North Melbourne ruckman Tristan Xerri seems to be settling in well at his new home away from home out west.
A crowd of 15,000 was on hand to take in North’s come-from-behind victory over West Coast on Sunday, a game Xerri starred in with 22 touches and 10 clearances to help lead the Roos to their third win of the season.
The blustery, sometimes unpredictable conditions made life difficult, but Xerri thinks a strong turnout from the Shinboner faithful helped the Roos overcome the conditions and score four goals in the final term.
“We actually played there in the preseason, so we got a taste of it,” Xerri told SEN’s Sam Edmund on Monday. “It was good, we were there for captains runs, the fans showed up. Credit to all the North fans as well, it's pretty unbelievable to have all the support we have in a little country town in WA.”
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North, who chose to sell off games to Western Australia and South West City for the next three years, remain in Perth this week for a Saturday twilight game against Fremantle at Optus Stadium.
While the facilities at Hands Oval likely pale in comparison to the lavish locker rooms at one of Australia’s most expensive stadiums, Xerri gave rave reviews on Bunbury’s proximity to the beach.
“We’re right on the beach, we went for a swim after the game and it was a two minute walk. The boys are loving it, looking forward to coming back,” Xerri added.
The Roos plan to spend the week in Freo as they prepare to tackle a quick six-day turnaround against a Dockers side returning fresh from the bye.