Last year's victory in the corresponding game was a watershed moment for the Kangaroos, giving them the confidence they could compete with any opposition.
Teams
North Melbourne
B: Scott McMahon, Scott Thompson, Michael Firrito
HB: Jamie Macmillan, Nathan Grima, Shaun Atley
C: Aaron Mullett, Ryan Bastinac, Sam Gibson
HF: Kieran Harper, Robbie Tarrant, Daniel Wells
F: Lindsay Thomas, Drew Petrie, Lachlan Hansen
Fol: Todd Goldstein, Andrew Swallow, Jack Ziebell
Int From: Liam Anthony, Ben Jacobs, Ben Cunnington, Leigh Adams, Levi Greenwood, Taylor Hine, Majak Daw
In: McMahon, Hine, Daw, Greenwood
Out: Wright (knee)
Geelong
B: Mitch Brown, Tom Lonergan, Corey Enright
HB: Taylor Hunt, Andrew Mackie, Travis Varcoe
C: Allan Christensen, Jimmy Bartel, James Kelly
HF: Mitch Duncan, Steven Motlop, Billie Smedts
F: James Podsiadly, Tom Hawkins, Harry Taylor
Fol: Trent West, Joel Selwood, Paul Chapman
Int From: Joel Corey, Josh Caddy, Matthew Stokes, George Horlin-Smith, Jackson Thurlow, Jake Stringer, Mark Blicavs
In: Corey, Kelly, Brown, Stringer, Thurlow
Out: Rivers (knee), Murdoch (hand)
Key match-ups
Todd Goldstein v Mark Blicavs and Trent West
When the teams met at Simonds Stadium during the NAB Cup, Daniel Currie was North’s ruckman, coming up against Blicavs and Josh Walker. On that afternoon he dominated, collecting 38 hit-outs to just 18 for the entire Cats’ outfit.
It led to a 35-28 clearance edge, something Goldstein will be looking to help to replicate at Etihad. A similar advantage (44-33) was the impetus behind North’s surprise win last season, with Brent Harvey, Andrew Swallow and the rest of the midfield enjoying first use of the ball for the majority of the evening.
Nathan Grima and Scott Thompson v Tom Hawkins and James Podsiadly
Thompson and Grima both played well in Round 1 despite the scoreline, having to battle against forwards receiving good delivery from the Collingwood midfield.
While Podsiadly has spent some time down back during the pre-season and on occasions against Hawthorn, he and Hawkins still form a formidable duo for Geelong as an attacking duo.
Hawkins was well held by Luke Delaney in 2012 - his four goals not an accurate reflection of his opponent’s efforts. In Delaney’s absence, Grima could be the one to take the role, with Thompson reprising his battle with Podsiadly.
If the key forwards' influence is minimised, North will go a long way to a second successive win against the Cats.
Bouncing back
North Melbourne
Under Brad Scott, North has twice started off the year with consecutive losses.
The two losses in Round 2 have been by 87 points (2011) and 104 points (2010), however the current crop of Roos will take confidence from its ability to bounce back in 2012. Three times they lost by less than six points, and on each occasion won the following week.
Geelong
The Cats have only won once in the week following their past six home-and-away meetings with Hawthorn.
Their battles with Hawthorn have become so physical and so mentally exhausting, the ability to find the same intensity against its next opponent has proven difficult. Chris Scott pointed to this fact during the week.
"The key for us is to approach this game with the same level of respect for the opposition that we did last game.
"It would be a shame to waste the way we fought back into the game in the second half on Monday by playing poorly this week."
Young Stars
North Melbourne
Ben Jacobs
Jacobs had a relatively quiet debut for North, collecting 12 disposals in the first three quarters before being substituted out of the game for Liam Anthony.
However, he has held his spot in the 25-man squad and will look to build on his first outing. Of his 9 handballs, just one was ineffective as he gave North good run through half-back and the midfield.
Geelong
Josh Caddy
The former Gold Coast Sun signed with Geelong during the 2012 trade period.
While very few would have called the Cats midfield slow before this season, the acquisition of Caddy has given Chris Scott an extra rotation who is genuinely quick across the ground.
After playing all 22 games the Suns last season, Caddy is ready to blossom. He had a solid debut in Cats colours, collecting 15 disposals.
James Bartel
It appears Bartel has been given a licence to roam by Scott. It was on full display against Hawthorn as the veteran was spotted at all corners of the ground, mopping up loose balls, cutting in front of packs to chop off forward entries and generally doing as he pleased. His stat-line of 22 disposals and 8 marks doesn't accurately reflect the influence he had on the game.
In last season's meeting, Brad Scott sent Sam Wright to Steve Johnson, and it wouldn't have been too far outside the box to think Wright could have had a similar job on Bartel. However, with Wright missing due to a minor knee complaint, the Bartel match-up becomes an intriguing one.
Where it will be won
It is hard to look at any area of the field other than the middle after Round 1. Collingwood was able to make the most of its advantage through the centre late in the third quarter and early in the fourth to pull away from North, while Geelong and its inspirational leader Joel Selwood was dominant through the centre after half-time.
Selwood, James Kelly, Joel Corey and the Cats’ youngsters form a formidable midfield group. While Scott was happy with the performance of North's group, the fact remains that its ball use will have to improve to avoid starting the year with two losses.
