Courtenay Munn boots four goals in North Melbourne’s big AFLW win over Western Bulldogs
Four goals to Courteney Munn and a barnstorming second term has helped North Melbourne’s AFLW side hold off a late charge from the Western Bulldogs and continue its unbeaten start to the season.
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Courteney Munn announced herself as an AFLW player of the future when she drilled four goals on debut to help North Melbourne tame reigning premier the Western Bulldogs by 31 points in Launceston last night.
Munn’s first three kicks in the AFLW reaped 2.1 and she ended a cracking debut with a sensational inside-out dribble goal early in the last term.
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Munn, 20, drafted at pick 36 last year from VFLW club Southern Saints, said her first goal was the most memorable.
She kicked 10 goals in 14 games for the Saints last season, her first season playing forward after 10 games and one goal in 2017.
“When I marked the ball I turned around and hoped I wouldn’t miss it,” she said.
“It went through and I was pretty stoked with that.
“It was just a special night.
“I was pretty nervous before the game but the girls got around me and I owe them so much for their support.”
After a tight opening quarter, the Tassie Kangaroos went to the long break leading 33-2 and looking dangerous.
The Bulldogs kicked their first goal of the game to open the third term through Aisling Utri and the first of the last through Katie Brennan to get within 16 points.
But Munn torpedoed the resurgence with back-to-back goals within two minutes.
Jenna Bruton (21 disposals), former Bulldog star and reigning AFLW best-and-fairest winner Emma Kearney (17) and Jamie Stanton dominated for the Kangaroos, and Tasmanian Britt Gibson was impassable in her new role at full-back after playing in the midfield at the Brisbane Lions.
Monique Conti worked hard for the Bulldogs and finished with 17 possessions.
Bulldogs coach Paul Groves said his team needed the eight-day break they now have to deal with the reality check.
“They are a good team, strong all over the ground,” he said.
“Apart from a period of seven or eight minutes in the second term, things were pretty even.
“The main thing we take away from the game is that we can compete with the best teams.”
North Melbourne, which thrashed Carlton by 36 points in Round 1 and Greater Western Sydney by 25 points in Round 2, is now a game clear on top of the ladder, while the Bulldogs slipped to 2-1.
The Tassie Kangaroos will be in Melbourne for the first time this season next Sunday afternoon to meet Melbourne at Casey Fields, while the Bulldogs will be back at Whitten Oval on Saturday night in the grand final rematch against the Brisbane Lions.
SCOREBOARD
NORTH MELBOURNE 8.5 (53)
WESTERN BULLDOGS 3.4 (22)
Goals
North Melbourne: C Munn 4 J Cameron J Garner K Ashmore M Hope
Western Bulldogs: A Utri E Mackie K Brennan
Official Crowd: 3,123 at University of Tasmania Stadium.
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