North Melbourne will follow up on its trip to the Adelaide Hills with a venture up north to challenge the Suns on the Gold Coast.

Both clubs are coming off disappointing Gather Round defeats and will be looking to get their respective seasons back on track when they meet on Sunday evening.

With Round 6 approaching, make sure you’re prepared with this week’s gameday guide.

Set your matchday reminders

Sunday, April 23
Gold Coast v North Melbourne at Heritage Bank Stadium, 4.40pm AEST 

Set to celebrate club champion Todd Goldstein's 300th game milestone, the Roos will have extra motivation to leave Queensland with the four points.

So you don't miss the game, or any others this season, make sure to sync the fixture to you calendar.

Ticketing

Tickets for our Round 6 game with the Suns on the Gold Coast can be purchased here.

While you're at it, grab a seat at our next home fixture for when we to take on the Saints at Marvel Stadium on May 7.

Be a part of history as we target beyond 50k members in 2023

The Kangaroos' journey continues in 2023, and we're looking to surpass last year's club record 50,000 members as Alastair Clarkson's team continues its path towards silverware.

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

Watch on TV or stream on your phone

Sunday's game will be broadcast live for Foxtel and Kayo Sports subscribers.

Stay connected on social media

For behind-the-scenes access and all the best highlights, photos, stats and stories, we’ve got you covered.
 
Follow the @NMFCOfficial accounts on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook to stay up to date with everything happening at the match and don't forget to use #Kangas.
 
Bring on Goldy's 300th! 

The Kangaroos will be determined to get their season back on track when they head north to play the Suns on the Gold Coast.

They'll enter off the back of a disappointing 75-point defeat to Brisbane, however, despite making a sprightly start against the premiership contenders in the Adelaide Hills during Gather Round.

While chasing a third win for 2023, North Melbourne will be honouring a champion of the club at the same time…

Goldy on the Goldy

Soon to become just the sixth Kangaroo to achieve the feat, Todd Goldstein will notch his 300-game milestone when he hits the turf on Sunday night.

Since being drafted with the 37th pick of the 2006 AFL Draft, 'Goldy' has gone on to not only claim club and competition awards but redefine what ruckmen in the AFL can do.

While an incredible tap ruck at stoppages and centre bounces, the No.22's work below his knees and with ball in hand has made him a headache for oppositions over his 17-year career.

A best-and-fairest winner, All-Australian, AFL Life Member and the all-time VFL/AFL hitouts leader, Goldstein has undoubtedly become one of the greatest big men the AFL world has witnessed.

Stevo in form

Although the club has suffered three losses in a row, the form of Jaidyn Stephenson has been a shining light.

Acquired from Collingwood prior to the 2021 season, the early stages of 2023 have seen the 24-year-old re-discover some of the form that saw him quickly become a popular star at his former club.

The forward has slotted nine goals from five games this season, with four of those coming against Brisbane last weekend and three coming on Good Friday in the SuperClash with Carlton.

"It's just about belief and faith. He can really play ... (but) there was a fair bit of publicity around his move here and that attaches pressure. Now we're seeing a bit of consistency, and we think there's even more he can contribute," North Melbourne coach Alastair Clarkson said earlier this week.

Each week, Stephenson is looking more comfortable in Clarkson's system and could prove to be scoring threat again on Sunday against a Suns outfit that has leaked 100+ points on four occasions this year.

Winning at the source

Boasting Touk Miller and young guns Noah Anderson and Matt Rowell in their midfield, the Suns have become one of the stronger contested ball winning teams.

Perhaps inconsistent across other parts of the ground, Gold Coast has remained diligent at the coalface over its recent campaigns and currently sits second in the competition for contested possessions per game (146.4).

More often than not under senior coach Stuart Dew, when the Suns have won, they've done so by being the superior side at the contest.

"We know the middle of the ground is a really important part of the game, which it is in every game really, but that's the Gold Coast side's real strength," Clarkson said on Tuesday.

In their Round 5 defeat to Brisbane, the Roos fell behind 141-119 in contested possessions which Clarkson flagged as a factor he and his side will need to fix before challenging the Suns.

