FLAG favourite North Melbourne has overcome atrocious conditions to extend its best-ever start to an AFLW season with a 12-point win over plucky Richmond.
The Kangaroos' lowest score of the year so far was enough to see them home in a 3.9 (27) to 2.3 (15) victory in Launceston on Sunday.
The result left Darren Crocker's side unbeaten on top of the ladder with five wins and a draw after six matches, albeit with other sides having only played four or five games due to the competition's compressed fixture.
But it came at a cost when captain Emma Kearney sustained a hamstring injury early in the first quarter.
The long-time North skipper appeared in good spirits when chatting with teammates at the breaks.
However, the Kangaroos will sweat on the results of scans on Kearney's injured right hamstring heading into the second half of a short season.
KANGAROOS v TIGERS Full match coverage and stats
Jasmine Garner (24 disposals, one goal), Mia King (22 touches) and Ash Riddell (22) were all influential for North as they gradually ground down their opponents.
Garner was involved in an entertaining duel with Eilish Sheerin (17 disposals, six clearances) and kicked the Kangaroos' sealer late in the final term.
Richmond star Monique Conti (32 disposals, seven clearances) was on another level with her cleanliness and precision with the ball, regularly making a mockery of the wet and windy conditions.
The Tigers, who were without captain Katie Brennan and winger Maddie Shevlin because of ankle injuries, led for most of the first half after Emelia Yassir pounced to give them the first goal into a stiff breeze in the opening term.
North had to wait until there was one minute left in the first half to post their first major when Alice O'Loughlin converted a free kick.
O'Loughlin's goal briefly tied the scores but Richmond led by one point at the main break.
The Kangaroos lifted in the second half, when a series of behinds and Bella Eddey's neat finish from the pocket gave them a nine-point advantage at the final change.
Caitlin Greiser gave Richmond a sniff when she converted a free kick and cut the margin back to five points with more than seven minutes left to play.
But Garner, who missed a set shot earlier in the last quarter, made the most of her next opportunity to give North breathing space again and they hung on.
Richmond (4-2) hold their spot in the top eight despite their first defeat since round one.
North host the Western Bulldogs in round six, while the Tigers will be looking to get back to winning ways when they face Collingwood.
More to come
NORTH MELBOURNE 0.2 1.2 2.6 3.9 (27)
RICHMOND 1.1 1.3 1.3 2.3 (15)
GOALS
North Melbourne: O'Loughlin, Eddey, Garner
Richmond: Yassir, Greiser
BEST
North Melbourne: Garner, King, Riddell, Tripodi
Richmond: Conti, Sheerin, Dempsey, Kelly
INJURIES
North Melbourne: Kearney (hamstring)
Richmond: Nil
LATE CHANGES
North Melbourne: Nil
Richmond: Sarah Hosking (managed) replaced in selected side by Stella Reid
Crowd: 753 at UTAS Stadium
