After steady improvement in 2021 and a pre-season of mixed fortunes, the real test is finally here for David Noble's developing Kangaroos. 

Here are four of the most pressing questions ahead of Sunday's Round 1 clash with the Hawks at the MCG.

Can the Kangaroos jump-start their season?

Three wins in their last five meetings against the Hawks suggests the Kangaroos have the opportunity to improve their ordinary Round 1 form across the last decade.

Since 2013, North Melbourne has won just two of its nine Round 1 clashes. They were a 10-point victory over Adelaide in 2016 where Brent Harvey and Jarrad Waite kicked three goals each, and a two-point win over St Kilda in 2020 where Ben Cunnington led the team with two goals and 25 disposals.

While the season is a long one, a Round 1 victory would be an important confidence boost for this young and exciting team. Having defeated Hawthorn in Round 9 last season, the Roos will know this fixture is winnable, but they’ll need a sharper start than in recent seasons to capitalise on the opportunity.

Will a three-pronged ruck attack work for North Melbourne?

With Todd Goldstein and Tristan Xerri named in Sunday's starting 18 and Callum Coleman-Jones also confirmed to debut, North Melbourne look set to unleash a three-pronged ruck attack this weekend.

Xerri impressed in the ruck against Sydney in the AAMI Community Series, while Coleman-Jones has hit the ground running since arriving at Arden Street. Todd Goldstein is set to play forward more than he did last season, but he’s still just as dominant in the ruck as he’s ever been.

All three players are versatile. Goldstein was one of North’s most efficient forward targets last season when he pushed up the ground, while Xerri and Coleman-Jones both have experience of playing as a key position target.

Does one of the three play as a stay-at-home key forward to support Nick Larkey? Will all three rotate through the middle and spend time as the primary ruck?

Whichever way coach David Noble approaches this game, with the Hawks missing Ben McEvoy due to health and safety protocols, the likes of three-game player Max Lynch and potential inclusion Ned Reeves will have a serious battle on their hands.

Where will Jason Horne-Francis play on debut?

Horne-Francis will tread uncharted territory when he becomes the first ever number one pick to run out in royal blue and white stripes on Sunday.

When representing South Adelaide at SANFL level, Horne-Francis was a versatile prospect who looked most at home in the midfield, but he’s also an incredibly dangerous forward who even spent some time in defence last season.

Though it’s safe to say he won’t be playing in the back half of the ground on Sunday, how Horne-Francis splits his time between the midfield and forward lines will be an interesting question, and this weekend’s clash gives North fans their first look into how that might work in the long term.

Can Jared Polec recapture his best form?

Since the promise of 2019, when he placed seventh in the Syd Barker Medal in his first season at North Melbourne, Polec has struggled for consistency at senior level.

Injuries have restricted him to just 18 games in the past two seasons; only five of which came in 2021. That stop-start campaign left many fans frustrated with his output, but Polec appears rejuvenated ahead of Round 1.

Named in his favoured wing position, Polec can be one of the most damaging and lethal attacking midfielders in the competition when at his best. Should he recapture that form in 2022, he could add serious firepower and experience to this developing Kangaroos side.