Controversial non-call helps North Melbourne pull off stunning 43-point comeback win over Gold Coast
North Melbourne has pulled off one of the most remarkable comeback wins in the club's history, with Cam Zurhaar kicking a goal after the siren to grant the club a six-point win over Gold Coast at Marvel Stadium.
They trailed by as much as 43 points in the second term, and officially did not take the lead in the match until after the final siren blew.
The win came with some controversy given Zurhaar's match-winning goal came from a free kick after he was held by Suns defender Wil Powell inside 50.
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Cam Zurhaar celebrates the winning goal. Getty
While the free kick was reasonably clear-cut, the ball bounced over both players' heads in the moment and North stars Nick Larkey and Paul Curtis ran after it, having not heard the whistle in the chaos.
Larkey scooped up the ball and kicked fresh air, failing to score the one point they needed to win. Curtis then pounced and got a kick away while being tackled. His attempt went across the face of goal and also failed to score.
Had the umpire paid advantage, as he certainly could have, the match would have ended in a draw following two failed attempts to score from about a metre from the goal line.
North Melbourne kicked 11 goals to Gold Coast's four after half time to swing the game, pulling off their best win of the season. In the end, it was their biggest half-time comeback since 2005.
Nick Larkey nearly blows it for the Roos. Fox Footy
Veteran forward Jack Darling kicked three goals, while Harry Sheezel finished with 32 disposals.
For the Suns, young key forward Jed Walter kicked three himself while star midfielders Noah Anderson and Matt Rowell both had 31 touches and a goal.
Gold Coast came into 2026 as one of the premiership favourites, but cost themselves a spot inside the top four with the loss.
North Melbourne meanwhile has shown significant growth so far this season after a half decade plastered to the bottom of the ladder.
They'd knocked off four struggling clubs, but this come-from-behind victory against the Suns is the big scalp they were hunting, particularly coming off a poor performance against Adelaide last week.
