Continuing its stretch of home games, North Melbourne will host the Sydney Swans on Wurundjeri Woiwurrung Country on Saturday afternoon in the first of two Sir Doug Nicholls Rounds.

The Roos suffered a 70-point loss to the Power last weekend and will hope to bounce back against a Sydney outfit that also finds itself towards the bottom of the ladder after four straight defeats.

With Round 10 approaching, make sure you're prepared with this week's gameday guide.

Set your matchday reminders

Saturday, May 20
North Melbourne v Sydney Swans at Marvel Stadium (Wurundjeri Woiwurrung), 1.45pm AEST 

The club will wear its 2023 Indigenous guernsey for the first time on Saturday, a piece designed by Wemba Wemba, Gunditjmara, Ngadjonji and Taungurung artist Emma Bamblett, named 'Connecting Through Identity'.

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

Ticketing

You can purchase tickets for this weekend's game here.

What's On?

TAG WITH WANYARA
Have the kids participate in TAG (Traditional Aboriginal Games) with Wanyara, or show their arty side with colouring-in station located at Roo Squad at Gate 7.

PRE-GAME CEREMONY
Join us before the game for a live welcome and a traditional smoking ceremony.

FACE PAINTING
Arrive early this weekend and have your face painted in Kangaroos colours at Roo Squad outside Gate 7.

Getting to Marvel Stadium

Transport information getting to and from the Marvel can be found here.

Single lane closure on Wurundjeri Way - allow for extra travel time: Wurundjeri Way has single lane closures between Dudley Street and Collins Street, northbound and southbound, until late October 2023 due to works carried out by the West Gate Tunnel Project.

Car park entrances C, D & E along Wurundjeri Way will remain open and will be available during this period.

Seat Access:

Social Club and Premiership Club members: when using your ticket, you can enter the ground via Gates 1, 3, or 7.

General Admission members and ticket holders can enter via any gate.

Gates Open at 12.00pm.

Roo Shop

To make sure you're decked out in Royal Blue and White, you can find the shop located:
- Outside Gate 4
- Level 1, inside Gate 7
- Level 2, inside Gate 6
- Level 3, Aisle 30

Membership Hub

For any membership enquiries or to pick up your member choice item, our friendly staff will be located outside Gate 2.

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

Saturday's game will be broadcast live on Foxtel and Kayo Sports.

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 Sir Doug Nicholls Round!

Set to don 'Connecting Through Identity' for the first time on Saturday, North Melbourne will host Sydney on Wurundjeri Woiwurrung Country for its opening Sir Doug Nicholls Round clash, under the tutelage of interim senior coach Brett Ratten.

Despite making a promising start against the Power in Hobart, a second-quarter lapse allowed the visitors to dominate and set up their 70-point win to ultimately stretch the Kangaroos' losing streak to seven games.

However, another opportunity for North Melbourne arises this weekend, when it unveils 2022 No.4 draft pick George Wardlaw and challenges a Swans outfit battling in their own right.

The opposition

After claiming consecutive wins in the season's opening two rounds, the 2022 Grand Finalists have claimed just four points from its past seven outings.

Sitting with a 3-6 record in 14th position on the ladder isn't where the football world envisioned the Swans being at this stage of proceedings, but last-gasp defeats to Port Adelaide and GWS, and deflating losses to Geelong and Fremantle, have seen them drop off the pace.

With an extensive injury list like that of North Melbourne's, an immediate rise back up the ladder seems doubtful, but coach John Longmire has history of being able to rescue his side from dire spots, most notably in 2017 when the club salvaged its season after a 0-6 start.

Team results aside, young gun Errol Gulden has discovered a rich vein of form and will enter Marvel Stadium fresh off a 39-disposal and two-goal game against Fremantle, while stars Chad Warner and Lance Franklin still possess the talent necessary to lead a mid-season resurgence.

What the coaches have said

North Melbourne interim coach Brett Ratten on Friday: "It is exciting (to be able to see Harry Sheezel and George Wardlaw play together for the first time at North Melbourne). Harry has come in and performed at a really high standard and it'll be George's first game but it's also guys like Eddie Ford getting another opportunity, Miller Bergman down back, the list goes on and that's the exciting bit for this footy club."

Sydney coach John Longmire on Wednesday: "Look, (the Roos) have had some injuries and they'll have some players missing as well but it's about us. We look at what North Melbourne are doing and what they can do but we're mindful of making sure we can get our team going in four quarters. That's what we're focusing on at the moment."

Running hot

Refusing to slow down at the back-end of his career, Todd Goldstein was at his brilliant best last weekend yet again.

