North Melbourne star Ben Brown has taken the lead in the Coleman Medal race with a breathtaking 10-goal haul, the rampant Roos running roughshod over a dismal Port Adelaide in an 86-point humiliation at Marvel Stadium.
Brown started the round six goals behind injured GWS star Jeremy Cameron and stormed to the lead with a career-best return in Saturday night’s 22.12 (144) to 8.10 (58) demolition.
Shaun Higgins hit Brown on the chest five minutes into the last quarter and the big Roo converted from just inside 50m to make it to double figures, his return of 10.1 eclipsing Port’s final score off his own boot.
It took something out of the box from Brown to overshadow an awesome display by Todd Goldstein, who monstered Paddy Ryder and Peter Ladhams.
Goldstein had 18 possessions, 16 hitouts, nine clearances and a goal to halftime and finished with a career-high 34 disposals and 28 hitouts in a stunning display of ruck prowess.
North set a new club record with a jaw-dropping 514 possessions to the Power’s 307, with Higgins (38), Ben Cunnington (37) and Jamie Macmillan (34) leading the way.
Young Roo Nick Larkey booted four goals to halftime and finished with a career-best five majors.
A week after recording the club’s lowest-ever AFL score – 1.8 in a big loss to Geelong – North bounded out of the blocks and were never headed by Port, who squandered an opportunity to consolidate a spot in the top eight.
The Roos led by 32 points at the first break, 58 at halftime and 63 at three-quarter time before going on with the job to inflict the Power’s biggest loss of the season.
Ken Hinkley’s side lost nearly six percentage points on a disastrous night that leaves them vulnerable to the chasing pack fighting for eighth spot.
They had few clear winners, Travis Boak toiling hard for his 28 possessions and Robbie Gray booting three goals.
North finished strongly despite having Jed Anderson (hamstring) and Robbie Tarrant (ankle) sitting on the bench injured.
The Roos also lost Paul Ahern to a hamstring injury in warm-up, Nathan Hrovat the late replacement.
North will finish their season against Melbourne in Hobart next week, while Port need to beat Fremantle at home and hope for other results to go their way to play finals.
