NORTH Melbourne is playing as well as a top-four side as it enters the preliminary final against West Coast in season-best form, midfielder Shaun Higgins has declared.

Higgins, who flew out to Perth on Friday as part of a 26-man squad that included spare ruckman Majak Daw, said it was time for a club to win a premiership from outside the top four.

Preliminary final preview: Eagles v Kangaroos

"It may as well be us this year," he said of the eighth-placed Kangas, saying their ability to grind out two finals wins had them well prepared to take on the Eagles at Domain Stadium.

"We've been working towards it all year and especially the last six to eight weeks," Higgins said of the Kangaroos' path to a preliminary final.

"It's where we wanted to be and we've done the work to get here.

"We feel like we're playing footy as well as the top four sides so we're in pretty good shape." 

Given their eighth-place finish at the end of the home and away season – and the task that confronts them on Saturday – the Kangaroos are outsiders to make the Grand Final.

Higgins wasn't concerned about the lack of faith in his team and dismissed the suggestion they had less to lose than the Eagles, who are premiership favourites going into the preliminary finals.

"A Grand Final is up for grabs so we've got a lot of pressure," he said.

"We planned to play off in a Grand Final not just to play off in a prelim … we planned to go all the way anyway.

"Not many rated us a month ago … (but) we've had confidence in the way we've gone about it and we've got confidence in the way we've prepared."

Contested football could be the key to North Melbourne snaring an upset win on Saturday after two weeks of ruthless football against Richmond and the Sydney Swans.

Across their two finals, the Kangaroos have won the contested possessions by a total of 50 and the clearances by 15.

West Coast enjoyed a narrow advantage (148-140) in contested ball against Hawthorn in its last match two weeks ago.

"We're able to grind games out, especially the last two finals, so that's giving us confidence going into tomorrow night," Higgins said.

"We'll look to get on top again through there (contested ball)."