Ruckman Todd Goldstein says he is ready to lock horns with his Adelaide counterpart Sam Jacobs when North takes on the Crows at Adelaide Oval this Sunday.

The pair could hardly be separated when the sides met in round 22 last year, accumulating 11 touches apiece and a hit-out count of 38 to 37 in Jacobs’ favour.

Goldstein said he anticipates another tight tussle this weekend when they go head-to-head for the eighth time.

“We’re both pretty similar in the way we go about our games. We both try and move around the ground pretty well and we both jump well,” Goldstein told NMFC.com.au.

“It’s always a battle and you know when you’re coming up against Sammy what you’re going to get and he always manages to deliver that.”

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Illustrating the respect the pair share, Jacobs' comments were almost identical when he spoke to the media in Adelaide on Monday.

“We’re pretty similar in the way we both go about it so it is going to be really important for me to hopefully give our midfielders first use,” Jacobs told reporters.

“It’s a great challenge always coming up against him.”

As part of his preparation for the match, Goldstein will study Jacobs’ playing style closely, but he has a firm idea of his opponent’s technique after their previous encounters.

“It’s about going through his vision, looking at what he’s been doing over the pre-season and seeing if I can pick up anything from his NAB Challenge games and also go back to the way he’s played last year and in previous years,” Goldstein said.

“Everything I’m going to do between now and then has to be perfect.”

The 125-gamer acknowledges the ruck duel will be a crucial factor in the Roos’ season opener, adding the contest will be decided in the middle of the ground.

“They’ve got such a strong midfield group with the likes of (Scott) Thompson, (Rory) Sloane, (Patrick) Dangerfield and (David) Mackay. They’ve got a raft of players you can name in there and they’re such a strong unit,” he said.

“Their forwards and defenders rely on their midfielders winning the ball and to get it going forward.

“Our goal is to try and get on top or try and halve the contest through the midfield.”

Goldstein has completed a full pre-season over the summer and said his form has translated into all-round performances in his two NAB Challenge appearances.

In his first match, he gathered six disposals and 24 hit-outs against Hawthorn, before stepping up a gear with 17 touches and 29 hit-outs the following week against Richmond.

“That’s the best two pre-season games I’ve played since I’ve been at the club,” Goldstein said.

The 201cm big man said the most pleasing aspect of his pre-season campaign was the chance to make his “strengths shine” early in the year as opposed to previous seasons.

Although Goldstein performed the bulk of North’s ruck work last year, he said it took some time to find his feet and have a positive influence.

“At times, it’s taken me a few games to get my jumping right and to get my follow-ups right, but I feel like from the word go (in 2015), I’ve had that intent there and it seems like it’s come off in the first two games,” he said.

But the number 22 said he must be on song from round one and understands what’s expected of him in the squad.

“You can’t afford to not perform so it’s about getting that consistent performance that I had for about 16 weeks last year and it was eight or nine weeks that I didn’t have it at the start,” he said.

“Last year was a fairly pleasing year (on the whole), but I felt like I really let myself down in the first half of the year.

“I need to be ready from the word go and it’s started with the NAB Challenge … and I’m ready to take off from where I left off last year.”