KANGAROOS' key forwards Kate Shierlaw and Tahlia Randall kicked bags of five and four respectively against Euro-Yroke on Saturday afternoon to guide the Roos to a 92-point win. 

The two kicked nine of their side’s 13 goals to help guide the Roos to a 14.15 (99) to 1.1 (7) in front of a crowd of 1,832.

SAINTS v KANGAROOS Full match coverage and stats

It was first playing last on the ladder, but for periods of Saturday’s game, it seemed a lot closer.

In the club’s first home game at RSEA Park, Euro-Yroke came out ready to compete with the back-to-back premiers, challenging the Kangaroos in the windy conditions.

But it was like waiting for the dam wall to break, which it eventually did off the back of North Melbourne’s tall forwards, Shierlaw and Randall.

The Saints jumped out of the blocks early when tall forward Jessie Tawhiao-Wardlaw had the first shot on goal for the game, but her inaccuracy for the season continued, missing early.

The Saints forward has now started the year kicking one goal and four behinds, well down on her usual output.

At the other end, Shierlaw couldn’t miss, kicking three goals before the half-time break.

North’s midfield, led by Jasmine Garner (38 disposals, 11 clearances), lifted in the second term and the goals came off the back of their entries inside 50.

The Kangaroos kicked the first six goals of the match, before Euro-Yroke midfielder Ash Richards scored the Saints' first and only goal for the game just before the half-time break.

St Kilda’s defenders put up a fight, Paige Trudgeon (nine intercept possessions) and Bianca Jakobsson (eight), doing their best to reduce the damage, but the weight of numbers from North Melbourne, whose run and carry broke down St Kilda’s defence, meant the Roos piled goals on the scoreboard.

The sting had well and truly come out of the game in the final term, when the Roos dominated inside 50s 14-2.

In the final moments of the match, Shierlaw took a mark inside 50 and passed it off to milestone player Emma King who in her 100th game snapped truly on her left foot, much to the joy of her teammates and Roos fans.

Win fit for a King
One of North Melbourne’s inaugural players, Emma King, notched up her 100th game on Saturday afternoon. It’s been a storied journey for the now 32-year-old ruck/forward who played the first two seasons with Collingwood, where she was one of the club’s marquee signings. King also played in the first-ever AFLW game at Ikon Park against Carlton in front of the sell-out crowd. Now, 11 seasons later, King is a two-time premiership player with the Roos, a two-time All-Australian, and in Saturday’s game she booted a goal, had 11 disposals and three marks.

Up next
Both teams have an eight-day break until their next games. Euro-Yroke plays Richmond on Sunday afternoon at 1:05pm at Windy Hill, whilst North Melbourne takes on Carlton in its first game at Arden St for the season, also on Sunday at 3:05pm.

EURO-YROKE                   0.1   1.1   1.1   1.1     (7)
NORTH MELBOURNE      2.4   6.6   9.9   14.15  (99)

GOALS
Euro-Yroke: Richards
North Melbourne: Randall 5, Shierlaw 4, Sheerin 2, Boague, Riddell, King

BEST
Euro-Yroke: Watson, Richards, Smith, Trudgeon, Jakobsson
North Melbourne: Shierlaw, Garner, Randall, Riddell, Kearney

INJURIES
Euro-Yroke: Nil
North Melbourne: Nil

Reports: Nil

Crowd: 1,832 at RSEA Park