North Melbourne's finals hopes hit after 68-point defeat by Adelaide Crows

North Melbourne suffered a 68-point loss to the Adelaide Crows at the Adelaide Oval in round 10 of the 2026 AFL season. The Crows finished 133-65, driven by a dominant second quarter in which they kicked ten goals and held the Roos to just two behinds, creating a 66‑point halftime lead.

Coach Alastair Clarkson described the performance as the "worst quarter for the year by a long way" and called the result an “aberration.” He noted the Crows’ pressure rating of 294 in the half and praised their clean, high‑pressure play, while emphasizing that the Roos did not capitulate in the second half. The defeat dropped North Melbourne from fifth place to 12th on the ladder, with a percentage falling to 96.7, effectively ending their chance to break a decade‑long finals drought in 2026.

The loss also marked the Crows’ highest‑scoring quarter in almost 11 years and only the sixth time in club history they have scored more in a single term.