Oh don't worry north have shown they love the limelight and pressure of the big stage.
Unofficial Preview Changes & pre-match discussion vs Western Bulldogs
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Oh don't worry north have shown they love the limelight and pressure of the big stage.
EFA
Requires a footnote.
FOOTNOTE
When up, the whole world fawns over their gifted draft selections like it was some ingenious recruiting coup.
12K person through the gate tomorrow night wins a return trip anywhere in the world on Etihad.
- Jun 22, 2015
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Haha. Day off dickhead
True North
Norm Smith Medallist
I'm worried..........
That we won't get over 40k to the game. I feel like a reverse big 4 supporter. The result is known (we win) so it's all about the crowd.
That we won't get over 40k to the game. I feel like a reverse big 4 supporter. The result is known (we win) so it's all about the crowd.
is there a site where u can see current ticket sales for a game - if not there should be so fans can say to themselves SH1T i better get a ticket quick or else they could all be gone. could be a good way to encourage people to go
arden station
Cancelled
- May 3, 2015
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Mason will play, just tempting Dog not to bring Redpath in.
Pumped about this game. The gauntlet has been thrown to our midfield and I think we are up to the task. Swallow, Ben running into form and Jack Ziebell is becoming the Jack Ziebell of our hopes and dreams - a consistent, match winning, inspirational leader. THrow in Higgins & Dal who have been improving each game & then the handy addition of an in-form wells, I think we are set to rip the doggies a new one. And lets face it, if we win in the middle, they haven't got a hope in hell of beating our forwards.
I am developing a lot of confidence in this group. Roos by 22.
I am developing a lot of confidence in this group. Roos by 22.
Last edited:
Would've like to see Mullett in for some run. Maybe Jacobs for Mullett late change?
62 years......f*** all
62 years......f*** all
62 years......f*** all
Thanks for the heads up EDFL follower ........been a shiteload of time nonetheless.
Last edited by a moderator:
Feeling generous mate. Its actually 62 years since they won anything.
Ha!!! Will edit EDFL follower
Shermanator
Confidence Coach
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Best summation in this thread thus far
tazaa
Brownlow Medallist
I think the boys are priming themselves for this.
If we win well go clear of another team with an easy 3 weeks coming up.
The management of Swallow, Cunnington and Ziebell last week was really nice.
Ideally would like Garner and Anderson to compliment the forwards but Tippet aside we are looking healthy once more. Garner should play for Weribee next week before putting his hand up for selection. I think we should be confident of a result tomorrow night.
Murphy, Johanisson, Suckling is plenty of quality out for the Dogs. Theyve been sending Liberatore back which has weakened them in the middle.
If we win well go clear of another team with an easy 3 weeks coming up.
The management of Swallow, Cunnington and Ziebell last week was really nice.
Ideally would like Garner and Anderson to compliment the forwards but Tippet aside we are looking healthy once more. Garner should play for Weribee next week before putting his hand up for selection. I think we should be confident of a result tomorrow night.
Murphy, Johanisson, Suckling is plenty of quality out for the Dogs. Theyve been sending Liberatore back which has weakened them in the middle.
shintemaster
Brownlow Medallist
bontshow
Brownlow Medallist
Always intimidating when your opposition names an unchanged side. Should be a good game, may the best team win
The Other Dean
Slack Motherf*cker
Whe. Was the last time the dogs played on a Friday night?. Hope the rain stays away as it might deter some
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Had the same thought today, would've been a perfect night for him to have his "breakout" game
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North Melbourne needs a big scalp to earn respect, writes Dermott Brereton
DERMOTT BRERETON
Herald Sun
IS North Melbourne the best team in it?
The Kangaroos sit on top, the only undefeated team.
North, like every other team, can beat only the opposition that the AFL’s draw puts it up against.
Wins against the Lions and Suns were predictable.
They’ve knocked over a once-dominant Fremantle — but so has everyone else.
They slenderly beat an improving, determined Demons outfit that was stung into action from a poor performance the week before.
And their best win was back in Round 1 when they survived a three-quarters-and-a-half dogfight with a seriously good Adelaide Crows outfit.
If we are to confidently say that they are the team to beat, or that they are undeniably the best team in the comp, they need a scalp. And a good scalp.
Kangaroos captain Andrew Swallow and Western Bulldogs captain Easton Wood. Picture: Colleen Petch
Enter the Western Bulldogs.
