When Todd Goldstein looks around Arden Street, he knows exactly what his teammates can achieve.

“I think this side is a lot more capable and a lot better than we’re given credit for,” Goldstein told the Herald Sun.

“A core of our group is still here that have been in preliminary finals.

“We’ve got the experience still and everyone on the outside can say what they want and, until the real stuff starts, no one knows.

“We’re not going to put a ceiling on it. Our goal is to play finals and go from there. We’re definitely good enough to do that.”

While there’s been plenty of knockers outside the club, for Goldstein it’s nothing he hasn’t seen before and it won’t affect his approach.

“It’s one of those things about being North Melbourne — I don’t think I’ve ever been here when we’ve been a side that has been picked to do very well,” he said.

“We’ve always been the underdogs. If that’s the title we’ve got to take, that’s what we’ll take.

“We don’t really worry about too much. It’s about how we’re training and how we’re performing on game day. The wins will take care of themselves.”

Sunday’s Arden Street clash against the Hawks gave North its first look at a Goldstein-Braydon Preuss ruck combination.

The 2015 All-Australian is more than happy to play alongside his younger teammate.

“He’s (Preuss) going to take some confidence from (Sunday’s performance)…we’ve got to deflate his head a little bit,” Goldstein joked.

“I’ll play whatever role the coaches want me to play. If that’s me playing one-out, I’ll play one-out.

“If it’s me and Preussy playing together — and we showed that we can do it — it’s whatever the coaches want and whatever’s best for our footy club to win a premiership.”