Narrm has claimed top spot on the AFLW ladder after outmuscling the North Melbourne Tasmanian Kangaroos at Ikon Park on Saturday night.

The Demons underlined why they are reigning premiers, playing tough and unrelenting football to run out 23-point winners, 5.7 (37) to 2.2 (14). 

The Roos were held scoreless for 63 minutes, from the 14-minute mark of the opening quarter until Eliza Shannon's behind in the game's dying seconds.

NARRM v KANGAROOS Full match coverage and stats

The Roos' midfield was beaten by its smaller and quicker Demons counterparts, with Tyla Hanks – who often saves her very best for North Melbourne – leading the way with 26 disposals, seven clearances and a goal, well supported by Liv Purcell and Lily Mithen.

Jasmine Garner and Jenna Bruton were all well down on their usual sterling outputs; the team behind by eight in the clearances at three-quarter time (four by the end of the match) and behind in both contested and uncontested possessions, while Ash Riddell piled on 15 disposals in the fourth term to finish with 31.

Niamh Martin got the Kangaroos off to the perfect start, snapping her first AFLW goal inside the opening minute on a warm night at Ikon Park.

Despite Demon Casey Sherriff squaring the ledger, the Roos took a deserved six-point lead into the first break when Tess Craven took advantage of a favourable breeze to bang one through from near the 50m arc.

But it was all Narrm in the remaining three quarters as the miserly Demon defence ratcheted up the pressure. 

North Melbourne preferred to move the ball more deliberately with its kicking game, but Narrm's very tight one-on-one defence made that difficult, and the Roos just could not clear the Demons' wall across the centre.

By contrast, Narrm preferred to run and carry the ball at pace, with Shelley Heath used through the midfield to both keep a close eye on North’s stars and provide a serious spark of her own.

In the absence of Tayla Harris (hamstring) – yes, Narrm still has Harris to add back into this mix – Kate Hore was a strong marking target, while Eden Zanker kept the North Melbourne defenders on their toes.

Mia King was North Melbourne's best, trying hard for all four quarters with her 20 disposals and 13 tackles.

Who's No.1?

The Lions' nailbiting win over Adelaide on Saturday afternoon opened up the race for top spot, and it was Narrm who took advantage. The win takes the Demons top on percentage, with two decisive games likely to determine the all-important top two. The Kangaroos and the Crows meet next weekend, while the Lions and Demons face off in the home-and-away season's final round. 

Taming the trident attack

How to beat North Melbourne's three tall forwards, Kate Shierlaw, Emma King and Tahlia Randall? Simple. Starve them of the footy. Both sides played a spare in defence, and such was the pressure coming from further afield, the few times the Roos were able to break through after quarter-time, the Dees' loose defender ate up the stray kicks, with Tahlia Gillard particularly strong.

What's next?

There's no time for the Kangaroos to lick their wounds. Next up is the toughest away trip in the game: Adelaide in Adelaide. Norwood Oval is the venue for Sunday afternoon's clash against a Crows side which will be smarting from its first loss of the season, inflicted by Brisbane earlier on Saturday. 

Narrm                    1.1   3.4   4.5   5.7 (37)
North Melbourne  2.1   2.1   2.1   2.2 (14)

GOALS
Narrm: Campbell, Hanks, Hore, Sherriff, Zanker
North Melbourne: Craven, Martin

BEST
Narrm: Hanks, Purcell, Hore, Mithen, B.Mackin, Gillard
North Melbourne: M.King, Kearney, Riddell, Garner, O'Shea

INJURIES
Narrm: Nil
North Melbourne: Nil

LATE CHANGES
Narrm: Aimee Mackin (ankle) and Gab Colvin (Achilles) replaced in selected side by Megan Fitzsimon and Charlotte Wilson
North Melbourne: Nil

Crowd: 2,704 at Ikon Park