They too are finalists from last year and they also have seemingly improved.
The Dogs have covered the loss of Bob Murphy and Jason Johannisen off half-back; there’s no reason to think they can’t plan successfully around the absence of another gun rebounder in Matt Suckling.
They need a scalp. And a good scalp.
Led by the rejuvenated Tom Liberatore in the middle, the Dogs are a team which is dominating contested football.
That means that more than 50 per cent of the time the ball heads straight into their forward line and the Doggies are just about the best team in the comp for holding the ball in their forward line and gaining repeat shots at goal.
Conversely, North has conceded 30 goals more than the Doggies in the first five games.
If North thinks they are going to allow the ball to live in their backline until such time as they are comfortable to exit, they are playing with fire — one very hot fire.
Last week the presence of Tom Lynch changed the way Brad Scott wanted the game played down back.
The ever-persistent Scotty Thompson was assigned to Lynch, but Michael Firrito was needed to peel away from a more attacking starting position so that he could assist.
“Spud” played it very well, it is worth noting. But still, those two will be thinking “thank God not every team has a Tom Lynch.”
The missing backmen does hurt the Bullies but if you really drill down into the Dogs’ gameplan, those three were very good at using their pace to give advantage to their kicking skills.
Because for all the talk about the three express runners in the Doggies backline, the team essentially kicks their way forward in a calculated methodical fashion.
Johannisen was express and undeniably at times he gave some penetrative run and carry, but the Dogs massage the ball forward by foot most of the time.
And this style, or the attempt to remain with this style, will continue.
But back to North, what has improved them?
They haven’t added any players at the absolute peak of their powers like a Dangerfield to Geelong, or a Franklin to Sydney for immediate impact.
The best addition that can be said is that they have a fit and running Daniel Wells to add to their midfield armoury.
In between his last stint of good football and his good football this time around, Dal Santo and Shaun Higgins have been added. And Cunnington, Ziebell and Goldstein are much better players.
Add to that Brent Harvey is still an amazing source of energy and drive and Wells is not getting tagged like he used to.
Then we can look forward.
Drew Petrie is still really good and he does a mountain of work. Perhaps even more work than a player of his standing is expected to do.
Ben Brown is averaging two and a half goals a game. He is a wonderful foil inside 50m and if needed he is very capable of marking on the lead.
Then there is Jarrad Waite. He has somehow managed to string game after game together and get consistency. Carlton must be wondering what is in the water at Arden St.
He is not young (like most of the list) but his speed and jump is still super good. He is afforded the luxury of playing as the wildcard, nomadic forward that has license to roam.
And he is repaying the Roos handsomely. His lead and an early jump that is aided with good hang time is his trade mark.
Finally, the main reason why North Melbourne has kicked the most goals this season is that these forwards have had the ball come towards them at express pace.
The one wish a forward makes to the footy gods before the first bounce is to receive the ball at pace.
And North have been supplying Petrie, Waite and Co. through the express ball transferral from their backline because of Shaun Atley, Jamie Macmillan and Wells.
And if during these express chains Higgins and Dal Santo can get their mitts on the ball, the forwards lick their lips.
North’s ability to bring the ball forward at pace is actually better than the Western Bulldogs’.
But if a goal is not scored, the Dogs forward line has a better ability to keep the ball inside their forward line until they get another shot.
North last week fielded 16 players that have more than 100 games experience and a couple more are only weeks away from the milestone.
If anything, history would say that their profile is a little old, but reality tells us that Brent Harvey at 400-plus games is as agile and quick as any 25-year-old.
Petrie at 300-plus is as hardworking as any key forward the game has seen.
All through their list, forget the high numbers — they are very healthy.
And they are better than they were last year, in a competition that has come back a rung and evened out a little.
I expect them to take that hard-earned scalp.
DERMOTT BRERETON
Herald Sun
IS North Melbourne the best team in it?
The Kangaroos sit on top, the only undefeated team.
North, like every other team, can beat only the opposition that the AFL’s draw puts it up against.
Wins against the Lions and Suns were predictable.
They’ve knocked over a once-dominant Fremantle — but so has everyone else.
They slenderly beat an improving, determined Demons outfit that was stung into action from a poor performance the week before.
