8 hours ago
Kangaroos keen to muscle in on footy-mad WA
North Melbourne want to become Western Australia's third-favourite team, and coach Alastair Clarkson hopes the club's rich Sandgroper history will help make it a happy marriage with fans.
The Kangaroos' three-year deal to sell two games a season to WA got off to the perfect start on Sunday when they beat West Coast by 10 points in Bunbury.
North Melbourne will "host" Fremantle at Optus Stadium on Saturday night, with each game the club has sold to WA worth a reported $1m.
The contract helps replace the deal North Melbourne previously had with Tasmania, and coach Alastair Clarkson says WA is a good fit for his club.
Cam IN FRONT!#AFLNorthEagles
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"We have seven or eight West Australians on our list," Clarkson said.
"Historically our club has had a strong link - Brownlow medallist in Ross Glendinning, the Krakouer magic of Jimmy and Phil and many others.
"Our connection to the west has been strong.
"To get an opportunity to play some home games here - it has been such a fertile football state in terms of their passion for AFL footy.
"It seems for the state two teams aren't enough, so we've provided them with the third team, and we're happy to do so."
The Kangaroos will host one game a year in Bunbury and the other one at Optus Stadium.
Sunday's match at Hands Oval attracted a sell-out crowd of 12,715 fans and was the first time an AFL regular-season game had been played in regional WA.
The deal appears to create a win-win situation, with North Melbourne receiving vital funds, and West Coast and Fremantle being able to play an extra game in WA, without their usual rigours of travelling to eastern states.
"With Tassie (the new club in Tasmania) coming in, we had to find another base to provide us with the opportunity to have a nice, happy marriage," Clarkson said.
"We get paid some money to play games here, but we love coming here and fostering relationships with people in the south west.
"There are a lot of locals here and a lot came from Perth - Eagles fans - and there are a stack that have jumped on planes that must please Tourism WA, who made the significant investment in getting North to come here and play games of footy."
SIMPKIN SEALS IT 🫡#AFLNorthEagles
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The Kangaroos trailed by 18 points in the last quarter before kicking the final four goals of the match to snatch the 9.8 (62) to 6.16 (52) win.
It means North Melbourne, with three wins and a draw to their name, are now two-and-a-half wins clear of wooden spoon favourites West Coast (1-12).
Kangaroos defender Charlie Comben was sent off for scans after sustaining a knee to the back in the third quarter.
