The Kangaroos controlled the match throughout as their opponents had trouble focussing on the job at hand, gifting multiple turnovers and missing many gettable shots at goal before losing 17.13 (115) to 9.16 (70).

View the best photos from the win

North Melbourne now has two matches left to try and take something from the season, while Essendon has the same fortnight to try and get its game back in the shape it enjoyed through the first 17 rounds.

The Kangaroos did all the damage in the third quarter, when they piled on six goals to two to be up by 40-points at the last break.

Drew Petrie (20 disposals, three goals) and Daniel Wells (17 disposals, four goals) were influential in that term, exposing the Essendon defence.

Sam Wright (25 disposals, one goal), and Levi Greenwood (38 disposals) were dominant, as the Bombers lost their grip on the rampaging Roos.

It was an effort that had threatened all day, after the Kangaroos controlled the majority of the first half, without putting any scoreboard pressure on.

They jumped out of the blocks in the first quarter, but managed just a 6-point buffer at quarter time.

Essendon grabbed a 2-point lead three minutes into the second term, but the Kangaroos responded with three consecutive goals.

"It was a great test of our depth because we've always known we've got that depth, but it's just a matter of how good that depth was. I thought we got the game on our terms for most of it," Kangaroos coach Brad Scott said on Saturday.

"Our game is getting better with momentum swinging against us. I thought we iced that pretty well today."

North Melbourne's side took a different look with the late withdrawals of Jack Ziebell and Scott Thompson, who were replaced in the selected side by Levi Greenwood and Sierakowski.