And their best win was back in Round 1 when they survived a three-quarters-and-a-half dogfight with a seriously good Adelaide Crows outfit.
If we are to confidently say that they are the team to beat, or that they are undeniably the best team in the comp, they need a scalp. And a good scalp.
Kangaroos captain Andrew Swallow and Western Bulldogs captain Easton Wood. Picture: Colleen Petch
Enter the Western Bulldogs.
They too are finalists from last year and they also have seemingly improved.
The Dogs have covered the loss of Bob Murphy and Jason Johannisen off half-back; there’s no reason to think they can’t plan successfully around the absence of another gun rebounder in Matt Suckling.
Led by the rejuvenated Tom Liberatore in the middle, the Dogs are a team which is dominating contested football.
That means that more than 50 per cent of the time the ball heads straight into their forward line and the Doggies are just about the best team in the comp for holding the ball in their forward line and gaining repeat shots at goal.
Conversely, North has conceded 30 goals more than the Doggies in the first five games.
If North thinks they are going to allow the ball to live in their backline until such time as they are comfortable to exit, they are playing with fire — one very hot fire.
Last week the presence of Tom Lynch changed the way Brad Scott wanted the game played down back.
The ever-persistent Scotty Thompson was assigned to Lynch, but Michael Firrito was needed to peel away from a more attacking starting position so that he could assist.
“Spud” played it very well, it is worth noting. But still, those two will be thinking “thank God not every team has a Tom Lynch.”
The missing backmen does hurt the Bullies but if you really drill down into the Dogs’ gameplan, those three were very good at using their pace to give advantage to their kicking skills.
Because for all the talk about the three express runners in the Doggies backline, the team essentially kicks their way forward in a calculated methodical fashion.
Johannisen was express and undeniably at times he gave some penetrative run and carry, but the Dogs massage the ball forward by foot most of the time.
And this style, or the attempt to remain with this style, will continue.
But back to North, what has improved them?
They haven’t added any players at the absolute peak of their powers like a Dangerfield to Geelong, or a Franklin to Sydney for immediate impact.
The best addition that can be said is that they have a fit and running Daniel Wells to add to their midfield armoury.
In between his last stint of good football and his good football this time around, Dal Santo and Shaun Higgins have been added. And Cunnington, Ziebell and Goldstein are much better players.
Add to that Brent Harvey is still an amazing source of energy and drive and Wells is not getting tagged like he used to.
Then we can look forward.
Drew Petrie is still really good and he does a mountain of work. Perhaps even more work than a player of his standing is expected to do.
Ben Brown is averaging two and a half goals a game. He is a wonderful foil inside 50m and if needed he is very capable of marking on the lead.
Then there is Jarrad Waite. He has somehow managed to string game after game together and get consistency. Carlton must be wondering what is in the water at Arden St.
He is not young (like most of the list) but his speed and jump is still super good. He is afforded the luxury of playing as the wildcard, nomadic forward that has license to roam.
And he is repaying the Roos handsomely. His lead and an early jump that is aided with good hang time is his trade mark.
Finally, the main reason why North Melbourne has kicked the most goals this season is that these forwards have had the ball come towards them at express pace.
The one wish a forward makes to the footy gods before the first bounce is to receive the ball at pace.
And North have been supplying Petrie, Waite and Co. through the express ball transferral from their backline because of Shaun Atley, Jamie Macmillan and Wells.
And if during these express chains Higgins and Dal Santo can get their mitts on the ball, the forwards lick their lips.
North’s ability to bring the ball forward at pace is actually better than the Western Bulldogs’.
But if a goal is not scored, the Dogs forward line has a better ability to keep the ball inside their forward line until they get another shot.
North last week fielded 16 players that have more than 100 games experience and a couple more are only weeks away from the milestone.
If anything, history would say that their profile is a little old, but reality tells us that Brent Harvey at 400-plus games is as agile and quick as any 25-year-old.
Petrie at 300-plus is as hardworking as any key forward the game has seen.
All through their list, forget the high numbers — they are very healthy.
And they are better than they were last year, in a competition that has come back a rung and evened out a little.
I expect them to take that hard-earned scalp.
giantroo
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Easton Wood backs Western Bulldogs backline to contain North Melbourne forwards
April 28, 2016 9:04pm
GLENN McFARLANE
Herald Sun
Western Bulldogs' amazing mid rotation numbers
ACTING captain Easton Wood has backed the Western Bulldogs’ defensive system to overcome the loss of three important backmen in recent weeks in Friday’s much-anticipated top-of-the-table clash with North Melbourne at Etihad Stadium.
