North Melbourne heads to South Australia to face Port Adelaide this weekend looking to clinch a fourth straight victory, and a second win over the Power for the season.

Round 17, Port Adelaide v North Melbourne
When: Sunday, July 4 at 4.10pm ACST (4.40pm AEST)
Where: Adelaide Oval, SA
How to watch: Foxtel, Kayo Sports

The opposition

The Power made a Showdown statement in Round 16, knocking off state rivals Adelaide by 26 points in what was a significant victory under first-year coach Josh Carr.

Zak Butters was unstoppable en route to claiming the Showdown Medal. He notched 37 disposals, 13 clearances and 704 metres gained, while fellow onballer Jason Horne-Francis also starred, winning 29 possessions and 10 clearances.

Currently sitting 15th, Carr's side remains off the pace, but with a percentage of over 100 and eight matches left, there's still time to bridge the gap.

Port Adelaide could regain Miles Bergman for Sunday, with the versatile 24-year-old set to face a fitness test prior to selection.

Running hot

Harry Sheezel was simply elite against the Bombers.

The superstar midfielder racked up a game-high 43 disposals at Marvel Stadium, the most outside of his AFL record-equalling single game tally of 54 which he achieved late last season.

He registered season-highs for marks (12) and tackles (eight) and of his 43 touches, over a third were score involvements.

What the coach has said

North Melbourne senior coach Alastair Clarkson post-game v Essendon: "They were impressive (against Adelaide). We’re going to need to be up for the challenge and there were some pleasing aspects of our game today but we’re going to need to fix some things up – get a bit more polished with the ball and take those chances."

Last time we met

North Melbourne got its season off to a flying start in Round 1, breaking a run of six consecutive losses against Port Adelaide to win by 46 points at Marvel Stadium.

After an even start, the Roos took control before half-time with Colby McKercher and Zane Duursma goaling after a massive major from Charlie Comben from outside 50.

Harry Sheezel gathered 31 possessions, Luke Davies-Uniacke's talent around stoppages was telling, and Nick Larkey booted four goals in his first game as captain as the home side ran out 17.11 (113) to 9.13 (67) winners.

Tom Blamires (23 disposals) and Lachy Dovaston (10 disposals, one goal assist) also made their AFL debuts.

It wasn't pretty on the eye, but Port Adelaide did enough to secure an important 21-point victory over North Melbourne at Adelaide Oval.

In a game which lacked flow, thanks in part to a heavy free-kick count (37-33 in favour of Port Adelaide), Josh Carr’s men ground their way to a 10.13 (73) to 7.10 (52) win.

With scores level at three-quarter time, the Power kicked the only three goals of the final term to extend North Melbourne’s miserable Adelaide Oval record.

The first term in particular was played in stark contrast to the intensity of Port Adelaide’s emphatic Showdown win last weekend, as both sides found scoring a real chore. 

The game opened up in the second term as the Power flicked into action on the scoreboard, courtesy of key targets Mitch Georgiades and Jack Whitlock.

Stat-less in the first term, Whitlock responded well by booting two goals in quick succession to give the home side the scoreboard advantage. 

POWER v KANGAROOS Full match coverage and stats

Despite coming off their first three-game winning streak since 2019, North Melbourne lacked the early energy you’d expect from a team looking to end their Adelaide Oval hoodoo.

And after Georgiades nailed his third early in the second term, the visitors were crying out for a response.

They soon found it as two goals in quick succession to Jack Darling and Harry Sheezel triggered a run of five Roos majors.

Among the best players on the field from start to finish, Luke Davies-Uniacke added a team-lifting goal with a classy shrug-and-snap.

McKercher was next to get in on the act as he dribbled one home and Darling added a second as North’s kick-mark approach finally began to result in scores, but it proved to be their final goal of the contest.

Usual suspects Zak Butters (26 disposals and seven score involvements) and Jason Horne-Francis (24 disposals and nine clearances) were standouts, along with defender Darcy Byrne-Jones (24 disposals and seven intercept possessions). 

Sheezel (40 disposals) had the ball on a string, but Davies-Uniacke (31 disposals and seven score involvements) did the most damage for North. 

Both sides will now turn their attention to Marvel Stadium, where North Melbourne takes on Collingwood, and Port Adelaide plays St Kilda.

New free kick record
Records were broken on Sunday evening at Adelaide Oval, but it wasn’t quite what neutral viewers would’ve wanted. No less than 71 free kicks were awarded during the Power’s victory, narrowly eclipsing the 69 which were awarded in the Round 2, 2008 clash between Sydney and Port Adelaide. Some were clearly there, while others were more dubious. Either way, it made for a very frustrating, stop-start contest to end the round.

Harvey penalised
The Kangaroos were left frustrated when Cooper Harvey was penalised for a deliberate rushed behind, leading to the easiest of Power goals. Harvey stood on the last line of defence and invited Mitch Georgiades to pressure him before stepping back across the goal line in a move deemed deliberate by the adjudicating umpire. It was an otherwise strong performance from the North Melbourne son-of-a-gun, who finished with 25 disposals and an equal game-high nine intercept possessions.

PORT ADELAIDE                  1.3     2.5   7.9    10.13  (73)
NORTH MELBOURNE           1.3     5.6   7.9     7.10   (52)

GOALS
Port Adelaide: Whitlock 3, Georgiades 3, Sweet, Mead, Horne-Francis, Durdin
North Melbourne: Darling 2, Simpkin, Sheezel, McKercher, Larkey, Davies-Uniacke

BEST 
Port Adelaide: Horne-Francis, Butters, Byrne-Jones, Georgiades, Burgoyne, Sweet, Lai 
North Melbourne: Davies-Uniacke, Parker, Sheezel, Comben, McKercher, Harvey

INJURIES 
Port Adelaide: Nil
North Melbourne: Wardlaw (hamstring) 

Crowd: 33,105 at Adelaide Oval