In form ruckman Todd Goldstein has turned in a career night to help North Melbourne to its sixth win of the season and some handy percentage.

The Roos’ 56 point win over an injury hit Greater Western Sydney came off the back of Goldstein’s domination in the ruck which included an AFL record 80 hit-outs.

Goldstein held a huge advantage in the middle and at the stoppages and monstered young Giants’ ruck Rory Lobb to help North secure 16 more centre clearances (20 to 4).

In desperate need of a win to be any hope of making the finals, it wasn’t the ideal start for North with Drew Petrie going off with the blood rule before the first siren had sounded. The Kangaroo spearhead headed into the rooms for some staples in his forehead after an accidental clash of heads with teammate Scott Thompson in the warm up.

Despite starting without their experienced goal-kicker on the ground, the Roos didn’t miss a beat in the first quarter slamming through two goals in just over two minutes courtesy of Jamie Macmillan and Shaun Atley.

With Todd Goldstein dominating in the ruck with an incredible 20 hit-outs in the opening term North continued to pile the pressure on their much younger opponents.

North’s players boasted 140 average games compared to the Giants’ 58 and it showed with the visitors most experienced campaigners rising to the occasion.

In his 396th game, Brent Harvey crumbed an inside 50 to perfection to snare North’s third while Jarrad Waite snapped truly on his left to extend the margin to 25 points.

When Macmillan slotted through his second after a crafty handball from Harvey and some great forward pressure from the likes of Lindsay Thomas, the Giants looked to be in serious trouble.

Ben Brown capped North’s highest scoring first quarter for the year (38 points) with his first major and helped the Roos to a 31-point lead at the first break.

The second quarter started like the first for North. Nahas marked over the back of a contest and ran into and open goal and then Waite cashed in playing on first gamer Caleb Marchbank with two more to his name.

Nick Dal Santo had his fair share of the footy in his first game back from a nine-week hamstring injury with seventeen disposals in the half and Ben Jacobs blanketed Dylan Shiel, restricting him to seven.

The Giants didn’t go quietly though and managed to put the brakes on North and stayed within striking distance. Managing more inside fifties for the term, the home side took control before halftime and trailed by just 32 points at the main break. Inaccuracy in front of goal preventing Greater Western Sydney from being a lot closer.

North was able to regain its composure and begin the third term with some purpose. Harvey fed a handball to Shaun Higgins who ran into an open goal and after giving away a free kick and goal down the other end, Ben Cunnington repaid the Roos with his first major.

Petrie got in on the act with a strong mark and goal and North held a healthy 44-point buffer.

After some good early play, the Roos went into their shells and allowed the depleted Giants outfit back into the game; the margin cut to just 23 with a quarter to play.

With all the play in their half of the ground to start the fourth, it took some time before the Roos were able to hit the scoreboard in a meaningful way. Nahas nailed his third five minutes in and then Petrie set sail from fifty to make it a 36-point lead.

Higgins capped off a solid day with his second goal as Goldstein tapped his record breaking 71st hit-out to go past Aaron Sandilands’ mark (70) set in Round 11.

As the young Giants began to run out of puff, North pushed the margin out to 50 points when Nahas booted his fourth for the evening.

The Roos with five unanswered goals in the term and an all-important victory heading into the bye.

Macmillan finished with a career high three goals and 29 disposals while Dal Santo finished with 34.

GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY 1.4 4.8 8.12 8.13 (61)
NORTH MELBOURNE 6.2 10.4 13.5 18.9 (117)

GOALS
Greater Western Sydney: Palmer 3, Stewart 2, Cameron, McCarthy, Griffen
North Melbourne: Nahas 4, Waite, Macmillan 3, Petrie, Higgins 2, Harvey, Cunnington, Brown, Atley

BEST
Greater Western Sydney: Griffen, Shaw, Ward, Palmer, Buntine, Steele
North Melbourne: Dal Santo, Harvey, Goldstein, Ziebell, Nahas, Macmillan

INJURIES
Greater Western Sydney: Tom Scully (ill) replaced in selected side by Zac Williams
North Melbourne: Waite (jarred thumb), Goldstein (eye), Petrie (head)

SUBSTITUTES
Greater Western Sydney: Nathan Wilson replaced Caleb Marchbank in the fourth quarter
North Melbourne: Trent Dumont replaced Ben Brown in the third quarter

Reports: Andrew Swallow reported for tripping Josh Kelly in the third quarter
Umpires: Rosebury, Findlay, Mitchell
Official crowd: 7,824 at Spotless Stadium

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