AFL Round 21 North Melbourne v Richmond: All the news and analysis as Roos hold on at Marvel

Zane Duursma might have taken mark of the year, Luke Davies-Uniacke was unstoppable and North Melbourne registered its first win over a Victorian club since 2022. But where’s Dustin Martin really at?

Dane Heverin

6 min read

August 3, 2024 - 6:38PM

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Richmond coach Adem Yze has admitted Dustin Martin’s future remains clouded beyond the three remaining games in the Tigers’ season.

“We’re in constant dialogue about how his body is feeling and how he’s going to finish off the season,” Yze said after Saturday’s loss to North Melbourne.

“He’s committed to finishing off the season and whatever happens after that, will happen.”

Martin returned to the side for the 13-point defeat at the hands of fellow cellar dwellers North Melbourne – which has likely condemned Richmond to its first wooden spoon since 2007 – after his persistent back issues kept him out of action for five weeks.

He almost blew the roof of Marvel Stadium with a dribbler from the boundary that rolled through for a behind in what would have been the first goal of the game – but his influence diminished as the game went on.

At times he appeared sore when bending down to pick up ground balls and was stuck wrestling with defenders instead of breaking free from them as has been one of his trademarks.

Dustin Martin finished with 16 disposals and two behinds in the loss to North Melbourne. Picture: Daniel Pockett/Getty Images)

Yze said that while he does not have a gauge on whether or not Martin will continue playing in 2025, it is a regular topic of conversation at Punt Road.

“(We are) always in ongoing talks (about Martin’s future). It was great to have him back today for some of our younger players to play beside him,” Yze said.

“(The discussion is mainly) just around the fact that he’s got some energy to finish off the season. That’s all I can ask.

“There were some of the old Dusty moves today and he was a bit frustrated that he couldn’t finish off some of his work. He has had an interrupted couple of months so he got a little bit tired by the end.

“He’ll be better for the run. We’ve got an eight-day break leading into the St Kilda game so really looking forward to him playing his best.”

Richmond will need Martin and premiership teammates in the line-up at their best in the coming weeks to gain some confidence boosting wins and lift themselves from the bottom of the ladder.

Martin walks off the ground with teammate Nathan Broad. Picture: Daniel Pockett/Getty Images

The club’s final ladder position is not of concern to Yze. however, as he is more focused on its style of play which ticked a lot of boxes but did not convert to a victory against the Kangaroos.

Richmond led the inside-50s 66 to 44 as the ball stayed predominantly in its forward half, while it also won the clearance battle 39 to 33.

But the Tigers could not capitalise on those key indicators due to sloppy ball use by foot, both in front of goal and around the ground, which left Yze “really disappointed”.

“The ladder position is irrelevant to us,” he said post-match.

“What we’ve dealt with throughout the year has been pretty tough but our whole mindset around the last six or seven games has been finishing the season strongly for our fans.

“I felt like today they would have come to the game and sensed that our players really cared. Our polish and our execution is just off.”

Young Roos deliver third win – and Tigers the No. 1 pick?

Five goals from Nick Larkey and Luke Davies-Uniacke’s blistering display guided North Melbourne to a nervy 13-point win in their clash with Richmond that is likely to decide the wooden spoon at Marvel Stadium.

The Tigers remain anchored to the bottom of the ladder and appear destined to take pick 1 to the national draft, despite a spirited fightback where they registered six consecutive scores to be within seven points with five minutes remaining in the game.

Five of those scores were behinds, however, and wayward kicking – in front of goal and around the ground – was the tale of the tape for Richmond as the Kangaroos recorded their third win of the year to sit four points clear in 17th position.

Richmond bolstered its line-up with experience as Dustin Martin played his first match in five weeks due to a back issue, while premiership teammates Toby Nankervis (concussion) and Jack Graham (hip) returned – but it was North’s stars that shone brightest.

Luke Davies-Uniacke breaks away from Jacob Hopper. Picture: Daniel Pockett/Getty Images

Davies-Uniacke was sensational with three goals that consisted of two stunners on the run and a set shot floater that somehow found its way through the big sticks to go with a game-high 33 disposals and eight clearances.

Early, the game was played on Richmond’s terms with the ball locked in its forward half for 83% of the opening ten minutes of playing time.

The Tigers were sloppy with their ball use, however, with their kicking efficiency as low as 55% during the first half and it allowed the likes of Colby McKercher to stuff the stats sheet with 15 first-quarter disposals as North’s defenders gained plenty of possessions.

Richmond took the smallest possible lead into half time, but the momentum of the game flipped during the second quarter.

Davies-Uniacke, with support from Harry Sheezel with six clearances from 29 disposals, and Jy Simpkin with a game-high nine inside 50s, wrestled the ascendancy back the Kangaroos’ way and they capitalised with five goals a piece in the second and third terms.

Larkey was the main beneficiary with his bag of five, while Cam Zurhaar, who signed a five-year contract extension during the week, kicked an excellent goal on the run in the second quarter to raise the roof.

Xerri âž¡ï¸ LDU

It's a beautiful sight.#AFLNorthTigers pic.twitter.com/1GTN9bcj0p
— AFL (@AFL) August 3, 2024

Zane Duursma takes flight over Noah Balta. Picture: Daniel Pockett/Getty Images

And he held on to take a mark of the year contender. Picture: Daniel Pockett/Getty Images

Charlie Comben, who has swung between both ends of the ground in recent weeks, was strong in defence alongside Aiden Corr - who took 13 marks - as they both finished with nine intercept possessions.

They were well-supported by Jackson Archer who played the best game of his 20-game career with eight intercept possessions of his own amongst a career-high 20 disposals.

In his 200th appearance, co-captain Luke McDonald was solid defensively, collecting 19 disposals and taking ten marks.

The ruck duel between Nankervis and Tristan Xerri was a fascinating battle as they threw their weight around with the Richmond captain leading the game with 11 tackles, while Xerri had ten of his own, as he also won the hitouts 45 to 35.

The win was North Melbourne’s first against a Victorian side since they defeated the Tigers in 2022 and it faces West Coast in Hobart next week for a shot at back-to-back wins for the first time since rounds 1 and 2 last year.

Toby Nankervis and Tristan Xerri went toe-to-toe in a heavyweight ruck battle. Picture: Daniel Pockett/Getty Images

Luke McDonald chaired off after his 200th game. Picture: Daniel Pockett/Getty Images

Young Roos bring excitement

In his second match back from a five game stint in the VFL, Zane Duursma showed why he was selected with pick four in last year’s draft with a Mark of the Year contender.

The 18-year-old took massive specky over the top of 194cm key defender Noah Balta on the half forward flank in the second quarter that would make the Olympic high jumpers or trampolinists in Paris proud.

Almost as impressive was his contested mark inside forward 50 in the opening term when he sailed in from the side of the pack - one of his game-high two contested marks in the first half - but his resulting set shot slammed into the post.

At the other end of the ground, Jackson Archer - who signed a two-year contract extension during the week - had an equal-game high five intercept possessions to half time while being primarily responsible for Shai Bolton when he started forward.

The 21-year-old father-son selection produced several strong defensive efforts that his father Glenn would be proud of including a brave contested mark deep in defence followed up by a crunching tackle on Jack Graham to win a holding the ball free kick moments later in the second quarter.