Roos’ Brown can’t leap to Coleman

NORTH Melbourne have ended their AFL season on a winning note but Ben Brown couldn’t kick enough goals in his side’s 23-point victory over St Kilda to claim the Coleman Medal.

With both sides out of finals contention, Brown’s bid to overtake Richmond’s Jack Riewoldt in the race to claim the AFL’s goalkicking award was the main point of interest at Etihad Stadium yesterday.

Needing seven goals to draw level, Brown kicked three in the first half but couldn’t manage another in the 17.15 (117) to 14.10 (94) win to fall short of Riewoldt, who claimed his third Coleman Medal with 65. North were 10th and the Saints 16th heading into the final round of the home-and-away season, with those ladder positions reflected in a poor crowd of 19,866.

The Roos improved to ninth with the result but Alan Richardson’s side remained in 16th spot and finish a season where finals were hoped for, if not expected, with just four wins, a draw and 17 losses.