Draw assessment
North Melbourne's finals chances will be boosted by playing expansion franchises Greater Western Sydney and Gold Coast twice, along with just two of last year's top eight, West Coast and Essendon. The Kangaroos travel eight times, but two of those are 'home' games at Hobart's Blundstone Area and, unlike last season, they travel to Perth just once. They will play five twilight games and have their bye in round 11.

Pivotal match
In the second half of the season, North face several teams likely to be vying for a position in the bottom half of the eight, including St Kilda (round 14), Richmond (round 17) and Melbourne (round 18). But its season may be determined by a clash with bitter rival Essendon in round 20. The Bombers finished eighth last season, but not much separates the teams on paper. Win this game, and the Kangaroos could be finals bound.

Injury list
What a difference a year makes. North's 2011 pre-season was cursed by injury, but this year it will enter the season with almost a full list to choose from. Daniel Wells had to avoid contact training for most of the pre-season as he recovered from blood clots on his lungs, but has made a speedy recovery and should be available to take on Essendon in round one. Key defender Nathan Grima (knee) is also some chance to return against the Bombers, with rookie Majak Daw (knee) and first-year key forward Tom Curran (foot) the only players unavailable for selection.

Track specialist
After operations on both achilles tendons limited him to one senior game last year, Hamish McIntosh has hardly missed a session this pre-season. The ruckman worked extremely hard at North's high-altitude camp at Utah in October and will enter 2012 the fittest he's ever been. Just as importantly, his achilles tendons are now in good shape.

Dream Team special
Kieran Harper showed glimpses of his exceptional talent in 14 games in his debut season last year. After another pre-season, the 20-year-old looks ready for a breakout year in 2012. While he may spend most of his time on the forward line, he is sure to be used in bursts through the midfield and, at $248,400, should net you some good scores and a handy profit.

Draftee watch
At 25, former Box Hill Hawks captain Sam Gibson is ready to step straight into North's midfield if given the chance. The rookie's elite endurance impressed North's coaching staff this pre-season and he looked a natural ball-winner in the NAB Cup. With Tom Curran on the long-term injury list, North could elevate Gibson to its senior list during the season.

Needs a big year
Coach Brad Scott laid it on the line for Lachlan Hansen this pre-season, saying he was not guaranteed a place in North's best 22. The key-position player enters his sixth season in 2012 but has yet to cement a spot in attack or defence. As Scott said, 2006's No. 3 draft pick remains an elite contested mark and has the endurance of a midfielder, but must lift his intensity and start performing consistently. It seems he will get the chance to make centre half-back his own in 2012.

Best and fairest tip
How can you go past new skipper Andrew Swallow? In the past three years, the midfielder has finished first, third (one vote behind joint winners Brent Harvey and Brady Rawlings) and equal first in the Syd Barker Medal. However, you can never discount Harvey, who at 33 is showing no signs of slowing down, Daniel Wells and Drew Petrie, while Jack Ziebell flew home in the second half of last year's count.

The Kangaroos will have a good year if…
…their large batch of youngsters start to deliver on their potential like Ziebell did in the second half of last season. North will be looking for Ben Cunnington to stand up alongside Ziebell in the midfield, for Jamie Macmillan, Shaun Atley and Aaron Mullett to provide run from defence, and for Kieran Harper to provide the game-breaking ability it's been short on recently.

The big issues
-In the substitute era, can North play Todd Goldstein and Hamish McIntosh in the same team? To do so successfully, both will have to spend significant time in the forward line and have an impact.
-Can one of the Kangaroos' key defenders step up to contain the competition's best power forwards? Nathan Grima seemed ready to do so after an outstanding 2010 season, and may yet be ready if he can return to full fitness. If not, Luke Delaney will be given a chance.
-Is this the year North will finally be able to compete with the competition's best teams? The Kangaroos have been mercilessly exposed by teams like Collingwood and Geelong in recent seasons and will be desperate to prove their young list is bridging the gap.

Best 22
B: Scott McMahon, Nathan Grima, Scott Thomson
HB: Michael Firrito, Lachlan Hansen, Shaun Atley
C: Daniel Wells, Leigh Adams, Ryan Bastinac
HF: Kieran Harper, Robbie Tarrant, Brent Harvey
F: Aaron Edwards, Drew Petrie, Lindsay Thomas
Foll: Todd Goldstein, Jack Ziebell, Andrew Swallow
I/C: Hamish McIntosh, Sam Wright, Levi Greenwood
Sub: Ben Cunnington

AFL.com.au predicted ladder finish: 9th

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The views in this story are those of the author and not necessarily those of the clubs or the AFL