After just two wins so far this season, everyone at North Melbourne is clear on how much work lies ahead at Arden Street.

However after a stretch of games that have seen the boys in royal blue and white show plenty of grit, there is a growing confidence and sense of excitement about what the future holds.

As the AFL team pauses for this weekend's bye, NMFC Media has used the break to reflect on the season's first 14 weeks.

Best win

North Melbourne 11.7 (73) def. Fremantle 10.12 (72), Round 2 at Optus Stadium

A week on from their stirring Round 1 victory over West Coast at Marvel Stadium, the Kangaroos headed west to battle the Eagles' state rivals, Fremantle.

Building from their opening-week win, the Alastair Clarkson-led Roos manufactured an early 22-point advantage in enemy territory and would begin the final term 10 points up on the 2022 semi-finalists.

Goals to stars Nick Larkey and Luke Davies-Uniacke midway through the fourth quarter helped calm some nerves, but a trio of late majors Fremantle's way generated a dramatic and frantic final two minutes.

Gutsy for all periods and deserving of the four points, the Kangaroos held on by one point to claim their second win of the campaign.

Syd Barker Medal frontrunners

In what is trending towards being his most fruitful season as a Kangaroo, Nick Larkey has yet again been a difficult force to contain for opposition defences, booting 39 goals from 14 games so far.

A deadly shot for goal, North Melbourne's No.20 is just three goals shy of his career-best season tally of 42 (2021). He is also equal second with Jeremy Cameron in the race for the Coleman Medal as the competition heads into Round 15, behind Charlie Curnow (42).

Not only has Larkey displayed his impressive goalkicking expertise, but the 25-year-old has seemingly added more speed to his ever-evolving skillset, which he's been using to set up teammates inside 50 while simultaneously causing more problems for his direct opponents.

Joining Larkey on the path for a potential maiden best and fairest victory is 2022 No.3 draft selection Harry Sheezel, who has taken the AFL world by storm in his debut season.

A gifted forward at junior level, Sheezel has been deployed mostly off half-back in 2023. Despite being relatively new to the role, the 18-year-old has shot to 10th in the league for total disposals  with 374 (behind leader Tim Taranto's 448) and third for defensive-half pressure acts with 199 (behind Taranto's 209 and Matt Rowell's 207).

Playing with a distinct ferocity behind the ball has been former skipper Jack Ziebell, who is another Roo eyeing his first Syd Barker Medal for the Kangaroos' best and fairest player. The veteran has notched 108 marks for the year (third in AFL) and is averaging 24 touches per game.

Veteran big man Todd Goldstein and dynamic forward Cam Zurhaar have both shone too, with the former largely standing out against the Power in Round 9 (56 hitouts, 24 disposals, 11 clearances) and the Bulldogs in Round 14 (43 hitouts, 15 disposals, four intercept marks), while the latter is averaging more disposals, clearances, inside 50s and score involvements in 2023 compared to each of his six previous campaigns.

Liam Shiels has been one of the club's most consistent performers since arriving at Arden Street and could be a dark horse on the club's night of nights, while 2022's third-place finisher Bailey Scott has tapped into some standout form over the past five weeks.

Sporadic absences may have two-time champ Jy Simpkin slightly off the pace, but with some elite outings against the Dockers, Blues and Swans to his name, he may not be too far behind.

Luke Davies-Uniacke could be relatively close to the leaders too, given the dominant fashion in which he started the season in. The star has missed seven games up until this point but earned 20 out of a possible 20 AFLCA Champion Player of the Year Award votes over the first two rounds and is currently sitting with averages of 27 disposals and 6.1 clearances per game (both career-highs).

Sharpshooters

Firmly among the most dangerous tall forwards in the AFL, spearhead Nick Larkey leads the way at club level with 39 goals. His biggest bag to date in 2023 came in the opening round against West Coast, when he sent through six. He also kicked five against Collingwood, and has picked up three bags of four. 

