North Melbourne must beat Geelong this Sunday. No ifs. No buts. No maybes.
If North Melbourne is to have any chance of making the top four like many experts predicted pre-season, this is a must win game.
They Kangaroos started the year in horrendous fashion against the Crows in Round 1. Their pressure was dismal and the first half was as uncompetitive as they have played in a long time. For all intents and purposes, they didn’t show up.
North Melbourne did what they had to do against Brisbane in Round 2 – however the Round 3 loss to Port Adelaide may hurt them down the track as they vie for a top four berth.
Despite last week’s loss, no one could question North Melbourne’s intensity or hunger for the contest. This must be carried into this weekend.
Geelong is no longer the powerhouse they once were. This isn’t to say they are now an easybeat, and the Cats are always hard to beat at Skilled Stadium.
That being said, the Kangaroos must pounce.
Geelong will be without superstar Jimmy Bartel, as well as Matthew Stokes and Tom Longergan for Sunday’s clash. Steve Johnson has had a dismal start to the year after an injury interrupted pre-season and Joel Selwood has been left once again to carry the load.
Things won’t be getting any easier for North from here. They are drawn to play Hawthorn, Essendon and Fremantle in three of the next four rounds. Sunday’s match against Geelong is essential to their top four aspirations and Brad Scott will be hoping for a repeat of last year’s finals victory over his brother on Anzac weekend.
Jack Smith
Roar Guru
Agreed. I've tipped North because Cats are poor so far this season. Roos are also travelling quite well.
andrew
Guest
i agree that north can/should/must win. but if you are judging it players out, i would say north are probably worst off. firstly, if there was 1 game all season north would want lachie hansen playing it is sunday with the talls the cats have (well, maybe 2 - add the swans with frankllin and tippett). north have 3 good outside midfielders and two of these in wells and dal santo are missing. this is a massive blow and leaves the grunt running to come from really on gibson (who doesnt have the polish). they have some good inside mids, but it basically means the tag goes to harvey. grima is their number 1 lock down defender and he is out too, which can be covered against sides with lesser forward, but not the cats. this is 4 very important players out from their best 18. (ziebell might not play either as jacobs is not playing VFL this arvo) not saying the cats dont have a few out too (stokes - although intesting for an inj player who was an out he is named as emg !!) but i would say overall the ledger is about square factoring in ability, recent form and importance to team structure. still, concur with your point that north must win this one, and thats why i guess depth is important on the list.