The Bulldogs have the stingiest defence in the AFL, and they take on the competition’s most attacking team. But Wood believes that won’t impact on the Bulldogs’ miserly best, despite the season-ending knee injury to Robert Murphy, as well as other injuries to Jason Johannisen and Matt Suckling across the past three games.
“The way Bevo (coach Luke Beveridge) has taught us as players is to be versatile,” Wood said.
“It is about the system, not the individuals. As devastating as it is to lose Bob, JJ, and Matty Suckling ... the next person coming in knows exactly what he needs to do.
“One of our strengths is that we don’t rely on one person doing the same job each week.”
Wood and North Melbourne skipper Andrew Swallow met on Thursday for an exclusive Herald Sun photo shoot on the Etihad Stadium roof, with both saying their team had earned the right to the best piece of real estate in the AFL fixture.
It is the first time the Kangaroos and the Bulldogs have met in a Friday night clash since 2001, and the last time these two teams were No.1 and No.2 on the ladder was way back in 1998.
Swallow said gaining a greater prominence in prime-time football was a fitting reward for good form from both sides.
What a great opportunity to show the footy world what we can do.
Easton Wood
“We really hope we can build a bit of a rivalry with the Bulldogs over the next few years,” Swallow said.
“Probably a few years ago you wouldn’t have thought either of us would play in as big a game as this. But both clubs have come a long way.
“We’ve had stable boards and we’ve been well-managed, so the on-field results have been flowing. It’s exciting ... we’ve got the north and the western suburbs teams.”
North Melbourne named an unchanged line-up, while the Bulldogs included Fletcher Roberts at the expense of the injured Suckling.
Where the Bulldogs are off the chart
Wood said he was honoured to be leading the Bulldogs in Murphy’s absence, and was learning on the job.
He said his teammates were keen to play in the club’s first home-and-away Friday night game since 2012, saying: “It’s been a long time between drinks ... but what a better way to do it in coming up against the top team at the moment.”
“It’s the big stage. It’s great to have the entire footy community’s eyes on you and what a great opportunity to show the footy world what we can do.”
Swallow said the Kangaroos were looking forward to the clash, having only played Beveridge’s team once last year, in Round 22.
“We are still trying to get a handle on how they go about things, as they are probably a bit different to other teams in how they structure up,” he said.
“That’s why we are looking forward to this test.
“We still think we have a lot of room for improvement. In previous years we probably would’ve dropped a couple of those games (in the early rounds), because we haven’t been at our best. But it is always nice to bank a few wins early, even though we have a long way to go.”
Even Etihad Stadium operators are getting into the swing of the clash between the top two teams by offering up global airline tickets to two lucky fans. There will also be a two-for-one deal on food and beverages sold between 5.21pm to 6.21pm, in keeping with the No.1 and No.2 ranked teams playing.
April 28, 2016 9:04pm
GLENN McFARLANE
Herald Sun
Western Bulldogs' amazing mid rotation numbers
ACTING captain Easton Wood has backed the Western Bulldogs’ defensive system to overcome the loss of three important backmen in recent weeks in Friday’s much-anticipated top-of-the-table clash with North Melbourne at Etihad Stadium.
The Bulldogs have the stingiest defence in the AFL, and they take on the competition’s most attacking team. But Wood believes that won’t impact on the Bulldogs’ miserly best, despite the season-ending knee injury to Robert Murphy, as well as other injuries to Jason Johannisen and Matt Suckling across the past three games.
“The way Bevo (coach Luke Beveridge) has taught us as players is to be versatile,” Wood said.
“It is about the system, not the individuals. As devastating as it is to lose Bob, JJ, and Matty Suckling ... the next person coming in knows exactly what he needs to do.
“One of our strengths is that we don’t rely on one person doing the same job each week.”
Wood and North Melbourne skipper Andrew Swallow met on Thursday for an exclusive Herald Sun photo shoot on the Etihad Stadium roof, with both saying their team had earned the right to the best piece of real estate in the AFL fixture.
It is the first time the Kangaroos and the Bulldogs have met in a Friday night clash since 2001, and the last time these two teams were No.1 and No.2 on the ladder was way back in 1998.
