Having already surpassed the number of wins they secured in 2017, the young Roos have put themselves in a good position to make a strong finals push.
It won’t come easy though, with quality teams hot on their heels, meaning wins will be at a premium in the remaining ten matches.
North Media takes a look at the run home.
Under the roof
Having played just 42 per cent of its matches at Etihad Stadium so far, North will relish the opportunity to play six of it last ten under the roof.
Despite just half of them being home games, the remaining three are against sides that also call Etihad home in St Kilda, Essendon and the Bulldogs.
It’s a ground North has played well at over the years, winning three of its five matches this season, with one loss being to reigning premiers Richmond by just ten points.
Its first four after the bye will all be under the roof, as well as two of its last three.
The team has travelled to Cairns, Hobart twice, Perth and Sydney already, and will be looking forward to travelling just three more times this year, one of which will be to its home away from home, Blundstone Arena.
North will face Collingwood at the MCG in Round 18.
Ladder positions
There’s no such thing as easy games with the eighteenth side capable of toppling the ladder leaders on any given day.
Although, when you look at the ladder, the standings suggest that many of the best sides in the competition are now out of the way.
It has faced five of the seven sides above it already this season, with West Coast at Blundstone Arena and Collingwood at the MCG to come, in addition to a rematch with Sydney, this time at Etihad.
That means six of North’s remaining ten matches will be against sides lower than it on the ladder, with five of those being against bottom six sides.
However, as we’ve seen on countless occasions over the past few years, ladder positions are irrelevant once both sides cross the white line, meaning North will have to be on its game to secure enough wins.
Back for revenge
In the back half of the year, North will play in four rematches, three of which it will be the hunted in.
Brisbane, St Kilda and Sydney will all be looking to redeem themselves, with the Round 17 clash against the Swans likely to be the one with the most feeling.
After a late, decisive Mason Wood goal, North secured an upset two-point win at the SCG, so it’s more than likely Sydney will be hoping to do the same when they travel to Etihad.
The Saints and Lions will also be out to square the ledger after losses in Round 2 and 11, respectively.
The Round 16 match with Gold Coast will be the one game North will be out to redeem itself in, following a season-opening loss in Cairns. Set for Etihad, it’s extremely unlikely will see a replica of the cyclonic conditions in Round 1.
