NORTH MELBOURNE is fifth. Yep, the same unloved team that spent much of 2008 scrapping about on the edge of the eight. The same team that was flogged by Geelong and Port in the finals, and which no one has rated a serious threat since Wayne Carey's strutting prime, is capable of repeating last year's top-four finish.

And, if North does sneak into fourth ahead of Sydney, they'll be dismissed again. "There's Geelong a mile ahead," we'll say. "Hawthorn, the Doggies … and, oh, did North finish fourth?"

North has Brisbane, the Bulldogs, Carlton, Geelong and Port Adelaide in their last five games. It can win four of them and finish fourth with a percentage — currently 97.3, not much better than Port's — around the 100 mark. But the margin for failure isn't great, and with a couple of slips, the Kangaroos could still find themselves living on the edge again.

Yesterday, North did what was required and defeated Melbourne by 28 points on a wet, frigid day before a predictably modest turn out of 21,330.

"No injuries, four points," was the succinct summary of North coach Dean Laidley, who, knowing his team is wont to drop "easy" games, appeared satisfied with the upshot.

Still, Brent Harvey, whom Native Americans would call Little Man Running, or Little Running Man, said Laidley was a tad disappointed that the Roos didn't meet their pre-game objective of winning each quarter.

They won only two terms — the first and second, but the opening burst of 7.3 to 1.3 ensured that there would be little suspense, even though the Demons actually pressed to within 19 points early in the last quarter and played spurts of competent football.

The Dees were pretty committed after quarter-time, but the first quarter put them into a debt that they were never going to wipe out.

There are innumerable irrelevant statistics in the AFL. One stat that still holds some meaning is the inside 50-metre entries. Melbourne, throughout this season, has struggled to get the ball inside its forward 50-metre arc more than the opposition.

Yesterday, the Dees went inside 50 metres 37 times to North's 50 entries. It is nigh-impossible to win a game when you're inside 50 that infrequently.

Melbourne actually played with reasonable efficiency at each end. It managed to get numbers back often enough to rebound, but it wasn't skilful enough to maintain possession; on a wet day, with a somewhat slippery ball, the Dees couldn't string together sufficient precise kicks or handballs to get the ball into the scoring area.

The most effective forward afield was Lindsay Thomas, the small forward whose partnership with Matt Campbell has added a flamboyance that hitherto North lacked in their attack. Thomas probably was best afield, ahead of Brent Harvey, whose brilliance dimmed in the second half, and whose conflict with Linden Dunn provided the only real heat on a 12-degree afternoon.

Thomas booted five goals from 18 disposals. His most impressive goal came in the last quarter when he was met head-on by Aaron Davey and collected in a collision that, had the physics been worse — Davey equals not much mass and his velocity, for once, wasn't break neck — would have been ugly. Thomas's eyes did not deviate, as they say.

North's uncoventional forward set-up worked OK. Corey Jones was the initial spark, booting three goals in the first quarter. Thomas picked up as Jones disappeared when his third opponent, Matthew Warnock, puts the clamps on.

David Hale, a rare ruck who can play as a genuine — not merely at a pinch — was the constant; Hale booted only one goal, but he was the the best and most persistent aerial threat on an afternoon that did not suit 200-centimetre forwards.

Hale did his job. It was one of those afternoons when no one did much more than that.

NORTH MELB 7.3 9.6 11.9 14.14 (98)

MELBOURNE 1.3 3.4 6.8 10.10 (70)

GOALS — North: Thomas 5, Jones 4, Harvey 2, Petrie, Hale, Campbell. Melbourne: Miller 3, Newton 2, Morton, P Johnson, Sylvia, Davey, Valenti.

BEST — North: Thomas, Harvey, Hale, Gibson, Simpson, Jones, Wells. Melbourne: Jones, Davey, McDonald, Buckley, Valenti.

REPORTS — Melbourne: Dunn for allegedly striking Harvey (North) on the wing in the third quarter by umpire McLaren. Dunn for allegedly striking Harvey in the centre in the third quarter by umpire McLaren.

UMPIRES: McLaren, Fila, Hendrie.

CROWD: 21,330 at the MCG

THE UPSHOT: North Melbourne bounded to fifth spot with its ninth win of the season and third consecutive victory, while the Demons remain anchored at the bottom of the ladder.

TALKING POINT: Brent Harvey's Brownlow Medal chances are starting to look pretty good.

HOT AND COLD: Brad Miller kicked three goals with his first three kicks, but had just two kicks after half-time.