The Kangaroos are set to take on two top eight sides in the next two weeks, and the first of those tough fixtures begins this weekend with a trip to Geelong.

The Cats are flying high in second on the ladder at the moment, with a mid-season boost in form seeing them quickly move up rankings. They sit just one game behind the reigning premier Demons.

After taking a handy lead in the second term against Richmond last week, Geelong was forced to come from behind late in the final term to chalk up the win, eventually defeating the Tigers by just three points.

The improvement of Curtis squared

In a season that’s been marred by disappointing results and difficult days at the office, Paul Curtis and Curtis Taylor have been a pair of shining lights for the Kangaroos.

Taylor has taken his game to a brand new level in 2022. After somewhat flattering to deceive at points last season, the former No.46 draft pick has evolved to become one of North’s most important players this season.

He registered a career-high four clearances last week against the Crows and has been consistently finding the football and impacting games from the wing and half-forward positions.

Young Paul Curtis is quickly showing all the hallmarks of being a bargain draft pick for North Melbourne, as the first-year forward continues to improve on a week-by-week basis.

A capable goalkicker, Curtis seems to be displaying more physicality, courage and game intelligence each week and already looks comfortable at AFL-level. 

'PC' will have good memories of last time he faced the Cats, having marked his AFL debut with a goal against this weekend's opposition.

While the team’s struggles have been well documented over the course of this season, the improvement of these two players, among others, are cause for hope and celebration amongst the Kangaroos faithful.

How do the Cats replace Tom Stewart?

Geelong will be presented with an interesting conundrum this week. How to replace defensive mainstay Tom Stewart after he was ruled out for the next four weeks due to the suspension handed down for his hit on Richmond’s Dion Prestia in Round 15.

As a three-time All-Australian and Geelong’s reigning best and fairest winner, Stewart has proved himself key to the Cats’ fortunes since coming into the AFL in 2017.

In his five-and-a-half seasons at AFL-level he’s been a near ever-present for Cats, playing more than 20 games in each full season on the list except for the Covid-shortened campaign of 2020.

He isn’t just a crucial cog in the Cats’ back six from a defensive standpoint - he averages 9.2 intercepts a game - but his 4.6 score involvements per game sees him be a serious contributor on the offensive side of the ball too.

One player certainly doesn’t make a team, but Stewart’s absence from proceedings this weekend could be telling, should the Roos take advantage.

Will the form lines play a part?

There’s no escaping that with five wins in their last five contests, Geelong is one of the hottest teams in the competition right now. 

The beautiful thing about football is that anyone can win though, and should the 18th-placed Kangaroos build on the promise they’ve shown at times this season, then they’re certainly a chance to pull off one of the biggest upsets of the season so far.

Lachie Young could prove to be a big inclusion for the Kangaroos, while the form of Cam Zurhaar, Jy Simpkin and Tristan Xerri have all been bright spots in recent weeks.

Can North silence Tom Hawkins and Jeremy Cameron?

Geelong has one of the most dangerous tall forward pairs in the competition in the form of Tom Hawkins and Jeremy Cameron. The pair have combined for a remarkable 78 goals so far this season.

North Melbourne has a number of options to try and slow down the pair, with a firm eye being kept on the in-form Cameron.

Aidan Corr and Josh Walker look to be the pair of defenders to take the leading roles on the Cats’ duo, but Ben McKay could be shifted back to defence to provide a physical match-up on Hawkins who he has a good individual record against.

Matt McGuinness could come into the side as an extra tall option to allow Corr to move into a more intercept-heavy role, or the likes of Kyron Hayden or Josh Goater could be called in as athletic mid-sized options.

No matter what happens at the selection table though, an intriguing battle looms.