"It's going to be a great test for us and where we're at right now. I think if you look at the teams who made the preliminary finals [last year] … I think the Bulldogs have improved the most," Laidley said from Arden St on Thursday.
"Their maturity, their strength around the football and the maturity of their run and carry players – they are a much improved side and they're going to be thereabouts this year for sure.
"I think they've improved across the board. I think last year they improved dramatically in their contested football.
"This weekend we'll probably have 10 or 11 players in our side who haven't played 50 games yet, so it will be a great test for everyone."
The Roos can draw on their impressive recent form against the Dogs for inspiration leading into the match having beaten Rodney Eade's men in their last five outings.
"I don't think you can get too caught up in what's happened previously," Laidley warned, adding his side would back itself in to play its own style.
"I don’t think we can talk about locking them down otherwise you chase your tail all day. There are some indicators that we like to think we can achieve and if we do that we're going to give ourselves every opportunity [to win]."
Out-of-favour pair Daniel Harris and Corey Jones both pushed their cases for selection in the VFL last week, but North appears unlikely to change a winning combination.
"I think they're going to be around the mark, but gee, we won by nearly seven goals [last week] in a game where we were probably in a no-win situation," he said of the season opening win over Melbourne at the MCG.
"The way they're going about it is terrific – their body language, the way they’ve been training – it's a credit to them. I'm sure it has been or would be frustrating for them. As footballers you all go through that, but they're doing everything they can to play in the seniors."
