The statistics show just how much North improved in almost every area on the field from last year to this year.
First, consider what the Kangaroos did while in possession.
| North Melbourne | Effective kicks % | Effective handballs % | Effective disposals % |
| Round 10, 2012 | 60 | 74.5 | 65.4 |
| Round 5, 2013 | 64.4 | 88.1 | 73.4 |
| Total change | +4.4% | +13.6% | +8% |
The number that stands out immediately is the effective handball percentage. As a point of comparison, the number from 2012's encounter would have North sitting last in the league if it was replicated over an entire season.
Sunday's figure (88.1 per cent), one which has been consistently replicated throughout 2013, was the second highest in the league for the weekend.
Currently North sits at the top of the league in handball efficiency this year.
It wasn't only with the ball that North took a great step forward in comparison to the corresponding fixture last season. Pressure was key, with the Hawks forced into more mistakes.
| Hawthorn | Effective kicks % |
| Round 10, 2012 | 69.1 |
| Round 5, 2013 | 64.7 |
| Total change | -4.4% |
Hawthorn is a team that relies on its precision kicking to cut through opposition zones. The extra pressure North placed on the Hawks' prime movers paid dividends with less flow to their game.
Another big turnaround between the two games was the clearances. Led by Daniel Wells with a career-high 10, North went from minus 13 (48-35) in 2012 to plus 19 (44-25) at the MCG.
| North Melbourne | Clearances |
| Round 10, 2012 | 35 |
| Round 5, 2013 | 44 |
| Total change | +9 |
| Hawthorn | Clearances |
| Round 10, 2012 | 48 |
| Round 5, 2013 | 25 |
| Total change | -23 |
While the clearance statistic is impressive in itself, it led to North nullifying perhaps the biggest source of last season's heavy loss; opposition scores from stoppages.
| North Melbourne | Points conceded from stoppages |
| Round 10, 2012 | 75 |
| Round 5, 2013 | 10 |
| Total change | -65 |
| Hawthorn | Points conceded from stoppages |
| Round 10, 2012 | 16 |
| Round 5, 2013 | 37 |
| Total change | +21 |
North conceded 65 points less from stoppages, an astounding number. Coupled with the additional 21 points the Kangaroos scored compared to 2012, it made up for three quarters of the total margin.
Around the ground, Brad Scott’s team was more effective in possession, forced more mistakes from their opposition and were tighter defensively in the clinches. Therefore it's no surprise the inside 50 count also had a large swing.
| North Melbourne | Inside 50's |
| Round 10, 2012 | 38 |
| Round 5, 2013 | 63 |
| Total change | +25 |
| Hawthorn | Inside 50's |
| Round 10, 2012 | 68 |
| Round 5, 2013 | 47 |
| Total change | -21 |
