North Melbourne cult figure Majak Daw has booted a career high six goals to lead the Kangaroos to a 54 point win over the Western Bulldogs at Etihad Stadium on Saturday.
In just his fourth senior game, Daw wreaked havoc on the Dogs defence in the 22.19 (151) to 15.7 (97) victory.
He set the tone early, booting North Melbourne's first goal, and he could have had three to quarter time.
Another two in the second quarter had him on a roll.
He followed up his efforts with another double in the third quarter, and the show continued in the last quarter, with his sixth capping off a break-out performance.
"He's learning and evolving all the time," Roos coach Brad Scott said.
"He is picking things up really quickly now, so we're really confident that while he's not a complete footballer yet, we try to play to his strengths and introduced things one at a time. He's picking it up incredibly quickly.
"We've got to move away from being a team that relies on Petrie, Swallow, Harvey, (and) Wells to win games."
The match opened up for the Kangaroos in the final quarter, and Brad Scott's men punished the Dogs on the scoreboard, kicking nine goals to four.
Todd Goldstein put two through the big sticks early in the term, while goals to Ryan Bastinac, Drew Petrie, Jack Ziebell and Shaun Atley gave the Roos some much needed breathing space.
And they needed it, after enduring a hot battle with the Bulldogs in the previous three quarters.
In particular, the third term was a willing affair.
The Dogs came out of the half time break with intent, kicking the first three goals of the quarter.
Their desperate attack on the ball was summed up brilliantly when Dylan Addison chased down Daniel Wells as he tried to sprint out of defence.
The highlights kept coming, as Liam Jones soared high on the wing to take the mark of the day.
In his return from injury Robert Murphy showed off his pace with a brilliant running goal, leaving the Roos defenders in his wake.
Not to be outdone, Lukas Markovic took a classy one-handed grab deep inside 50, kicking his third goal to put the Dogs up by three points.
But the Roos had the answers, with consecutive goals to Drew Petrie, Jack Ziebell, Aaron Black and Daw to close out the term and keep the Dogs on a tight leash.
"There were a couple of signs late in the third quarter that the game changed the way it was shaped," Dogs coach Brendan McCartney said.
"Their last quarter was very good and we couldn't keep up."
Aaron Mullett was subbed out at the start of the term, with what coach Brad Scott said was a sprained ankle, and that saw Daniel Wells injected into the play.
The Dogs also made a move, replacing Jason Tutt with Daniel Cross midway through the quarter.
Ryan Griffen ran riot for the entire match, finishing with 34 disposals and a goal, while Nick Lower was influential, laying a club record 15 tackles.
Daniel Giansiracusa kicked four goals in a positive return from injury.
Andrew Swallow left the field with the help of trainers in the dying seconds of the last quarter after a knock to his knee, but Scott says there's no structural damage.
Lachie Hansen also looked in strife at the end of the game, but the coach put that down to an ongoing battle with tendonitis.
NORTH MELBOURNE 5.5 8.11 13.14 22.19 (151)
GOALS
Western Bulldogs: Giansiracusa 4, Markovic 3, Murphy 2, Griffen, Minson, Dahlhaus, Smith, Wallis, Austin
North Melbourne: Daw 6, Petrie 3, Black 2, Goldstein 2, Ziebell 2, Thomas 2, Macmillan 2, Harvey, Sierakowski, Atley
BEST
Western Bulldogs: Griffen, Minson, Lower, Markovic, Murphy, Dahlhaus
North Melbourne: Ziebell, Daw, Harvey, Gibson, Bastinac, Thompson, Atley
INJURIES
Western Bulldogs: TBC
North Melbourne: Mullett (left ankle), Swallow (knee), Hansen (back)
SUBSTITUTES
Western Bulldogs: Daniel Cross replaced Jason Tutt in the third quarter.
North Melbourne: Daniel Wells replaced Aaron Mullet at halftime.
Reports: Nil
Umpires: Donlon, Foot, Mitchell
Official crowd: 23,690 at Etihad Stadium.
