Gold Coast v North Melbourne
Saturday, June 8 - 4.35pm
Metricon Stadium
Form
Last five: Gold Coast (0-5) vs North Melbourne (3-2)
Gold Coast and North Melbourne come into this game with contrasting ambitions. A win for the Suns could see them move out of the bottom two, while North will be hoping to keep its momentum going after two wins in succession.
The Suns are coming off a horror 83-point loss to the GWS Giants and will be desperate to bounce back in front of their home crowd.
As for the Kangaroos, they’re looking to kick on after pulling off an upset 37-point win over premiership contenders Richmond.
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Last time we met
The teams last locked horns in round 16, 2018 at Marvel Stadium, with North running out as comfortable 37-point winners.
The margin could have been larger, with North dominating the inside 50 count 63 to 37, but the home team failed to hit the scoreboard as consistently as it would have liked.
Scott Thompson swept up everything that came at the defensive unit, finishing with a game-high 31 disposals, while Ben Brown was at his lethal best, kicking 4 goals and 2 behinds.
One of the Suns’ key players was Jarrod Witts in the ruck, with the big man accumulating 36 hit-outs and a goal.
Mason Wood missed the last clash between the two sides with a hamstring injury, while Gold Coast were without midfield gun Brayden Fiorini.
The last time these sides met in a Gold Coast home game was in round one last season. The game was played in Cairns in almost monsoonal conditions, with the Suns prevailing 55-39.
Key matchup
Charlie Ballard vs Ben Brown
Ballard should be the man to try and contain Ben Brown, and he will have his work cut out for him.
Brown comes into this game off the back of a season-best bag of five goals against Richmond last week, getting the best of Richmond’s Ryan Garthwaite.
While he's only in his 23rd game, Ballard is no easy beat. He helped the Suns' defence shut down a dangerous Fremantle forward-line containing Jesse Hogan, Rory Lobb and Cam McCarthy in their round two victory.
He also more than held his own against stars such as Carlton’s Harry McKay, West Coast’s Josh Kennedy and Melbourne’s Tom McDonald.
It’s won and lost in…
… The midfield
... and Shaun Higgins could be a key factor. When Higgins plays well, North generally plays well.
The slick midfield general is averaging 31.2 disposals a game and Gold Coast may look to tag him to limit his impact on the contest.
Gold Coast's best players run through their midfield, with players like David Swallow, Brayden Fiorini and Jack Martin providing a strong mixture of courage and flair.
Fiorini and Swallow are becoming the players that they have always threatened to be, with injuries previously taking their toll on both of the stars. Both are having career-best years.
Jack Martin is a player who can turn a match and the Suns are a very different and far more threatening outfit when he's firing.
With North also boasting the likes of Jack Ziebell, Ben Cunnington and Jed Anderson, the battle at the coalface could be vital to picking a winner.
Keep an eye on…
… Ziebell and Alex Sexton
The North skipper is set to play his 200th game for the club this weekend.
Ziebell started the season in the forward line, but has since moved back into the midfield and played one of his best games of the year in the win over Richmond.
Alex Sexton is the leading goal-kicker for Gold Coast this season, having booted 22 majors.
Although the Suns may have a tough time creating chances against this improving North defence, Sexton will be aiming to go back to his early season form.
Sexton has kicked at least 2 goals in each of the Gold Coast's wins (including a huge 4 goal, 5 behind performance in round two), his performance could be key.
