North Melbourne pair Zac Fisher and Wil Dawson have been penalised for breaching team rules following a night out drinking in Western Australia. The incident occurred after the Kangaroos' humiliating 124-point loss to Fremantle in Round 13.
Details of the Sanction
The duo were subsequently dropped for the clash with West Coast on Saturday, and it has now emerged they were officially sanctioned for staying out late and consuming alcohol, violating team protocols.
In the loss to Fremantle, former Carlton player Fisher recorded 14 disposals, while Dawson—who has managed just 12 games since debuting in 2024—had four touches.
Club Statement
“The club became aware that Zac Fisher and Wil Dawson failed to meet the standards expected of our team on the night after our game in Bunbury,” North Melbourne said in a statement provided to Channel 7’s The Agenda Setters.
“As a result, they were not available for selection for the match against West Coast and played in our VFL team instead.
“We are building a high-performance culture at the club and on this occasion both Zac and Wil did not live up to those standards.”
Reactions
Agenda Setters host Tom Morris commented: “Clearly a heavy amount of alcohol involved here .... there was no curfew, no alcohol rules, they must have just had a lot.”
AFL expert Kane Cornes added: “Terrible look after a loss such as that.”
The club has not disclosed any further disciplinary measures, but the incident underscores the ongoing efforts to instil a high-performance culture at North Melbourne.
