North Melbourne fans turn on AFL club over Lions horror show

North Melbourne fans have run out of patience, turning on the AFL club in a savage reaction to their latest defeat.

The Lions thrashed the hapless Roos. Photos: Getty Images

All that fans of most AFL teams want is some hope each year, but in round four, 2024, it seems North Melbourne fans have run out of it completely.

The Roos, who had lost their first three games entering Gather Round in Adelaide, took on fellow winless club Brisbane Lions at Norwood Oval.

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If North fans had some hope of getting off the mark entering the game, it was very quickly extinguished in a one-sided contest as the Lions romped to a 16.16 (112) to 6.6 (42) win.

The Lions slammed through seven goals to two for a 33-point lead at quarter-time and the knives were already out for Alastair Clarkson’s team, with many using the same word to describe the Roos.

“Don’t need experience to try. This is pathetic,” was one comment on X, formerly Twitter.

“Every piece of criticism is warranted. A pathetic football club in every aspect,” wrote another.

“Appalling. We’ve almost gone backwards,” added another.

“Show some pride in the jumper, this is pathetic,” wrote a fourth.

The Kangaroos fired very few shots at Norwood Oval. (Photo by Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

It didn’t improve from there, with the lead extending to 56 points by halftime.

The teams then kicked two goals apiece in a quiet third term, before the Queenslanders again kicked away to secure the easiest of breakthrough wins, finishing with a 70-point trouncing to kickstart their season.

The vicious social media reaction only intensified, with the worst of the comments coming in direct replies to North’s official account.

“Just fold, honestly be less painful if we did,” suggested one embattled fan.

“This club has no spine!” wrote another. “As bad as it gets. Everyone is tired of the excuses, you don’t need talent to bust your ass to chase, tackle, defend. Professional AFL players who cannot hit a target.”

The Lions marched to their first victory of 2024. (Photo by Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

The Roos were only spared the wooden spoon in 2023 on percentage to fellow three-win team West Coast.

In the three years prior to that, the Roos finished 18th, 18th and 17th, with their last finals appearance coming in 2016, when percentage allowed them to snatch eighth over St Kilda.

Other fans pointed out just how low the team had fallen in terms of competitiveness.

“Didn’t have high expectations for this game, but that was simply pitiful,” another fan wrote. “Would not even beat (West Coast) with that effort.”

“Really disappointed it’s only taken four rounds for the bottom to fall out of the side,” added another. “It’s like watching a crap high school team beat up on a primary school team.”

Another fan wrote the team’s fans can “look forward to WW3”, while we’ll leave the final comment to a fan that had sympathy for another outfit that rarely gets any love.

“I feel sorry for the commentators,” they wrote.