North Melbourne gives outgoing coach Brad Scott perfect parting gift with gutsy win over Western Bulldogs

North Melbourne dug deep to see off a second-half fightback from Western Bulldogs and give outgoing coach Brad Scott the perfect send-off.

This one was for you, Brad Scott.

In one of the most emotional moments in North Melbourne’s recent history, and in extraordinary circumstances of having a coach explain to his players only two hours before a game why he was leaving, the Kangaroos gave their long-time mentor the perfect parting gift.

It wasn’t easy, but nothing valuable ever is.

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North Melbourne’s playing group was “agitated” and more than a little angry when Scott addressed them before the game, confirming what they already knew — he was coaching his 211th and final game with the club.

Scott hadn’t even told his manager of the decision.

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Somehow his players bottled their emotion, and turned on one of their most gritty performances, to overcome the Western Bulldogs, winning by 25 points.

In doing so, they lifted Scott’s win-loss ratio into the positive. His record at the club will sit forever on 106 wins and 105 losses. That’s in the positive.

Jared Polec is mobbed by teammates after nailing a last-term goal. Picture: Michael Klein.

The Bulldogs will rue yet another lapse against a lowly side. They have now lost against Gold Coast, Carlton and North Melbourne.

Having trailed by 32 points late in the third term, Luke Beveridge’s team stormed out of the blocks in the final term, stealing back the lead after a sixth consecutive goal.

But this moment meant too much for the Kangaroos as they honoured their departing coach with a heart-filled final term, while also tearing the heart out of the Bulldogs.

Fittingly, Scott was given a rousing send-off from the players on the ground, as well as the fans who have ridden the emotions with him across the past decade.

An emotional Brad Scott gives North Melbourne supporters a thumbs up after the club’s win over Western Bulldogs. Picture: AAP Image/Hamish Blair.

VINTAGE GOLDY

Todd Goldstein last month spoke of his desire to play on for five more seasons.

Thirty-year-olds don’t generally look so far into the future, but Goldstein showed just how important he can be to the Kangaroos when he is in top form.

He turned back the clock with a masterclass ruck display, imposing him on the contest in the air but he was just as influential when ball hit the deck.

Goldy ended up with 28 disposals, which is an equal career-best, dating back to 2012.

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Todd Goldstein dominated the ruck duel against Tim English. Picture: Michael Dodge/Getty Images.

NO LOVE LOST

The verbal exchange between Brad Scott and Fox Footy’s David King at the three-quarter-time will be a big talking point this week.

There is no love lost between the pair, with King’s recent Herald Sun column about Scott and the Kangaroos doing little to ease the tension.

Some observers, including the Herald Sun’s Jay Clark, maintained Scott made “a beeline” towards King at the break to make his point.

ANGRY DOGS

The Bulldogs couldn’t believe their misfortune — or hide their anger — when they were twice denied holding the ball decisions that resulted in Jed Anderson goals.

The first came in the opening term when Jason Johannisen laid a desperate tackle on Kayne Turner. His teammates stopped in their tracks, expecting a free kick, but couldn’t believe it when Anderson slipped through the net to kick his team’s fourth goal.

As it went back to the middle, the frustrated Dogs couldn’t resist pointing out the vision to the umpire as it featured on the Marvel Stadium screens.

Their frustration compounded in the third term when a Tom Liberatore rundown on Jasper Pittard went unrewarded. That allowed that man again — Anderson — to slot home a goal that quelled some of the Bulldogs’ third-term momentum.