Saturday’s game against Geelong was a story of experience against youth, with North Melbourne’s plucky young side standing up well to the challenge of taking on one of the premiership favourites.

With the likes of Ben Cunnington, Shaun Atley and Cam Zurhaar missing from the 22, the Roos entered the clash with ten players having played fewer than 50 games, with an average experience level of 87.2 games – with that number boosted by the likes of Todd Goldstein and Jack Ziebell.

Geelong’s side, in comparison, contained 11 players with more than 150 games experience at an average of 149.2 games per player.

With the likes of All-Australians Patrick Dangerfield, Joel Selwood and Cam Guthrie running through Geelong’s midfield, David Noble says the experience the clash provided for his young midfield will hold them in good stead.

“We got Curtis Taylor a bit more time in there, Will Phillips got a bit more time through there and we had Stevo (Jaidyn Stephenson) in there too,” he said.

“It’s really important to be able to get that experience. Unfortunately, it wasn’t a great spectacle, but it was just a tough encounter.

“We started with ‘Big X’ (Tristan Xerri) in the ruck at the first centre bounce, so we looked at it as an opportunity to move some of our younger guys through that midfield.”

Despite still being young themselves, the absence of Cunnington meant the likes of Jy Simpkin and Luke Davies-Uniacke had to step up and take control of the midfield, a task they fulfilled admirably.

Simpkin collected 29 disposals, while Davies-Uniacke finished with 23 touches and a goal, with both seeing more of the football than the superstar pairing of Selwood and Dangerfield.

Noble says the development of the emerging pair across the season has been promising.

“We asked them to step up to the plate, there’s no doubt … Jy’s had an exceptional year so far, and I think Luke’s progression in there to take a lead hand with Jy is great for us moving forward,” he said.

“What I love about those two guys is their willingness to work on the defensive side of their game as midfielders. 

“We talk about transition, but when the ball is in dispute their ability to react and understand where they need to go.

“As two young men making their way as midfielders their ability to help others has been really great from our side of things internally.”

Cam Zurhaar was a notable absentee from North’s forward line, with the in-form forward missing the clash due to a shoulder injury.

Kicking 24 goals so far in 2021, Zurhaar’s form in the second half of the season has coincided with North’s rise, and the number 44 has established himself as one of the first names on Noble’s team list every week.

Noble says the forward had been pushing through the pain in recent weeks, but he looks on track for a return against Richmond in Round 21.

“He’s (Zurhaar) had a couple of weeks with a shoulder knock, and it’s copped a whack in the last couple of weeks that just unsettled it,” he said.

“The best thing for us and for him was just to give it a week to let it settle. He did a little bit of training in the main session on Thursday but we’d made an early call on that one to not push on with it.

“The expectation unless it doesn’t settle over the next couple of days is to get him training this week and get him back in for the game … we think we can get him back and going.”

Cunnington was also missing from the clash with Geelong, following the removal of a testicular tumour last week.

Noble says the midfielder is recovering well and the club is thankful for the privacy afforded to Cunnington and his family.

“We’ve been in constant contact with him (Cunnington) ,but I’m not sure if we’ll see him in at the club this week,” Noble said.

“I know a few of the boys reached out to him before the game, so he was certainly wishing he was out there with us.

“I think he and Belinda are going ok and we thank everyone for their kind thoughts and the respect they’ve shown to Ben and his family.”