North Melbourne v Western Bulldogs LIVE: Kangaroos out to mark centenary game as ‘Libba’ notches game 250 for Dogs

North Melbourne have lifted with Nick Larkey banging on three goals to give the Kangaroos the lead. The group has lifted for the occasion.

The Bulldogs are celebrating Tom Liberatore’s 250th match and are off to a flier with two goals within the first three minutes flattening the Kangaroos after their huge build-up.

Poor old Pagan’s passion is not having the desired effect.

Denis Pagan, the ’96 and ’99 premiership coach, has just revved up the North huddle, which was enclosed by another huddle of Kangaroos legends including Wayne Carey, Adam Simpson, “Boomer” Harvey, Malcolm Blight, and countless others. Pagan seemed a little nervous as he ran through North’s history of survival and success.

He finishes by imploring the current North players to “put your bodies on the line”!

Here’s the full speech.

Oh, now Roaming Brian is grabbing some of the old players near the race for Channel Seven, including Ross Glendinning, Jason McCartney and AFLW premiership coach Darren Crocker.

Here are some scenes from earlier, inside the rooms.

There are no late changes and the subs have been named:

North Melbourne: Robert Hansen jnr
Western Bulldogs: Lachlan McNeil

The heroes of that 1975 premiership have been joined by North Melbourne’s 300-game players, who are being paraded around the boundary in cars now, and the club’s other living legends.

There’s been a lot of noise about who would and who wouldn’t turn up, but one man who wouldn’t miss it is David Dench, who was the youngest VFL captain and revolutionised the full back position by turning it into an attacking weapon.

He told Peter Ryan in an interview this week that he has one regret from his footy career, that his daughter, Michelle, who was a gun footballer and basketballer, didn’t get to play AFLW for North.

Read the full story here. 

Good evening, everyone, but especially to all the Shinboners out there as it’s a massive night for the club.

North are celebrating their centenary, the 50th anniversary of their first VFL-AFL flag in 1975, and last year’s historic AFLW premiership.

The Dogs are in milestone mode, too, with Tom Liberatore playing his 250th game. He and his Dad, Brownlow Medal winner Tony, are only the second father-son combo to each play 250 matches for the same club. The other pair is Dustin and Ken Fletcher, of Bombers fame.

Follow along as we bring you all the on and off-field action from Marvel Stadium