Much of the discussion leading into North’s NAB Challenge clash against Adelaide will be around who makes the trip to Port Lincoln.

Brad Scott hasn’t given too much away when it comes to line-ups, but there’s no doubt he’ll be eager to test out some new faces.

NMFC.com.au takes an early look at the main talking points for both teams ahead of their first competitive hit-out of 2015.

The coaches

Coming off his most successful season as a coach, Scott is now in his sixth year at North Melbourne.

Remarkably, outside Alastair Clarkson, he and Richmond coach Damien Hardwick now boast the longest tenures of any current coaches.

At the other end of the scale, Phil Walsh has held assistant roles at Geelong, West Coast and Port Adelaide, but will take the reins for the first time as senior coach against North.

Injuries

North Melbourne
While North has welcomed back the majority of its senior players to main training in recent weeks, there won’t be any risks taken when it comes to their preparation.

Among those who have had delayed starts, Lachlan Hansen (hips) is yet to return to full training, while Nathan Grima (foot) has been eased back in.

Ben Brown worked into match practice last week as did Scott Thompson, while Jack Ziebell, Drew Petrie, Mason Wood, Majak Daw and Aaron Black are among others to have experienced interruptions.

Aaron Mullett is a confirmed non-starter, expected to be sidelined until at least round seven following shoulder surgery last month.

Adelaide
It’s been a tough week for the Crows with Brent Reilly fracturing his skull at training and Kyle Cheney resting after an episode of an irregular heartbeat.

Elsewhere, Andy Otten is on the comeback trail from a knee reconstruction, while Sam Shaw is recovering from hamstring surgery.

New names

North Melbourne
Active during the free agency period, North welcomed Shaun Higgins and Jarrad Waite from rival clubs.

The pair have been impressive during game sense drills, quickly hitting their straps at Arden Street and would have to be almost certain starters.

Versatile big man Sam Durdin has been the pick of the draftees with his form in the forward half, but he won’t be rushed.

“It’s always a real challenge for big guys when they are first drafted,” Brad Scott told RSN Racing & Sport on Friday.

“Sam Durdin’s a player that we think is going to have a really long future at North Melbourne and is showing real promise, both as a key forward and key defender.

“The big guys take a little bit longer as we know. There are very few key position players who come in and make a real impact in their first year.”

Daniel Nielson has also made an early impact, manning the likes of Petrie and Waite during match practice.

“It will be a real challenge for them (the draftees), but just because they are big guys we are not going to put any limitations on them.”

Adelaide
The Crows were one of the quieter teams during the trade period, acquiring former Hawks Cheney and Luke Lowden in exchange for draft picks. The latter would have to be considered an unlikely starter after missing a week of training.

While 182 games doesn’t quite qualify a player as a ‘new name’, an entire year on the sidelines with an achilles injury will have Nathan Van Berlo feeling like a new recruit.

Highly-touted defender Jake Lever is another player impressing on the track.

Forward setups

North Melbourne
With Daw, Brown, Petrie and Black joining in training in recent weeks, the Roos have a plethora of attacking threats at their disposal.

Add Waite into the mix and it becomes even more dangerous.

How will North structure up though? The trio of Black, Brown and Petrie held it in good stead during the finals series, but does Waite make the front six too tall?

With Ben Rutten retiring, Adelaide targeted defenders at the draft. Minus Ottens and Cheney, the likes of Kyle Hartigan will be relied upon to step up for the Crows in defensive 50.

They'll also need to tackle Lindsay Thomas, who will fill the medium-forward role, with Kayne Turner and Robin Nahas among those fighting for a spot. At 36, you’d have to expect Brent Harvey to spend more time in attack too.

And could Jack Ziebell make another cameo in attack like Round 22 last year?

Adelaide
Taylor Walker, Eddie Betts, Josh Jenkins and James Podsiadly – it’s a foursome many clubs wish they had at their disposal.

Last year when the teams met in Adelaide, the quartet combined for nine goals, running rampant when the game was in the balance.

Another player returning from injury is Tom Lynch, who’ll provide more ammunition in attack for Phil Walsh’s team.

With many of the Roos’ defenders on the comeback trail from injury, and Hansen missing in action, the Crows will look to take full advantage.

North has bolstered its defensive brigade with Robbie Tarrant moving back – a match-up against a player of Walker or Podsiadly’s quality perhaps the perfect dress rehearsal for round one of the home and away season.

The venue

It’s been almost 10 years since Port Lincoln last hosted an AFL game – a pre-season fixture between Adelaide and Geelong.

On that day, 7,662 people were on hand as the Crows won by two points.

The venue, around 647.5 kms from Adelaide, is used by the Lincoln South and Wayback Football Clubs as their home ground.