Jack Ziebell has powered North Melbourne to a tense seven-point AFL victory over Adelaide in Hobart that keeps open the race for finals football.

The Kangaroos came from behind several times on Saturday to run out 14.17 (101) to 13.16 (94) winners, with two final-term goals to both Ziebell and 100th gamer Ryan Bastinac getting them over the line.

Ziebell finished with 4.5 in a livewire game, ensuring the Kangaroos at least host an elimination final.

Adelaide have no such joy, loosening a grip on eighth place with just one match remaining in the season.

For much of the game, neither side appeared able to rid themselves of goalkicking woes to seize control.

The contest came alive in a hectic third term, with four lead changes as both sides committed to attacking football.

But North seized the moment with five last-term goals to come from behind to win.

North Melbourne were cheered on by the lion’s share of the 10,702 crowd at Blundstone Arena and keenly watched by a group of other clubs looking to steal Adelaide’s spot in the eight.

Despite the gravity of the occasion to their finals hopes, the Crows started sluggishly.

The Kangaroos brought greater desire and quickly had an advantage on the scoreboard.

With Michael Firrito marshalling well on half-back and Ziebell contesting strongly, the Kangaroos deserved greater than their two-goal quarter-time lead.

Patrick Dangerfield willed the Crows forward and eventually his teammates replicated his desire.

Brad Crouch and Richard Douglas stepped up for Adelaide, with Jarryd Lyons kicking two for the term to give the Crows the narrowest of halftime margins.

Goals by Eddie Betts and Matthew Wright pushed the Crows on, who led by 13 points.

But the Kangaroos found inspiration in an unlikely source – Kayne Turner, the league’s youngest player.

Turner, a year 12 student at Maribyrnong College, ended half an hour without a Kangaroos goal for his second of the day.

With the match in the balance, Ziebell and Bastinac’s forward-line presence built the Kangaroos a 16-point lead.

A concussion to Rory Laird provided a long pause to an otherwise frantic finish as Taylor Walker’s 55-metre bomb gave the Crows a chance.

But James Podisadly faltered twice; giving away a late 50-metre penalty then hitting the post as Adelaide’s comeback was denied.