A strong first-quarter showing against the Suns last week will give reason for positivity amongst this young Kangaroos side, who this week return to Marvel Stadium to take on GWS.

North Melbourne will be hoping to go one better than last year’s Round 13 clash against the Giants. A draw saw neither team come away happy, and it was the Kangaroos who easily could have pinched the game from the grasp of the opposition.

Make sure you're prepared with this week's gameday guide.

Set your matchday reminders

Saturday, June 12
North Melbourne v GWS Giants at Marvel Stadium, 3.20pm AEST

The Kangaroos return to Marvel as the home side for the first time since the Round 10 Sir Doug Nicholls Round clash with the Demons, and they’ll be taking on a GWS side whose season has been defined by inconsistency.

The Giants may have only won three of their 12 games so far this season, and their only win in their last four games came against bottom-placed West Coast, but their ability to challenge a high-flying Brisbane side shows their potential to play great football.

North will be hoping to earn a place on the winners list for the first time since Round 2 this weekend. A victory in front of some raucous home fans could go a long way to turning this season around.

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The North Melbourne Kangaroos have reached a new membership record of 46,401 so far in 2022, surpassing the club’s previous record of 46,357, set only last year.

With the continued support of members and fans, the club’s 50,000 membership target is within reach for the first time in its 153-year history.

Joining up as a member is a great way to support not only the AFL team, but the entire football club. 

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Bring on the big game!

The Kangaroos will be hoping to put last week's disappointing result in Darwin behind them as they return home to Marvel Stadium to take on a refreshed GWS side.

The Giants come into the clash fresh off the bye. While their list might be feeling recharged and refreshed, history is not on the away team's side this week.

Not only have the Giants won just three of their past 11 fixtures against the Kangaroos, they've not beaten a Victorian side after the bye in six attempts.

There are a number of questions to be answered and stories to be told this weekend, but here are four of the most pressing.

Can last week's strong start be replicated?

For much of this season the opposition has managed to get the jump on the Kangaroos in the first quarter. Often a sluggish start has left North behind the eight-ball heading into the latter stages of the game.

Last week's performance against Gold Coast was almost the inverse of what's become habit for this young side. A fast, competitive and heavily contested opening stanza saw the Kangaroos head into the first break with a 17-point lead.

The Suns tightened the screws on the Kangaroos as the game went on and took control of the contest in the second term, but that quick start should provide North with an element of hope and belief.

Hopefully the Roos can combine the strong, albeit inconsistent, efforts from select stages of recent games to put in a strong four-quarter performance.

Is Todd Goldstein stopping Father Time?

While time comes for every player, the ability for Todd Goldstein to not just continue playing at AFL-level, but to keep improving, is a testament to his hard work and ability.

Goldstein turns 34 in less than a month's time. He's the last man standing of the six players North recruited in the 2006 NAB AFL Draft. He's among the last handful of that draft class remaining in the League, he's the only player on North's list born in the 1980s, and he's set to play his 100th consecutive senior game this weekend.

After breaking the all-time AFL record for hitouts last year, Goldstein has spent much of his 2022 season playing second-fiddle in the ruck to the emerging Tristan Xerri, however his ability in the forward line has been a welcome addition to the club's marking capability. His Mark of the Year nomination from a few weeks ago is testament to that.

Goldstein could celebrate the occasion by going head to head with one of his former ruck protegees at Arden Street, Braydon Preuss, should he earn selection in the Giants' side.

A looming role change for Nick Larkey?

Since becoming North Melbourne's number one option in the forward 50, Nick Larkey has spent the majority of his time at the full-forward position. However due to the continued absence of Cam Zurhaar David Noble elected to move the magnets last week and try Larkey in a different role.

Playing higher up the ground at centre half-forward, Larkey impressed with his ability to move out of the forward 50 and link play. He finished with 14 disposals, more than any game this season excluding his six-goal, three-behind haul against West Coast in Round 2.

