Of all the teams that are a chance to jump into the finals at the expense of Essendon, should such a situation arise, North Melbourne could do the most damage according to club legend Glenn Archer.

The dual premiership player told the Herald Sun’s Warwick Green other finalists would be anxious about the Roos making the top eight.

"Whether they would deserve to be there or not doesn’t come into it," Archer said.

"If they do they get in, I think they’re capable of beating anyone, we’ve seen that throughout the year.

"If they scrape in I reckon any of the clubs they’d come up against would be nervous."

The Kangaroos, Crows, Lions and even Eagles could leapfrog the Blues for ninth spot, which would be elevated to eigth if the Bombers are stripped of their points by the AFL Commission.

If Carlton loses to Port Adelaide on Saturday night and Brisbane goes down to Geelong, the door will swing wide open for North.  A win against Collingwood all that it would need to play in September.

Archer says North's form against the top sides shows it has what it takes, while Green reports the side has won as many games against top-eight teams (four wins) as Collingwood and Essendon, and more than Sydney, Richmond, Fremantle and Port Adelaide.

"Even the fact they only lost to Hawthorn by a couple of goals on the weekend, without their two key defenders, says to everyone that they’re capable of mixing it with the best,” Archer added.

"Earlier in the season they didn’t have their defensive mindset switched on, and it cost them in a few close games – I think they’ve lost something like six or seven games by less than two goals – but I reckon they’ve got a good mix of offensive and defensive going now.

"What happens with Essendon happens, and somebody has to come in and play finals. So if it’s North, good luck to them.

"They’ve definitely got nothing to lose. Their mindset will be 'well we’re probably lucky to be here so let’s just have a crack and see what happens.

"At the end of the day if they’re in the finals they’re there, it doesn’t matter how they got there."

The Age’s Michael Gleeson echoed Archer’s sentiments describing North as a possible ‘finals wildcard’.

“A few other stats reinforce North's situation – its contested and uncontested possession differentials are in the elite bracket, its disposal efficiency is likewise in the top two. It wins the ball, and keeps the ball,” he wrote.

“North might be as credentialed as any side to be the first since West Coast seven years ago to finish the finals as one of the best four sides, having started outside that group. Or at least mix it up a bit.”