If their previous meeting is anything to go by, the latest fixture between North Melbourne and Brisbane should be tight-fought.
While the Roos have had the edge over the Lions recent years, they just held on last time around, with a thrilling three-point win.
Now, coming off a big win in Round 1, Brisbane will go into Sunday’s clash full of confidence.
“North’s a team that’s been able to assert themselves over us for quite some time,” Lions’ coach Chris Fagan told the media on Friday.
“[It has been] maybe since 2009, since we’ve been able to beat them in Melbourne. It’s been a long time.
“For us on our climb, we’ve got to find ways to do well against these teams that have previously dominated us. That’s been the theme this week.”
Fagan said the Lions will learn from that heartbreaking loss last year.
“That game was the famous Cam Rayner game,” he explained.
“But we didn’t lose that game because Cam Rayner missed. We lost that game in the second quarter when they kicked seven goals to our three.
“Then we had to try and catch them.
“Our hunger to continue winning is strong, and we’re motivated by that.”
North boasts a strong recent record against the Lions, which includes six successive wins and a favourable record on home soil.
As the Roos look to make amends for a disappointing performance in Round 1, Fagan underlined the importance of ignoring external expectations.
“We don’t control how the Kangaroos come out,” he explained.
“We can only control how we come out, and they’ll naturally react to that I would’ve thought. They’re a proud football club and that’s been their way.
“We expect that… our motivation and our drive this year should be as strong as their desire to bounce back from a loss last week.
“It should be even on that scale as well.”
As Fagan highlighted an emphasis on winning the footy in traffic, viewers can expect another bruising encounter.
“They’ve been able to beat us at contested ball every single time,” he added.
“That’s a big focus coming into the game for us and it will be for them, to try and continue that.
“We understand that.”