The 303-gamer was a standout for North Melbourne against Port Adelaide, racking up 24 disposals and registering game-highs for hitouts (56), clearances (11) and inside 50s (seven).

Although it wasn't exactly close to his current AFL record of 80, Goldstein's Round 9 tally of 56 hitouts became his equal-seventh highest amount in one game.

Continuing to supply his midfield teammates with first use of the footy at 34, the veteran will need to put in another solid shift on Saturday if the Roos are to end their six-game skid against the Swans and claim their first win since Round 2.

Last time we met

A Nick Larkey masterclass wasn't quite enough for the Kangaroos who fell to the visiting Swans in Round 21 last season, 13.10 (88) to 18.18 (126).

The dead-eye key forward responded to being held goalless against the Bombers a week earlier by slamming home seven majors to earn 10 coaches' votes from Longmire and North Melbourne interim coach Leigh Adams.

The Roos fought hard over the course of the day, but Sydney's overall class prevailed as they claimed a fifth-straight victory.

Jy Simpkin and Luke Davies-Uniacke combined for 61 disposals and 12 clearances through midfield, while Franklin led the way down forward for Sydney with four goals.

A costly North Melbourne interchange infringement in the final minute has gifted Sydney a three-point victory in a thriller.

Swans tall Hayden McLean was awarded a free kick for the Kangaroos' error and converted from point-blank range to seal the 14.9 (93) to 14.6 (90) win at Marvel Stadium.

The penalty came when Liam Shiels and Will Phillips left the ground and were replaced by Tom Powell and Hugh Greenwood.

The two interchanges took North Melbourne over the maximum 75 for the game.

Sydney's triumph snapped a four-match losing streak, improving its record to 4-6, but came at a cost with ruckman Peter Ladhams added to a long injury list.

Ladhams sustained a suspected serious ankle injury when he landed awkwardly at a centre bounce ruck contest.

Play was held up for several minutes before Ladhams, who had just returned from an arm injury, was driven off the field moments before three-quarter time.

The Swans led by 15 points at that stage but coughed up the next five goals and looked gone before goals to Isaac Heeney and McLean put them back in front with less than a minute left on the clock.

KANGAROOS v SWANS Full match coverage and stats

Swans co-captain Luke Parker was huge for his side with 27 disposals, six clearances and a goal despite twice being forced off under the blood rule.

Chad Warner tallied 31 disposals, seven clearances and a goal, and Franklin finished with three majors in a welcome return to form.

North Melbourne midfielder Bailey Scott had 33 disposals, seven clearances and a goal in the best performance of his career.

Co-captain Jy Simpkin (28 disposals, eight clearances, two goals) and Harry Sheezel (25, two, two) were also outstanding but couldn't drag their side over the line.

Nick Larkey shook off early goalkicking yips with two important majors after Ladhams' injury and Callum Coleman-Jones also booted two.

McLean and Ladhams finished with two each for Sydney.

Roos' debutant makes his mark
George Wardlaw, pick No.4 in last year's draft, made his long-awaited debut for the Kangaroos and showed what they have to look forward to for years to come. The midfielder was hard at the contest, received a huge bump from Will Hayward in the second quarter and went head-to-head with Swans gun Luke Parker in the third in an impressive debut. Wardlaw finished with 16 disposals, nine tackles and six clearances.

Fans give support to Clarkson
With Clarkson absent after taking indefinite leave, the Kangaroos fans showed their support for the coach during the first quarter. At the 23-minute mark of the opening term, supporters stood and applauded. Clarkson wore the No.23 in 85 of the 93 games he played for North between 1987 and 1995.

NORTH MELBOURNE          3.3     5.3     10.4     14.6 (90)
SYDNEY                                3.6     7.7     11.7     14.9 (93)
 
GOALS 
North Melbourne: Simpkin 2, Sheezel 2, Larkey 2, Coleman-Jones 2, Stephenson, Scott, Powell, Goldstein, Ford, Curtis
Sydney: Franklin 3, McLean 2, Ladhams 2, Warner, Parker, McInerney, Heeney, Hayward, Gulden, Campbell
 
BEST 
North Melbourne: Simpkin, Sheezel, Scott, Wardlaw, Greenwood
Sydney: Parker, Warner, Gulden, Fox, Franklin
 
INJURIES 
North Melbourne: Nil
Sydney: Ladhams (ankle)
 
SUBSTITUTES 
North Melbourne: Daniel Howe (replaced Blake Drury in third quarter)
Sydney: Angus Sheldrick (replaced Peter Ladhams in third quarter)
 
Crowd: 21,003 at Marvel Stadium