The wide surface of UTAS Stadium will suit the Kangaroos’ running game, according to coach Scott Gowans.
The North Melbourne Tasmanian Kangaroos take on the Western Bulldogs on Friday night, with any little edge a bonus.
"The team has been set up on Arden Street, which is a fairly wide ground as well, and to break lines and the way you find space when teams try to shut you down is you actually almost criss-cross lines,” Gowans told The Advocate.
“Your wings and your centre players can actually get to half-forward and your half-forwards can get up higher, so you mix it around like that.”
Gowans expects the 2018 premiers to provide the undefeated Roos’ toughest test to date.
"The big thing for us this week is the challenge, and the challenge for us is to beat the reigning premiers,” he said.
"It doesn't matter if they have lost players or if they have injuries or whatever, when you get the chance to come up against the best you want to play well, and they are the best.
"It is not so much in the win and loss for us, it is how you perform against them. Do you want to win? Absolutely, and if we perform and do everything well, we will be a challenge for the Bulldogs.
"Vice-versa if we drop off, a side like that can cut you apart very quickly. The Bulldogs with Katie Brennan and Ellie Blackburn, they can hurt you on the scoreboard in five minutes of footy."
The Roos have made two changes to the team that defeated GWS last Friday, with draftees Chloe Haines and Courteney Munn set to debut.
Ash Riddell and Sophie Abbatengelo go out through injury.
"I reckon this it is important to play new players in these next couple of rounds, as it gives those that have been training for this opportunity a sense of belief,'' Gowans said.
"With Chloe (Haines), playing in Tasmania is big for her … she has been training the house down and has been fantastic for us and deserves this."
Haines joins fellow Tasmanians Nicole Bresnehan, Emma Humphries and Britt Gibson in the team.
Bresnehan is likely to spend time on Bulldogs star and co-captain Blackburn.
"For Nicole to play on Ellie, that is great for Nicole and her development to see how a player like that operates and gets herself into the play."
