First quarter: North Melbourne 8.2 (50) to Melbourne 2.2 (14)
It was a horrible opening term from Melbourne.
North Melbourne absolutely dominated, booting seven goals to zip, before Melbourne registered its first through Aaron vandenBerg at the 24-minute mark.
Sam Gibson started the goal spree and by the 20-minute mark, the Kangaroos led by 42 points.
Ruckman Todd Goldstein had three goals to his name.
Although Melbourne made it two in a row late in the quarter, after Jesse Hogan kicked truly, when Drew Petrie booted North’s eighth goal, it took a 36-point lead into quarter-time.
Second quarter: Melbourne 11.5 (71) to North Melbourne 10.4 (64)
After a remarkable opening quarter by North Melbourne, Melbourne hit back with an even more extraordinary second term.
Not only did Melbourne produce a stunning comeback – kicking nine goals to two – it hit the front and took a seven-point lead into half-time.
Like North Melbourne did in the first term, Melbourne started the quarter with a bang, booting seven goals to nil.
And it took 25 minutes before North Melbourne landed its first for the term via Brent Harvey.
Jack Watts started the comeback for Melbourne with two in a row, while Hogan managed a couple to have three by half-time. Clayton Oliver also booted two for the quarter, while Dom Tyson, Max Gawn and Lynden Dunn – who landed Melbourne’s ninth for the term, just before the long break – were the other goalkickers.
Third quarter: North Melbourne 17.7 (109) to Melbourne 14.7 (91)
The third term was a genuine arm wrestle.
It was goal-for-goal for much of the quarter, with Melbourne holding sway until the Kangas broke the trend in time-on.
North Melbourne broke it with four consecutive goals to claim a 18-point lead at three quarter-time.
Harvey bagged three majors for the term to have five goals by the final change.
Watts booted his third during the quarter, while Gawn added his second and Dean Kent chipped in with his first.
Final quarter: North Melbourne 21.10 (136) to Melbourne 20.11 (131)
Melbourne got off to exactly the start it needed, when Kent kicked his second – just 30 seconds into the term.
By the eight-minute mark, scores were level after Kent booted his third and Nathan Jones had nailed a captain’s goal a minute earlier.
But when Jarrad Waite put the Kangas back in front at the 10-minute mark, the Roos kicked four of the next five goals, giving them an 18-point advantage.
Yet, Melbourne failed to give up and when youngster James Harmes landed his first and Kent bagged his fourth – it was just five points the difference.
Then on the siren, Billy Stretch had a snap at goal, yet it registered for a behind and North Melbourne won a phenomenal game by five points.
