It was Todd Goldstein’s Leo Barry moment and it has lifted North Melbourne into an unlikely place in next week’s AFL preliminary finals.

Just as Barry did in 2005 with his last-second mark in defence to clinch Sydney’s first grand-final win since 1933, so too did Goldstein etch his name into club legend with a similar grab in Friday night’s semi-final at the MCG.

The sixth-placed Kangaroos led third-placed Geelong by 32 points at the 14-minute mark of the final term before the Cats booted the last four goals of the match to almost force a draw.

North won 14.14 (98) to 13.14 (92) after Goldstein held back Geelong’s final attack with a huge grab in the final 30 seconds.

Goldstein, who had 54 hitouts to Geelong’s combined tally of 31, was too good for Geelong’s ruckman Mark Blicavs and also had 15 disposals and kicked a crucial goal.

North will face minor premiers the Swans at Sydney’s ANZ Stadium next Friday night in the Kangaroos’ first preliminary final since 2007.

North’s coach Brad Scott says his side will take “supreme confidence” into the game.

“We’re playing our best footy when it matters,” Scott said.

“We’re not done yet. We’re not happy to be where we are.”

The Kangaroos can take comfort from having beaten the Swans at the SCG in round four.

Scott says forward Leigh Adams and key defender Lachie Hansen are possible inclusions if they pass fitness tests, while Jamie Macmillan appears unlikely to play after being subbed out with a hamstring complaint.

North’s veteran small forward Brent Harvey, who had 25 touches and kicked a goal in his first game back from a three-match suspension, could be in hot water again after his clash with Geelong’s hard man Joel Selwood.

Selwood was treated in the second term for a head cut.

Harvey said all he could recall was a clash of heads.

The 383-game veteran said Goldstein’s match-turning mark was an amazing moment.

“I was on the bench and I saw the hands clunk the ball and I was just hoping it was a Kangas’ mark,” Harvey told AAP.

“It was one of the better marks that you’ll come across, Leo Barry-like.

“I know that was in a grand final and saved a premiership. This puts us in a preliminary final and it was a great effort, a great mark.”

Ex-Saint Nick Dal Santo and Sam Gibson were brilliant for the Kangaroos with 35 possessions each and Drew Petrie’s four-goal haul continued a big finals series for the joint vice-captain who kicked two late goals in North’s 12-point win in last week’s elimination final against Essendon.