ALL WEEK long the question hovered over North Melbourne's match committee.

Hamish McIntosh, who hadn't played at senior level all season, was in ripe form and the Kangaroos seriously considered whether to bring him in to alternate with Todd Goldstein, who had taken over his mantle as no. 1 ruck.

In the end, McIntosh stayed in the VFL and Goldstein carried on shouldering the load all on his own.

Not that the selection issue weighed too heavily on the mind of the man who would have to take on the ruck combination, Ben McEvoy.

"We were prepared to take whatever came," McEvoy said after Saturday night's win.

"If they brought him in, they brought him in. They obviously didn't and that was the way it went. We just have to worry about our own game and I didn't worry too much about that."

It was a tough task for McEvoy, who had been thoroughly beaten the previous week by Swan Shane Mumford.

That game had come after the young Saint had battled illness for much of the week but he was determined to bounce back and match it with the in-form Goldstein, who had his measure the first time the two teams met this season in round 15.

"You always do take a mental note of how games go. You've got to build on that knowledge for next time you come up against them," McEvoy said.

"He's a quality player and really dominant in hit-outs. It's just about minimising that damage and trying to get after the ball at ground level."

Saturday's win has guaranteed the Saints a finals berth and McEvoy is sure to play a key part as the team's no. 1 ruckman.

While excited about finals, McEvoy was more elated about the way his team secured that berth.

"It's a great result for us to have that guaranteed spot. But it was more the way we went about it tonight," he said.

"We've given ourselves a chance but we can take some pretty good form into next week and hopefully take it up to Carlton and go into the finals with some good form."

Luke Holmesby covers St Kilda news for afl.com.au. Follow him on Twitter: @AFL_LHolmesby