Down by a tick under four goals at three-quarter time, North Melbourne coach Alastair Clarkson came charging out onto the field to address his troops against Carlton in front of a 45,000 strong Marvel Stadium.
The four-time premiership winning coach was back to his fiery and demanding best as he marched straight towards young gun Roo Colby McKercher, delivering an almighty spray emphasised by a passionate prod to the 20-year-old's chest.
While McKercher didn't dominate the last quarter, the rest of his team certainly did to overcome the Blues with a seven-goal to two final term.
Speaking after the match, Clarkson said his words with McKercher were about some of his late defensive efforts in the third term.
"We had just given up some, I think (Carlton) had just scored three goals in about three minutes in the last part of the (third quarter)," Clarkson said.
"Colby's attention to detail on a couple of forward 50 stoppages wasn't as strong as it needed to be so it was just a gentle reminder that we need to be strong in that part of the game.
"But he is a young kid learning the game. He has done some terrific stuff, he (was) really strong with ball in hand in the first half. But we need to be really good defensively and that was frustrating."
Another young gun Roo who hasn't acquired the recognition he deserves in his blossoming career is 20-year-old key forward Cooper Trembath.
The mid-season recruit has only failed to kick multiple goals in one out of his seven games, kicking 17 in total and three against the Blues on Good Friday.
Clarkson was passionate in his praise of Trembath's efforts in a frantic fourth term.
"Trembath was really important for us, both as a forward, he kicked (three) goals, but he was also so important for us in the ruck and in particular in that last quarter when we just needed to have someone who can jump over the top," he said.
"He did a lot of our ruck worth in the last quarter, particularly the centre bounce stuff.
"It was just a lion-hearted effort by him because most of what we were asking him to do was in the front half and he was able to do pretty well for us kicking goals but his ruck craft in the last quarter was really important."
In a bright sign for North Melbourne's future, another young Roo's final quarter efforts also caught the eye of their veteran coach.
"Some of George Wardlaw's efforts in the last quarter whether it was to do with tackling or pressure or just getting a finger nail in to put pressure on the opposition was really important for us," he said.
"The ones we will perhaps highlight (of Wardlaw during the week) are the ones in that frantic last two or three minutes where we got ourselves in front and Carlton were challenging.
"We will look at those great acts in the last part of the game which were just enormously courageous and important for us."