Swallow said gaining a greater prominence in prime-time football was a fitting reward for good form from both sides.
Easton Wood
“We really hope we can build a bit of a rivalry with the Bulldogs over the next few years,” Swallow said.
“Probably a few years ago you wouldn’t have thought either of us would play in as big a game as this. But both clubs have come a long way.
“We’ve had stable boards and we’ve been well-managed, so the on-field results have been flowing. It’s exciting ... we’ve got the north and the western suburbs teams.”
North Melbourne named an unchanged line-up, while the Bulldogs included Fletcher Roberts at the expense of the injured Suckling.
Where the Bulldogs are off the chart
Wood said he was honoured to be leading the Bulldogs in Murphy’s absence, and was learning on the job.
He said his teammates were keen to play in the club’s first home-and-away Friday night game since 2012, saying: “It’s been a long time between drinks ... but what a better way to do it in coming up against the top team at the moment.”
“It’s the big stage. It’s great to have the entire footy community’s eyes on you and what a great opportunity to show the footy world what we can do.”
Swallow said the Kangaroos were looking forward to the clash, having only played Beveridge’s team once last year, in Round 22.
“We are still trying to get a handle on how they go about things, as they are probably a bit different to other teams in how they structure up,” he said.
“That’s why we are looking forward to this test.
“We still think we have a lot of room for improvement. In previous years we probably would’ve dropped a couple of those games (in the early rounds), because we haven’t been at our best. But it is always nice to bank a few wins early, even though we have a long way to go.”
Even Etihad Stadium operators are getting into the swing of the clash between the top two teams by offering up global airline tickets to two lucky fans. There will also be a two-for-one deal on food and beverages sold between 5.21pm to 6.21pm, in keeping with the No.1 and No.2 ranked teams playing.
giantroo
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Why the Kangaroos are not sexy, just good
April 28, 2016 - 4:33PM
Wayne Carey
Two-time AFL premiership captain
The gloves are off at Etihad Stadium on Friday night in what looms as a fight of respect.
While North Melbourne and the Western Bulldogs might not be two of the AFL's traditional heavyweights, this top-of-the-table clash could be football's equivalent of Muhammad Ali versus Joe Frazier.
The boxers began their rivalry with the famous "Fight of the Century" more than 40 years ago, and I believe there are definite similarities between that bout and this match.
The Bulldogs are the Ali of the AFL world at present. Labelled by many as "sexy", they play an attractive brand of football that has captured the imagination of fans. They've seemingly become everyone's second team.
North Melbourne on the other hand can easily fill the role of "Smokin' Joe" Frazier. While they're unbeaten, they lack a certain level of recognition – few people are really talking about them.
These two sides haven't played in a match of this importance, under Friday night lights, since round 22, 1998 so it's a huge occasion for this pair of proud suburban Melbourne clubs that often punch above their weight.
The Bulldogs started to forge their own identity last season under Luke Beveridge, and have burst out of the blocks again this year. There seems to be almost universal admiration for injured captain Bob Murphy, but there's also a lot of love about for Marcus Bontempelli, Jake Stringer, Luke Dahlhaus and Tom Liberatore.
The Scraggers obviously haven't won a flag since 1954 so some of their popularity can be traced back to the Australians' love of an outsider – or the underdog in this case.
But their transformation as a darling of the footy world has really come on the back of one year of exciting footy, where they've played their way into people's hearts.
For some reason, the Kangaroos aren't seen as having quite the same sex appeal. They're regarded as more workmanlike and blue collar. Ben Cunnington and Jack Ziebell epitomise that image: tough and uncompromising but not exactly beautiful to watch.
Yet the Kangas have won four finals in the past two years and been knocked out at the preliminary final stage both years, so they've achieved the sort of on-field results that teams like Collingwood, Carlton, Essendon and Richmond would envy.
They always play an attractive brand of football, too, averaging 122 points a game this year to be the competition's heaviest scoring team.
But for some reason, Brad Scott's men always to be under-appreciated and underrated. Everywhere you turn, people seem to have doubts about the Roos.
Why is that? Many people – at least in the media circles where I work – talk about Adelaide being a more legitimate premiership contender than North. Yet the Kangas knocked off Adelaide in round one.
