West Coast has snapped its 16-game losing streak in thrilling style with a morale boosting five-point win against North Melbourne at Optus Stadium.

Following a nightmare period for the last-placed Eagles, the players delivered the circuit breaker that has been desperately needed with a 10.12 (72) to 10.7 (67) win.

It also represented an overdue reward for the 38,231 fans who turned up on Sunday and have remained loyal through the club's lowest on-field period and a record losing run.

The Kangaroos mounted a final-quarter fightback from 32 points down but couldn't kick the last goal needed to snap their own losing run, with premiership Eagle Elliot Yeo winning an important contested ball in the middle of the ground to seal the win.  

It sparked the type of celebrations that have not been seen all season at a West Coast game as the crowd erupted on the final siren.

00:20

Team Song: West Coast

Watch the Eagles celebrate their round 20 win

It remains unlikely the Eagles will move from the bottom of the ladder without another win or drawn match, with a significant percentage gap still existing between them and the 17th-placed Kangaroos.  

The loss for North Melbourne ended coach Brett Ratten's 0-10 tenure in charge of the club – which included several near misses – with Alastair Clarkson set to take charge again from Monday.

The Eagles were outstanding early, building a 31-point lead early in the second quarter after a run of six unanswered goals built on confident ball-movement and hard tackling when they didn't have it.

00:43

Eagles catch fire with back-to-back goals

Goals to Xavier O'Neill and Jamie Cripps in quick succession sees the Eagles get scoreboard reward for effort

North Melbourne small forward Paul Curtis reignited the match with four goals in the second quarter to cut the half-time margin to just seven points.

Three unanswered goals in the third term showed the Eagles were up for the challenge as midfielder Tim Kelly took charge in the middle with 10 contested possessions for the quarter and Jamie Cripps proved influential.

PERTH, AUSTRALIA - JULY 30: Tim Kelly of the Eagles looks to break from a tackle by Lachie Young of the Kangaroos during the round 20 AFL match between West Coast Eagles and North Melbourne Kangaroos at Optus Stadium, on July 30, 2023, in Perth, Australia. (Photo by Paul Kane/Getty Images via AFL Photos)

Kangaroos forward Nick Larkey, who had been well held up until the final term, kicked two goals in the final-quarter fightback before some magic from Harry Sheezel in the pocket set up Luke Davies-Uniacke to move the visitors just seven points behind at the 22-minute mark.

Sheezel and Curtis both missed chances in the dying minutes before Yeo intervened with a defensive mark and a contested ball that sealed an emotion-charged win. 

Full match coverage and stats

WEST COAST                    4.2   7.5   10.11   10.12 (72)
NORTH MELBOURNE       1.1   6.4    6.4      10.7  (67)

GOALS

West Coast: Cripps 2, Allen 2, Hunt, Hewett, Darling, Long, O'Neill, Petruccelle
North Melbourne: Curtis 4, Xerri 2, Larkey 2, Davies-Uniacke, Turner  

BEST

West Coast: Kelly, Hunt, Williams, Cripps, Cole, Allen, Darling
North Melbourne: Davies-Uniacke, Sheezel, Curtis, Simpkin, Goldstein, Scott

INJURIES

West Coast: Nil
North Melbourne: Goater (knee)

SUBSTITUTES

West Coast: Elliot Yeo (replaced Rhett Bazzo in the second quarter)
North Melbourne: Jack Ziebell (replaced Josh Goater in the third quarter)

Crowd: 38,231 at Optus Stadium