No doubt it’s North's biggest game of 2016 so far, and it will be facing a Western Bulldogs side currently showcasing its impressive depth.

Some of what makes the Bulldogs formidable, is their run and carry off half-back. So, considering Easton Wood has missed a fortnight with a hamstring strain, Robert Murphy went down with a torn ACL, Jason Johannisen damaged his hamstring tendon and Matt Suckling is expected to miss at least a month with knee and ankle injuries; it would be fair to assume the side would potentially struggle to fill their absences. Instead, others have simply stepped up and the Bulldogs have barely missed a beat.

Reliable veteran Matthew Boyd has shown no signs of slowing down. Even at 33 years of age he’s still leading the side in rebound 50’s and also averaging more than 25 disposals a game.

Shane Biggs, a former Swan who crossed to the kennel with little fanfare at the end of 2014, has been just as impressive. His kicking in particular has been a feature, and his 82 kicks place him in the AFL’s top 10.

Dale Morris and rookie Marcus Adams have largely been responsible for holding down the key position defensive spots. However Morris has had some success on Lindsay Thomas in the past; if that matchup is to be rekindled, there could be changes needed to match up with the likes of Drew Petrie, Jarrad Waite and Ben Brown.

While the Bulldogs half-backs get a lot of the plaudits for their style of play, an arguably underrated area is their midfield’s ability to win the ball in the contest.

In all five games this season, the Bulldogs have easily won the contested ball count. It was +44 against Fremantle, +35 against St Kilda, +29 against Hawthorn, +4 against Carlton and +51 against Brisbane – an astounding set of numbers.

It puts their opponents on the back foot straight away. Last time the two sides met, it was a similar theme – North lost the contested count by 16 with the likes of Marcus Bontempelli, Luke Dalhaus, Mitch Wallis and Jack Macrae having far too much influence.

If North is to walk away from Etihad Stadium with the four points, it’s an area they must confront head-on.