NORTH Melbourne doesn't always knock you out by quarter-time, but the AFL's stingiest side added some big-time offence early to do exactly that to Brisbane on Sunday.

The Kangaroos blew the Lions away with a five-goals-to-none opening term – the fifth time this year they've conceded one or fewer – on their way to an authoritative 21.15 (141) to 12.15 (87) triumph.

ROOS CRUISE Full match coverage and stats

The difference was 55 points by half-time despite North having only seven more inside 50s in a ruthless display of efficiency.

Brad Scott's troops have now won five on the trot against Brisbane by an average of almost 10 goals and seem finals-bound with seven victories through 11 rounds.

TALKING POINTS Lions are singing the first-quarter blues

However, they may rue not putting the Lions to the sword after the main break.

The same sides met in the final round last year knowing the loser would claim the wooden spoon, putting context into North Melbourne's remarkably rapid return to relevance.

"Very, very good performance, all in all," Scott told reporters after the match.

"Because the game's split into 30-minute quarters, you tend to analyse them individually rather than a game as a whole.

"I certainly look at the game as a whole and when the game was there to be won, we played some really good footy."

GAME BREAKER Ziebell provides the spark

Preventing a perfect afternoon was Jarrad Waite's calf injury in the warm-up and resultant late withdrawal, as well as Jed Anderson (hamstring tightness) sitting out all bar five minutes.

Second-year Roo Jy Simpkin also looks in trouble for catching Allen Christensen high with a glancing blow in the first quarter that saw the Lion's head hit the ground hard.

Christensen (concussion) took no further part, joining Charlie Cameron (right ankle) and Hugh McCluggage (right calf) in being ruled out by half-time on a nightmare day at Etihad Stadium.

Jarrod Berry (hamstring soreness), like Waite, didn't even make it to the first bounce, but the scoreboard hurt was inflicted long before the injury epidemic kicked in.

Much was made of Brisbane's improved competitiveness, but this was the second time in 2018 – along with the 93-point hiding from Richmond in round four – it barely showed up when it counted.

And Chris Fagan's men still have just one win to show for their efforts.

They at least fought out the final two quarters and won them by a point to add some scoreboard respectability. 

"In the first quarter they dominated us, so it was always going to be tough to come back from 33 points down," Fagan said afterwards.

"(But) we won the second half, which was a mighty courageous performance from our players. We played hard and committed footy."

North club champion Shaun Higgins ran rampant, winning 26 of his career-high 38 possessions (12 contested) in the opening half and adding six clearances, seven inside 50s and 10 score involvements.

The 30-year-old matched his previous best of 36 disposals by three-quarter time in a spectacular performance of hard running and clean skills.

Midfield beast Ben Cunnington (18 of 28 possessions contested) wonderfully complemented Higgins with another masterclass, while debutant Paul Ahern (29) made an instant impression.

Luke McDonald also cashed in on the Lions misery, setting a new personal best with 34 disposals and 702 metres gained, and Todd Goldstein won the ruck battle over Stefan Martin and Oscar McInerney.

Tom Murphy, the other debutant when Waite was pulled from the game minutes before the start, looked comfortable at the next level.

Fourteen North players kicked goals, including Sam Wright enjoying his first two since 2015 and Robbie Tarrant slotting just his third in five seasons since permanently going down back.

The AFL's No.2 contested-ball team blitzed Brisbane in that area in the first half (72-56), thumped the visitors 24-15 in clearances in that time and used handball to release teammates for searching runs.

Dayne Beams shook off Ben Jacobs' best defensive efforts to easily be the Lions' leading light with 32 touches and five goals, four of them in the last quarter.

Young defender Harris Andrews did well to keep Coleman Medal frontrunner Ben Brown to two majors, with Luke Hodge and Zac Bailey among the rare few who can hold their head high.

MEDICAL ROOM

North Melbourne: : Veteran Jarrad Waite hurt a calf in the warm-up and was a very late withdrawal after the Lions prepared to go in as selected. The in-form forward has had calf problems throughout his career. Jed Anderson (hamstring) was also done inside five minutes despite undergoing a fitness test at quarter-time and staying warm, with coach Brad Scott saying it wasn't worth risking him. But Scott couldn't say whether either player would be available in a week's time against Geelong.

Brisbane: Jarrod Berry failed to overcome hamstring soreness in time to play and was a late out from the Lions' selected side. It got worse from there for Brisbane, which lost Allen Christensen (concussion) before the first break then Charlie Cameron (right ankle) late in the second term. Second-year Roo Jy Simpkin caught Christensen high with a glancing blow in an incident that is sure to have match review officer Michael Christian's attention, and the former Cat struck his head hard on the ground. Cameron emerged from the rooms at half-time on crutches. Hugh McCluggage also hurt his right calf in the second quarter.

NEXT UP

The Roos face a stern test of their credentials next Saturday against fellow finals aspirant Geelong at GMHBA Stadium. They've lost eight of their past 10 visits to the Cattery. Brisbane has an extra day's recovery before hosting Essendon at the Gabba on Sunday.

NORTH MELBOURNE      5.7   12.9    16.14   21.15 (141)
BRISBANE           0.4   3.8      7.11   12.15 (87)

GOALS

North Melbourne: Ziebell 3, Brown 2, Atley 2, McDonald 2, Wright 2, Jacobs 2, Higgins, Wood, Simpkin, Goldstein, Williams, Hartung, Tarrant, Cunnington
Brisbane: Beams 5, McStay 2, McInerney, Bailey, Keays, Taylor, Zorko

BEST 

North Melbourne: Cunnington, Higgins, McDonald, Ahern, Tarrant, Atley, Goldstein
Brisbane: Beams, Andrews, Hodge, Bailey

INJURIES 

North Melbourne: Waite (calf soreness) replaced in selected side by Tom Murphy, Anderson (hamstring)
Brisbane: Berry (hamstring soreness) replaced in selected side by Keays, Christensen (concussion), Cameron (foot), McCluggage (calf)

Reports: Mitch Robinson (Brisbane) for rough contact on Shaun Higgins in the third quarter.

Umpires: Margetts, Brown, Donlon

Official crowd: 22,133 at Etihad Stadium