Essendon v North Melbourne
Saturday, May 5
Windy Hill
First bounce: 12.00pm (AEST)
Storyline
North Melbourne travels to Windy Hill in search of back-to-back wins, against a home-side that is looking to secure a much-needed victory of its own.
Confidence is high amongst the Roos following a dominant display against Coburg, resulting in senior selection for Sam Wright, Taylor Garner and Mason Wood.
Essendon will have home-ground advantage for the first time this season, following back-to-back trips to Williamstown and Port Melbourne before its Round 4 bye.
Battle of the key forwards
The result of Saturday afternoon could rest heavily on the goal-scoring form of Nick Larkey and Essendon’s Danny Younan.
The pair is tied for second place in the goal charts, with nine majors apiece in just three appearances. They are only bettered by Port Melbourne authority Jordan Lisle, who boasts 12 goals in four games.
Larkey has proven to be a nightmare for opposition defences, playing his role of the tall forward with great efficiency and precision.
The 19-year-old has been a handful in recent weeks, highlighting his deceptive athleticism at the stoppages against Coburg last weekend.
A proven goalkicker at VFL level, 25-year-old Younan has been named on Essendon’s interchange and will likely be handled by key defenders Daniel Nielson or Ben McKay upon his introduction. Either will like their chances of containing the goal sneak, given their formidable roles in North’s defensive structure.
"We're planning to not give them anything," McKay told North Media.
"We want to be hard to play against. We know how important it is to start fast and not wait for the first move to happen."
Preuss’ ruck dominance
The story of the season for Braydon Preuss has been the one-sided nature of the ruck exchanges.
Preuss has faced little resistance thus far, with Northern Blues force Andrew Phillips proving to be the only notable exception in Round 2.
The bulldozing big man has been a key figure for North, leading hit-outs in every game he’s played this sesason. Despite alternating with Tristan Xerri in North’s 52-point win over Coburg, Preuss still managed to rack-up 35 hit-outs.
Preuss will be backed-up by Tom Jeffries, following the decision to rest Xerri this week, with the promoted newcomer slotting in at half-forward.
Another dominant display from Preuss could translate in successive quick starts for The Roos, having kicked eight unanswered goals to open proceedings against Coburg at Piranha Park.
In the absence of Matthew Leuenberger, the Roos' number 31 will be challenged by deputy ruckman Sam Draper, who played 18 VFL matches for Essendon in 2017, and agile forward/ruck Shaun McKernan.
Tall timber
The height of North’s forward line continues to give opposition defences headaches.
Powerfully built co-captain Michael Close has used his size to wrestle opposition out of contested marks. Alongside Larkey and Preuss, North has multiple options in attack, particularly when getting on the end of high balls.
Close and Larkey took nine and seven marks respectively last week, with the vast majority being contested pack marks.
As Melbourne’s weather continues to be a variable, expect to see a packed forward 50 if strong winds dictate the playing conditions at Windy Hill.
The Roos have proven their strength in the wet this season, having won a come-from-behind thriller in Round 2. Further to this, David Loader’s side has played with poise in drier conditions against Frankston and Coburg.
Essendon team
B: Francis, Hartley, Ridley
HB: Zerk-Thatcher, Dea, Redman
C: Guelfi, Hocking, Hind
HF: Long, Boyse, J. Merrett
F: Fantasia, McKernan, Houlahan
R: Draper, Langford, Clarke
Int: Berry, Dixon, Ottavi, Fennell, Sheahan, Younan, McQueen, Heppell
23P: Crosbie
Burning questions
Will Orazio Fantasia make an immediate impact?
The hosts will welcome back small forward Orazio Fantasia, who has been named in the forward pocket, adding a wealth of experience to the Bombers' attack.
Fantasia is an ever-present goal threat, highlighted by his 39 majors in the AFL last season.
Can North’s new faces hit the ground running?
Nine new faces are primed to feature against the Bombers, including midfield prospect Luke Davies-Uniacke, ball-magnet Nick Rippon and veteran Steve Stroobants.
Given the versatility of the inclusions and the depth of their playing roles, the royal blue and white stripes will be bolstered across several key areas of the ground.
Rippon admits that the competition for spots in recent weeks has proven to be a positive amongst the playing group.
"I think it's really good for the side and for the team itself," Rippon told North Media.
"It makes everyone play at their best and it gets the best out of the players. You never want to play a bad game because you know your spot is on the line."
Who will push for senior selection?
A strong group of AFL-listed players has been confirmed for our second consecutive away game.
The likes of Paul Ahern, Nathan Hrovat and Sam Durdin will all look to put their best foot forward in an attempt to push for senior selection following their development in the VFL.
Consistent performances from defensive stand-out Daniel Nielson and agile midfielder Kyron Hayden may cause the kind of selection headaches that the North faithful love to see as competition for places in the AFL side builds.
