They're AFL.com.au's dedicated North Melbourne experts, and this week we've called on Nick Bowen and Travis King for an almighty task.
NMFC.com.au asked the pair to test themselves as selectors and provide their thoughts on who should be in the Roos' 22 to take on the Crows on Sunday.
Below is what they came up with - what would your best 22 be for round one? Have your say in the comments below.
Travis King
A tricky assignment awaits North Melbourne on Sunday.
The 'under new management' sign has gone up at the Crows, with a feverish home crowd expected to descend on Adelaide Oval to witness first-time coach Phil Walsh and captain Taylor Walker lead the side into a new era.
A return to finals football is being demanded of Adelaide's talented squad in 2015 and the Kangaroos can expect white-hot intensity and one of the toughest challenges of any side in round one.
But that doesn't mean North shouldn't be confident.
Despite the letdown of last year's preliminary final, the Kangas proved they could match it with the competition's big boys and win key games on the road.
This season's squad certainly looks stronger on paper and, as Brad Scott has repeatedly stated over summer, there is now genuine competition for spots all over the ground.
A quick look at the quality of players not picked in the above round one team shows the likes of Lachie Hansen, Aaron Black, Robbie Tarrant, Scott McMahon and Robin Nahas left on the sidelines.
It's a credit to the club's medicos that most players are fit and available heading into the season-opener, with a host of injured players' rehabilitations timed down to the minute.
Perhaps in years past there would have been some hand-wringing with Hansen racing the clock to be fit and Nathan Grima succumbing to another back injury.
But the development of key defenders Joel Tippett and Tarrant has eased those concerns, meaning Hansen doesn't have to be rushed back.
Instead, the bulked-up Tippett gets my nod to stand one of potent attacking trio Taylor Walker, James Podsiadly or Josh Jenkins alongside Scott Thompson and Michael Firrito on Sunday.
Squeezing free agency recruit Jarrad Waite into the side pushes out key forward Black, but the 24-year-old has too much ability to be running around in the VFL for long.
A forward line boasting Waite, Drew Petrie and Ben Brown as marking targets has the firepower to worry the Crows' undersized defence, provided the supply from midfield is swift and precise.
With sharpshooter Lindsay Thomas, evergreen champion Brent Harvey and emerging young gun Kayne Turner scouting at ground level, the Roos should cause Phil Walsh's coaching staff plenty of headaches.
After his stellar finish to last season, Turner gets the nod over Robin Nahas who, although delisted at the end of 2014, showed solid form before a serious shoulder injury wrecked his first year at Arden Street.
As he did in five matches last campaign, Ryan Bastinac dons the green vest in my side and his run could be vital late in the match to compliment a midfield group – bolstered by the rejuvenated Shaun Higgins – which has the mix of inside grunt and outside speed to match it with the Crows' powerful engine room.
B: Wright Thompson Firrito
HB: Atley Tippett McDonald
C: Wells Swallow Gibson
HF: Waite Brown Harvey
F: Thomas Petrie Turner
R: Goldstein Cunnington Ziebell
IC: Dal Santo Higgins MacMillan
SUB: Bastinac
RELATED: NMFC Tipping Competition
Nick Bowen
For once I largely agree with Travis but probably because North’s round one team largely selects itself.
Like Trav, I’ve left Lachie Hansen out purely on the basis that he lacks match-conditioning and would seem better off being eased back via the VFL. No sense risking such an important player this early in the season.
The toughest selections Brad Scott and his match committee face this week centre around their talls.
In defence, Robbie Tarrant and Joel Tippett have both put up their hands for a key defensive post. Both could easily play given the Crows are likely to stack their forward line with Taylor Walker, Josh Jenkins and James Podsiadly. The Roos are also like to play Scott Thompson on Eddie Betts, but I suspect just Tippett will be brought in, with Thompson and Michael Firrito to man the other two talls.
In attack, the Roos have an embarrassment of riches. With Drew Petrie and Jarrad Waite locks for key posts, it leaves Ben Brown, Aaron Black, Majak Daw and Mason Wood to fight for one or two spots.
It’s hardly surprising then that this is the one area where my team differs from Trav’s.
While he’s gone for Ben Brown, I’ve preferred Mason Wood after his impressive NAB Challenge campaign. I also think Wood gives North a bit more flexibility with his ability to push up the ground and run all day. Brown could easily get the nod given the Crows’ defence seems a little short after Ben Rutten’s retirement and North will probably trial three genuine talls together at some stage this season (I classify Wood and Black as more third or lead-up forwards).
I also expect Black to play a lot of senior football this year and get back to his best, but think he will be given time in the VFL initially to regain confidence in his shoulder.
It’s a strong line-up and the Roos showed last year they’re now capable of coming home with the four points on tough interstate assignments.
B: Wright Thompson Firrito
HB: Atley Tippett McDonald
C: Wells Ziebell Dal Santo
HF: Higgins Waite Harvey
F: Thomas Petrie Wood
R: Goldstein Cunnington Swallow
IC: Gibson, Macmillan,Turner
SUB: Bastinac
RELATED: North Melbourne Season Preview
What would your best 22 be for round one? Have your say in the comments below.