Sure, the draw's been favourable to the Roos so far; perhaps that's why people still have their doubts. But you can only beat what's put in front of you.
And the Bullies, let's not forget, will open the season with seven straight matches at Etihad Stadium, where they are super tough to beat, and 14 in total at their home ground. So that's not a bad draw, either.
The Kangas are leaking a lot of goals – too many, probably – while the Dogs' defence is No.1 in the league. On the flipside, the Kangas kick goals for fun – 16, 17, 21, 20 and 18 in their past five games – while the Dogs are less potent up forward.
So, as I say, it will be a fascinating clash of styles. One area of the ground that I'll be watching closely will be the centre square, and who wins that battle.
Most teams use a pool of five midfielders pretty consistently through the centre square. For North, that group comprises Andrew Swallow, Daniel Wells, Ben Jacobs, Cunnington and Ziebell.
The Roos have used a combination of that quintet 101 times this season – the second most in the league after the Sydney grouping of Kieren Jack, Josh Kennedy, Dan Hannebery, Luke Parker and Tom Mitchell (who've been used 130 times).
So the Kangas' centre-square set-up – with Todd Goldstein as virtually their lone ruckman – is very settled and predictable.
The Bulldogs, on the other hand, run a whole host of players through the midfield, up to 10 or a dozen in each game.
Their most settled centre-bounce combination comes from the following five: Bontempelli, Mitch Wallis, Liberatore, Kobe Stevens and Dahlhaus – but they've been used just 60 times.
On top of that, the Dogs use several players in the ruck, including Jordan Roughead, Tom Boyd and Tom Campbell.
So the two teams go about their clearance work in very different ways. Sometimes, being predictable in the middle of the ground is a double-edged sword: the Kangas' players will know each other back to front, how to read Goldstein's ruckwork, and where they'll each run and make space. But it also means the Bulldogs will have a fair idea how that group operates.
On the other hand, each Bulldog combination will not have that same, intimate knowledge of each other's strengths and weaknesses – but neither will Roos' coach Brad Scott, or midfield/stoppage coach Jarred Moore.
Yet both teams average about 38 clearances per game, to be among the top eight clubs in this category, so there's no discernible difference in output.
The Kangas get an opportunity tonight to win over some of the doubters – even if they'll never take out the popularity award. The Dogs will be without Murphy, Jason Johannisen, Matt Suckling and Caleb Daniel – key drivers of their attacking moves from half-back – so are undermanned. But you can bet that Beveridge will still field a fantastically well-drilled side.
Whatever the result, I'm really looking forward to this bout given it features two old-style Melbourne teams slugging it out.
For the record, Ali lost his first fight against Frazier, but won the next two. Now it's North and the Dogs in the ring – who will land the most telling blow?
April 28, 2016 - 4:33PM
Wayne Carey
Two-time AFL premiership captain
The gloves are off at Etihad Stadium on Friday night in what looms as a fight of respect.
While North Melbourne and the Western Bulldogs might not be two of the AFL's traditional heavyweights, this top-of-the-table clash could be football's equivalent of Muhammad Ali versus Joe Frazier.
The boxers began their rivalry with the famous "Fight of the Century" more than 40 years ago, and I believe there are definite similarities between that bout and this match.
The Bulldogs are the Ali of the AFL world at present. Labelled by many as "sexy", they play an attractive brand of football that has captured the imagination of fans. They've seemingly become everyone's second team.
North Melbourne on the other hand can easily fill the role of "Smokin' Joe" Frazier. While they're unbeaten, they lack a certain level of recognition – few people are really talking about them.
These two sides haven't played in a match of this importance, under Friday night lights, since round 22, 1998 so it's a huge occasion for this pair of proud suburban Melbourne clubs that often punch above their weight.
The Bulldogs started to forge their own identity last season under Luke Beveridge, and have burst out of the blocks again this year. There seems to be almost universal admiration for injured captain Bob Murphy, but there's also a lot of love about for Marcus Bontempelli, Jake Stringer, Luke Dahlhaus and Tom Liberatore.
The Scraggers obviously haven't won a flag since 1954 so some of their popularity can be traced back to the Australians' love of an outsider – or the underdog in this case.
But their transformation as a darling of the footy world has really come on the back of one year of exciting footy, where they've played their way into people's hearts.
