North Melbourne captain Brent Harvey bounced back from one of the worst games of his career to produce one of his best, spearheading his young side to a 25-point AFL win over West Coast at Etihad Stadium on Saturday.

Harvey gathered a career-best 44 touches and booted a goal in the Kangaroos' 17.14 (116) to 13.13 (91) victory to give coach Brad Scott his first win in charge.

Harvey had been well below par the previous week, with just five possessions in the Kangaroos' embarrassing 104-point belting by St Kilda.

But the 31-year-old was exceptional against the Eagles as the Kangaroos controlled the majority of the match, though they were unable to put away the visitors until late in the final term.

Harvey picked up touches at will throughout, and nearly produced a goal of the season contender with a seven-bounce run from deep in his half before his kick at goal agonisingly found a post.

He was well supported by third-gamer Ryan Bastinac and Andrew Swallow in the midfield, while Liam Anthony and David Hale booted three goals each for North.

The Eagles are now winless in their opening three matches - forward Mark LeCras easily their best with a five-goal haul in a losing side.

Yet West Coast had their chances to make things interesting throughout the second half as North's inability to close out the match left them with a sniff of an unlikely win.

North led by 25 points early in the third quarter, but the Eagles closed to within 13 points as both teams booted five goals each in the term.

A Harvey goal early in the final term gave the Kangaroos some breathing space.

But North only made the match safe when Sam Wright's set shot sailed through - West Coast booting a wayward 1.7 for the quarter.

West Coast could be fined for two of their players talking on mobile phones during the three-quarter time break.

Ruckmen Nic Naitanui and Dean Cox were seen using mobile phones in the break - Eagles coach John Worsfold saying they were talking to ruck coach Simon Eastaugh who was in Perth.

An AFL spokesman confirmed it was a breach of the league's rules regarding communication devices, and the club was likely to be fined over the incident.

Worsfold said he wasn't aware the practice was against the rules.

"If they were (on mobile phones) it was probably to our ruck coach ... I'm pretty sure he was in Perth," Worsfold said.

"At home games obviously Simon's around the place but he can't be here."

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