Kangaroos communication breakdown led to bench blunder

North Melbourne have blamed a communication breakdown for the interchange fiasco that gifted Sydney the match-winning goal in the dying seconds of their Marvel Stadium clash.

The Kangaroos led by three points with less than a minute on the clock when Liam Shiels and Will Phillips left the ground and were replaced by Tom Powell and Hugh Greenwood.

The changes took North Melbourne over the maximum 75 rotations allowed, resulting in a free kick and 50-metre penalty to Sydney from where the ball was positioned in their forward line.

Swans tall Hayden McLean kicked the simplest of goals to seal the result.

Kangaroos football boss Todd Viney said the club had received a warning from AFL officials that they only had one interchange rotation left before Shiels and Phillips came off the ground.

AAP (C) 2023

Image: The Kangaroos have blamed a communication fault for the interchange fiasco in their loss to Sydney. (Jonathan Di Maggio/AAP PHOTOS)