While his own team boasts names like Patrick Dangerfield, Scott Thompson, Rory Sloane and Sam Jacobs, he said the list of young Kangaroos was also impressive.
"They're a good side, they structure up really well, they've got a good balance of inside young midfielders; (Jack) Zielbell, (Ben) Cunnington, of course (Andrew) Swallow their captain and plus (Daniel) Wells and (Brent) Harvey outside," Sanderson said.
"I like their rucks too, we've seen Majak Daw's just brilliant but very raw and (Todd) Goldstein we certainly rate as well.
"It'll be a great midfield battle this week."
Sanderson hinted that one of the youngest of Adelaide's midfielders, Brad Crouch, would spend another week on the sidelines despite an impressive performance with West Adelaide in the SANFL last weekend.
"It'll be a tough one, I still wouldn't mind seeing him play one more for 'Westies'," he said of the 19 year-old.
The coach declared key forward Josh Jenkins a certain starter, admitting he "dodged a bullet" last weekend against St Kilda when he hyper-extended his knee.
Jenkins escaped injury in what Sanderson said was a carbon copy of the way Taylor Walker suffered a ruptured ACL.
Sanderson said North Melbourne's string of narrow losses, including last week's after-the-siren heartbreaker against West Coast' could work in the Kangaroos' favour, providing added motivation rather than frustration.
"North have been really unlucky with some of their results…they could easily be in the top four and I really mean that," he said.
"(Narrow losses) can motivate you even more.
Sanderson wasn't fazed by Adelaide's Etihad Stadium hoodoo, choosing to focus on his own record as coach at the ground rather than that of those before him.
"The report this week was one win from 10 [at the ground], in my history it's one out of two, so 50 per cent's a bit better than 10 per cent," he joked.
"In my short history here we're 50 per cent, which is not too bad."
Harry Thring is a reporter for AFL Media. Follow him on Twitter: @AFL_Harry.
