If you listened to the footy experts at the start of the season, North Melbourne was heading for an ‘F’ for fail in 2018.

However, many have been forced to backtrack with the club achieving a 9th placed finish with 12 wins.

Perhaps the season’s surprise packet, the Roos have been given a B+ by senior Age journalist, Peter Ryan.

“An excellent run with injury saw 12 players play every game and helped the Kangaroos perform above expectation,” he wrote.

“Shaun Higgins, Ben Brown, Ben Cunnington and Jack Ziebell starred, allowing a solid core of youngsters led by Trent Dumont, Jed Anderson and Paul Ahern to emerge in the supporting cast.”

Ryan says new roles for some talented players helped catapult the Roos up the ladder and into finals contention for much of the year.

“Ziebell was outstanding playing as a forward-midfielder and Cunnington's hands remain underrated. Majak Daw was a revelation in defence, too, while old reliables Robbie Tarrant and Scott Thompson did their jobs.

“Well-led and well-coached, the Kangaroos were tough to play against, beating Hawthorn, Greater Western Sydney, the Sydney Swans and West Coast as well as pushing Richmond.”

Naming Ben Cunnington as North’s standout player, Ryan believes the No.10 will have a fight on his hands for a second Syd Barker Medal.

“Ben Cunnington and Shaun Higgins will fight it out for the award after working in tandem all season. Both were outstanding with Cunnington's brute strength complementing Higgins' speed from stoppages. Higgins was All-Australian but the dynamic duo won't be far apart in the Kangaroos' award,” he said.

Although the Roos outperformed expectations, not everything went right. Ryan pinpointing a particular game which did more damage to the club’s September chances than any other.

“A disastrous third quarter against the Western Bulldogs in round 21 cost them any chance of playing finals,” he wrote.

“They had gone into half-time 28 points in front and sitting in the eight and left the ground an hour later beaten by seven points and out of the eight. Three of their four losses in the final seven rounds were by less than 10 points.

“The Kangaroos slipped from fifth to 10th between rounds 10 and 20 when a calf injury sidelined retiring forward Jarrad Waite. Brown's chances of winning the Coleman Medal also dipped as he went from averaging three goals a game with Waite in the side to just above two goals a game without him.”

Looking ahead, Ryan believes North needs more runners.

“Pace on the outside to support Higgins and give their inside midfielders more support. Their midfield is tough and tenacious but they need run to break games open and remain hopeful of securing Jared Polec from Port Adelaide and Andrew Gaff from West Coast.

A creative, goalkicking small forward would be useful too as Kayne Turner doesn't hit the scoreboard enough although his pressure is outstanding.”