North Melbourne achieves second-biggest comeback win

FT: North Melbourne 17.9 (111) def Gold Coast 16.9 (105)

Unbelievable. From 43 points down, that is the second-biggest comeback win in North Melbourne history.

Zurhaar was clearly held by Adams in the contest in the last seconds, but the question is did Larkey play on after the whistle? He most certainly did, and he and Curtis somehow contrived to fail to score, but the umpire generously took the ball back and gave Zurhaar the shot.

They just kept on rolling the dice through the middle of the ground, and you could smell it coming halfway through that quarter. The Suns totally ran out of legs, lost their defence completely and more importantly lost their composure. Really hard to argue the Darwin trip didn't cost them again there.

Huge, huge win for North Melbourne. Season defining. Club lifting.

Cam Zurhaar goal! North Melbourne win after the siren!

SCENES.

Free kick North Melbourne!

Cam Zurhaar will win the game after the siren! But did they take advantage? The umpire pulls it back and the Roos will surely win! Any score will do!

Luke Davies-Uniacke has tied the game! 46 seconds left!

With less than a minute to play! The Roos go from half-back again, and Duursma had the composure to pick out LDU inside 50.

He delivers in the clutch with a perfect set shot. And now it is all to play for with 46 seconds on the clock!

Two minutes to play

Six points in it. Tackles flying in everywhere. North storming home. Proper footy this.

Charlie Spargo finishes the move off! North still coming!

When the Roos pull the trigger off half-back, the Suns do not have the legs to go with them. They just keep on scoring from these same plays, and with a few minutes to go they are still a red hot chance.

Larkey for some reason didn't take the shot after marking close to goal, and his shocking handball nearly stuffed it up. Spargo kept his cool though and it's a seven-point game.

Zane Duursma gets the margin back to 14 points

Still plenty of time for North Melbourne, more than eight minutes still to play. They are running the gauntlet with every play from half-back straight through the middle and the Suns can't keep up.

Can Gold Coast keep finding these isolated moments of class to hold them off? Or will North storm over the top in these final minutes?

Ben Long answers straight back for the Suns

That one stings North Melbourne, who are being held back by two things. The first is the class of that Gold Coast midfield four, and the second is their struggling defence.

A quick kick straight from the middle found Long's chest, and the set shot was converted. Easy as that.

Paul Curtis! North back to 15 points down!

End to end again! North Melbourne are running all over the Suns from back to front now. Curtis had a few efforts in that play and just worked harder to get the ball again inside 50.

Still 13 minutes to play and the Roos are within three goals. They've got the momentum now.

Tristan Xerri pulls that goal straight back for North

The Kangaroos have found a way to score from transition for the first time all day, which does speak to a decrease in Gold Coast's defensive running.

Xerri was all alone inside 50 there, the biggest man on the field. The mark was easy and the kick wasn't much tougher. Back to 20 points.

Christian Petracca is ice cold! Suns holding firm

There's just too many blokes in this Suns time that can hurt you from the slightest opportunity. Petracca received the dish 40 from goal and converted off a step without even thinking about it.

No idea what Simpkin was doing just before the goal, playing the ball with his foot instead of picking it up. Cost his side big time there.

Cooper Trembath has his second to lift North again

They're finding overlap run now and are giving their forwards really good looks. Trembath was up against Andrew and beat him all ends up in the air.

Maybe it's confirmation bias, but I do think the Gold Coast legs are starting to look really heavy. There's a chance for the Roos here.

Zeke Uwland with a stunning finish for the Suns!

That's how you close out a game like this! Moments of game-breaking class from an elite young talent, a fine kick on Uwland's left across the body and through the middle.

Rowell did the grunt work, Uwland finished the job. Suns back out by 26.

3QT: Gold Coast 13.7 (85) lead North Melbourne 10.5 (65)

North Melbourne are throwing everything at this now. Clarko has moved the magnets around, putting Trembath in the ruck and Curtis in the middle, and is finding some success.

But the big watch is on the Suns and how they are able to run this game out. In years gone by they have struggled a little after their Darwin stay, and we might be seeing something similar again here.

Big last quarter ahead.

Cooper Trembath for North! Game on!

Another North Melbourne player who has been unsighted today but is stepping up at just the right time. Trembath took a strong one-on-one mark against Collins and then banged it home from 50 out.

Are the Suns running out of legs after a couple of weeks in Darwin? The Roos look like they believe again now.

Jack Darling with the toepoke! North not done yet

Geez, Cam Zurhaar just had a red hot crack at the mark of the year. Shame he didn't bring it down, but all's well that ends well for the Roos.

The ball spilled to the square where Darling was all alone. He briefly contemplated bending over to pick it up and thought better of it. He's got three.

Noah Anderson! What a goal!

Sheeeeeeesh. That is filthy stuff from the skipper.

First there was the dummy and sidestep to pierce through a couple of oncoming defenders, then the bounce and absolute launch from inside the centre square. It carries the fingertips by a few inches and is through for a goal. That is something else.