North Melbourne will look to make a statement when it takes on the Coburg Lions at Piranha Park on Sunday afternoon.

David Loader has named a 27-man squad, boasting 20 AFL-listed players.

North faithful will be familiar with the opposition as former Roo Leigh ‘Patch’ Adams, leads Coburg in his first season as Senior Coach, assisted by Tom Curran.

AFL-listed Nathan Hrovat will look to boost the forward line after a stint on the sideline with an injured thumb.

The 23-year-old will slot in alongside an in-form Nick Larkey and Oscar Junker, with the former fresh off a four-goal haul last weekend.

The Roos have retained playmaker Paul Ahern, who has proved to be a key figure over the past fortnight, impressing with contested possessions.

Ahern will link-up with forward targets, Oscar Junker and Mason Wood.

Daniel Nielson has been rewarded for his best-on-ground performance against Frankston, tasked with the duty of containing Coburg’s key forward Aidan Tilley.

Meanwhile, the defensive duties of Ben McKay and Sam Durdin will be highlighted, with the big men named against Sam Lowson and Hish Kerbatieh.

The pair was responsible for nine goals in Coburg’s 72-point loss to Box Hill last weekend and their handling will prove crucial to North’s success.

Co-captain Michael Close, emphasised the importance of getting on the scoreboard early as North attempt to continue their winning ways against the Lions, having beaten them in a practise match as part of the pre-season.

“We’re definitely coming out with a point to prove,” Close told North Media.

“We haven’t started well in the last few weeks. Hopefully we can come out of the blocks and kick the first goal to put pressure of them early.

“We’ve changed a couple of things with our warm-up, but it just comes down to our mindset. We got a reality check, but we plan to bounce back on Sunday.”

Fans are invited to attend Sunday’s VFL match against Coburg at Piranha Park, with the first bounce at 1.00pm. The game will be live-streamed via the club website and App.