His increased time away from goal didn't impact his ability to hit the scoreboard as he still kicked a goal, and his gun-barrel straight set shot kicking translates well to accurate field kicking.

Callum Coleman-Jones could come into the side to play as a genuine key forward which could change Larkey's role again, or the likes of Todd Goldstein and Tristan Xerri could play a more prominent role inside 50. Just because Larkey functioned well in a new role doesn't mean the structure is going to stay the same.

Regardless of his role this weekend though, Larkey's ability to play higher up the ground is a good weapon for David Noble to have in his arsenal.

Are the troops returning for both teams?

Both North Melbourne and GWS are set to be bolstered by the returns of experienced players this week. The Kangaroos could welcome back Aaron Hall while GWS' Lachie Whitfield, Nick Haynes and Callan Ward are all fighting to prove their fitness.

Should Hall return for the Kangaroos it will be his 150th career appearance. He hasn't played since the suffering a hamstring injury during the Good Friday SuperClash in Round 5.

Former No.1 draft pick Whitfield and All-Australian Haynes both missed the Round 10 clash with the Eagles due an ankle injury and illness respectively, while Ward has been recovering from concussion.

Much like Hall, Ward looks set to reach a major milestone should he win selection - he'll be the first player to play 200 senior games for GWS.

The North Melbourne Kangaroos have gone down to the GWS Giants by 49 points at Marvel Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

The Giants set up the big win with a five-goal to nothing first term, where five individual goalkickers set GWS on the way to the 15.12 (102) to 7.11 (53) victory.

The Giants out-marked (60-26 marks at half-time), out-possessed (217-140 disposals) and ultimately out-played the Roos - booting the first seven goals of the game and building an unassailable 47-point lead at half-time.

To the Kangaroos’ credit, they showed some signs of life after half-time, levelling the contest at the coal-face and not allowing GWS to completely blow them out of the water with an improved second-half showing - kicking five goals apiece after the major break.

Luke Davies-Uniacke (33 disposals, six tackles) and Jy Simpkin (32 disposals) led the way for North but at key moments, the home side were their own worst enemy, turning the ball over time and time again, and being made to pay by a clinical Giants outfit.

In a new role in defence, Harry Himmelberg was immense, registering a career-best 37 disposals, along with 16 marks while Stephen Coniglio continued his recent run of hot-form - tallying 34 disposals and booting three goals.

KANGAROOS v GIANTS Full match coverage and stats

However, the win did come at a cost for the Giants, after Harry Perryman was sent to hospital due to concerns surrounding his ribs and lungs following a heavy collision in the second quarter.

The loss for the Roos was further soured by an incident which may be looked at by the Match Review Officer, when No.1 pick Jason Horne-Francis gave away a free kick for high contact against Josh Kelly.

The Roos will have a bye in Round 14 before hosting Adelaide at Blundstone Arena on Sunday, June 26.

Taylor takes to the skies

Curtis Taylor was a shining light in another tough result for the Roos, with the versatile young gun getting the home fans off their seats with a screamer late in the third term. Bailey Scott kicked long to the wing from defence and Taylor took the opportunity to leap over Giant Lachie Keeffe and pull down a brilliant mark.

NORTH MELBOURNE                  0.3     2.5     4.8     7.11     (53)
GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY     5.3     10.4     12.9     15.12     (102)

GOALS
North Melbourne: Larkey 2, Goldstein 2, Taylor, Davies-Uniacke, Curtis
Greater Western Sydney: Riccardi 3, Coniglio 3, Peatling 3, Bruhn 2, Greene 2, de Boer, Himmelberg

BEST
North Melbourne: Davies-Uniacke, Simpkin, Anderson, Hall, Taylor
Greater Western Sydney: Himmelberg, Coniglio, Green, Bruhn, Cumming, Ward, Whitfield, Kelly

INJURIES
North Melbourne: Nil
Greater Western Sydney: Perryman (ribs)

SUBSTITUTES  
North Melbourne: Lazzaro
Greater Western Sydney: Stein (replaced Perryman in the second quarter)