Melbourne threw everything at North, but the mighty Roos prevailed in victory full of character and maturity.

The win was North’s 16th straight against the Dees and many headlines centred around the fiery encounters on the field throughout the afternoon at the MCG.

Shaun Higgins was targeted by Bernie Vince and others, but stood tall and won the day showing great composure and skill.

The Age

North midfielder Higgins was targeted by the Demons with tagger Bernie Vince paying him close physical attention and other Melbourne players physically. After being targeted, Higgins initiated other physical clashes. The regular scrapping led to more outbreaks of fights and wrestles across the ground particularly in a volatile second term when the game threatened to spiral out of control. – Shaun Higgins

Herald Sun

It was a bruising, even game, but the Roos were more accomplished, more assured in the final 15 minutes. That’s three from four for the Kangas and while others don’t see a big future for this group, coach Brad Scott surely does. Big scalp. - Mark Robinson

AAP

North's Shaun Higgins was involved in many incidents, with Scott saying Melbourne clearly singled him out for attention. Demons coach Simon Goodwin said they definitely earmarked Vince to shut down Higgins and added they were pleased with how it went in the first half. – Roger Vaughan

Herald Sun

Vince stuck so closely to Higgins, he may well still be right next to him as he sips his morning latte today. For 15 minutes in the second quarter, it was chaos. Antagonistic and spiteful, just about every player got involved at some stage. – Lauren Wood

The Age

It was a good battle. Full credit to Bernie he plays it well. There was a little bit from other players but we concentrated on wining the footy. Definitely the message was don't get sucked in. We feel we go hard at the footy and that is the most important thing and we weren't going to buy into the other sort of rubbish. – Shaun Higgins

Herald Sun

This will be hard to beat as the most heated and spiteful term of the year. There were jumper punches, forearm jabs and rolling, tumbling wrestles and most of it centred around Bernie Vince’s tag on and Shaun Higgins. – Jay Clark

Twitter

Ben Brown kicked five goals and stays within striking distance of the Coleman medal.

Herald Sun

Ben Brown continues to go from strength to strength as the Roos’ No. 1 forward and finished with five goals, with his teammates’ work through the corridor and delivery allowing his work at the contest to shine over young Dee Oscar McDonald. – Lauren Wood

AFL.com.au

Although Jarrad Waite remains North Melbourne's most potent key forward, Ben Brown again underlined that he will be ready to assume the No.1 mantle when the former Blue eventually hangs up his boots. Starting deep inside North's forward 50 while Waite worked up the ground, Brown made short work of Demon defender Oscar McDonald early in the game, prompting Melbourne to send Sam Frost to him. The Roo was up to the challenge, kicking three of his five goals in the four-goal-to-one third term that set up North's win. Brown finished with six marks (including a game-high five inside 50 and an equal team-high two contested) in a performance that suggests the Roos' forward line will be in good hands for years to come. - Nick Bowen

Herald Sun

What a find Ben Brown has been. The man plucked from Werribee continued his excellent year, bagging his fifth goal. North won the clearance and contested battle and Brown, with his strong hands, looked the difference between the two sides. – Jay Clark

North’s contributors were spread out across the field, beginning in the middle with Todd Goldstein.

Herald Sun

Goldstein was huge, although Melbourne won the clearances, Cunnington equally so after a knee injury early, but most if all it was names such as Brown, Turner, McDonald, Wood, Hrovat and Garner who would make fans smile. It was high stakes and that group played its role in the final quarter. – Mark Robinson's

North's on-field improvement, despite its ladder position, not going unnoticed. 

SEN

Can we give North some credit? I saw them yesterday … they are a very good team North Melbourne. I can’t remember a team sitting in fourteenth place that’s been as convincing as North. They play a really good brand of footy; they go straight and direct and quickly. All those decisions last year by the coach I think have been vindicated and they are well ahead of where I thought they’d be at this time this year. – Mike Sheahan