Securely back in the forward line mix is Jaidyn Stephenson, who has slotted 21 majors from his 14 games. His haul of four against the Lions in Round 5 stands as his most in a match this year.

Two behind Stephenson on 19 is Cam Zurhaar, who saw extended midfield minutes at the beginning of the season but has settled back into a role closer to goal following the inclusions and subsequent development of young onballers George Wardlaw and Will Phillips.

North Melbourne leading goalkickers in 2023
Nick Larkey, 39
Jaidyn Stephenson, 21
Cam Zurhaar, 19
Paul Curtis, 7
Tom Powell, 7

Debutants

AFL

After an eye-catching pre-season, Harry Sheezel was locked in for a Round 1 start and immediately captivated North Melbourne's fanbase, claiming the year's first Rising Star nomination.

His game-high 34 disposals on debut were the third most of any first-gamer in the AFL for 32 years, while his 37-possession performance in Round 4 saw him reach 127 in total – the most of any player after four career V/AFL games according to AFL statisticians.

Round 8 saw 2022 No.1 rookie draftee Blake Drury enter the fold and have another one of his AFL dreams become reality. The speedster tallied 13 disposals and four marks against the Saints, before going onto play another two matches at the level.

Making his long-awaited competition debut in Round 10 was 2022 No.4 draft selection George Wardlaw, who swiftly demonstrated why he was originally in contention for being the No.1 pick of his class.

A bull in the contest, Wardlaw collected 16 disposals in his first game against Sydney, but it was his efforts off the ball that truly amazed as he finished with game highs in tackles (nine) and pressure acts (31). His 22-disposal, nine-tackle, and one-goal performance against GWS three weeks later saw him earn a Rising Star nomination – the club's second of the season.

New arrivals

Defender Griffin Logue and veteran Liam Shiels pulled on new guernseys for the first time in Round 1 and played crucial roles right off the bat, as they both showed why the club had brought them in over the off-season.

Dan Howe became the second former Hawk in 2023 to receive a Shinboner number when he made his debut for the Roos as the sub in the side's intense victory over Fremantle in Round 2.

A week later saw former Docker Darcy Tucker wear the royal blue and white for the first time after being added to the side as the sub due to Davies-Uniacke's late withdrawal.

Good Friday saw the versatile midfielder formally presented with his No.13 guernsey before going onto record 24 touches in front of a bumper SuperClash crowd against Carlton in his first start for the Kangas.

Shinboner Numbers
Griffin Logue: #1047
Harry Sheezel: #1048
Liam Shiels: #1049
Dan Howe: #1050
Darcy Tucker: #1051
Blake Drury: #1052
George Wardlaw: #1053

Milestones

In Round 6, Todd Goldstein became just the sixth player in North Melbourne history to notch 300 games, joining Wayne Schimmelbusch, Glenn Archer, Adam Simpson, Brent Harvey and Drew Petrie.

Although the night was soured by a loss to the Suns at Heritage Bank Stadium, the decorated ruck further established himself as one of the greatest big men to ever grace the competition.

Recording his 100th game in Round 11 was Jaidyn Stephenson who, coincidentally, played against his former club Collingwood.

Recruit Dan Howe also clocked 100 AFL games when he took the field in the Adelaide Hills back in Round 5.

Sitting on 96 games and well within reach of the 100-game milestone is Cam Zurhaar, while Tom Powell and Lachie Young, who have played 43 apiece, could raise their bats for 50 games before season's end.

Magical moment

Following a superb solo effort against the Power at Blundstone Arena, Paul Curtis made it two diamonds in as many weeks when he conjured a Goal of the Year contender from the pocket against Sydney in Round 10.

After gaining possession while on the ground just inside the 50-metre arc, Curtis rose to his feet and fended off Swans defenders Robbie Fox and Nick Blakey before creating magic with a left-footed gem on the boundary line.

Up against Brisbane's Zac Bailey and Richmond's Shai Bolton for that week's Goal of the Year nomination, it was Curtis' goal that won the fan vote.