1. Rayner blows his chance for glory
It felt like the stage was set perfectly for Cameron Rayner to stem the Lions run of close 2018 losses. With 30 seconds to go and the Lions down by four points, the young gun had a set shot at goal to put the Lions in front. Instead of a traditional drop punt Rayner snapped the ball across the body and missed. The defeat adds to the similarly heartbreaking five point losses Brisbane have had to the Gold Coast, Port Adelaide and Adelaide this season.

ROOS WIN A THRILLER Full match coverage and stats

2. Kangas remain in the finals race
North Melbourne have kept their finals hopes alive with a gutsy three-point win away at the Gabba. The Kangas have 11 wins now and with games against the Western Bulldogs and St Kilda to come, they will be hopeful of reaching the 13 required to be right in the top-eight mix. North has dominated Brisbane in recent clashes and after the Roos scored the first three goals of the game it felt like another easy win was on the cards. Despite Brisbane's late charge, fantastic performances from Majak Daw down back and captain Jack Ziebell helped the visitors claim the win in nailbiting circumstances. With Jarrad Waite coming through injury free from his return game, Roos fans can look to September with a little more hope.

3. Dumont steps up
With star Shaun Higgins out of action the Roos came to the Gabba with a big hole in their midfield. Enter Trent Dumont. The 23-year-old exploded in the second quarter with 14 disposals, 10 of which were contested, to help North Melbourne turn a quarter-time deficit of five points into a 22-point half-time lead. His second half wasn't as dominant and but when the Roos look back at the game on review, Dumont's second quarter heroics will likely be seen at as a major factor in the win.

4. Waite picks up where he left off
The last time these two teams played in round 11, Jarrad Waite injured his calf in the warm-up and was a late withdrawal. This match was Waite's return and as he so often does after a return from an injury lay-off, the North Melbourne forward was solid up front and finished with two goals. It might not have been Waite's biggest return in front of the big sticks but North fans would be pleased to see the big man finish the game unscathed as they look towards the finals.

5. Andrews wins Brown battle
It promised to be an epic clash. North Melbourne forward Ben Brown, the Coleman Medal leader, up against one of the game's best young key defenders in Harris Andrews. The Kangaroos scored plenty but Brown well held, with Andrews and the Lions defence keeping the spearhead to the solitary goal. It could have been the attention paid to Brown that helped fellow key forward Jarrad Waite and several other Roos to multiple goals. Brown now sits on 54 goals for the season.