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ON SATURDAY night North Melbourne will play its last home game at Gold Coast Stadium, closing a chapter in the club’s history.

Winning an emotional fight late last year to remain at its traditional home, the Kangaroos' affiliation with the Gold Coast will be ended after three matches in 2007 and three this season.

North captain Adam Simpson praised the venue and football community and hopes that Saturday night's clash with the Brisbane Lions will make it four wins from six matches there.

"I wouldn't say there's a sense of relief [the arrangement's coming to an end]," Simpson said. "They've been really good to us, the Gold Coast crowd.

"It's a bit of security with us down here as well. Last game up there, I think the cheer squad's going to put something on the banner just to thank the crowd and the community."

North Melbourne lost its last match at Gold Coast Stadium, overrun by St Kilda in round 14 in front of just 9128 spectators.

Given the Kangaroos' future and the proximity of the away side, Simpson expects the Lions to have numbers in the stands but doesn't necessarily consider that an advantage.

"Unfortunately it (our arrangement with the Gold Coast) didn't work out, but Brisbane's probably going to get the most supporters," he said. "That's the way it is and it doesn't worry us at all.

"We're used to playing in front of the crowd up there. We've probably played 10 or 12 games there now and Brisbane have played one or two.

"We like playing there, although we lost against St Kilda last time. It's a good ground, we've got a good set-up with the travel and we're pretty comfortable playing up there.

"There's a home ground advantage, definitely. Like in Canberra, when we played up there."

The AFL has committed to having a Gold Coast team in the competition from 2011, while North Melbourne has taken steps towards re-developing its Arden Street base and retaining its 34,146 members – a figure almost 12,000 stronger than last year.