DREW Petrie has booted five final-quarter goals to steer North Melbourne to an four-point win over Richmond in front of 47,432 fans at the MCG on Sunday.

The 15.13 (103) to 14.15 (99) victory moved the Kangaroos back into the top eight, and drove a dagger through the Tigers' finals chances.

Petrie was well held by Tigers backman Alex Rance for much of the afternoon but came alive in the final term.

With the Kangaroos down by seven points at the last change, the 29-year-old took three marks inside forward 50 in the first seven minutes and kicked truly each time.

After Shane Tuck booted the next two goals to put Richmond back in front, Petrie again took control, adding two more.

He finished with a game-high seven goals in a suspense-filled game that featured 14 lead changes and an all-in melee at quarter-time.

Richmond attacked desperately in the dying stages, but couldn't secure a match-winning goal.

North captain Andrew Swallow led from the front, winning 29 disposals, including 10 clearances.

Nathan Grima played a superb sweeping role down back, and Ryan Bastinac and Liam Anthony also gave good service.

Ruckman Todd Goldstein had 47 hit-outs and laid five tackles.

Jack Riewoldt booted three goals for the Tigers in a competitive duel with North Melbourne full-back Scott Thompson.

Thompson had the better of the Richmond spearhead up to half-time, when the Kangaroos held a two-goal lead, but Riewoldt was a key player in the second half.

Classy Tiger Trent Cotchin was outstanding, collecting 24 disposals, including six clearances.

Brett Deledio and Shane Tuck were also prolific.

Returning from a two-game suspension for an off-field indiscretion, Dustin Martin had 23 touches and booted two goals.

Little man Steven Morris played his best game in yellow and black, collecting a career-high 23 disposals off half-back.

Behind at the main break, Richmond booted five goals to two in the third quarter to take momentum and a narrow lead into three-quarter-time.

The quarter-time melee started when Richmond defender Steven Morris tangled with Kangaroos big man Lachie Hansen on the siren.

Every player on the ground except North Melbourne's four interchange players rushed to the dust-up, as umpires scrambled to bring it to a halt.

The Kangaroos built their half-time lead on the back of four straight goals through the middle of the second quarter.

Two of those goals came thanks to 50-metre penalties.

The Tigers blew chances to peg the lead back late in the quarter, booting five straight behinds.

But a late goal to Shane Edwards kept Damien Hardwick's men in touch at half-time.

The match was North Melbourne's first and only visit to the MCG this season.

It was Richmond's second consecutive heartbreaking loss, after Karmichael Hunt's goal after the siren gave Gold Coast a narrow win last week.



RICHMOND                      2.3    5.9   10.12  14.15   (99)
NORTH MELBOURNE   3.5   7.9    9.11    15.13   (103)             

GOALS
North Melbourne: Petrie 7, Anthony 2, Harper 2, Harvey, Macmillan, Hansen, Campbell
Richmond: Riewoldt 3, Nahas 3, Martin 2, Tuck 2, Edwards 2, Cotchin, Houli

BEST
North Melbourne: Swallow, Petrie, Bastinac, Grima, Goldstein, Thompson
Richmond: Cotchin, Morris, Deledio, Tuck, Riewoldt, Jackson

INJURIES
Richmond: Nil
North Melbourne: Nil

SUBSTITUTES
Richmond: Addam Maric replaced in the third quarter by Brett O'Hanlon
North Melbourne: Robbie Tarrant replaced at three-quarter time by Matt Campbell
 
Reports: Nil

Umpires: McBurney, Jennings, Mollison

Official crowd: 47,432 at MCG

The views in this article are those of the author and not necessarily those of the AFL or its clubs