A WEIRD pall hung over Saturday afternoon's clash between the Western Bulldogs and North Melbourne, with Brad Scott coaching the Roos for what was almost certainly the last time.

Reports emerged on Friday he and the club had agreed to part ways, before Scott had a chance to speak to his players, and the man himself all but confirmed that shortly before the match started. 

No-one knew what to expect. Scott admitted those Roos set to run out were "agitated" in a pre-game meeting, and how that would affect a team that sat second-last going into the contest was unclear.

SCOTT'S DAY TO REMEMBER Full match coverage and stats

It didn't seem to matter for the first three quarters, with North in control. A stunning fightback from the Dogs, though, saw them hit the front for the first time since the opening minutes, but the Roos composed and emerged 25-point victors in an open, if at times error-riddled game under the roof at Marvel Stadium, winning their third match of the season, 18.7 (115) to 13.12 (90).

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That gave Scott a 106-105 record in his time at North, a tenure which began when appointed in late 2009 and included runs to preliminary final weekend in 2014 and 2015.

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Scott is set to elaborate on his future at a Sunday press conference, but his tearful embrace of players after the game seemed to indicate that this was his last game at the helm.

Whoever takes over will have pieces to play with. Tarryn Thomas showed off his exceptional talent, whether it was by smothering and faking out Dogs superstar Marcus Bontempelli before snapping a goal or plucking a couple of nice marks in the second quarter.

Then there's Cameron Zurhaar, who had booted at least one goal in every game this year and continued that streak by putting through a tough one from long range while near the boundary, and clunked a pack grab too.

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Also in attack, Nick Larkey nailed a couple of final-quarter goals, including one on the run to all but settle the result.

A Tom Liberatore snap as the third term came to a close sparked a remarkable fightback for the Dogs, a team endeavouring to keep its finals hopes alive, but the loss meant it slipped to 4-6.

Bontempelli came to the fore early in the fourth quarter through the middle while Tim English flourished up forward with a couple of quick goals after having been dismissed from ruck duties, having been destroyed by Todd Goldstein.

The Dogs briefly hit the lead after Sam Lloyd slotted his third goal and North was seemingly powerless to stop the Dogs wave.

However, a magnificent display of skill from Shaun Higgins, who pinpointed spearhead Ben Brown, set up the goal that gave the Kangaroos an advantage they wouldn't relinquish.

MEDICAL ROOM
Western Bulldogs: Key defender Jackson Trengove was in discomfort when his captain Easton Wood crashed into him in a marking contest during the second term, but he appeared to pull up fine.

North Melbourne: Young midfielder Luke Davies-Uniacke sported a sore right shoulder in the final term, which was already strapped up, but he came back on soon enough.

NEXT UP
North Melbourne will be under the spotlight, and likely with a caretaker coach in charge, when it meets powerhouse Richmond next Friday night at Marvel Stadium. Then to close out the round, the Western Bulldogs make the trek out to Optus Stadium to face reigning premier West Coast on Sunday afternoon.

WESTERN BULLDOGS 5.2       6.6       9.9     13.12 (90)
NORTH MELBOURNE 5.2       10.4     13.5     18.7 (115)

GOALS
Western Bulldogs: Lloyd 3, English 2, Liberatore 2, Wallis, Bontempelli, Suckling, Naughton, Johannisen, Smith
North Melbourne: Brown 3, Larkey 3, Wood 3, Anderson 2, Zurhaar 2, Thomas 2, Cunnington, Davies-Uniacke, Polec

BEST 
Western Bulldogs: Dunkley, Bontempelli, Daniel, Liberatore, Lloyd
North Melbourne: Goldstein, Cunnington, Tarrant, Wood, Higgins, Brown

INJURIES 
Western Bulldogs: Nil
North Melbourne: Nil

Reports: Nil

Umpires: Brown, Williamson, Ryan

Official crowd: 26,156 at Marvel Stadium