An 11-goal second half wasn't enough for the Kangaroos to get over the line against Port Adelaide on Saturday night.
The Roos went into the main break down by 20 points, before a strong third quarter in which they kicked five of the first six goals gave them the lead. The Power settled though and led at the final change by eight points.
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In a topsy-turvy final quarter, both sides traded blows, with Lindsay Thomas' snap 21 minutes in giving North a four-point lead.
Port Adelaide again hit back though; goals to Aaron Young, then Kane Mitchell sealing the first win of the season for the visiting team.
North's loss was soured by an injury scare for Jack Ziebell, with the midfielder taken to hospital after a heavy collision with Ollie Wines.
At quarter-time, coach Brad Scott said Ziebell had "some internal issues" and was "coughing up blood".
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Scott was proud of his team's effort under adversity but said some basic defensive lapses cost it the game.
"We're bitterly disappointed in the result. Obviously we worked really hard to keep in the game and any time you're in front with about six minutes to go and lose from that position it rubs salt into the wounds," Scott said.
"I thought Port Adelaide were fantastic. I thought our fight and effort were great but there were some clear areas where they were better than us.
"Guys stood up under some adversity but we still had the numbers to get the result and we still put ourselves in a winnable position.
"There were some fundamental things we didn't do well. We got slaughtered in the centre bounces and I thought there were some really cheap easy goals through fundamental defensive mistakes which cost us the game really."
For the Roos, Todd Goldstein continued his excellent start to the season, wining his ruck duel with Patrick Ryder, while Andrew Swallow (30 possessions) picked up much of the midfield slack left by Ziebell, Wells and Nick Dal Santo, who had surgery on his left hamstring on Thursday.
Brent Harvey gave North a lot of run in an uncustomary role across half-back, while Ben Jacobs (30 possessions), after being substituted into the game midway through the first quarter, and Luke McDonald (28) gave the Roos a lot of drive across half-back.
Thomas kicked four goals for the Roos and Ben Brown kicked three.
NORTH MELBOURNE 2.0 5.4 11.7 16.9 (105)
PORT ADELAIDE 3.3 8.6 12.9 17.11 (113)
GOALS
North Melbourne: Thomas 4, Brown 3, Petrie 2, Wood, Tarrant, Nahas, Higgins, Harvey, Gibson, Bastinac
Port Adelaide: Schulz 4, Ebert 3, White 3, Monfries 2, Broadbent, Mitchell, Pittard, Wingard, Young
BEST
North Melbourne: Swallow, McDonald, Thomas, Gibson, Harvey, Jacobs
Port Adelaide: Ebert, Broadbent, White, Schulz, Hartlett, Boak
INJURIES
North Melbourne: Daniel Wells (Achilles) a late withdrawal; Jack Ziebell (chest)
Port Adelaide: Ollie Wines (right wrist)
SUBSTITUTES
North Melbourne: Ben Jacobs replaced Jack Ziebell (chest) in the first quarter
Port Adelaide: Brandon Ah Chee replaced Ollie Wines (hand) in the final quarter
Reports: Nil
Umpires: Donlon, Farmer, Hosking
Official crowd: 22,586 at Etihad Stadium
