For a time, it seemed possible that the North team that was happy to lose might confound its own selection policy and win, while the Tigers team that had every reason to win couldn't summon the energy or confidence to make it happen.

For more than a hour, North Lite was out-playing Full-strength Richmond, and the team that didn't care about winning was beating the team that had plenty riding on the result.

"Rest-gate" had created a storm in the 48 hours before a match that had, by dint of North's extreme resting of senior players, been transformed into a supposedly dead rubber – a fifth Ashes Test.

North Lite wasn't supposed to be competitive against Premium Richmond, who were playing for a potential home final, against a team that could only lose, fixturing-wise, by winning and certainly wouldn't gain. If the Tigers lost, they faced the possibility of playing a sudden – and probable – death final in Adelaide, assuming the Crows beat Geelong.

But the no-names and fringe dwellers whom Brad Scott had introduced to this side – names such as McKenzie, Wood, Dumont, Daw, Black, Mullet and Tippett – weren't willing to give the Tigers four easy points; if North had little to play for, this did not apply to a number of  players, whose desire to impress was apparent. 

North had not only withdrawn nine players and seemed prepared to lay down for the Tigers, but they'd made Brent Harvey their sub – another selection, we can safely predict, that will not be repeated next weekend.

Shortly after half-time, this composite North-Ballarat-Werribee-North Melbourne team led the lethargic Tigers by 16 points, following a goal to Kayne Turner. Surely it couldn't happen, could it? Well, no, it couldn't.

To this point, the Tigers had fallen into the apparent trap of believing what everyone had said – that North was simply handing them the points.

Richmond, who had managed a pathetic two goals in a half, promptly rattled on three goals in five minutes to take the lead and by the 17-minute mark had seven on the board (7.10) to North's 5.6. While they led only by 11 at the last change, it was evident that the Tigers would go on and win – which they did in eventual comfort, as Tyrone Vickery, hitherto silent, booted a couple of goals and North's resistance collapsed in the final quarter, the Tigers booting 9.1.

Brett Deledio and Shane Edwards were instrumental in turning the match in the third term – Edwards twice swooping on loose balls, including a lovely goal-square piece of crumbing, to either kick or create goals. Deledio, a clear best-afield, simply found space and used the ball, while defender Alex Rance, Bachar Houli and Kane Lambert also lifted in this decisive period. In the last term, Dusty Martin became prominent, Anthony Miles and Brandon Ellis were steady influences in the midfield.

The opening half did not follow the anticipated script. One can only guess that the Tigers were too cognisant that the opposition had picked a weaker team and lowered their intensity accordingly.

The players North put out there – including those less-familiar names – were more purposeful and cohesive, while the Tigers foundered in attack. North's defence excelled in the first half, with Luke McDonald and Lachie Hansen taking advantage of Richmond's shoddy delivery. 

Speedy Shaun Atley was lively around the ball, Ryan Bastinac, Sam Gibson, Jamie Macmillan and Trent Dumont found their share of ball and the promoted Majak Daw seemed to relish the opportunity to play in the ruck, booting a wonderful long running goal and plucking a pack mark to regain a lead that the Roos had briefly given up (second term). Majak, who has never had great football smarts, might be better suited to the freedom of rucking than the confines of the forward line. 

Many of North's senior players – Todd Goldstein, Nick Dal Santo, Andrew Swallow, Jarrad Waite et al – weren't on the park. You could say that quite a few of Richmond's waited until half-time before appearing. Once Martin and co arrived, the match was over.

If, as seems most likely, these teams meet again at the MCG next weekend, we'll see a completely different North, and, presumably, a Richmond that is revved from the outset.

RICHMOND 1.4 2.7 7.11 16.12 (108) d NORTH MELBOURNE 2.3 4.5 6.6 10.7 (67)

Goals: Richmond: D Martin 3, T Vickery 3, J Riewoldt 2, K Lambert 2, B Deledio, B Ellis, B Houli, C Newman, I Maric, S Edwards. North Melbourne: K Turner 3, B Brown 2, M Daw 2, B McKenzie, D Petrie, R Bastinac.

Best: Richmond: Deledio, Martin, Cotchin, Miles, Rance, Ellis. North Melbourne: Hansen, Macmillan, Bastinac, Atley, Turner.

Injuries: North Melbourne: J Ziebell (head knock), K Turner (head knock).

Umpires: Matt Stevic, Simon Meredith, Dean Margetts.

Official crowd: 40,461 at Etihad Stadium.

The Age