Yes, North Melbourne was brave. Yes, North Melbourne was plucky, and this time North Melbourne even led with just 15 minutes to play.

But the damning statistic that has come to mark the nearly two seasons of the Brad Scott era at North remains - the Kangaroos have yet to beat a top-four team.

Carlton was cherry ripe for the picking at Etihad Stadium on Friday night. The Blues were down in the midfield and unable to buy a goal in the first half, but while the Kangas landed a flurry of punches, they couldn't land the killer punch.

The Blues steadied in the third term and regained the lead, briefly surrendered it in the last, but then kicked home for an oh-so-important 18-point win.

The win keeps them in the hunt for the double chance. Hawthorn and West Coast are also battling with the Blues for third and fourth on the ladder, with the Hawks facing a massive game at Subiaco on Saturday night in a bid to keep third place. And they go in with skipper - and inspiration - Luke Hodge a late withdrawal because of a knee injury. What shaped as a probable Hawthorn win is now very much 50-50.

Hence the importance of the win for the Blues. Third place will mean an opening final against Geelong, one the Blues with their pace would be confident of winning. Then would come a home preliminary final after a week's break. Can anyone say Carlton in the Grand Final?

The Blues turned the game by winning the key contests in the last half and the contested footy. It has become their forte - they are considerably tougher in the clinches than they were last year. And there is enough other silk - on a night when Chris Judd didn't dominate - to help win the game. In this instance, it was Bryce Gibbs, who had 20 possessions and kicked a career-best four goals.

It was the same, sorry story for North, the creators of Friday night football, but who rarely get a look in on the biggest stage of all.

There was spirit and some individual highlights, but not enough polish and some critical turnovers, with the result that a finals berth in 2011 is looking more remote.

North still has Hawthorn, Fremantle and St Kilda on their slate before the end of the season and will have to beat all three to remain in contention for the finals. This was their big chance and boy, did they have their chances, but two wins from their first nine matches and four losses under 10 points will prove their undoing, as will be their inability to beat a really good team.

Brad Scott has the Kangaroos moving in the right direction. Just not quickly enough to make anything out of 2011.