NORTH MELBOURNE has lost its first match for the season by 15 points after almost producing a come-from-behind win against the Western Bulldogs at the MCG on Sunday.

The Roos lost to the Dogs, 11.14 (80) to 9.11 (65), to drop their first match against the Bulldogs since round 8, 2005. It was also the first time the red, white and blue has defeated North Melbourne at the MCG since round 15, 1999.

In a hard-fought encounter played in cool, wintry conditions, both sides displayed great endeavour and courage.

And although the Dogs led for almost the entire match – aside from Lindsay Thomas posting the first behind of the match – the Roos’ tenacity and commitment could not be questioned.  

Although he may no longer be skipper, Adam Simpson led from the front again with 26 possessions. Leigh Harding also continued his fine form in the midfield and Scott McMahon continued to raise his profile.

In the big man department, Hamish McIntosh backed up from last week’s starring role with another solid game and Drew Petrie defied the slippery conditions to have an influence in the second half.

And while their statistics may not have been high, Matt Campbell and Lindsay Thomas also excited in the forward 50, with three goals between them.

Brian Lake was outstanding down back for the Dogs, while Ryan Griffen claimed a game-high 30 disposals and Brad Johnson was mighty up forward with three goals and 22 touches.

The match started in rainy conditions, but the footy was hot from the word go.

Both teams had a genuine dip, with desperate acts a feature of the play. Second-gamer Jack Ziebell set the example for his teammates with a courageous dive to win the loose ball that would have pleased coach Dean Laidley.

Neither team struggled to generate scoring shots in the first term, but the intensity of the contest and the slippery conditions meant that accuracy was a problem.

Brad Johnson led from the front with two majors as the Dogs posted 3.6 to 1.5, while North Melbourne scored its first goal at the 26-minute mark, when club great Simpson reduced the margin to 13 points at the first interval.

It was a low-scoring second term with just three goals added. But with two coming from Roos duo Campbell and Daniel Wells, the latter coming deep in time-on, the gap was closed to 10 points at the long break.  

The Bulldogs took control early in the third term, kicking four of the opening five goals of the second half. And when Ryan Griffen kicked truly at the 17-minute mark, the Dogs were up by 28 points.

With the game starting to look out of the Roos' reach, they responded with trademark grit to keep the contest alive.

David Hale’s first major kickstarted the comeback and when indigenous duo Thomas and Campbell landed successive goals, the margin was cut to just 11 points at three quarter-time.

The Bulldogs landed the first blow in the final term, when Josh Hill notched up his second, but it soon became an arm wrestle.

Ed Lower narrowed the deficit when he slid past a watching Dylan Addison to toe-poke a goal. Soon after, McIntosh nailed one to bring the margin back to just three points.

As the tension mounted and the excitement grew, the Dogs lifted accordingly.

Hill bobbed up for his second in red-time and when Lindsay Gilbee followed up, the Bulldogs had done enough to seal victory, ending a five-match losing streak against North Melbourne.

Western Bulldogs  3.6  4.10  8.13  11.14 (80)
North Melbourne  1.5  3.6  7.8  9.11 (65)

GOALS
Western Bulldogs: Johnson 3, Hill 3, Giansiracusa, Minson, Addison, Griffen, Gilbee
North Melbourne: Campbell 2, Thomas 2, Simpson, Wells, Swallow, Hale, McIntosh

BEST
Western Bulldogs: Johnson, Griffen, Lake, Boyd, Picken, Hill
North Melbourne: Harding, Simpson, McIntosh, Campbell, Thomas, Wells

INJURIES
Western Bulldogs: Callan (back) replaced in selected side by Harbrow
North Melbourne: Nil

Reports: Nil

Umpires: Grun, Meredith, McInerney

Official crowd: 34,466 at the MCG

The views in this article are those of the author and not necessarily of the clubs or the AFL.