YOU COULD not have asked for the ball to be better hands.

With one second remaining, and his side trailing by four points, Bulldog skipper Brad Johnson marked the ball 35 metres out.

The moment every kid dreams about had arrived.

Kick the goal and his side scores a famous win, miss and the spoils go to North Melbourne.

Johnson's shot sailed wide to end the Doggies unbeaten run and bring an end to one of the games of the year.

Johnson had already hit the post twice during a frenetic last term as he tried desperately to stave off a committed and impassioned opposition.

But it was the Roos, having trailed by four goals at half time, who got home 16.17 (113) to 16.14 (110) in front of 34,971 screaming Telstra Dome fans.

For pure excitement there have been few games to rival this one in season 2008.

Having lead but four goals at half time the Doggies were seemingly in control until the Roos, drawing inspiration from favourite son Brent Harvey's 250th game, produced a nine-goal to five second half to consign the shattered Dogs to their first loss of the year.

Having been jumped by the Roos in Glenn Archer's 300th game last year – then humbled again in round 22 – the Dogs came out fired up to counter the emotion of Harvey's 250th.

The ploy worked with the side getting the start it wanted with goals to Will Minson and Scott Welsh inside six minutes before the Roos had troubled the scorers.

With Adam Cooney, Ryan Griffen and Daniel Cross winning the midfield battle and Jason Akermanis finding range in front of goal, the Dogs led by 19 points within 12 minutes of the first bounce.

However, with Harvey's milestone as a spur, the shinboners, as we have come to expect, fought back.

By quarter time scores were level on the back of four goals in eight minutes to the Roos countered only by a late major to skipper Johnson right on the quarter-time siren.

However, the Dogs, led by Adam Cooney, Robert Murphy and ruckman Bed Hudson drew away again. Cooney had 19 first half touches and a goal to be the midfield architect while Murphy put on a vintage half forward display to bamboozle a revolving door of opponents.

His second goal of the half from 45 metres from a tight angle was pure class. With Johnson proving a livewire and a host of ball gathers, including Daniel Cross, Ryan Griffen and Daniel Giansiracusa keeping the pressure on, the Dogs seemingly had all the answers.

In the end they didn't

The Dogs spent the entire second half trying to keep the opposition at bay with the work of its onball brigade and some brilliant individual efforts up forward.

For the most part they did until late in the game when Drew Petrie, who switched forward late in the game, kicked the Roos nine points clear at the 18-minute mark.

Johnson reduced the deficit to four points with his third of the game then had the chance to win it after the siren.

Cooney did all he could with a game-high 33 possessions, Matthew Boyd gathered 30 while Murphy (three goals), Akermanis (four) and Giansiracusa (22 touches) were more than solid contributors.

In the end it was the one the got away. For footy fans it was a great spectacle played in the right spirit.

Western Bulldogs       5.3   11.7   14.10    16.14  (110)
North Melbourne            5.3   7.7   12.11   16.17  (113)

GOALS
Western Bulldogs:  Akermanis 4, Murphy 3, Johnson 3, Minson 2, Welsh, Gilbee, Hahn, Cooney.
North Melbourne: N Thompson 4, Petrie 3, Jones 2, Harris, Lower, Campbell, Rawlings, Harding, Harvey, McIntosh.

BEST
Western Bulldogs:  Cooney, Akermanis, Boyd, Cross, Murphy, Griffen, Johnson.
North Melbourne: Rawlings, McIntosh, Simpson, Thompson, Petrie, Harvey, Grant.

INJURIES
Western Bulldogs: None
North Melbourne: Wells (knee)

Reports: Nil

Umpires: Stevic, Nicholls, Ryan

Official crowd: 35,471 at Telstra Dome