For the first time this season, North Melbourne will visit the MCG, facing Collingwood on Sunday afternoon.
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The Magpies currently sit a game ahead of the Kangaroos on the ladder, defying most pre-season expectations with five wins from their first eight matches.
Squads
North Melbourne
B: Lachlan Hansen, Scott Thompson, Michael Firrito
HB: Shaun Atley, Robbie Tarrant, Jamie Macmillan
C: Sam Wright, Brent Harvey, Sam Gibson
HF: Shaun Higgins, Ben Brown, Ryan Bastinac
F: Lindsay Thomas, Drew Petrie, Robbie Nahas
Fol: Todd Goldstein, Ben Cunnington, Jack Ziebell
Int: Andrew Swallow, Trent Dumont, Luke McDonald, Jarrad Waite
Emer: Majak Daw, Kayne Turner, Scott McMahon
In: Andrew Swallow, Ben Brown
Out: Ben Jacobs, Mason Wood (both omitted)
Collingwood
B: T Langdon, N Brown, M Williams
HB: A Toovey, J Frost, T Goldsack
C: T Varcoe, D Swan, P Seedsman
HF: J Elliott, J White, S Sidebottom
F: A Fasolo, T Cloke, J Blair
Fol: B Grundy, T Adams, S Pendlebury
Int: J Witts, J Crisp, J De Goey, A Oxley
Emer: S Dwyer, J Marsh, T Broomhead
In: A Toovey
Out: T Broomhead
Conditions and stoppages
Throughout the season, a common feature for both North and Collingwood has been games featuring a lack of stoppages.
The sides rank in the bottom four of the AFL for total stoppages per game, indicating we’re likely to see an open encounter on Sunday afternoon.
However, the wildcard in the mix is the forecast of rain hitting the MCG. The current prediction is for an 80 per cent chance of showers in the afternoon, potentially changing the complexion of the match completely.
Theory would state that if the rain does come, the number of stoppages would increase relatively quickly. Considering both sides haven’t had to play many games of that nature in 2015, the quickest one to adjust could gain a crucial advantage on their way to four premiership points.
The long road home
Historically the week after a game in Perth has not been kind to travelling sides. The trend has continued so far this season, with non-WA sides sporting a record of 1-5 in 2015.
North had two trips to Perth in 2014, and the common thread in the week after was a sluggish first half. It trailed Gold Coast and Richmond by 17 and 35 points respectively – it split the two games with one win and one loss.
It was the same slow start which doomed the Kangaroos in last year’s meeting with Collingwood. They were jumped by the Magpies and trailed by 33 points at half-time, never in the game after the long break.
A similar beginning to Sunday’s game surely cannot be repeated if North wishes to avoid two consecutive losses for the first time this season.
Returning to the big stage
There will be many fond memories amongst the playing list of the two glorious nights at the MCG last September.
Nail-biting victories against Essendon and Geelong in successive weeks gave the group the belief that they could perform under the bright lights of finals football and also in front of large crowds.
Sunday afternoon will likely be the biggest audience North finds itself in front of for the home and away season at the very least. If it triggers a flashback to the style of football that was played in the finals wins – excepting the first half against the Bombers of course – the result can only be a positive one.
Bouncing back from a loss
A common section of the Definitive Preview this season has been the one charting the performance of the Kangaroos in the week after a loss.
The victory against Richmond in Round 6 took North’s record to an impressive 10-1 after a defeat since the start of 2014, with an average winning margin of approximately seven goals.
A common thread throughout the 10 victories has been a strong defensive performance, with no opposition scoring more than 88 points. More of the same will be needed at the MCG on Sunday.