For some reason, the Kangaroos aren't seen as having quite the same sex appeal. They're regarded as more workmanlike and blue collar. Ben Cunnington and Jack Ziebell epitomise that image: tough and uncompromising but not exactly beautiful to watch.
Yet the Kangas have won four finals in the past two years and been knocked out at the preliminary final stage both years, so they've achieved the sort of on-field results that teams like Collingwood, Carlton, Essendon and Richmond would envy.
They always play an attractive brand of football, too, averaging 122 points a game this year to be the competition's heaviest scoring team.
But for some reason, Brad Scott's men always to be under-appreciated and underrated. Everywhere you turn, people seem to have doubts about the Roos.
Why is that? Many people – at least in the media circles where I work – talk about Adelaide being a more legitimate premiership contender than North. Yet the Kangas knocked off Adelaide in round one.
Sure, the draw's been favourable to the Roos so far; perhaps that's why people still have their doubts. But you can only beat what's put in front of you.
And the Bullies, let's not forget, will open the season with seven straight matches at Etihad Stadium, where they are super tough to beat, and 14 in total at their home ground. So that's not a bad draw, either.
The Kangas are leaking a lot of goals – too many, probably – while the Dogs' defence is No.1 in the league. On the flipside, the Kangas kick goals for fun – 16, 17, 21, 20 and 18 in their past five games – while the Dogs are less potent up forward.
So, as I say, it will be a fascinating clash of styles. One area of the ground that I'll be watching closely will be the centre square, and who wins that battle.
Most teams use a pool of five midfielders pretty consistently through the centre square. For North, that group comprises Andrew Swallow, Daniel Wells, Ben Jacobs, Cunnington and Ziebell.
The Roos have used a combination of that quintet 101 times this season – the second most in the league after the Sydney grouping of Kieren Jack, Josh Kennedy, Dan Hannebery, Luke Parker and Tom Mitchell (who've been used 130 times).
So the Kangas' centre-square set-up – with Todd Goldstein as virtually their lone ruckman – is very settled and predictable.
The Bulldogs, on the other hand, run a whole host of players through the midfield, up to 10 or a dozen in each game.
Their most settled centre-bounce combination comes from the following five: Bontempelli, Mitch Wallis, Liberatore, Kobe Stevens and Dahlhaus – but they've been used just 60 times.
On top of that, the Dogs use several players in the ruck, including Jordan Roughead, Tom Boyd and Tom Campbell.
So the two teams go about their clearance work in very different ways. Sometimes, being predictable in the middle of the ground is a double-edged sword: the Kangas' players will know each other back to front, how to read Goldstein's ruckwork, and where they'll each run and make space. But it also means the Bulldogs will have a fair idea how that group operates.
On the other hand, each Bulldog combination will not have that same, intimate knowledge of each other's strengths and weaknesses – but neither will Roos' coach Brad Scott, or midfield/stoppage coach Jarred Moore.
Yet both teams average about 38 clearances per game, to be among the top eight clubs in this category, so there's no discernible difference in output.
The Kangas get an opportunity tonight to win over some of the doubters – even if they'll never take out the popularity award. The Dogs will be without Murphy, Jason Johannisen, Matt Suckling and Caleb Daniel – key drivers of their attacking moves from half-back – so are undermanned. But you can bet that Beveridge will still field a fantastically well-drilled side.
Whatever the result, I'm really looking forward to this bout given it features two old-style Melbourne teams slugging it out.
For the record, Ali lost his first fight against Frazier, but won the next two. Now it's North and the Dogs in the ring – who will land the most telling blow?
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Round 6 2012
giantroo
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Coach Luke Beveridge tells Western Bulldogs to enjoy Friday night footy
The Western Bulldogs have been urged by coach Luke Beveridge to "enjoy the moment" as they prepare this week for their first Friday night match in almost four years.
The Dogs haven't played in the coveted TV timeslot since 2012 with Matthew Boyd, Luke Dahlhaus, Tory Dickson, Tom Liberatore, Liam Picken, Jordan Roughead, Mitch Wallis, Dale Morris and Easton Wood the only members of the current side to get a taste of it.
That means playing in a Friday night match will be a totally new experience for around 13 Bulldogs and star youngster Marcus Bontempelli is looking forward to their top-of-the-table encounter with the undefeated North Melbourne at Etihad Stadium.
