Download the 2014 fixture here
A blockbuster opening
Who: North Melbourne v Essendon
Where: Etihad Stadium
When: Round 1 – Friday March 21, 7.50pm EST
Why: It’s a match that sees teams with very different fortunes face off.
While Essendon made the finals, it didn’t play in September. The team from Windy Hill became the most talked about side in recent years, for all the wrong reasons.
The supplements scandal was the hot topic and eventually saw the Bombers stripped of their finals’ place and draft picks.
Mark Thompson is now senior coach and while 2013 may have ended on a sour note, Essendon will be desperate to start a new year on the right foot.
For North, Nick Dal Santo’s arrival at the club capped off a dream run of re-signings and new off-field additions, but with that comes greater expectations.
The Kangaroos became the team that was so close, yet so far too regularly. Now with another year under their belt and the confidence to match it with the best, big things are on the horizon.
A huge crowd will pile into Etihad Stadium for North’s first home game, in the timeslot it pioneered; Friday night.
 |
ANZAC battle
Who: Fremantle v North Melbourne
Where: Patersons Stadium
When: Round 6 – Friday, April 25 at 6.40pm (local)
Why: While arguably the biggest game of the season (Essendon v Collingwood) will take place earlier in the day, there will be much interest in the prime-time slot.
Last time the teams met, the Dockers dominated and never gave North a sniff. Brent Harvey left the game bruised and battered after some un-sportsman-like tactics from Ryan Crowley, while his team managed just four goals for the afternoon.
With Pavlich and Sandilands back, the Grand Finalists are an even tougher prospect, but North will be desperate for revenge.
The Crowley/Harvey will be the main focus, while half of the Kangaroos’ challenge will be ignoring 40,000 parochial fans.
North hasn’t beaten the Dockers at Subiaco since 2007, while Fremantle has won its last 11 at the ground. A win for the travelling team would be an almighty achievement.
Can they do it for the man who is likely to play his 250th game on the night – Drew Petrie?
 |
On the road again
Who: Geelong v North Melbourne
Where: Simonds Stadium
When: Round 10 – Friday, May 23 at 7.50pm EST
Why: Yet to lose a night game at Simonds Stadium, the Cats will take things a step further with a Friday night fixture at the venue.
With just two losses at home since 2008, Geelong is a formidable force.
Chris Scott’s team has had a clean-out of sorts, with James Podsiadly, Paul Chapman and Josh Hunt among those to leave, but there’s no doubting the talent of the younger brigade.
After seven losses in a row, North has been able to turn the tide the last two seasons. Its win against Geelong in Round 3 of 2012 was considered a coming-of-age for its emerging list.
This year’s second round fixture was a thriller and a heartbreaker for the Kangaroos, but they rebounded later in the year for a win against a team in rampaging form heading into the finals.
Trent West’s exodus to Brisbane could open the door for Hamish McIntosh to play his first game against his old team, while even after three seasons, the interest in the Scott brothers facing off hasn’t lessened.
As always, the Friday night time-slot holds extra significance for North Melbourne and what better way to celebrate than by beating one of the best teams of the modern era on their own soil.
 |
Friendly fire
Who: West Coast v North Melbourne
Where: Patersons Stadium
When: Round 11 – Sunday, June 1 at 5.40pm (local)
Why: For any North fan, the prospect of seeing two of the club’s favourite sons in West Coast colours is enough to make the stomach churn.
Adam Simpson (306 games) and Brady Rawlings (245 games) are legendary figures at Aegis Park, but they will go head-to-head against their old team under lights at Patersons.
North’s rivalry with the Eagles stems back to the great battles between Wayne Carey and Glen Jakovich, but it was last year’s two-point loss in the dying moments that will be grounds for redemption.
A Nic Naitanui mark with just seconds remaining condemned the Kangaroos to a heartbreaking defeat, much to the delight of a big home crowd.
Patersons isn’t the nightmare road trip it once was; West Coast won a remarkable 18 games in a row at the venue between 2011 and 2012, but a victory in North’s second trip to the venue for the season would be no mean feat.
The unusual timeslot may also take some getting used to with a 5.40pm local time on a Sunday.
 |
Redemption
Who: Adelaide v North Melbourne
Where: Adelaide Oval
When: Round 13 – Saturday, June 14 at 7.10pm (local)
Why: Who could forget Bruce McAvaney’s call of Jared Petrenko’s winner in Round 9?
“Anything can happen here, it’s a goal, can you believe it?”
North players and supporters simply couldn’t believe it. It was another game that slipped through the Roos’ fingers.
Two months later, the Kangaroos did all the hard work to fight back into a winning position against the Crows, but lost again.
History will be against North when they hit the road in Round 13. Without a win against Adelaide interstate since 2003, they’ll go in as underdogs.
Eddie Betts, who could well have been at Aegis Park and James Podsiadly, join a forward line likely to welcome back Taylor Walker. Suddenly, Adelaide boasts one of the most potent scoring threats in the league.
Adelaide Oval will be buzzing and full expectation in one of its opening fixtures, but the travelling team will have plenty of expectation too. Redemption is on the cards.
 |
Reunited
Who: North Melbourne v St Kilda
Where: Blundstone Arena, Hobart
When: Round 17 – Saturday, July 12 at 2.10pm
Why: A year and a half with no games due to a Blundstone Arena upgrade will have the Tasmanian public desperate for football and North will return in a highly anticipated match-up.
Nick Dal Santo looks set to line up against his old St Kilda team-mates for the first time, while Luke Delaney will be in the same boat.
Will North’s newest recruit take a spot in the middle against Leigh Montagna and Jack Steven, or could he cross paths with Nick Riewoldt off half-back?
Delaney would take plenty from his experience on the training track against the Kangaroos’ key-forwards. Robbie Tarrant or Majak Daw look likely match-ups, while the addition of brother Cam at the other end would only add to the spectacle.
The Saints have welcomed a host of new recruits and wouldn’t they love to get one back on North after last season’s 78-point thrashing?
Brad Scott would hold distant memories of a 104-point defeat in just his second game as coach against the Saints all those years ago, but his team has had the edge of late.
Blundstone Arena will be filled with its new 20,000 strong capacity, in what promises another cracking match in 2014.
 |
