North Melbourne has comfortably beaten an injury-stricken Brisbane Lions outfit by 54 points at Etihad Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

The Kangaroos blew the Lions away with a five-goals-to-none opening term – the fifth time this year they've conceded one or fewer – on their way to a 21.15 (141) to 12.15 (87) triumph.

The difference was 55 points by half-time despite North having only seven more inside 50s in a ruthless display of efficiency.

However, they may rue not putting the Lions to the sword after the main break.

The same sides met in the final round last year knowing the loser would claim the wooden spoon, putting context into North Melbourne's remarkably rapid return to relevance.

Preventing a perfect afternoon was Jarrad Waite's calf injury in the warm-up and resultant late withdrawal, as well as Jed Anderson (hamstring tightness) sitting out all bar five minutes.

Second-year Roo Jy Simpkin also looks in trouble for catching Allen Christensen high with a glancing blow in the first quarter that saw the Lion's head hit the ground hard.

Christensen (concussion) took no further part, joining Charlie Cameron (right ankle) and Hugh McCluggage (right calf) in being ruled out by half-time on a nightmare day at Etihad Stadium.

Jarrod Berry (hamstring soreness), like Waite, didn't even make it to the first bounce.

Chris Fagan's men fought out the final two quarters and won them by a point to add some scoreboard respectability.

"In the first quarter they dominated us, so it was always going to be tough to come back from 33 points down," Fagan said afterwards.

"(But) we won the second half, which was a mighty courageous performance from our players. We played hard and committed footy."

BID ON TONIGHT'S MATCH WORN GUERNSEYS

The AFL's No.2 contested-ball team blitzed the Lions in that area in the first half (72-56), thumped the visitors 24-15 in clearances in that time and used handball to release teammates for searching runs.

Dayne Beams shook off Ben Jacobs' best defensive efforts to easily be the Lions' leading light with 32 touches and five goals, four of them in the last quarter.

Young defender Harris Andrews did well to keep Coleman Medal frontrunner Ben Brown to two majors, with Luke Hodge and Zac Bailey among the rare few who can hold their head high.

MEDICAL ROOM

North Melbourne: Veteran Jarrad Waite hurt a calf in the warm-up and was a very late withdrawal after the Roos prepared to go in as selected. The in-form forward has had calf problems throughout his career. Jed Anderson (hamstring tightness) was also done inside five minutes despite undergoing a fitness test at quarter-time, with coach Brad Scott saying it wasn't worth risking him.

Brisbane: Jarrod Berry failed to overcome hamstring soreness in time to play and was a late out from the Lions' selected side. It got worse from there for Brisbane, which lost Allen Christensen (concussion) before the first break then Charlie Cameron (right ankle) late in the second term. Second-year Roo Jy Simpkin caught Christensen high with a glancing blow in an incident that is sure to have match review officer Michael Christian's attention, and the former Cat struck his head hard on the ground. Cameron emerged from the rooms at half-time on crutches. Hugh McCluggage also hurt his right calf in the second quarter.

NEXT UP

The Roos face a stern test of their credentials next Saturday against fellow finals aspirant Geelong at GMHBA Stadium. They've lost eight of their past 10 visits to the Cattery. Brisbane has an extra day's recovery before hosting Essendon at the Gabba on Sunday.

NORTH MELBOURNE      5.7   12.9    16.14   21.15 (141)
BRISBANE           0.4   3.8      7.11   12.15 (87)

GOALS

North Melbourne: Ziebell 3, Brown 2, Atley 2, McDonald 2, Wright 2, Jacobs 2, Higgins, Wood, Simpkin, Goldstein, Williams, Hartung, Tarrant, Cunnington
Brisbane: Beams 5, McStay 2, McInerney, Bailey, Keays, Taylor, Zorko

BEST 

North Melbourne: Cunnington, Higgins, McDonald, Ahern, Tarrant, Atley, Goldstein
Brisbane: Beams, Andrews, Hodge, Bailey

INJURIES 

North Melbourne: Waite (calf soreness) replaced in selected side by Tom Murphy, Anderson (hamstring)
Brisbane: Berry (hamstring soreness) replaced in selected side by Keays, Christensen (concussion), Cameron (foot), McCluggage (Achilles)

Reports: Mitch Robinson (Brisbane) for rough contact on Shaun Higgins in the third quarter.

Umpires: Margetts, Brown, Donlon

Official crowd: 22,133 at Etihad Stadium