Last time we met

Closing out its 2022 campaign, the Kangaroos hosted the Suns at Marvel Stadium in Round 23, but it was the visitors who took the four points home, winning 16.18 (114) to 6.11 (47).

Making his long-awaited debut in the seniors was Josh Goater who collected 21 disposals and five marks, while Aidan Corr played one of his best games as a Roo having recorded 28 touches, nine marks and 775 metres gained.

Jy Simpkin capped off his second Syd Barker Medal-winning season with 25 disposals and seven inside 50s.

Gold Coast has spoiled Todd Goldstein's 300th game celebrations, defeating North Melbourne by 43 points at Heritage Bank Stadium on Sunday night.

Touk Miller's knee injury dampened what was a strong performance from the Suns to snap a two-game losing streak and bring their season ledger to 2-4 ahead of a date with Richmond at Marvel Stadium next Sunday.

While the Suns will have to wait for scans on Miller's knee on Monday to find out whether they'll be without their co-captain for any length of time, there was a lot to like about their 14.13 (97) to 7.12 (54) victory.

Top of the list was the performance from Ben King, kicking four first-half goals, and five for the day, to lay the foundation for victory in just his sixth game back from a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament.

King kicked two in the first quarter, two in the second and one in the last, losing opponent Ben McKay in traffic a couple of times, and most importantly converting his chances when presented them.

Lachie Weller – King's fellow ACL returnee in 2023 – was one of the best players on the ground, offering a real point of difference in a sometimes lacklustre contest.

Weller finished with 28 disposals and 14 marks, finding space against a Kangaroos team that was nowhere near its best.

SUNS v KANGAROOS Full match coverage and stats

Matt Rowell (18 disposals and 12 tackles), Noah Anderson (28 and eight clearances) and Ben Ainsworth (24 and two goals) were also instrumental in the win, while Darcy Macpherson and Jack Lukosius also had strong outings.

For North Melbourne it was a second straight disappointing performance.

Gold Coast set the tone early, racing to a 19-point lead on the back of two King goals.

The home team dominated much of the term, with 18 inside 50s to eight, but like other matches in the early part of the season, battled to put it on the scoreboard.

Co-captain Jarrod Witts gave the Suns some extra breathing space before the break, kicking a rare goal from 25m out to spark jubilant scenes with his teammates.

The second quarter was played on far more even terms as Ben Cunnington and Jack Ziebell began influencing the contest and the Kangaroos reached parity around the ground.

King kicked another two goals, including one on the half-time siren courtesy of a free kick, to keep the Roos at arm's length, despite Gold Coast missing a handful of gettable kicks at goal.

Unlike previous weeks where they fell away after the main break, Gold Coast would run away comfortable winners this time.

Sheezel gets some close attention
It was just his sixth career game, but Gold Coast identified dynamic No.3 draft pick Harry Sheezel as a young man they wanted to stop. Suns half-forward Nick Holman, arguably the toughest and most disciplined player on their list, was sent straight to tag the Kangaroos defender. Sheezel battled to have any impact in the first half, gathering just six disposals, and was moved to half-forward by Alastair Clarkson after the main break. He finished with 11 for the day.     

GOLD COAST                    4.3       7.6       10.10    14.13 (97)
NORTH MELBOURNE        1.2       4.3       4.5       7.12 (54)

GOALS 
Gold Coast: King 5, Humphrey 2, Chol 2, Ainsworth 2, Witts, Lukosius, Holman
North Melbourne: Stephenson 2, Zurhaar, Tucker, Taylor, Shiels, Larkey

BEST 
Gold Coast: Weller, Anderson, Rowell, Ainsworth, Powell, Macpherson, Witts
North Melbourne: Ziebell, Cunnington, Goldstein

INJURIES 
Gold Coast: Miller (knee)
North Melbourne: Larkey (ankle)

SUBSTITUTES 
Gold Coast: Bailey Humphrey (replaced Mal Rosas Jnr in the third quarter)
North Melbourne: Liam Shiels (replaced Will Phillips in the fourth quarter)

Crowd: TBC at Heritage Bank Stadium