The Western Bulldogs' mid-season surge continued when they claimed their fourth-straight win and strengthened their grasp on third spot with a fighting 22-point victory over North Melbourne on Sunday.
In a dour struggle which featured seven lead changes through the afternoon at the MCG, the Bulldogs, leading by five points at the final change, did just enough in the final term to earn their ninth win of the season.
Classy forward Daniel Giansiracusa was pivotal in the final term, setting up Josh Hill for the opening goal and drilling the next two himself to break the game open.
It was a fine effort by Giansiracusa after he limped from the field in the opening term with what officials had initially feared was a serious ankle injury.
The lean Hill had already left his imprint with a high-flying mark on the shoulders of Scott McMahon on the goal-line with a minute remaining in the third term.
The resultant goal regained the lead for the Dogs for good after an entertaining, free-flowing quarter.
In an even display, the Dogs had nine goal-kickers while Nathan Eagleton, Matthew Boyd, Ryan Hargrave and skipper Brad Johnson were a force in the middle.
The Kangaroos unveiled a new, attacking-style under Darren Crocker but it wasn’t the start the caretaker coach had hoped for.
The Roos had managed just three goals against Adelaide in their last match under former coach Dean Laidley before the mid-season break but Crocker's mantra to play-on at all costs helped his forwards find space.
While it was their fourth-straight loss, the Kangaroos deserved praise for remaining in the contest all day despite being a man short when youngster Ben Warren broke his right ankle in the first term and was hospitalized.
This latest blow compounded a miserable month for the midfielder who also required surgery for a fractured cheekbone.
The Kangaroos were also buoyed by the debut of talented youngster Liam Anthony, who claimed 28 touches in a composed performance.
Skipper Brent Harvey, returning after two months out with a serious elbow injury, was a fine contributor with 28 possessions, particularly in the third term when the Kangaroos opened up a seven-point break.
The 31,470 fans on hand were entertained by a free-flowing opening quarter which featured nine different goalkickers.
There was also plenty of feeling between the sides, with a handful of spotfires on the Dogs' forward line breaking out.
The up-tempo made for an even quarter until the Dogs edged ahead in the final minutes when Lindsay Gilbee converted on the run from 40m and Jason Akermanis showed his class by accepting a handball and drilling a left-foot shot from 50m.
The Dogs threatened to break away when they kicked two of the opening three goals in the second term but momentum changed when the Roos lifted their tackling intensity and work around the stoppages.
Harvey then provided a major spark for the Roos. Unlucky that his running shot from 40m had hit the post, he responded minutes later with a clever handball to Lachlan Hansen for a goal.
When Hamish McIntosh followed up with a long goal, the Dogs' lead had been cut to four points.
While Johnson and Boyd toiled diligently through the midfield, it was sharpshooter Shaun Higgins who briefly composed his team when he weaved through traffic to goal.
Refusing to buckle, and dominating the tackle count in the quarter 13-4, the Roos hit back when bigman Drew Petrie kicked his third for the half.
North was desperately unlucky not to take the lead into halftime when Ben Ross' snap from the pocket was adjudged a point goal-umpire Chelsea Roffey when it appeared to deserve a greater reward.
WESTERN BULLDOGS 6.6, 9.4, 13.6, 17.6 (108)
NORTH MELBOURNE 4.4, 8.8, 11.13, 12.14 (86)
GOALS: Western Bulldogs: Giansiracusa 3, Welsh 2, Higgins2, Akermanis 2, Hill 2, Eagleton 2, Hahn, Ward, Gilbee
North Melbourne: Petrie 3, Harding 3, Hale, McIntosh, Garlett, Swallow, Hansen, Jones, .
BEST: Western Bulldogs: Boyd, Johnson, Griffin, Lake, Eagleton, Cooney, Giansiracusa.
North Melbourne: Harvey, Swallow, Anthony, Ross, Petrie, Grima.
INJURIES: Western Bulldogs: Nil
North Melbourne: Ben Warren (broken ankle).
REPORTS: Nil.
CHANGES: Nil.
UMPIRES: Chamberlain, Meredith, Findlay.
CROWD: 31,470 at the MCG.