NORTH Melbourne's quest for premiership redemption is one step closer, qualifying for a second straight Grand Final after a thumping 57-point preliminary final win over Port Adelaide.

The Roos will host the victor of Brisbane v Adelaide at Ikon Park next Saturday night, having stunned the Power with a blistering 26-0 opening term.

Port Adelaide will be disappointed with how its season has ended, with 12.6 (78) to 2.9 (21) the final result, but should be proud of the rapid improvement shown this year. 

But a second road trip on the trot, in 36-degree conditions against a North Melbourne side fresh after a week off, was a few steps too far.

At moments, it felt like Port Adelaide was playing out of its age division – the players were trying hard, but were bumped off the footy or out-marked.

Port Adelaide rallied somewhat late into the second and early in the third, starting to build some consistent minutes in its attacking half, but the Power couldn't find the middle of the goals.

While accuracy eluded Port Adelaide, it managed 11 scoring shots to North Melbourne's six in the second half, indicating a four-quarter fight but without adequate polish.

Matilda Scholz dominated the hitout count, but Kim Rennie more than held her own around the ground in the battle of the talls, while Piper Window (15 touches, five clearances, eight tackles) can hold her head up high.

Unsurprisingly, it was North Melbourne's star midfield duo, Jas Garner (25 disposals, eight clearances) and Ash Riddell (27 and five) who led the way, but they were well-supported by the unheralded Ruby Tripodi (16 and four) in the contest, while wing trio Tess Craven, Amy Smith and Taylah Gatt ran hard.

Craven left the field in the second term after being collected by Shineah Goody as the pair contested a high ball, Goody's knee accidentally planting into Craven's back. But the Roos winger returned after half-time and played out the game.

North Melbourne skipper Emma Kearney – on return from a long-term hamstring injury – sat out nearly the entirety of the final quarter, given it was her first game in nearly two months.

Up next
North Melbourne will host the winner of Brisbane-Adelaide in the Grand Final at Ikon Park on Saturday night. Port Adelaide is most likely to finish fourth, post home-and-away season.

NORTH MELBOURNE     4.2     8.4     11.5    12.6 (78)
PORT ADELAIDE            0.0     0.2.    0.6     2.9 (21)

GOALS
North Melbourne: Wall 3, Gatt 2, O'Loughlin 2, Randall 2, Shierlaw 2, Garner
Port Adelaide: Houghton, Pope

BEST
North Melbourne: Garner, Riddell, Wall, Gatt, Tripodi, Wright
Port Adelaide: Window, Dowrick, Goody, Moloney

INJURIES
North Melbourne: Nil
Port Adelaide: Nil

Crowd: 4387 at Ikon Park