North Melbourne edges close to beating Sydney Swans in AFL showdown

North Melbourne Sydney Swans AFL Alastair Clarkson 2026 finals push

North Melbourne recorded 97 points and fell just two goals short of defeating the Sydney Swans in a tightly contested Australian Football League match. The Kangaroos posted 11 different goal scorers and limited the Swans to 67 inside‑50 entries, a defensive performance the club’s coach Alastair Clarkson described as “very, very good”. Key contributors included Luke Parker, Luke Davies‑Uniacke, George Wardlaw, Colby McKercher, Harry Sheezel and emerging forward Zane Duursma, who added 14 goals for the season.

Clarkson praised his side for matching the league’s best team and highlighted the potential for a stronger finals push in 2026, noting the Kangaroos are no longer the league’s easy win and could disrupt the premiership race.

The result underscores North Melbourne’s rising competitiveness and sets a notable benchmark ahead of the upcoming season.

Sources

Unbeaten but untested? Hawks clash set to reveal the Roos' flag credentials [www.bordermail.com.au]

3 months ago

You don't want to play North Melbourne in 2026 [www.zerohanger.com]

3 months ago

'We're making it complicated': late spark helps turn tide in tight start [www.dailyadvertiser.com.au]

3 months ago