Team: NORTH MELBOURNE
Ins: Ben Cunnington (Geelong Falcons), Ryan Bastinac (Dandenong Stingrays), Aaron Black (Peel Thunder), Jamie McMillan (Oakleigh Chargers), Ayden Kennedy (Eastern Ranges), Brayden Norris (Murray Bushrangers), Cruize Garlett (promoted rookie). Rookies - Majak Daw (Western Jets), Matthew Scott (Eastern Ranges)
Outs: Josh Gibson (Hawthorn), Adam Simpson (retired), Shannon Watt (retired), Daniel Harris (Gold Coast), Sam Power (delisted), Matt Riggio (delisted), Michael Wundke (delisted), Jesse Smith (St Kilda)
Draw:
New North Melbourne coach Brad Scott has been dealt a favourable draw with 14 games to be played on the club's home turf at Etihad Stadium, while another three are scheduled for the MCG. A testing first-up encounter with Port Adelaide at AAMI stadium is off-set by the fact that the Roos aren't required to visit the city of churches for the rest of the season. North plays premiership hopefuls Geelong, Hawthorn, Adelaide and Collingwood only once while the gruelling away fixtures to the West - Fremantle in Round 10 and West Coast in Round 21 - are 11 weeks apart.
Strengths:
In a competition where blue-chip ruck talent is at a premium, North Melbourne finds itself in the enviable position of trying to juggle four quality talls. Drew Petrie, David Hale, Hamish McIntosh and the up-and-coming Todd Goldstein are all proficient tap ruckmen who can compete manfully around the ground. After years of being monstered by opposition power forwards, North seems to have finally uncovered a quality key backman in the form of serial-pest Scott Thompson, while Nathan Grima and Lachie Hansen provide solid support. Expect Brent Harvey to spend more time in the forward 50 as his glittering career approaches its twilight, allowing a midfield full of potential to forge its name on the big stage. Andrew Swallow, Liam Anthony, Jack Ziebell, Sam Wright, Levi Greenwood and Leigh Adams are undeniably fresh-faced – only Swallow has played more than 11 games with 62 – but much will depend on their continued development if the Roos are to be competitive.
Weaknesses:
The abundance of ruck talent at Arden St has led to a permanent move forward for Hale and Kangaroos' barometer Petrie. For a team ranked last in points-for last season, it is a key forward combination struck more out of necessity than anything else. Petrie gives the impression he prefers the combative nature of the centre square while in recent times a short-of-confidence Hale has looked more like a troubled soul than the brutish power forward the Roos are so desperate for.
Other key forward options include perennial flash-in-the-pan Aaron Edwards, who needs to add some substance to his style if he is to find consistency at the top level, and Corey Jones, who will be searching gainfully for his career-best form of 2007 if he is to prove those in the Laidley camp wrong.
While the midfield group is full of promise, an injury to stalwarts Harvey or Brady Rawlings could expose the inexperienced assortment of Roo runners to more-seasoned opponents.
X-Factor:
Scott's famed appetite for the contest during his playing days at Brisbane is sure to be a cornerstone of his coaching philosophy. Expect the young Roos to surprise a few with their renewed appreciation for the hard ball as they did in the opening round of the NAB Cup when they caught an underdone Geelong team napping. Free of injury, Ziebell's