“AT THE moment they’re unbeatable,” were the words uttered by Collingwood coach Sam Wright in reference to the red-hot ladder-leading North Melbourne who disposed of his young side by 45 points on the weekend. The Roos have won the last 16 matches, with their most recent defeat coming in the 2023 AFLW Grand Final.

Only a draw to Geelong last season took any points off the eventual premiers, with North Melbourne quickly racing to 4-0 in the opening month of the season. The Roos dominance was so stark that a 45-point win over the Pies saw their percentage drop below 500, though they are still nearly 200 per cent clear of second placed Melbourne. By comparison, the Pies had the chance to knock off the Dees with a kick after the siren that cannoned into the post a week earlier.

Post-match, Wright was asked what it took to beat a team like North Melbourne, and the former Roos player said it was about playing to a system, knowing the system, putting pressure on said system, and having to play a full four quarters.

“I think they play the same system for a number of years now,” he said. “They’ve got really experienced players that have continued to play that system for a long time now. “They’re just professional in everything they do.

“I think to beat them it’s around taking away what they’re really good at, but I also think it’s going at them, it’s not trying to defend them, it’s the way that you move the ball, it’s putting them under pressure, but at the moment they’re unbeatable at the moment. The history tells you the last 15-16 games.”

North Melbourne coach Darren Crocker was not quite willing to buy into the ‘unbeatable tag’ when asked if anyone could beat the Roos. Instead, he took a more philosophical approach.

“Look you know there’s an old saying, for every win you get closer to your next loss,” he said. “But we don’t concentrate on that, for us it’s just if we continue to stay in the present.

“It’s a bit cliche to say, but we really do have become like growth within our group has been able to stay in the week, do what we have to do this week to perform and play somewhere near our best, and we know that if we play somewhere near our best, it’s going to be pretty strong.”

Crocker praised the Pies’ defence and ability to swarm then move the ball quickly, which was a different look to what the Roos had faced to-date.

“We knew coming into the game they would defend a little bit differently to what we’ve been up against the last couple of weeks,” he said. “They like to play with a really strong team defence, drop off, hold their shape behind the ball and if you don’t use the ball, if you don’t use your numbers which was difficult especially given the windy conditions, that can cause you a few headaches.

“But I just thought that the longer we persisted and the more we were able to get the ball inside our forward 50, especially if we got it in there quite quickly at times, or the balance between quick and a little bit of composure, we were then able to hit the scoreboard.”

Wright said it was a great test for such a young defence to get an idea of what it is like going up against the best team in the competition. The Pies battled grimly, conceding 48 inside 50s, but keeping the Roos to just 16 per cent goal efficiency.

“I think we want to have the foundation of a really strong defensive system,” he said. “You know though with a side like North Melbourne, arguably the best side that’s played in AFLW, they’re going to test you, and I thought we did really well to be organised and disciplined.

“Unfortunately against the best sides, things happen a lot quicker. Your decisions around the contest have got to be quicker, your decisions with ball in hand have to be quicker, and they’re just so clean around the contest that they really challenged us in that area.

“But in saying that, there was some really good signs from our defensive system when we managed to set it up really well. “It was a great lesson for us that’s within your control and you need to do it for a full game against the best side in the comp.”