A rare trip to the MCG is in order for North Melbourne this weekend.
For only the second time in 2015, the Kangaroos will play at the home of football. They'll face a Melbourne side very much on a high after comfortably defeating Collingwood last week.
Teams
North Melbourne
B: Sam Wright, Robbie Tarrant, Lachlan Hansen
HB: Nick Dal Santo, Scott Thompson, Ben Jacobs
C: Shaun Higgins, Jack Ziebell, Shaun Atley
HF: Brent Harvey, Drew Petrie, Taylor Garner
F: Ben Brown, Jarrad Waite, Lindsay Thomas
Fol: Todd Goldstein, Ben Cunnington, Andrew Swallow
Int: Luke McDonald, Robbie Nahas, Aaron Mullett, Sam Gibson
Emer: Majak Daw, Kayne Turner, Max Warren
In: Lachlan Hansen, Robbie Nahas, Aaron Mullett
Out: Michael Firrito (suspension), Ryan Bastinac, Kayne Turner (both omitted)
Melbourne
B: Colin Garland, Lynden Dunn, Neville Jetta
HB: Daniel Cross, Tom McDonald, Jeremy Howe
C: Jack Grimes, Dom Tyson, Heritier Lumumba
HF: Angus Brayshaw, Chris Dawes, Bernie Vince
F: Jeff Garlett, Jesse Hogan, Jack Watts
Foll: Max Gawn, Nathan Jones, Jack Viney
Int: Viv Michie, Alex Neal-Bullen, James Harmes, Matt Jones
Emer: Billy Stretch, Ben Newton, Mark Jamar
In: Matt Jones
Out: Aaron vandenBerg (ankle)
Defensive changes
Through the middle stages of the year, North Melbourne often went into games with four tall defenders - Scott Thompson, Robbie Tarrant, Lachlan Hansen and Michael Firrito, with the latter sometimes playing smaller if the situation demanded it.
In the last few weeks, with Hansen missing from the side due to a hip injury, the number had been reduced to three. A smaller defender was brought in to replace Hansen, and the side appeared to have more run and carry as a result.
However Firrito still provided his own line-breaking skills; averaging more than 25 metres gained per disposal over the last month, an astronomical number. With Hansen named in the final 22, replacing the veteran, the roles and responsibilities of the defensive unit will change.
Hansen's specialty is in the air, cutting off opposition entries with intercept marks. At less than 10 metres gained per possession this season, he isn't a like-for-like replacement for Firrito.
It'll most likely mean a reshuffle. Thompson has proven more than adept at adding rebounding to his tasks in the past, while the array of small North defenders may be asked to take on more of the ball to kick start the side's forward thrusts.
The ruck battle
Max Gawn has been in excellent form for Melbourne, essentially as the sole ruckman in his eight games this season.
Since his season debut in Round 10, Gawn ranks fifth in the competition for total hit-outs to advantage, but essentially level with Sam Jacobs and Nic Naitanui in third and fourth place respectively.
The Demon has also attended the third most ruck contests, behind only Todd Goldstein and Port Adelaide's Matthew Lobbe.
All of this is to say Goldstein will be facing arguably his highest quality opponent in quite some time, one who similarly prefers the workload one-out. It shapes as a fascinating matchup between two in-form ruckmen.
Scoreboard pressure
Melbourne's wins this season have had a common theme - at quarter time the Demons have led on all six occasions.
Overall it is Melbourne's best quarter; at nine wins it's the only quarter where it has won more than it's lost.
It makes North's recent trend of starting strongly a crucial one. In the last fortnight the Roos have kicked five goals against both Brisbane and Carlton in the first term, leading by 28 and 25 points respectively.
However before the last two matches, North had only won six of 15 first terms. Without a proven, sustainable record of strong starts, it could be vulnerable to a Demons side looking to head out and set the tone.
High stakes
Although North is in relatively good form, winning the last four matches, it hasn't established any breathing room inside the top eight.
When Round 19 gets underway, it'll only be one game ahead of 10th (GWS Giants) and two games ahead of 12th (Port Adelaide). It means any slip up against the Demons could see the Roos finish the weekend looking in at the finals contenders.
However it's been an exceptionally even season so far. On the flip side, if results go the way of the Kangaroos, they could end the weekend in fifth position and only one game outside the top four.
They'll have to bring a four quarter performance to take care of their side of the equation.
