With the Kangaroos preparing for their first September campaign since 2012 and first final in Melbourne since 2007, NMFC.com.au looks back at the club’s finals history.

After joining the VFL in 1925, there were some lean years to follow.

In fact, the Northerners didn’t taste finals action until 1945. After finishing third on the ladder, they bowed out in the first week with a 26-point loss to Carlton in front of 54,000 fans at Princes Park.

It was a similar story in 1949, as North finished the season atop the VFL ladder, only to lose its first two finals. Interestingly, it was the Blues, a team it had defeated by 56 points only two weeks earlier, who caused an upset in the Semi Final.

The introduction of the Kangaroos’ moniker proved a defining moment in the club’s history.

In 1950, North fell agonizingly short of defeating Essendon in the Semi Final, before recording its first ever finals victory against Geelong in the Preliminary Final.

A week later the club played on the biggest day in September, 25 years after its inception into the league.

Led by Les Foote, the Kangaroos played in front of 87,000 people on a defining day. The result was a loss to the Bombers, but a huge step forward after so many tough years.

In 1958, Wally Carter’s team made it to a Preliminary Final, but it was another 16 years before North’s next finals appearance.

Two victories over Hawthorn in the space of three weeks saw it on the biggest stage once again, this time against Richmond. 24-years after the club’s first Grand Final, there was more heartache in front of 113,000 people at the MCG. North lost by 41 points.

With a star-studded lineup and Ron Barassi at the helm, the Kangaroos finally tasted the ultimate success in 1975. It was a period of greatness. Five successive Grand Finals resulted in the club’s first two premierships (‘75 and ’77).

Five finals appearances in the 80’s netted little, but another great era was still to come – the 90’s.

Denis Pagan led North to eight successive September campaigns, two of those seeing it crowned Premiers, in 1996 and 1999.

A Preliminary Final appearance in 2007 is the closest the Kangaroos have come since, with 2012 ending with an embarrassing loss against the Eagles.

Finals appearances

Collingwood: 177 (77 wins, 5 draws, 95 losses)
Carlton: 139 (65 wins, 2 draws, 72 losses)
Essendon: 128 (69 wins, 2 draws, 57 losses)
Geelong: 111 (50 wins, 1 draw, 60 losses)
Melbourne: 84 (49 wins, 2 draws, 33 losses)
Richmond: 79 (46 wins, 1 draw, 32 losses)
Hawthorn: 75 (47 wins, 0 draws, 28 losses)
Sydney: 77 (35 wins, 0 draws, 32 losses)
North Melbourne: 68 (31 wins, 1 draw, 36 losses)
Fitzroy: 59 (34 wins, 0 draws, 25 losses)
St Kilda: 52 (21 wins, 1 draw, 30 losses)
Western Bulldogs: 44 (14 wins, 0 draws, 30 losses)

Finals v Essendon

Played: 7 (2 wins, 5 losses)
Qualifying Final 2000: North Melbourne 11.7.73 defeated by Essendon 31.12.198
Qualifying Final 1998: North Melbourne 11.16.82 defeated Essendon 8.12.60
Preliminary Final 1983: North Melbourne 12.6.78 defeated by Essendon 25.14.164
Elimination Final 1982: North Melbourne 19.14.128 defeated Essendon 16.19.115
Grand Final 1950: North Melbourne 7.12.54 defeated by Essendon 13.14.92
Semi Final 1950: North Melbourne 11.11.77 defeated by Essendon 11.14.80
Preliminary Final 1949: North Melbourne 9.7.61 defeated by Essendon 11.12.78

Finals at MCG

Played: 47 (23 wins, 1 draw, 23 losses)

Last five finals

Elimination Final 2012: North Melbourne 9.12.66 defeated by West Coast 24.18.162
Elimination Final 2008: North Melbourne 11.9.75 defeated by Sydney 17.8.110
Preliminary Final 2007: North Melbourne 5.16.46 defeated by Port Adelaide 20.13.133
Semi Final 2007: North Melbourne 14.9.93 defeated Hawthorn 8.12.60
Qualifying Final 2007: North Melbourne 8.2.50 defeated by Geelong 23.18.156