1. Lions will rue missing the four points
When it's all said and done, the Lions coughed up their chances to upset North Melbourne. After wasting stretches of dominance in the first quarter, finishing the term kicking 2.7, the Lions jumped out of the blocks in the second, locking the ball inside their forward fifty but failing to turn the screws on the Roos. Ten minutes into the quarter, they'd had five inside fifties for only four behinds, all of them gettable. In between, the Roos took the ball the length of the ground for a goal to Todd Goldstein, the first of six for the quarter. It may not have determined the result – and North Melbourne missed its fair share of easy set shots – when you're a young team trying to find your way, you have to take your chances.

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2. Late inclusion works a charm
Ben Jacobs came into the North Melbourne team as a late inclusion for the injured Kayne Turner and, like he did in 2015, impressed with a quality tagging job on a star midfielder. This time it was Lions playmaker Daniel Rich who spent an afternoon shadowed by Jacobs. Fresh off a first-round performance of 23 possessions and two goals against West Coast in Perth, Rich was smothered throughout by Jacobs, including just two touches to half-time and a measly seven for the match; the lowest of Rich's career.

3. Slick and smooth signs to like
For all the missed set shots and dropped marks and skill errors, there were signs of improvement for both teams' fans to like. As was the case in round one against the Eagles, the Lions moved the footy with much more authority than they showed at any time in 2015, linking slickly with handball through the centre and finding space up forward. For North fans, it will be the display of Daniel Wells; after a solid outing against Adelaide last week, the 31-year-old looked as smooth and assured as ever and with a little luck will play a central role in the Roos going a step or two further than last season.


4. Waite the difference
North Melbourne defeated the Lions by a combined total of 154 points across two matches in 2015. On the last outing, in round 17 last season, Drew Petrie and Ben Brown combined for seven goals with the Roos amassing 28 more inside 50s and 17 more scoring shots than the Lions. The difference in this one was Jarrad Waite. The former Blue looked a class above for much of the match, finishing with five goals, 23 possessions, 11 score involvements, three score assists, and easily the surest boot of any forward on the day. 

5. Scratching an 11-year itch
The win marks the first time since 2005 that North Melbourne has started a season 2-0, after the Roos broke the duck of first round wins in Brad Scott's tenure last week against Adelaide. North's 2005 season ended with an elimination final 87-point belting at the hands of Port Adelaide at Etihad Stadium. Two names familiar to footy fans led North Melbourne's possession count that match – Brent Harvey and Daniel Wells with 22 each. Now 37, Harvey is showing no signs of slowing down. Against the Lions he finished with 24 possessions and two goals, three behinds, causing headaches for his Lions opponents all day. 

It's been a long time between 2-0 starts to a Kangaroos' season. Picture: AFL Media