The 2009 season may have come to an end for the North Melbourne team, but kangaroos.com.au will still be bringing you all the latest news from around the club in the coming months.

Today we take you through a round by round review of rounds 3-6 of the 2009 season. It could also prove as an armchair guide to help pick the winner of this year's Syd Barker Medal.

North Melbourne 10.9.69 defeated Essendon 7.15.57

Video: Post match player interviews
Video: Dean Laidley press conference
Video: Match highlights
News: Match report
News: Win is a stepping stone, says Laidley
News: Hale sets pace up forward
News: Timing's right for Big Ben
Photos: Match photo gallery

Coming into the match North Melbourne sat in 12th spot, while Essendon was in the eight after an exciting third round win against Carlton.

There was plenty of hype ahead of the showdown, but with errors from both sides it quickly became a dour struggle that went right down to the wire.

The Kangaroos burst out of the blocks strongly with three goals to one in the opening term and the highlight of the quarter was Jack Ziebell's first career goal in his fourth game.

Brent Harvey had been criticised for a quiet start to the season, but the newly appointed captain responded in the best way possible with three goals for the day, including a dashing run and goal out of the middle in the third quarter to break the game open.

A late rally from the Bombers in the final term saw the margin reduced to just two goals, but North Melbourne survived the scare as Hamish McIntosh marked and kicked truly in the closing stages.

Harvey also racked up 33 possessions and must be the favourite for the votes on Brownlow night, while David Hale's four goals saw him in the best. Daniel Pratt could also be in the votes after 23 touches, despite a moment he'd rather forget when he stepped back over the goal line and conceded a free kick for a deliberate rushed behind.

Goals: Hale 4, Harvey 3, Ziebell, Petrie, McIntosh
Best players: Harvey, Hale, Hansen, Ziebell, Urquhart, Simpson



North Melbourne 7.16.58 defeated by Richmond 13.16.94

Video: Post match player interviews
Video: Dean Laidley press conference
Video: Match highlights
News: Match report
News: Skills let us down: Laidley 
News: Boomer may miss 12 weeks
News: Veterans must lift: Rawlings
Photos: Match photo gallery

The Kangaroos started where they left off the week before with the first three goals of the game, but early joy quickly turned to despair when captain Brent Harvey was forced from the field with an elbow injury. The dislocated arm and thumb had massive ramifications for North and its chances of a successful season.

Harvey's influence was missed by the Roos and by quarter time the winless Tigers reduced the margin to just six points thanks to some good work from youngster Robin Nahas.

Richmond had the momentum in the second term with two goals to Jack Riewoldt and another to Nahas giving their team a lead at the main change.

A big third quarter saw the Tigers extend their buffer as Daniel Jackson and Riewoldt put the Roos to the sword helping Richmond take a 27 point advantage with a quarter to play.

North Melbourne had its chances to fight back, but seven behinds and just one goal in the last quarter made for a dissapointing finish and Richmond eventually won by six goals.

On a night to forget for the Kangaroos, Adam Simpson and Andrew Swallow could both hold their heads high with strong performances through the midfield, while Gavin Urquhart had plenty of the ball in defence. Ben Warren had six marks and booted a goal in just his second game.

Goals: Swallow 3, Hale, Warren, Thomas, Edwards
Best players: Swallow, Urquhart, McIntosh, Petrie, Simpson



North Melbourne 11.9.75 defeated by Collingwood 19.13.127

Video: Post match player interviews
Video: Dean Laidley press conference
Video: Match highlights
News: Match report
News: Roos handed the game away: Laidley
News: Kangas angry, says Firrito
Photos: Match photo gallery

Sporting the club's new controversial pale blue clash guernsey, North Melbourne went into the game as underdogs against Collingwood and in the early stages that status looked warranted with the Pies booting the first three goals of the game.

An amazing volley goal, perhaps more accustomed to the world game, from vice-captain Drew Petrie was the catalyst behind the Roos revival, and it was followed by goals to Edwards, Thomas and Harding which brought the margin back to just five points at quarter time.

It didn't take long for the Magpies to re-establish their ascendency though, four goals in eight minutes to start the second quarter saw their lead extended to 36 points at the main change. North Melbourne's only ray of light was Aaron Edwards who booted four goals in the first half.

Despite some encouraging performances from Andrew Swallow, Ben Warren and Jack Ziebell, Collingwood's class shone through in the second half as it eventually went on to win by 52 points.

Tarkyn Lockyer booted four majors for the winners, while 33 possessions to Dane Swan and 31 to Scott Pendlebury went a long way to getting their team over the line.

Adam Simpson continued his stellar form in the opening part of the season with 34 disposals for the Kangaroos, and Gavin Urquhart could see himself in the votes for the second time in a fortnight after he racked up 28 possessions.

Goals: Edwards 4, McIntosh 2, Thomas, Petrie, Harding, Firrito, Warren
Best players: Simpson, Urquhart, Ziebell, Firrito, Swallow.