"This will be my first so it will be nice for a lot of us to experience Friday night lights for the first time," Bontempelli told SEN.
"It is a different preparation purely because the week's been a bit shorter for us, we've never come off a Saturday into a Friday night game before so it's quite different, the build-up.
"For all of us to try and keep that as normal as possible is probably the focus.
"Being able to play in a Friday night game, let alone against a team like North, is going to be a great experience for most."
North Melbourne's forward line has been functioning beautifully this year and has been a major reason behind their rise to the top of the ladder.
Jarrad Waite, Ben Brown, Todd Goldstein and Drew Petrie have combined for 46 goals over the first five rounds, but Bontempelli believes the Bulldogs can expose the Kangaroos' tall forwards.
"Their strength is going to be their height, especially in their forward line. So if we can expose that to some degree and be able to use our versatility in our back six to hopefully get their taller forwards up the ground and then be able to score off the back of them, that'll probably go a long way to hopefully us getting some ascendancy," he said.
Despite the Dogs' backline being ravaged, with captain Bob Murphy (knee), Jason Johannisen (hamstring) and Matt Suckling (ankle) all missing due to injury, Bontempelli was confident the team's depth would mitigate their absence.
"It's a little bit of a curse at the minute, a couple too many have gone down for my liking," he said.
"But it probably speaks volumes of our depth at the club and what we've been able to build over the last couple of years to have quite a few players that are able to rotate through there without giving up too much in other areas of the game.
"So we're all role players at the club, we all know where we're needed and when we're told to go somewhere else, then we just act accordingly."
North Melbourne skipper Andrew Swallow sees Bontempelli as the No.1 target for the Kangaroos to shut down on Friday night.
"He's such a smooth mover," Swallow said of the star Dog. "So we'll have a bit of a look at him I reckon because of the way he gets the footy and finishes really well and is pretty damaging."
The Western Bulldogs have been urged by coach Luke Beveridge to "enjoy the moment" as they prepare this week for their first Friday night match in almost four years.
The Dogs haven't played in the coveted TV timeslot since 2012 with Matthew Boyd, Luke Dahlhaus, Tory Dickson, Tom Liberatore, Liam Picken, Jordan Roughead, Mitch Wallis, Dale Morris and Easton Wood the only members of the current side to get a taste of it.
That means playing in a Friday night match will be a totally new experience for around 13 Bulldogs and star youngster Marcus Bontempelli is looking forward to their top-of-the-table encounter with the undefeated North Melbourne at Etihad Stadium.
"This will be my first so it will be nice for a lot of us to experience Friday night lights for the first time," Bontempelli told SEN.
"It is a different preparation purely because the week's been a bit shorter for us, we've never come off a Saturday into a Friday night game before so it's quite different, the build-up.
"For all of us to try and keep that as normal as possible is probably the focus.
"Being able to play in a Friday night game, let alone against a team like North, is going to be a great experience for most."
North Melbourne's forward line has been functioning beautifully this year and has been a major reason behind their rise to the top of the ladder.
Jarrad Waite, Ben Brown, Todd Goldstein and Drew Petrie have combined for 46 goals over the first five rounds, but Bontempelli believes the Bulldogs can expose the Kangaroos' tall forwards.
"Their strength is going to be their height, especially in their forward line. So if we can expose that to some degree and be able to use our versatility in our back six to hopefully get their taller forwards up the ground and then be able to score off the back of them, that'll probably go a long way to hopefully us getting some ascendancy," he said.
Despite the Dogs' backline being ravaged, with captain Bob Murphy (knee), Jason Johannisen (hamstring) and Matt Suckling (ankle) all missing due to injury, Bontempelli was confident the team's depth would mitigate their absence.
"It's a little bit of a curse at the minute, a couple too many have gone down for my liking," he said.
"But it probably speaks volumes of our depth at the club and what we've been able to build over the last couple of years to have quite a few players that are able to rotate through there without giving up too much in other areas of the game.
"So we're all role players at the club, we all know where we're needed and when we're told to go somewhere else, then we just act accordingly."
North Melbourne skipper Andrew Swallow sees Bontempelli as the No.1 target for the Kangaroos to shut down on Friday night.
"He's such a smooth mover," Swallow said of the star Dog. "So we'll have a bit of a look at him I reckon because of the way he gets the footy and finishes really well and is pretty damaging."
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