WHO: North Melbourne v West Coast
WHERE AND WHEN: Domain Stadium, Sunday, July 10, 1.20pm AWST
TV AND RADIO: Broadcast guide
TICKETS: Purchase tickets
THE LAST FIVE
2PF, 2015, West Coast Eagles 10.20 (80) d North Melbourne 7.13 (55) at Domain Stadium
R10, 2015, North Melbourne 13.7 (85) d West Coast Eagles 10.15 (75) at Blundstone Arena
R11, 2014, North Melbourne 12.10 (82) d West Coast Eagles 6.8 (44) at Domain Stadium
R8, 2013, West Coast Eagles 12.18 (90) d North Melbourne 13.10 (88) at Domain Stadium
1EF, 2012, West Coast Eagles 24.18 (162) d North Melbourne 9.12 (66) at Domain Stadium
SUMMARY (AFL.COM.AU)
This game could have significant ramifications in the final order of the top-eight given just one game and percentage separates second and eighth spot on the AFL ladder with eight rounds remaining.
The Eagles need to beat a top-eight side if they are to be legitimate contenders and a win this week could vault them right into top-four calculations.
North Melbourne was on top of the AFL ladder after round 12 but could drop to eighth with a loss on Sunday.
The Kangaroos hold a significant advantage in the ruck with Todd Goldstein hoping to take advantage of the absence of Nic Naitanui. Straight kicking might be the difference in this game.
Both sides butchered opportunities to capitalise on periods on dominance in last year's preliminary final.
Lindsay Thomas shattered after last year's Preliminary Final loss.
THE HEADLINES
ET: Roos battle ready
Adam Simpson says West Coast expects a hot contest against North Melbourne on Sunday… MORE
A ton of patience
One of the more inspiring success stories in recent AFL memory continues when Sam Gibson plays his 100th game… MORE
Goldstein refreshed
Todd Goldstein says the bye has done the trick and he expects to be back to his best against West Coast… MORE
TEAMS
North Melbourne
B Scott D. Thompson, Michael Firrito, Brad McKenzie
HB Shaun Atley, Robbie Tarrant, Nick Dal Santo
C Sam Gibson, Andrew Swallow, Jamie Macmillan
HF Jack Ziebell, Ben Brown, Brent Harvey
F Lindsay Thomas, Drew Petrie, Mason Wood
Fol Todd Goldstein, Ben Cunnington, Trent Dumont
I/C Jed Anderson, Aaron Mullett, Corey Wagner, Farren Ray
Emg Ryan Clarke, Robin Nahas, Majak Daw
In: J.Anderson
Out: R.Nahas (Omitted)
Milestone: S.Gibson - 100 games, A.Swallow - 200 games
West Coast
B Sam Butler , Will Schofield , Thomas Barrass
HB Brad Sheppard , Jeremy McGovern , Shannon Hurn
C Elliot Yeo , Matt Priddis , Andrew Gaff
HF Chris Masten , Jack Darling , Jamie Cripps
F Josh Hill , Josh J. Kennedy , Mark LeCras
Fol Scott Lycett , Mark Hutchings , Luke Shuey
I/C Mitchell Brown , Sharrod Wellingham , Lewis Jetta , Patrick McGinnity
Emg Jack Redden , Liam Duggan , Jackson Nelson
In: Josh Hill
Out: Jackson Nelson
Jed Anderson will play just his second game in North colours.
THE COACH SAID - BRAD SCOTT
THE OPPOSITION SAID - ADAM SIMPSON
“The brand of footy they (the Kangaroos) play is really combative and a contested, inside type of game.
“If you don’t match North in that area, you are going to get exposed.”
THE PLAYER SAID - ANDREW SWALLOW
THE SIX STATS (AFL.com.au)
1. The Eagles should have won by more in last year's preliminary final, kicking twice as many behinds as goals. Josh Kennedy kicked 2.3, Mark LeCras 1.4 and Jamie Cripps four behinds. West Coast had 10 more scoring shots and eight more inside 50s.
2. Both teams prefer to move the ball by foot rather than by hand. West Coast is 17th for handballs this season with 153 per game and North Melbourne is last with 152.1 per game.
3. Despite the loss of Nic Naitanui, the Eagles remain the top-ranked team for hit-outs per game with 50.1. They are ranked equal-third for centre clearances.
4. West Coast has dominated North at Domain Stadium, winning 13 of 18 contests including five of the last six. Since 2011 the Kangaroos have lost eight of their last 10 games in Perth.
5. The Eagles have seven wins from eight games at Domain Stadium this season and average 122 points per game. By contrast, away from Perth they have four losses from six games and average just 80 points per game.
6. Todd Goldstein (seventh) is actually ranked behind Nic Naitanui (sixth) on the Schick AFL Player Ratings. But in Naitanui's absence, Goldstein will face Scott Lycett who is ranked 293rd overall and 19th among all ruckmen.
Todd Goldstein could have a big role to play for North on Sunday.
THE BURNING QUESTIONS
Can North bounce back?
After winning their first nine games, the Roos have had a tough month, falling in four of their last five.
Refreshed from the bye, Brad Scott's men will be confident they can again turn their fortunes and play the football that made them such a formidable opponent in the first part of the year.
Goldstein has already spoken of feeling refreshed from the break, meaning the big man could be a force to be reckoned with in the coming weeks.
The Roos have slipped from first to seventh in a matter of weeks, and now every game becomes vital with a tough draw to finish. A clash against the Eagles at Domain is no easy task though.
Can the Roos stop Kennedy?
Kennedy has been in brilliant form this year, booting 49 goals in 14 games, meaning stopping him is of utmost importance for North.
Robbie Tarrant has claimed several key scalps this year, while Scott Thompson and Michael Firrito are also enjoying strong seasons.
So who gets the big task? It's likely Tarrant will get first crack, but with the likes of Jack Darling and Mark LeCras among the Eagles' options in attack, nothing less than a team effort will get the job done.
Will Goldy get on top?
The absence of Natanui means Lycett will be forced to shoulder much of the ruck load for the Eagles, but whether that plays to North's advantage remains to be seen.
Lycett has proven himself as a more than capable ruckman this season, and also finds the footy around the ground.
Adam Simpson will likely call on Mitch Brown to provde a chop-out for his teammate, who is used to playing around '40 per cent' time in the ruck alongside Natanui.
Scott Lycett has been the Eagles' go-to in the ruck in recent weeks.
