1. Form
North Melbourne
Round 1: Lost to Essendon by 2 points; 15.12.102 to 14.20.104
The Roos started their 2012 season in the most heartbreaking way possible, falling to the Bombers by two points after Hamish McIntosh's shot after the final siren drifted wide. It was North’s third successive Round 1 loss.
Greater Western Sydney
Round 1: Lost to Sydney by 63 points; 5.7.37 to 14.16.100
GWS began its AFL initiation against a battle-hardened Sydney side and gave a good account before fading away in the third quarter, conceding five goals to none. They did manage to win the final quarter by a point, the first ever in club history.
2. Missing in Action
North Melbourne
Nathan Grima
Grima is likely to miss another match as he continues his rehabilitation from a knee injury. His absence leaves a slight void in North Melbourne's backline, with Lachlan Hansen also likely to miss Sunday's match.
Greater Western Sydney
James McDonald
The returning veteran received a two-week suspension for his bump on Swan Luke Parker and given he collected 23 possessions and six tackles, his loss will be felt in the Giants’ midfield.
3. Dream Team Watch
North Melbourne
Todd Goldstein
Coming into the season with a price tag of $491,600, Todd Goldstein's first round score of 56 leaves him needing a significant score on Sunday to avoid a big price drop. The 11,000-plus coaches that picked him will be hoping he can double his Round One output.
Greater Western Sydney
Adam Kennedy
The $104,200 forward/midfield option led all Giants scorers with 116 points, making him an excellent selection. With such a big score to start the season, only an injury can stop a major price rise at the conclusion of Round 3. Another triple figure score against North could have him on the verge of the biggest increase across all players.
4. Round One Stars
North Melbourne
Daniel Wells
It was impossible to tell Daniel Wells had an interrupted pre-season, such was his performance against Essendon. 25 disposals and five inside 50's earned him votes by both coaches as the best North Melbourne player on the ground.
Greater Western Sydney
Callan Ward
The former Bulldog showed why the Giants and Bulldogs regard him so highly with a splendid first up performance. 22 touches, 12 contested possessions, six clearances and seven tackles will most likely have him as priority number one for the North Melbourne match committee.
5. Experienced campaigners
North Melbourne
Brent Harvey
Another season and the same old story for ‘Boomer’, as he was again one of the Roos' best against Essendon. Three goals and 21 possessions indicates the North games record holder won't be slowing down any time soon.
Greater Western Sydney
Luke Power
In the absence of James McDonald, Luke Power’s return will provide much needed experience to the midfield. The 282-game veteran was coaxed out of retirement by GWS, and it's in situations like these where he'll be at his most useful.
6. Key matchup
Drew Petrie v Phil Davis
After a 200th game that didn't quite go as expected, Petrie will most likely be greeted by one of the GWS's co-captains Phil Davis.
The centre of the GWS defence, Davis will have a monumental task shutting down Petrie. Despite both being billed at 197 centimetres, Petrie outweighs Davis by eight kilograms. If the midfielders deliver the ball well, there’ll be no stopping the powerful forward.
7. The road ahead
North Melbourne
Next Week: Geelong
A win against the Giants on Sunday would set North Melbourne up perfectly for a huge matchup against the reigning premiers. Without a win against Geelong since Round 5 of 2007, any momentum heading into this clash is crucial.
Greater Western Sydney
Next Week: West Coast
After Sunday at Blundstone Arena, the Giants head home to prepare for their first match in Blacktown. West Coast appears to have not missed a beat after its top-four finish in 2011 and the games don’t get any easier for GWS.
