An AFL season from hell delivered a new form of purgatory for Richmond and North Melbourne with Sunday's draw.

Richmond squandered a 43-point lead early in the third term, while North Melbourne were left ruing a first-half shocker as they ended the game on 12.13 (85) apiece, the league's first draw this season.

The AFL's two caretaker coaches - Richmond's Jade Rawlings and North's Darren Crocker - said the result felt like a loss.

Rawlings compared it to Australia just failing to beat England in the first Ashes Test.

"No doubt, to be that far up and come away with a draw, it is like the nine wickets Australia got in the Test - it was pretty hollow," Rawlings said.

North Melbourne ruck-forward David Hale marked inside 50m with less than a minute to go, but the umpire controversially awarded a holding free kick to his opponent Jarrod Silvester.

Richmond were trying to clear the ball when the siren sounded.

While the Silvester free was a massive relief for the Tigers, it capped a game full of curious umpiring decisions, many of which favoured North.

"I just thought, from his position, it would take a pretty horrible kick to not at least make a score," Crocker said of Hale's mark.

"Then, obviously I flashed across to the umpire, who was pulling his guernsey out for holding on.

"That was it, that was where the game was done.

"If you're relying on umpires' decisions to decide games of football, well, they're too close in the first place."

Crocker is yet to post a win after four games in charge, while it would have been Rawlings' second win from five matches.

The two coaches have applied to be in charge beyond this season.

Richmond were outstanding in the first half, particularly since midfielders Ben Cousins and Trent Cotchin were late withdrawals through illness.

Indeed, they should have been much further ahead at half-time than 42 points, which eventually cost them.

They went 43 up early in the third term, but only managed two goals in the second half as North settled and then steadily reduced the margin.

North hit the front 22 minutes into the final term and then came the frenetic last minutes, where Richmond key forward Jack Riewoldt dropped a crucial chest mark and teammate Richard Tambling shaved the inside of the goal post with his set shot.

Leigh Harding kicked his third goal to put North six points up, but Richmond won the centre bounce and moved the ball quickly into attack, where Mitch Morton soccered through the reply with just under a minute left.

The AFL has extra time for all finals except the grand final and after Sunday's experience, Rawlings would not mind that rule being expanded into the regular season.

"I'd rather feel worse for losing or elated in winning than sitting there feeling nothing," he said.

Tambling was best for Richmond and the outstanding match from Kangaroos captain Brent Harvey featured two final-term goals.

The match was referred to as the "Nathan Buckley Cup", because the former Collingwood captain has been linked to the coaching positions at the two clubs.

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