B: Scott Thompson, Nathan Grima, Michael Firrito
HB: Cameron Richardson, Robbie Tarrant, Brady Rawlings
C: Ryan Bastinac, Leigh Adams, Daniel Wells
HF: Brent Harvey, Lachie Hansen, Aaron Edwards
F: Lindsay Thomas, Drew Petrie, Sam Wright
Foll: Hamish McIntosh, Andrew Swallow, Levi Greenwood
I/C: Todd Goldstein, Ben Cunnington, Jack Ziebell
SUB: Liam Anthony
Injury list
Ryan Bastinac (knee) - indefinite
Matthew Campbell (hamstring) - indefinite
Nathan Grima (back) - 2 weeks
Lachlan Hansen (shoulder) - test
Ayden Kennedy (knee) - indefinite
Ed Lower (knee) - indefinite
Hamish McIntosh (achilles) - indefinite
Brady Rawlings (hamstring tightness) - test
Marcus White (shoulder) - indefinite
Levi Greenwood (ankle) - 4-5 weeks
Most valuable player
While skipper Brent Harvey remains North’s best player, key defender Nathan Grima is its most irreplaceable. When Grima has been sidelined by injury in the past two seasons, North’s defence has often been exposed by power forwards. That rarely happens when the close-checking Grima plays. Poised and a good decision-maker in congestion, he is also an extremely effective counter-attacker.
Track specialist
Leigh Adams was the Kangaroos’ most-improved player last season and has backed that up with an outstanding pre-season. He missed a week’s training after minor heart surgery in December, but either side of that, trained without any inconvenience. Most significantly, Adams made big gains in his endurance running, which has him set to play a key midfield role this year.
Dream Team special
Brent Harvey and Andrew Swallow are likely to be North’s top scorers, but it is almost impossible to bypass mature-age recruit Cameron Richardson given his impressive pre-season form. Secured from North Ballarat’s powerhouse VFL side, Richardson’s ball-winning ability, run and endurance are likely to win him a spot in North’s round one side. A $97,600 forward, he might be the biggest bargain in the competition.
Pivotal match
North's round eight match against Melbourne at Etihad Stadium stands out. Both are young sides on the way up and the Kangaroos will be looking to gain an early psychological edge. North may also need a win to keep its finals hopes alive, as by then it will have travelled to Perth twice and played three of last year's top-six sides.
Draftee watch
Shaun Atley was widely tipped to be a top-10 draft pick last year but slid to North at pick No. 17. An explosive midfielder, Atley wins his own ball but will also give North some much-needed outside run. Has made a solid rather than spectacular start this pre-season, but looks ready to make his AFL debut early this year.
The Kangaroos will have a big year if…
Their horror run with injuries ends and Hamish McIntosh, Nathan Grima, Levi Greenwood and Ryan Bastinac all return to the side sooner rather than later. North will also need to tighten its defence, especially against the better sides, as the only teams that conceded more points than the Kangaroos in 2010 were the bottom three.
The big issues
Can Drew Petrie stay healthy and return to his best? North is confident its vice-captain is over last year's foot problems and can form a potent forward-line partnership with Lachie Hansen.
Is Robbie Tarrant finally ready to deliver? After three-injury-plagued seasons, Tarrant impressed in pre-season games as a key defender.
Can North compete with the top-four sides? The Kangaroos were out of their depth against the competition's big boys last year and this will need to change if they're to make this year’s finals.
