Who covers for the Kangaroos' key outs?

While North Melbourne's team is filled with young and exciting talent, no pair of players have defined David Noble era quite like like Luke Davies-Uniacke and Tarryn Thomas.

Near automatic selections when fit, Davies-Uniacke will miss this weekend's clash due to concussion, while Thomas is sidelined by internal bruising. Their teammates will have to step up and fill the void until they return.

Jaidyn Stephenson should come back into the side to provide some relative experience, while Noble has earmarked the likes of Cam Zurhaar and Curtis Taylor for increased responsibility in the middle of the ground.

It's been some time since the Kangaroos haven't been able to call on either talent - not since Round 9, 2020 in fact. Which Kangaroo will take the opportunity to impress in the star pair's absence?

Who goes to Lachie Neale?

Lachie Neale isn't just an accumulator of cheap possessions. He's one of the most dangerous and damaging inside midfielders in the competition. He's capable of winning the ball at the coalface, earning possession on the outside and even sneaking forward to hit the scoreboard. He's an all-around offensive package.

Neale was certainly the best player on the ground in Brisbane's victory over Essendon last week. He collected 41 disposals and 12 clearances while also kicking two goals. Every aspect of his ability was on show as he dragged his team to victory over the inaccurate Bombers.

The role of the tagger seems to have been left behind as AFL football has evolved, but a taggers effectiveness at shutting down an opponent, no matter the cost, always comes into a coaches thinking when assessing an opposition player like the 2020 Brownlow medallist.

While North has not consistently engaged a proper tagger under David Noble, Luke McDonald and Kayne Turner have shown the ability to lock down opposition threats in the middle of the ground before, while Jy Simpkin has shown promise when playing a run with role.

Time will tell whether Noble will turn to his entire midfield structure or a smaller crop of individuals to stop Lachie Neale. Either way, if the Lion gets off the leash it could spell trouble for the Kangaroos.

Can Nick Larkey back up his stellar six-goal performance?

Playing as a key forward in a struggling side is a difficult task. A general lack of service can mean opportunities are few and far between. Not for Nick Larkey though.

After a top-20 Coleman Medal finish last season, Larkey has started his 2022 campaign in strong form, and his six goals against the Eagles last week has seen him jump into the lead for the Coleman at this early stage, tied with Hawthorn's Mitch Lewis and Sydney's Isaac Heeney.

The hallmark of an elite key forward is the ability to impact the play and hit the scoreboard every week, regardless of opposition. Brisbane boasts a strong and settled back line that includes two-time All-Australian key defender Harris Andrews.

If Larkey is to throw his name amongst the elite key forwards of the competitions, these are the games he needs to find a way to consistently impact in the face of close attention from the opposition.

Will North's good Gabba form continue?

The Gabba is something of a fortress for the Lions, especially in recent years. Their strong record there makes it somewhat surprising then that they've defeated North there just once in their last five attempts.

That victory came in the most recent clash between the two sides in Brisbane, with the Lion overcoming a 19-point half-time deficit to win by two goals.

Prior to that, North had won three games on the bounce at Brisbane's home ground dating back to, including a massive 72-point win in Round 17, 2015 where the home side was restricted to just five goals.

Can the Kangaroos continue their recent happy hunting at the Gabba, or can the Lions turn it around and defend their home deck?