North Melbourne veteran Brent Harvey kicked a sensational long-range goal to help seal his side's 10-point win over Melbourne on Sunday in a bruising contest which left two players with serious injuries.

North Melbourne finished ninth on the AFL ladder, only missing the finals on percentage, after holding off the 12th-placed Demons 17.11 (113) to 15.13 (103) at the MCG.

The Kangaroos were down to 21 men after quarter-time with Leigh Harding rushed to hospital where x-rays revealed two broken ribs after a marking contest in the opening term.

And the Demons were also a man short in the final quarter after Aaron Edwards leapt for a high mark in the third term and his knees crashed accidentally into the back of Nathan Jones, who has a suspected broken vertebra according to coach Dean Bailey.

"We hope he's alright. I haven't seen the replay," Bailey said.

"It was Nathan being courageous, putting his body on the line and a contest happened. I didn't see anything wrong with it."

Trailing by eight points early in the last quarter, North rallied with retiring forward Corey Jones kicking two late goals and 301-game veteran Harvey landing a 50-metre goal on the run.

But North coach Brad Scott wasn't getting carried away with finishing just outside the eight.

"It is a true statement. We haven't beaten the top four sides," he said.

"Until we start beating those sides or at least really challenging them, you don't deserve to be there."

North could claim however another victory over their rivals for the tag of best young side on the rise.

Scott paid tribute to the performances of Demons youngsters Tom Scully, Jack Watts and Jack Trengove.

"They're going to be a very very good side but we believe we are too," Scott said.

"If Melbourne are going to be the best, all we can do is keep beating them and we'll be in a pretty good position."

Scott nominated Levi Greenwood as "a clear best on ground" with 39 possessions and said the 21-year-old was an example of North's "unsung" young stars.

"I think they do (downplay North's young brigade) and it's again epitomised by Levi Greenwood," Scott said.

"You don't hear Levi Greenwood's name mentioned amongst Ben Cunnington, Ryan Bastinac, Jack Trengove and Tom Scully."

It was an emotional game for both sides with Jones, 29, and retiring Melbourne skipper James McDonald, 33, leaving the ground together to the cheers of 31,064 fans.

"James grabbed Corey Jones so they could both go off together. That's the sort of person he is," Bailey said.

"He's a one-off."

Melbourne's McDonald had 26 disposals and 12 tackles.

Jones and Harvey kicked three goals each for North and Andrew Swallow worked hard in midfield.

Liam Jurrah and Brad Green kicked five goals each for the Demons and teenager Scully was their leading possession-getter with 28.

Harvey's eight touches in the last quarter gave him 30 for the match in another scintillating performance while fellow veteran Brady Rawlings was a tireless contributor.

Lynden Dunn's three-goal haul for Melbourne included a crowd-pleasing soccer goal from a mid-air shot 40 metres out in the second quarter.

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