Head to head: North Melbourne 71 wins, St Kilda 73 wins, two draws
Last time: St Kilda 23.5 (143) d North Melbourne 6.3 (39), round two, 2010 at Etihad Stadium
MISSING IN ACTION
North Melbourne
Liam Anthony (shoulder) - 2-3 weeks
Aaron Black (hip) - indefinite
Matt Campbell (calf) - test
Ed Lower - (broken collarbone) - 2-3 weeks
Drew Petrie (foot) - indefinite
Ben Ross (hip/groin) - indefinite
Robbie Tarrant (thumb) - 1 week
Ben Warren (back) - test
Jack Ziebell (leg) - indefinite
St Kilda
Steven Baker (suspension) - 3 weeks
Raphael Clarke (hamstring) - season
Zac Dawson (hand) - test
Michael Gardiner (hamstring) - 1 week
Steven King (hamstring) - 1 week
Jesse Smith (ankle) - season
FORM
North Melbourne: LWLLW
St Kilda: WLDLW
SUMMARY
Both of these sides go into this game riding high on the confidence of big wins last week. The Saints were barely challenged in their victory over Port Adelaide but North Melbourne would have gained plenty from knocking off fifth-placed Fremantle. Brady Rawlings and Brent Harvey were excellent as usual for North Melbourne but it was the form of the next tier players such as Cruize Garlett and Leigh Adams that would have coach Brad Scott excited as his team makes a charge towards September.
The Saints shook off an average couple of weeks to comprehensively thump Port Adelaide, in what they will hope was the game that can set them on their way to winning that elusive flag. Nick Riewoldt played his best game since returning from injury and one suspects he will not look back now he has form and match fitness on his side.
PLAYER TO WATCHAdam Schneider doesn’t get as much credit as St Kilda’s other celebrated midfielders or small forwards such as Stephen Milne but he is critical to the Saints’ plans and has the rare ability to completely turn a game.
Brent Harvey was completely towelled up by close-checking Saint Clint Jones when these sides last met in round two but he has been in white-hot form since, particularly last week when he did as he pleased against Fremantle.
QUESTION MARKS
Can North Melbourne cause an upset? They showed last week that they are well and truly capable of knocking off a team firmly entrenched in the top eight.
How do the Saints approach the ruck? Hamish McIntosh and Todd Goldstein are an imposing ruck duo and with Michael Gardiner out injured the Saints have been weakened.
WHO WILL WIN AND WHY
St Kilda is the better of the two teams but North Melbourne can knock them off. The Saints have too much class in the midfield and too much firepower up forward and should take this one.
PREDICTION
St Kilda by 18 points
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The views in this story are those of the author and not necessarily those of the clubs or the AFL.
