North Melbourne took full advantage of the surprise slip-ups this weekend of Sydney, Collingwood, St Kilda and Brisbane to jump from tenth to fifth on the ladder on Sunday courtesy of an otherwise forgettable win over bottom side Melbourne at the MCG.
On a cold and wet Melbourne day, the Demons week of turmoil did not improve as the struggling club crashed to its 15th defeat in 17 matches this season - 14.14 (98) to 10.10 (70) in a game played in front of just 21,000 fans.
It was hard to believe this was the same venue that hosted more than 86,000 fans only two days earlier as league heavyweights Geelong and Hawthorn clashed in the biggest game of the season to date and a possible preview of this year's grand final.
But on Sunday in a match between the two Victorian clubs with the lowest supporter bases, about the only interest was whether the Kangaroos could climb the ladder and whether their champion rover Brent Harvey could strengthen his already strong Brownlow Medal claims.
Well the answer to both questions was yes and yes - although after quarter-time the Roos were far from impressive and Harvey was eventually shaded for best afield honors by small forward Lindsay Thomas and his skipper Adam Simpson.
After the string of upset results in round 17 that had gone their way, the Roos knew coming into this game that they could leapfrog above several teams on the ladder and Dean Laidley's team came out determined to make the most of its opportunity.
With Brownlow Medal second favourite Harvey starring in the opening term with six touches and two goals, the Roos soon took control and thanks to Corey Jones' three first quarter goals established a matchwinning six goal lead by quarter-time.
The Demons - who controversially sacked chief executive Paul McNamee after just three months in the job midweek and are facing a $2 million loss this season - finally gave the few fans who bothered to turn up something to cheer about with a far more competitive performance after that and they even got to within 19 points in the last term when Colin Sylvia goaled at the eight minute mark.
But the Demons just make too many poor decisions and skill errors to trouble hard-nosed outfits like the Kangaroos and it was the impressive Thomas that finished the Demons off with three final term goals to finish with five for the day as the Kangaroos' defence also reigning supreme thanks to the efforts of Daniel Pratt, Michael Firrito and Josh Gibson.
MELBOURNE: 1.3, 3.4, 6.8. 10.10 (70)
NORTH MELBOURNE: 7.3, 9.6, 11.9, 14.14 (98)
GOALS: Melbourne: Miller 3, Newton 2, Davey, Morton, P Johnson, Sylvia, Valenti
North: Thomas 5, Jones 4, Harvey 2, Petrie, Hale, Campbell
BEST: Melbourne: Jones, McDonald, P Johnson, Buckley, Miller,
North: Thomas, Harvey, Simpson, Jones, Gibson, Rawlings, Hale, Pratt
INJURIES: Melbourne: Nil
North: Nil
UMPIRES: McLaren, Fila, Hendrie
REPORTS: Lyndon Dunn (Melbourne) reported by field umpire Scott McLaren for striking Brent Harvey (twice) in the third quarter
CHANGES: Nil
CROWD: 21,330 at MCG
Sportal AFL Player of the Year votes:
3: Lindsay Thomas (North Melbourne)
2. Adam Simpson (North Melbourne)
1: Brent Harvey (North Melbourne)