They took the points on the scoreboard, but the Kangaroos may have lost one of their most important players for an extended period. Andrew Swallow limped off in the third quarter and donned the red vest after a quick test of his Achilles area. Coach Brad Scott revealed Swallow may have ruptured the tendon, which would leave him sidelined for around 12 months. Swallow has played in every game for the past five years, so the Roos will have to get used to life without him if that's the case. It's a huge price to pay, and another test in a difficult year for the Kangaroos.

Demons fans haven't had much joy at Etihad Stadium in recent times. Melbourne has now lost its past 15 games at the ground, with its last win way back in round 19, 2007 against the Western Bulldogs. The club hasn't done well drawing a crowd to Etihad either, with Saturday's loss to North Melbourne its fourth straight home game to record a crowd under 20, 000. Compounding a dismal day, the Dees have now lost their past 11 games against the Kangaroos.

He's just about indestructible, this one. Seriously. After putting it all on the line with a fierce tackle in the second quarter, he was left sucking in some big ones on his hands and knees. Once he caught his breath, he did his best to trot off the field. But as he was headed to the bench, the ball came his way. Shaking off the pain, he flew high to take a mark, but it spilled as he hit the ground. A teammate scooped it up, and Ziebell threw his body at the chasing Demon with an important last-ditch shepherd. The ball was successfully cleared, and Ziebell used his last ounce of energy to crawl across the interchange gates. He came back on in that quarter and was immediately crunched, but barely flinched. And don't forget he's nursing a leg injury after a knock to his once fractured bone last week. Just like club legend Glenn Archer, Ziebell is the perfect embodiment of the Kangaroos and their 'shinboner spirit'.

We all know how much Kangaroos coach Brad Scott hates an open roof at Etihad Stadium, but the officials opted to roll the dice and let the winter breeze in. It made for windy conditions at ground level, and the North Melbourne banner looked as if it had been put through the shredder before the team passed through. There were some light specks of rain on the radar, but Mother Nature played by the rules, and the overcast day didn't affect the game. Phew.

While it wasn't a memorable day on the field, one Melbourne fan decided the conditions were perfect for a marriage proposal. Sharing the moment with the sparse crowd, his act was captured on the scoreboard. Thankfully his North Melbourne-supporting girlfriend said 'yes'. She got the best of both worlds – a win and a diamond ring.