CARLTON was so bad on Sunday the story was arguably more about it than a revitalised North Melbourne belatedly posting its second win of the season, by a thumping 58 points.

The Roos were dominant from the first bounce in winning 18.12 (120) to 8.14 (62), and the rot set in well before Levi Casboult in the second term decided to kick backwards into his defensive 50 – and straight to Kangaroo Mason Wood.

Casboult earlier had missed a soccer attempt from the top of the goalsquare, then shortly after his defensive shocker he missed a set shot from 25m on a slight angle.

GREEN SHOOTS WITHER North thumps the Blues

This was back to the dirty days before Casboult improved his infamous inaccuracy, before the Blues had Sam Walsh, and before Walsh's last-second goal a fortnight ago ensured they registered 100 points for the first time in 60 games.

Brendon Bolton's men were smacked in the contest (122-154, including 28-50 at quarter-time) – which owed plenty to North's excellent performance – and sloppy with the Sherrin in hand.

Wood's major, after Casboult's gift barely 25 minutes into the second quarter, put the Kangaroos ahead by an astonishing 55 points.

Carlton was 10 goals to one behind at half-time, having conceded 21 majors to six since the 18-minute mark of the second quarter in its fadeout defeat to Hawthorn last week.

North's win leaving the Blues only percentage off the bottom of the ladder.

But that's more than enough about Carlton.

This match was considered a 'must-win' for the under-siege Roos, especially with the Blues losing Kade Simpson, Matthew Kreuzer, Mitch McGovern and Nic Newman to injury since last week.

Everyone at Arden St's been heavily scrutinised, from coach Brad Scott to the club's biggest stars in Ben Brown and Ben Cunnington, whose defensive running was highlighted as an issue.

It was fitting then that Scott's moves at the selection table – bringing in Taylor Garner and Jy Simpkin among others – paid dividends, while Brown and Cunnington answered the critics wonderfully.

'OFF DAY' Bolton sticks by Blues' progress

Where Carlton struggled not only to get its hands on the ball but also to move it, the Roos produced a series of thrilling scoring chains that more often than not ended in Brown's hands, despite the Blues placing a second defender in the 200cm spearhead's way.

GAME BREAKER Big tick for big Ben

Garner was one of the other big positives on an afternoon jam-packed with them.

The oft-injured forward is one of North's greatest talents, but this was just his 35th game since being the No.15 pick in the 2012 draft.

Garner's pressure on his rivals was suffocating at times, then his creativity and brilliance came to the fore in the second term.

He firstly weaved out of trouble and set up a Tarryn Thomas goal with a worm-burner pass, then dished the ball out of a hard-fought contest at half-forward to Kayne Turner that led to another.

JZ CRITICAL TO SUCCESS Scott praises Ziebell's work on Cripps

Cameron Zurhaar, in his 13th match, was the beneficiary of that second Garner effort and finished with a career-high five majors – the last of them shortly after a sickening collision with Liam Jones.

Jones clutched a terrific mark running with the flight of the ball, only to accidentally clash heads with a bloodied Zurhaar, then suffer a second blow on the surface that left him motionless.

The list of key Roo contributors was lengthy, but Trent Dumont, Shaun Higgins and 50-gamer Jed Anderson were among the best of them and Robbie Tarrant kept Harry McKay markless.

It was tougher to find decent Carlton players, with Walsh, Zac Fisher and Jacob Weitering toiling as hard as any.

MEDICAL ROOM

Carlton: Liam Jones was the major casualty, being knocked out in the third quarter while courageously running back with the flight to hang onto a mark, suffering an accidental clash of heads with Cameron Zurhaar before his head crashed into the Marvel Stadium surface.

North Melbourne: Scott Thompson (adductor) didn't take any part in the second half after going off in the second term and was the Roos' sole concern.

UP NEXT

Carlton will try to regain some respect when it faces the old enemy Collingwood at the MCG on Saturday afternoon, while North Melbourne hosts in-form Geelong at Marvel Stadium the following day.

CARLTON     0.2     1.7     3.10     8.14 (62)   
NORTH MELBOURNE     5.5     10.6     15.7     18.12 (120)

GOALS
Carlton: Silvagni 2, Cripps 2, Dow, E.Curnow, Cuningham, Gibbons
North Melbourne: Zurhaar 5, Brown 4, Simpkin 2, Goldstein 2, Garner, Anderson, Wood, Thomas, Ziebell

BEST
Carlton: Walsh, Weitering, Fisher, Cripps
North Melbourne: Brown, Cunnington, Dumont, Zurhaar, Higgins, Garner, Tarrant

INJURIES
Carlton: Jones (concussion)
North Melbourne: Thompson (adductor)

Reports: Nil

Umpires: Rosebury, Hosking, Dore

Official attendance: 42,430