TODD Goldstein turned 23 on Friday but he didn't get a belated birthday present at Etihad Stadium on Sunday.

Individually, the North ruckman could not have hoped to play a much better game. As he has done all year in ruck partner Hamish McIntosh's injury-enforced absence, Goldstein carried North's ruck load against the Saints, with just the occasional rest.

And as he has done regularly this season, Goldstein was outstanding, outpointing St Kilda opponent Ben McEvoy in their ruck contests. Goldstein leads the competition in hit-outs after 15 rounds and he was at it again on Sunday, amassing 47 to McEvoy's 25.

Significantly for North, Goldstein's influence around the ground is continuing to grow. Against the Saints, Goldstein had 17 possessions, 12 of which were contested including two strong marks.

In this age of the substitute rule, it has become increasingly important for ruckmen to be able to drift forward and have an influence in attack. And Goldstein has increasingly been able to do this too.

Late in the third quarter on Sunday, he found space in North's forward 50 to mark, then went back and coolly converted the set shot. It brought the Kangaroos back to within 20 points of St Kilda and helped give them at sniff at three-quarter time that they could still win the game.

But football can be a cruel game, so Goldstein did not get to celebrate a win in the wake of his birthday.

Even more cruelly, he was one of six North players who missed shots at goal in the last quarter. In a game that's decided by nine points, that can play on your mind.

Goldstein's miss came at the five-minute mark of the final term after he was awarded a free kick at a ruck contest.

After the game, Goldstein told afl.com.au North's inaccuracy had been particularly disappointing after the recent improvement it had shown in front of goal.

"It's something we've been working really hard on at training," Goldstein said.

"We've been kicking really well the last month. It's just really disappointing that when we really needed it, it couldn't come through for us."

Goldstein said he had also been working hard this year to ensure he brought more to North than just prodigious hit-out statistics.

"I've got to keep working on trying to get involved and to get a bit more of the ball," he said.

"It's hard to look at positives after a loss, but I'm happy with how I'm improving and I've got to make sure I keep doing it every week."

Goldstein said the nine-minute period towards the end of the second quarter in which the Saints kicked five unanswered goals had ultimately determined the match, but struggled to explain how it had happened.

"It's hard to say at this stage I guess it was just a bit of a brain fade by us," he said.

"I don't know whether the group lost concentration for that period. But I think we showed over the game we have made some serious inroads against a team that has smashed us in the past year or so.

"Besides that nine-minute period, we played some pretty good footy and really did match it with St Kilda. I think that was probably the most pleasing thing that we are heading in the right direction and we can take a lot of confidence from the game."