A back-and-forth affair at Arden Street Oval has resulted in the Western Bulldogs defeating North Melbourne to end the latter's five-game winning streak.

The Roos held a three-point advantage at the final change but couldn't tie the Dogs up in the last quarter, conceding two goals to one and losing 6.7 (43) to 7.8 (50).

With five minutes to go in the fourth term, Nyakoat Dojiok broke through two tackles and released Emily Paterno (three goals, seven disposals) who booted her third goal and got her side to within two points of the visitors.

However, no more than a minute had passed before the Western Bulldogs' Imogen Milford got on the end of a centre clearance and landed the knockout blow from close range.

The loss leaves North Melbourne locked into fourth on the ladder with the VFLW finals set to kick-off next week.

"We knew it was going to be a fight right from the start, the Bulldogs are a really good team, and we knew they’d be a challenge today," Gourley told NMFC Media.

"It was a disappointing result, we thought that our girls fought it out right until the end … but hopefully we’ll get in good shape next week.”

KANGAROOS v BULLDOGS Full match coverage and stats

Dojiok (three goals, 20 disposals) kicked the opening goal of the game after Mara McSweeney (13 disposals, four tackles) delivered a pin-point pass inside 50 to the leading forward.

Not long later, Dojiok marked and goaled again after Georgia Nicholas found the lively No.40 at the top of the square.

Audrey Rhodes was a key driver in North Melbourne's midfield and helped her side get on top around the contest early, before finishing with eight clearances and a game-high 23 disposals.

Despite the fast start from the Kangaroos, two late goals to the Bulldogs saw the home side's buffer cut to two points heading into the first change.

Milford and Mary Sandral struck early in the second quarter as the Dogs gained the ascendancy and the lead, but it was Paterno who wrenched back the advantage at the beginning of the third, before doing the same later in the term with a clever finish in response to Keeley Hardingham's second major.

It was mostly all Bulldogs in the final quarter as they peppered away inside their attacking 50 while preventing the Roos from gaining any territory.

"Nyakoat was outstanding, in particular her first half. She continues to impress each week," Gourley said. 

"I thought she was great, she was able to create some really good contests and take a couple of marks. We know that when we get the footy into her (area) she's always going to compete to the best of her ability."

Defender Brook Slaney went off with a lower leg injury late in the third quarter, while Felicity Theodore (illness) was a late out with Annabel Scott replacing her in the team.

NORTH MELBOURNE      2.3    3.4    5.6    6.7 (43)
WESTERN BULLDOGS    2.1    4.2    5.3    7.8 (50)

GOALS
North Melbourne: Dojiok 3, Paterno 3
Western Bulldogs: Milford 3, Hardingham 2, Sandral, Tabb

BEST
North Melbourne: Dojiok, Rhodes, Barba, Di Cosmo, Paterno, Hales