The Kangaroos' Nathan Thompson will never match Carlton ace Brendan Fevola for drama, but he proved himself every bit a match-winner in their 19-point round 12 AFL victory at Telstra Dome.

Thompson played a blinder in the forward line and twice kicked truly late in the final term after strong marks to seal the Kangaroos' 18.13 (121) to 15.12 (102) win, which snapped the club's five-game losing run.

Thompson's four goals, and five to forward pocket Shannon Grant, were among the highlights in a high-class game between the 14th and 15th-placed teams, as was Fevola, who took two contenders for mark of the year, injured himself trying a third and booted five goals.

But with Fevola mainly a spectator in the last quarter, the Kangaroos rammed home the last six goals of the game to turn what was looking like another morale-sapping loss into a stirring and long overdue win.

The Kangaroos' impressive scoreline was just the third time this season they had passed 100, but there was a steady supply of goals, as Leigh Brown also booted three and crumber Leigh Harding kicked two crucial ones in the final term.

With the options up forward in good touch, the `Roos were able to capitalise on their impressive workrate and good ball movement, particularly in the second term when they charged back after a slow start.

Not even eight Carlton goals to four in the third quarter worried the `Roos, who got back into the contest when Corey Jones coolly snapped a goal on the run eight minutes into the final term.

Before that it looked like Fevola's incident-packed game would get the Blues over the line.

The colourful full-forward returned in the second half and inspired his team with two freak goals - one a pearler from a set shot on the boundary and the second an off-balance snap which rolled through.

Unheralded ruckman Adrian Deluca chipped in with three goals in the third, while Nick Stevens, Marc Murphy and Kade Simpson got on top in the midfield.

But Kangaroos coach Dean Laidley would have been delighted to see his side's renowned fight re-emerge in the last, and some telling touches from Adam Simpson, Brent Harvey and Daniel Wells set up majors.

Thompson, who finished with a game-high 11 marks, took a strong grab lunging forward and then another on the lead and converted both chances.

Grant was also a constant danger and booted three goals in four minutes in the second quarter, when he benefited from some good passes into space.

Kangaroos coach Dean Laidley was rapt he had a multi-pronged attack at his disposal, but paid special tribute to Thompson, who two years ago revealed he was battling depression.

"If there was anyone who was going to have a shot on goal that you'd bet your house on it would be Nathan Thompson but he hasn't kicked that well this year," he said.

"But he's turned his life, his career around and he is genuinely one of the elite of the competition." The normally media-shy Laidley allowed a television crew into the rooms at halftime and said he did so to "showcase the club".

"I've got to try and put myself out there a bit and sell the footy club and the sponsors and give our supporters a little bit of a closer look at what we do behind closed doors," he said.

Carlton coach Denis Pagan was again disappointed his players could not capitalise from a winning position, just a round after they threw away a big lead over West Coast and lost.

"It's a real issue now, we can't sustain it for four quarters," he said.

"We seem to give everything we've got and then we can't sustain it.

"The third quarter was sensational, to kick eight goals and so many of the young boys were involved in it and in the last quarter we were dismal." Fevola hyper-extended his right knee and the Blues will check on him on Saturday to see how he recovers.

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