The North Melbourne Tasmanian Kangaroos have kept their top-four hopes alive after holding off a strong challenge from expansion side Port Adelaide at Alberton Oval on Saturday.

The Kangaroos trailed by five points at quarter-time before their experience and class shone through, holding the Power goalless after half-time to celebrate Pride Round with a 25-point win. 

The 7.12 (54) to 4.5 (29) victory moves the Kangaroos (5-3) up to sixth on the ladder and only four premiership points behind second-placed Melbourne.

POWER v KANGAROOS Full match coverage and stats

Kangaroo champion Jas Garner continued her unstoppable season, kicking two goals alongside game-high tallies of 27 disposals and nine marks.

Ash Riddell and captain Emma Kearney had 21 and 20 disposals respectively, while youngster Alice O’Loughlin also booted two goals.

Power vice-captain Ange Foley and youngster Hannah Ewings had 16 disposals each.

The Power started strongly with a physical brand of football. Foley made the most of a breeze at her back with a 55m bomb that cleared the pack and bounced through for her side’s first goal.

Returning star Gemma Houghton – in her first game in six weeks after ankle surgery - and Justine Mules followed suit to give the Power a five-point advantage at quarter-time.

Garner put the Kangaroos back in front before ruck Emma King showed great poise to sidestep her opponent and kick the goal.

Power debutant Lily Johnson kicked truly with six seconds on the clock to narrow the deficit to three points at halftime.

Sophie Abbatangelo scored the only goal of a tight third quarter, before O’Loughlin’s second goal gave the Kangaroos some breathing room.

Did you see that?

Players more naturally nimble than 184cm Emma King would be proud to replicate her second quarter goal; the big ruck selling the dummy beautifully to wrongfoot her Power defender. King's prolific ruck partnership with Kim Rennie regularly gives the Roos first use at the stoppages, but her nine goals across the past two seasons have been every bit as valuable.

The difference

The Kangaroos threw captain Emma Kearney into the midfield at half-time to get some more dominance. The move had the desired effect, as the battle-hardened Kangaroos onballers started to get the upper hand around the ground against the Power’s youthful onball brigade.

Randall's radar restored

Strong contested grabs haven't been Tahlia Randall's issue in recent weeks so much as accuracy in front of goal. Her return of 0.3 hurt the Roos in last week's seven-point loss to Brisbane, so when she took another pack mark 35m from goal in the first quarter against Port there was pressure on the result. It's hard to know whether Randall or her teammates were more delighted when the Sherrin passed over the goal umpire's head. 

What's next?

A pair of crunch games against top five teams to close out the home-and-away season for the Kangaroos. Collingwood awaits next Saturday, October 22 at Victoria Park, followed by a clash with Richmond on home turf at Arden St on Sunday, October 30.

PORT ADELAIDE                 3.1   4.2   4.3   4.5 (29)
NORTH MELBOURNE          2.2   4.5   5.8   7.12 (54)

GOALS
Port Adelaide: Foley, Houghton, Johnson, Mules
North Melbourne: Garner 2, O'Loughlin 2, Abbatangelo, E King, Randall

BEST 
Port Adelaide: Foley, O’Dea, Phillips, Boag, Surman, Yorston
North Melbourne: Garner, Kearney, Riddell, M King, Abbatangelo, Brown 

INJURIES 
Nil

LATE CHANGES
Nil

Reports: Nil