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Ben King burst into goal-kicking form but a Touk Miller knee injury has soured a crucial Gold Coast AFL win over North Melbourne.

The Suns snapped a two-game losing streak, restricting the Kangaroos to just two points in the third quarter in a 14.13 (97) to 7.12 (54) home victory.

But just as the lead swelled beyond 40 points the celebrations were muted by the sight of All-Australian midfielder Miller pulling up and clutching his left leg, in an injury which appeared to have been caused by two separate incidents.

The Suns co-captain was unable to put any weight on his leg as he was helped from the ground and immediately fitted with a knee brace.

Miller was third in Brownlow Medal votes last season and his absence would be a blow for the 2-4 side that has designs on a maiden finals campaign.

That quest was helped by their dominance on Sunday, which offset a frustrating three weeks since their stunning upset of Geelong.

"He was really positive but it's clearly going to mean some time off, it's just how long," coach Stuart Dew said of Miller, who is set to have scans on Monday.

"It'll force us into a little bit of a change, but there's opportunity there, some exposure for different guys we'll try to make the most of."

The loss for North Melbourne followed a 75-point thumping from Brisbane last week and is a fourth-straight defeat since their plucky 2-0 start.

It was Kangaroos ruckman Todd Goldstein's 300th AFL game but it was the Suns who started best.

Coach Alastair Clarkson could at least find solace in North's partial recovery from those opening stages, while lamenting their failure to convert opportunities.

"Gee we were really flat; they had 10 inside 50s to zero in the first five minutes and we actually did well to correct that," he said.

"At important times we could have capitalised and got into the contest, we weren't able to take those chances."

Ben McKay struggled to contain King (five goals), who shed the last flecks of rust that remained after missing all of last season with a knee injury to drill four first-half goals.

Nick Holman shut down North youngster Harry Sheezel (11 disposals) and the Suns' stifling third quarter was enough to seal the result.

Lachie Weller (28 disposals, eight inside 50s) and Matt Rowell (12 tackles) were integral early while Jaidyn Stephenson (two goals, three score assists) did his best to keep the Kangaroos in it.

Goldstein set up one of those Stephenson goals but it was his opposite number Jarrod Witts, back from a two-week injury, who was smiling after he chipped through a rare goal of his own during a pivotal performance.

Ben Cunnington had eight clearances in his team-high 28 disposals for the Kangaroos.

© AAP 2023

Ben King burst into goal-kicking form but a Touk Miller leg injury has soured a crucial Gold Coast AFL win over North Melbourne.

The Suns snapped a two-game losing streak, restricting the Kangaroos to just two points in the third quarter during their 14.13 (97) to 7.12 (54) home victory.

But just as the lead swelled beyond 40 points the celebrations were muted by the sight of All-Australian midfielder Miller pulling up and clutching his left leg, in an injury which appeared to have been caused by two separate incidents.

The Suns co-captain was unable to put any weight on his leg as he was helped from the ground and immediately fitted with a leg brace.

Miller was third in Brownlow Medal votes last season and his absence would be a blow for the 2-4 side that has designs on a maiden finals campaign.

That quest was helped by their dominance on Sunday that offset a frustrating three weeks since their stunning upset of Geelong.

The loss for North Melbourne followed a 75-point thumping from Brisbane last week and is a fourth-straight since their plucky 2-0 start.

It was Kangaroos ruckman Todd Goldstein's 300th AFL game but it was the Suns who started fast.

Ben McKay struggled to contain King (five goals), who shed the last flecks of rust that remained after missing all of last season with a knee injury to drill four first-half goals.

That ensured the Suns kept a healthy lead, despite more of the wayward kicking from King's teammates that has contributed to their slow start this season.

Nick Holman kept key North man Harry Sheezel to just six touches in the first half, and the Suns' stifling third quarter was enough to seal the result.

Lachie Weller (28 disposals, eight inside 50s) and Matt Rowell (12 tackles) were integral early while Jaidyn Stephenson (two goals, three score assists) did his best to keep the Kangaroos in it.

Goldstein set up one of those Stephenson goals but it was his opposite number Jarrod Witts, back from a two-week injury, who was smiling after he chipped through a rare goal of his own during a pivotal performance.

Ben Cunnington had eight clearances in his team-high 28 disposals for the Kangaroos.

Suns substitute Bailey Humphries was a bright spark, kicking a goal within seconds of his entry into the game and finishing with two in a spritely cameo.

© AAP 2023

The death of Australian entertainer Barry Humphries has sparked an outpouring of tributes for the treasured national icon at home and around the globe.

Humphries died on Saturday, aged 89, at St Vincents Hospital in Sydney where he was being treated for complications stemming from hip surgery earlier this year.

He was surrounded by his immediate family, including wife of 30 years Lizzie Spender, children Tessa, Emily, Oscar and Rupert, and 10 grandchildren.

Humphries, who had lived in London for decades, came back to Sydney in December for Christmas. He subsequently suffered the fall that led to his hip replacement operation.

"He was completely himself until the very end, never losing his brilliant mind, his unique wit and generosity of spirit," his family said in a statement.

Humphries spent more than 70 years on the stage and was "an entertainer to his core" who loved his audiences and never took them for granted.

But he was also a painter, author, poet and collector of art.

"He was also a loving and devoted husband, father, grandfather, and a friend and confidant to many. His passing leaves a void in so many lives," his family said.

"The characters he created, which brought laughter to millions, will live on."

Humphries, who continued touring up until the last year of his life, was a man of many faces led by his comedic alter egos, self-described housewife "gigastar" Dame Edna Everage and Sir Les Patterson.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese led the tributes for the man he called one of the most loved of all Australians, saying while Humphries was the creator of a galaxy of personas, he was the brightest of them all.

"A great wit, satirist, writer and an absolute one-of-kind, he was both gifted and a gift," he said.

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton said Australia had lost its finest raconteur, most brilliant satirist and greatest cultural comedian.

"He will forever be a treasured Australian icon," he posted on social media.

Former British prime minister Boris Johnson called Humphries "one of the greatest ever Australians".

"What a loss," he said on Twitter.

King Charles has also reportedly written privately to the Humphries family to offer his condolences.

Unsurprisingly, multiple tributes came from Humphries' fellow travellers in the world of entertainment including British comedians Ricky Gervais and Matt Lucas and Australians Adam Hills, Rove McManus, Marty Fields and Jason Donovan.

All praised his genius, intelligence and generosity.

London-based Hills said he was "one of the greatest comedians of our time". Field dubbed him a "god of comedy".

Welsh comedian Rob Brydon visited Humphries in Sydney last week. "A true great who inspired me immeasurably," he posted. "It was a delight to call him my friend."

Also in Australia, British comedian Jimmy Carr said it would be bittersweet doing gigs in the country as "no one will ever be as good at crowd work again".

Monty Python member Eric Idle told how Humphries had made him laugh aloud since they first met in 1968 and called him "one of the greatest civilised comedians to have ever lived".

Sir Michael Parkinson, who featured Humphries on his show as Dame Edna and Sir Les, hailed him as one of his favourite all time guests and a dear friend.

Humphries played Rupert Murdoch in the 1991 TV mini-series Selling Hitler and was invited to the news mogul's 2016 marriage to Jerry Hall.

The News Corp chairman and chief executive remembered the shape-shifting comedian as a genuine genius.

"His works, his creations, his spirit will echo across the generations and his friendship is eternal," Murdoch told his outlets.

John Barry Humphries was born on February 17, 1934.

© AAP 2023