North Melbourne v Adelaide
Saturday, August 1 – 2.35pm AEST
Metricon Stadium 

An encouraging fightback wasn’t enough for North Melbourne to end its losing streak against Carlton, but will no doubt give Rhyce Shaw’s team some extra confidence heading into this week.

Adelaide’s performance against Essendon was equally as encouraging, falling short by just three points.

Which team will be able to get back on the winners’ list come Saturday?

With significant changes for both sides, it promises to be a closely contested game at Metricon Stadium. 

Last time we met

Round 4, 2019

It’s almost a year and half since the teams last faced off in Round 4, 2019, with both sides undergoing significant change. 

Rhyce Shaw has taken up the helm at North, who will be without Ben Brown, Jack Ziebell, Ben Cunnington and Tarryn Thomas, just to name a few. 

At the Crows, Matthew Nicks is now in the main chair, while the likes of Eddie Betts, Josh Jenkins and Cam Ellis-Yeolman have departed the club. 

One constant presence, Shaun Higgins, who polled the three Brownlow votes in the Roos’ 12-point win at Marvel Stadium last time around. 

Higgins had 30 disposals and booted a goal, while on the other side of the ledger, Rory Laird was at his rebounding best with 31 touches. 

The match-up 

Todd Goldstein v Reilly O’Brien 

After a brilliant couple of months, Goldstein was a little down on his usual output against the Blues. 

The North big man will be desperate to bounce back, but the much-improved O’Brien will no doubt have other ideas. 

O’Brien had 19 disposals and 26 hit-outs in the loss to the Bombers, and continues to improve his craft after just 28 career games. 

The key men 

Cameron Zurhaar and Taylor Walker 

Lining up for only his 36^th match, Zurhaar is key for North Melbourne. 

His toughness around the contest sets the tone for his teammates, and he has the ability to turn a game off his own boot. 

Walker is into his 12^th season as an AFL player, but can still have a huge impact. 

He demands a quality opponent, has a booming kick, and is the Crows’ most dangerous attacking threat. 

Five goals in the last two weeks from the Adelaide number 13 means he’s starting to hit his straps. 

The stat

Josh Walker has pulled down 15 contested marks this season, which sits him sixth in the league for the stat. 

The former Lion has been a revelation in his first season at North, combining with Robbie Tarrant as a reliable pairing in the back half. 

With Ben Brown sidelined, he could also be called on to provide a presence in attack, as he did successfully a fortnight ago against Essendon.

The teams

North Melbourne

B: J.Walker, R.Tarrant, L.McDonald
HB: S.Atley, B.McKay, K.Hayden
C: A.Hall, J.Simpkin, T.Dumont
HF: C.Zurhaar, N.Larkey, B.Scott
F: J.Mahony, M.Daw, C.Taylor
FOLL: T.Goldstein, S.Higgins, J.Anderson
INT: L.Davies-Uniacke, A.Bonar, J.Pittard, J.Macmillan
EMG: S.Durdin, W.Walker, T.Campbell, L.Hosie
IN: Daw, Bonar
OUT: Brown, Polec (both omitted)

Adelaide

B: R.Laird, D.Talia, L.Brown
HB: W.Hamill, K.Hartigan, A.McPherson
C: P.Seedsman, M.Crouch, B.Keays
HF: T.Lynch, E.Himmelberg, S.McAdam
F: T.Stengle, T.Walker, L.Murphy
FOLL: R.O’Brien, B.Smith, C.Jones
INT: R.Knight, B.Gibbs, J.Kelly, R.Atkins
EMG: D.Mackay, D.Fogarty, F.McAsey, K.Strachan
IN: Knight, Gibbs, Kelly, AtkinsOUT: Doedee (injured), B.Crouch (injured), Mackay (managed), McAsey (managed)

Rhyce Shaw's big move paid off, and in a big way. 

On a six-game losing streak, facing the winless bottom-of-the-ladder Adelaide, the North Melbourne coach pulled a selection shock when he dropped star pair Ben Brown and Jared Polec.

In a game the under-pressure Roos couldn't afford to lose, it was a brave call. But it worked.

North snapped its run of losses with a 69-point rout of the Crows at Metricon Stadium that gave Majak Daw the perfect return in his first AFL game in almost two years.

Shaw's men were dominant from the start, jumping to a 23-point lead at the first change. The Crows steadied in the second term but conceded three late goals before half-time to fall 34 points in arrears.

North's 19.5 (119) to 7.8 (50) win was the highest score by any side this season and bettered the Roos' previous highest total by more than five goals, underlining the gap between the sides.  

The dominance was field-wide as Jed Anderson (28 disposals, eight clearances, eight tackles, one goal), Trent Dumont (24) and Aaron Hall (20 disposals, two goals) took advantage of a depleted Adelaide midfield and Luke McDonald (34) mopped up everything across half-back to provide plenty of rebound. 

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Ruckman Todd Goldstein was again instrumental, while the Roos' mix of options in attack – they had seven multiple goalkickers – should also serve as a confidence booster as Cam Zurhaar led the way with three majors. 

The Crows' potency was non-existent after the later withdrawal of veteran spearhead Taylor Walker through illness, with mature-age small forward Shane McAdam (2.2) creating some chances.  

Majak's moment
All eyes were on Kangaroos big man Majak Daw as he played his first AFL game in more than 700 days after his fall in 2018. The athletic option started in attack but got more involved in the game in the second term when pinch-hitting in the ruck and floating into defence for some intercept marks. He had a long shot at goal before half-time but his kick sailed wide, however his efforts in creating marking contests also provided some opportunities for North's ground-level forwards. Daw got another chance at goal early in the last quarter and didn't squander it, slotting his shot and being mobbed by teammates.    

McDonald's feast
North Melbourne's Luke McDonald had some pre-game injury concerns, with the tagger having to prove his fitness due to a knee niggle. But after being given the all-clear McDonald went on to have one of the best days of his career, gathering an equal career-high 34 disposals and having full control from half-back. McDonald has done some brilliant run-with jobs this season and shutdown some of the game's best midfielders, but without that responsibility against the Crows he was among the best afield in a dominant display. 

NORTH MELBOURNE 4.1  9.1 12.2 19.5 (119)
ADELAIDE 0.2 3.3 6.7 7.8 (50)

GOALS
North Melbourne: Zurhaar 3, Davies-Uniacke 2, Hall 2, Higgins 2, Larkey 2, Mahony 2, Pittard 2, Anderson, Daw, Macmillan, Simpkin
Adelaide: McAdam 2, Atkins, Himmelberg, Laird, Murphy, Seedsman 

BEST
North Melbourne: Anderson, Goldstein, McDonald, Dumont, Davies-Uniacke
Adelaide: Laird, Lynch, Seedsman, Crouch, McAdam 

INJURIES
North Melbourne: Larkey (ankle), Taylor (left leg)
Adelaide: Walker (illness) replaced in selected side by Strachan