That's the view of Kangaroos champion Brent Harvey, who insists North's pre-season would be as tough, if not tougher, than any other AFL club.
"We've had the biggest pre-season you've ever seen I reckon, so if Port Adelaide are fit, we're bloody fit," Harvey said post-game on Sunday.
Trailing by 10 points at the final change against hard-running Port, many of the 19,111 crowd at Etihad Stadium were expecting the Power to surge.
Instead it was the boys from Arden Street who turned the tables on Ken Hinkley's men, booting five goals to two in the last term to seal a famous seven-point victory.
North coach Brad Scott saw the belief in his side at the final change, and Harvey never doubted the game was still up for grabs.
"The boys have got faith in each other … when you look at someone, you know they can keep going," Harvey said.
"Sam Gibson's probably the best runner at our footy club, you look at him he's just going 100 miles and hour, Shaun Atley running off half-back … the list goes on.
"We're super-fit as well, we've always got confidence no matter who we come up against that we're going to be just as fit, if not fitter, than the other team."
At 35, Harvey might have some of the most aged legs in the competition, but that hasn't stopped him digging that little bit deeper to help haul North to its past two wins.
'Boomer' was inspirational with three goals and 25 touches to be the catalyst for the Roos' first win of the season against the Western Bulldogs in round two, and followed it up with another three-goal haul and 23 disposals against the Power.
Two of those goals on Sunday came at crucial times.
Harvey snapped a trademark ball across his body to put the Roos up midway through the final term and after a see-sawing quarter, went back and kicked the sealer from 52m out.
"We do a lot of goalkicking practice and we have shots from 50m and I do back myself," Harvey said.
"It was a funny one, because I thought, 'Should I baulk him, or should I go for the torpedo?'
"In the end I went the drop punt and it was a good choice because it went straight. I guess it wasn't a great goal, but timing's everything."
Harvey dodged talk of him being North's match-winner as easily as a would-be tackler, instead pointing to his younger teammates for keeping the Roos within touching distance across a nail-biting contest.
"I wouldn't say I got them over the line; we had some fantastic players today," he said.
"I think Port were full strength - for the next generation of leaders in Cunnington, Bastinac, Atley, Macmillan and these sort of guys really step up when the heat's on was really pleasing.
"That's probably the most pleasing thing for me, looking to the future beyond this year and next year – we're in really good hands with these young guys."
