had come to his rescue with his size 15 boots after he decided to play following the training mishap.
The 189cm forward usually wears size 13s, but despite the extra room around his uninjured kicking foot, he still managed to kick 4.0 and have a direct hand in another when goals were at a premium in the tense clash.
“I hurt my foot Thursday, and it blew up, it was the size of an elephant,” Zurhaar said.
“I had to wear size 15 boots today ... some boys had them at the club, I had to borrow them – it was Matt Whitlock, so thanks to him.
Zurhaar came to the bench for treatment during the game, but swatted aside any concern over whether he would struggle to get up for Saturday night’s bumper clash against Collingwood at Marvel Stadium.
“It was just pain, to be honest. Function-wise I was good, it was just all pain,” he said.
‘’If I played today, I’ll be fine next week.”
North Melbourne coach Alastair Clarkson said it was an example to the entire Kangaroos list of the single-mindedness demanded at the senior level.
“His mental strength … he had an interrupted preparation with a bit of a virus and a sore foot that just grumbled along, but he was really important for us, particularly early,” Clarkson said.
“In a low-scoring game, to kick four goals, you’re pretty influential to the final outcome.
“Really pleased with his contribution, but it’s a really good example for all our players – sometimes you’ve got to play under a little bit of duress, and he just managed his mind really, really strongly today and made a contribution to the team that was pretty important for us.”
Zurhaar was the player thrown loose behind the ball in the dying stages as the Kangaroos desperately tried to make amends for their missed chances in the previous three games.
“The last couple of weeks we’ve been going over some things when we’re in close games and what we needed to do … it all comes back to training, and we executed well today,” he said.
UNLIKELY HERO’S MATCH-SAVING MARK VANQUISHES ROOS’ MCG HOODOO
- Ronny Lerner
A game-saving mark from North Melbourne defender Toby Pink has helped the Kangaroos finally break through for their second win of the season in a four-point thriller against Richmond at the MCG on Sunday.
With one last surge at victory, Tigers youngster Kaleb Smith sent a long ball deep into attack in the Tom Lynch direction, but with strength Pink bustled Lynch out of the way to take a strong grab with 40 seconds left.
It would prove to be the last meaningful foray by either side as the Kangaroos held on for a 12.6 (78) to 11.8 (74) victory.
Toby Pink with the HUGE intercept mark at the death for the Kangas
— Fox Footy (@FOXFOOTY) May 18, 2025
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🔢 MATCH CENTRE https://t.co/3AEOo1lVoJpic.twitter.com/Ym6mJs7Etw
But the Tigers were left to rue a controversial umpiring non-decision as North’s Luke Davies-Uniacke appeared to be very fortunate not to be penalised for deliberately sending the ball out of bounds with a handball in Richmond’s forward pocket with 1:28 to go. If the free kick was paid, it would’ve given Richmond a chance to re-take the lead.
Richmond coach Adem Yze believes there would have been a stronger chance of Luke Davies-Uniacke being penalised for deliberately sending the ball out of bounds on Sunday if the incident occurred earlier in the match.
With 1:28 left in the game, and the Tigers trailing by just four points, Davies-Uniacke handpassed the ball over the boundary in Richmond’s forward pocket while being tackled.
However, the umpire surprisingly opted against awarding the Tigers a free kick and a potential shot on goal to give them back the lead, much to their chagrin.
“Well, whether it is (not paid) because it is a tight game (I don’t know). But it’s always a hard one,” Yze said.
“But I reckon ‘Clarko’ (North Melbourne coach Alastair Clarkson) would’ve heard me yell out.
“Yeah, you get frustrated with that sort of stuff because if it was early in the game, they might’ve paid it, but it is what it is. It’s a hard one to umpire at the best of times that rule.”
However, Yze pointed out that earlier in the final term, the Tigers also had chances to level the scores and/or re-take the lead, but Kane McAuliffe and Tim Taranto sprayed their set shots.
After slipping behind at three-quarter time, the Tigers got their noses back in front early in the final quarter, but North hit back with the next two goals on the back of repeat forward 50s and opened up a 12-point lead.
The Kangas could’ve iced the game, but squandered shots on goal from George Wardlaw, Jy Simpkin and Jack Darling kept Richmond alive.
North Melbourne’s biggest strength came to the fore as they smashed the Tigers in clearances 54-33 and centre clearances 14-4.
Tristan Xerri was huge in the ruck for the Kangaroos with 19 possessions (13 contested), 52 hit-outs, 11 clearances (three centre), Luke Davies-Uniacke got better as the game wore on, finishing with 27 disposals (15 contested), seven clearances (three centre) and a goal, while Cam Zurhaar was a constant menace up forward, booting four majors.
Tim Taranto was Richmond’s best again with 30 touches (18 contested) and 10 clearances and Seth Campbell starred in attack with three goals from 15 disposals.
WARDLAW SETS IT UP
Young North bull George Wardlaw displayed his renowned appetite for the contest early in the final quarter when he bumped Nick Vlastuin off the ball on the boundary, kept it alive and handpassed it to Cam Zurhaar who kicked it onto Nick Larkey’s chest. Larkey finished off the play with a converted set shot to put North up by five points at a crucial stage.
LALOR SHOWS STRENGTH
Midway through the second term, No. 1 pick Sam Lalor added another magic moment to his highlight reel when he belied his 188cm of height to take a massive pack mark surrounded by four Kangaroos in the goalsquare before slotting the set shot to get Richmond back within six points.
RALPHSMITH RIPPER
Early in the second period, Hugo Ralphsmith submitted a goal-of-the-round contender when he collected the crumbs, broke a Colby McKercher tackle with strength and, after evading Luke McDonald and Aidan Corr, he dribbled it home magnificently from a very sharp angle in the pocket.
HOT NORTH START
The Kangaroos booted five of the first six majors to lead by 24 points, with three of their first five goals coming from stoppage, as they won the first four centre clearances, and 13 of the first 19 clearances. It led to a territory domination that saw them lead the inside 50s 16-9, and helped the Kangaroos win their first opening quarter since Round 22 last year. Their quarter-time score of 6.0 (36) was their best in 11 months.
DRAFT RAMIFICATIONS
The result was North’s 17th win from their past 117 games and ended their nine-game losing streak at the MCG. Meanwhile, Richmond are now only half a game clear of the Kangaroos, which means their chances of snaring a bonus top-two pick this year have taken a hit after North gave the Tigers their first-round selection in a pick swap.
SCOREBOARD
RICHMOND 2.1, 6.2, 9.6, 11.8 (74)
NORTH MELB. 6.0, 7.1, 10.5, 12.6 (78)
RONNY LERNER’S BEST
Tigers: Taranto, Campbell, Hopper, Banks, Miller, Lalor, Nankervis.
Roos: Xerri, Zurhaar, Davies-Uniacke, Pink, Daniel, Powell, Darling.
GOALS
Tigers: Campbell 3, Lalor 2, McIntosh 2, Lynch 2, Sims, Ralphsmith.
Roos: Zurhaar 4, Larkey 2, Darling 2, Davies-Uniacke, Maley, McKercher, Konstanty.
UMPIRES Hosking, Bryce, Rebeschini, Fry
50,406 at the MCG
PLAYER OF THE YEAR
RONNY LERNER’S VOTES
3 Tristan Xerri (NM)
2 Tim Taranto (RICH)
1 Cam Zurhaar (NM)
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Originally published as AFL round 10 Richmond v North Melbourne: All the news, fallout and analysis from the Kangaroos’ four-point win
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