Presenting all you need to know about the Kangaroos ahead of Saturday's big clash at the MCG:
Form
North Melbourne could make a strong case for being the surprise packet of the 2018 season. Widely tipped to finish in the bottom four, the Roos started their campaign with a loss to Gold Coast in torrential rain in Cairns in round one, but they rebounded to thrash St Kilda on Good Friday in round two.
They went down to Melbourne in an entertaining contest in round three, but their huge win over Carlton in Hobart in round four proved to be a sign of things to come, as in the subsequent month they cruised past Hawthorn at Docklands and upset the Swans in Sydney.
Since then, the Roos have been consistent performers.
Having suffered a heartbreaking six-point loss to the Sydney Swans at Etihad Stadium last weekend, North heads into Saturday's clash with Collingwood boasting a 9-7 win-loss record and sitting in ninth position on the ladder. They are just a few percentage points outside the top eight.
What they're saying
The following story was published on AFL.com.au on Wednesday afternoon after Roos coach Brad Scott held his weekly press conference:
North Melbourne could receive an unexpected boost ahead of Sunday's crucial clash against Collingwood with forward Mason Wood a chance to make an early return from a hamstring injury.
Wood was expected to miss three to four weeks after straining his hamstring late in North's round 15 loss to Essendon.
But North coach Brad Scott told reporters on Wednesday Wood was a good chance to return a week ahead of schedule against the Magpies this Sunday.
"As I mentioned a couple of weeks ago, we thought when he initially hurt his hamstring that it might be a lengthy period on the sidelines," Scott said.
"But he's recovered really well, and he's done a fair bit of work. He had a really big session on the weekend, a big session again early this week and will train again today.
"Provided he gets through training today, I think he's a good chance."
Scott was also confident Kayne Turner would be fit to take on Collingwood, saying the small forward had "pulled up really well" after being concussed in a marking contest early in the Kangaroos' loss to Sydney last Sunday.
"His recovery on Sunday suggests he'll be fine and he'll train fully today and provided again he doesn't have any symptoms tomorrow he'll play," Scott said.
The Roos coach was far more circumspect on whether he would be able to call on Ben Jacobs to play a run-with role on one of the Magpies' star on-ballers.
Jacobs was a late withdrawal from North's team last Sunday for the third time in four weeks because of lingering concussion systems, which Scott said included dull headaches and "feeling not quite right".
Scott said Jacobs had visited five specialists in a bid to overcome his symptoms, but essentially remained a day-to-day proposition.
Players to watch
Star North Melbourne midfielder Shaun Higgins is enjoying a sensational season, and he was at his best in the Roos' narrow loss to the Swans last weekend. Higgins finished the game with 33 disposals, and quelling his influence will be a huge challenge for the Pies on Saturday. Ben Brown is another North player having a great season. Brown has booted 50 goals so far in 2018 and leads the race for the Coleman Medal by eight.
Ben Brown celebrates one of the four goals he kicked against the Swans last weekend (AFL Photos)
Last time: Round 20, 2017 at Etihad Stadium
Match report excerpt: It was a dead rubber but there was carnage at Etihad Stadium on Saturday night as Collingwood belted North Melbourne by 54 points.
The result of the low-standard affair – which the Pies won 16.15 (111) to 7.15 (57) – was secondary to a long injury list.
The chief casualties were Kangaroos spearhead Ben Brown (concussion) and skipper Jack Ziebell (ribs), Roos-turned-Magpies Levi Greenwood (left knee) and Daniel Wells (left thigh), along with Pies defender Tyson Goldsack (head knock).
In the process, the Match Review Panel appears certain to scrutinise the actions of Collingwood ruckman Brodie Grundy and North midfielder Ben Cunnington.
A chaotic body count either side of half-time began at the 20-minute mark of the second term when Ziebell tackled Adam Treloar over the boundary line, with the Pies midfielder dazed after hitting his head on the ground. Treloar played on and was one of the best players afield.
Two minutes later there was no coming back for Coleman Medal chance Brown, who was knocked out in a Grundy tackle reminiscent of the one that last week incurred a one-game suspension for Geelong's Patrick Dangerfield.
Play was held up for several minutes as Brown was carted off the field (and later taken by ambulance to hospital), after which Grundy took the resultant free kick for holding the ball, to the jeers of North Melbourne fans.
Soon after the resumption, Ziebell came off second best in a marking contest with Matt Scharenberg and was taken straight into the rooms for treatment. He manfully returned after half-time to be one of his team's few winners, kicking five of North's six goals in the second half.
NORTH MELBOURNE 1.5 1.9 4.11 7.15 (57)
COLLINGWOOD 2.7 5.11 11.12 16.15 (111)
GOALS
North Melbourne: Ziebell 5, Mountford, Garner
Collingwood: Blair 3, Thomas 2, Adams 2, Fasolo, De Goey, Moore, Phillips, Treloar, Howe, Wells, Grundy, Elliott
BEST
North Melbourne: Ziebell, Clarke, Dumont, Cunnington
Collingwood: Treloar, Adams, Blair, Langdon, De Goey, Grundy
INJURIES
North Melbourne: Jy Simpkin (ankle) replaced in the selected side by Josh Williams, Ben Brown (concussion), Jack Ziebell (ribs)
Collingwood: Levi Greenwood (left knee), Goldsack (head), Daniel Wells (left thigh)
Reports: Nil
Umpires: Deboy, Gavine, Pannell
Official crowd: 33,394 at Etihad Stadium
Taylor Adams celebrates after kicking a goal in the Pies' big win over the Roos in round 20 last season (AFL Photos)
