THE TRANSFORMATION of Lindsay Thomas from inconsistent forward to a likely All Australian provides everyone at North Melbourne an example of how quickly players can improve, according to Roos coach Brad Scott.  

Thomas kicked six goals for the Kangaroos in his return from a two-week ban for headbutting, and almost pushed the Roos to a comeback victory over Carlton on Friday night.

It took him to 45 goals for the season, two behind the equal leaders for the Coleman Medal, West Coast's Josh Kennedy and Hawthorn's Jarryd Roughead. And for Scott, it's an improvement based around one thing: consistency.

"I think he's just developing into a super player. If he's not an All Australian small forward, I don’t know who is," Scott said after North's one-point loss to the Blues.

"I think he's just developing into an unbelievably good player, but more importantly a reliable player. We know every week what we're going to get from him.

"And I think even Lindsay himself would tell you that two or three or four years ago we couldn’t say that about him. He's just an integral part of our football club because he's grown enormously as a player."

Despite his indiscretion against Greater Western Sydney three weeks ago, Scott said the 25-year-old has matured, and offers a role model for other emerging Roos youngsters.

"If you met Lindsay four years ago and then compared him to now, he's unrecognisable off the field as well. He's just outstanding, and it's probably something our whole club should look at, at the moment," Scott said.

"In some pretty dark hours and some gut-wrenching times, you can come through the other side with flying colours, and Lindsay's done that.

"Lindsay's elevated himself I think into the genuinely elite small forwards in the competition now."

The role of the small forwards was always going to be pivotal in the clash, and Thomas almost singlehandedly matched the output of Carlton's 'mosquito fleet' of Eddie Betts, Jeff Garlett and Chris Yarran.

Garlett was the best for the Blues with four goals, while Betts was creative with two goals. Yarran also kicked two despite being well held by North's run-with recruit Taylor Hine.

Callum Twomey is a reporter for the AFL website. Follow him on Twitter at @AFL_CalTwomey.