EARLY in North Melbourne's crucial contest against St Kilda, big Kangaroo forward Drew Petrie soared above the pack after a hopeful kick by teammate Ryan Bastinac.

Petrie balanced himself and launched over the top of St Kilda defender Sam Fisher to haul in a mammoth pack mark.

North Melbourne needed its go-to forward to finish off, and Petrie did as he drilled a 50m goal to tie the score in the early stages of the first term.