With Good Friday football fast approaching, recent history indicates that this is a game that could go down to the wire.
Form often goes out the window in these marquee clashes, and both North Melbourne and the Western Bulldogs have two wins each from the last four games they’ve faced off.
Captains Jack Ziebell and Marcus Bontempelli are well aware of the recent history between the sides, with both suggesting fans might be in for more of the same.
“With North and Jack’s lads we’re expecting a big contest. It’s an important game for both sides,” Bontempelli said.
“We’ve had some pretty close ones over the journey, and that’d be a great thing for the fans and the people we love having back at Marvel Stadium.
“If it ends up going that way I think we’re both pretty well versed in that, having played some close ones in the past.”
With the Bulldogs winning their opening two games of the season they’ll enter the game full of confidence, but Ziebell believes North enters the game with a chip on its shoulder.
After reviewing the nature of last week’s loss to Gold Coast, the North skipper said it was clear his team has something to prove.
“It’s important we put out a good performance against a quality side this weekend, and what better opportunity is there than prime time on a Friday in one of our biggest games of the year?,” Ziebell said.
“The Dogs have got quality across all lines … they’re a bloody good side … it’s a great opportunity for our team and we’re really looking forward to it.
“[It] is a really important clash for our club, but also for footy in general, and [things] that are bigger than footy which is what this match stands for.”
With the Western Bulldogs missing from the last two iterations of Good Friday football, Bontempelli says it’s an honour to have his club involved once again.
“It’s such an important cause for us to be able to recognise and help support,” he said.
“It’s great for the Western Bulldogs to be part of this game with North Melbourne.”
It’s common knowledge that football takes a back seat during the Good Friday game, with its major draw being the opportunity to raise funds for the Royal Children’s Hospital.
Ziebell said everything the game represented was a great opportunity to put football in perspective and help out some of those who need it most.
“When you look at the kids on those wards when we do our visits … they don’t deserve to be there,” he said.
“The people who work at the Royal Children’s Hospital do an amazing job.
“For us to play footy and raise as much money as possible for the Good Friday Appeal, it’s an honour to do and a pleasure to be a part of.
“That’s why we want to keep it for the future, because it’s such a big day.”
