North Melbourne's VFLW program has made three changes for its clash with Williamstown on Saturday, with star midfielder Ella Maurer set to miss the game due to illness.

Maurer has been one of the Kangaroos' top performers this season and has taken her game to a new level since her stunning performance in the Round 8 victory against Darebin.

Forward/ruck Taylor Moss comes into the side off the back of a strong three-goal haul for local side West Brunswick. She plays her first game since kicking a crucial goal in the Darebin victory.

Lisa Loughnane and Ciara Fitzgerald also come back into the side at the expense of Georgia Alomes and Laura Wright.

Britt Gibson will be hoping to continue on from her performance against Geelong. After playing forward for the early part of the contest, Gibson was sent into the backline to help stem the flow of goals. Once she was moved back, the opposition kicked just one major in almost three quarters of football.

The wing rotation of Jess Mourney, Amy Smith and Ellie Macdonald will also be hoping to continue their strong form in the wide areas of the ground, while Perri King will play her second game since returning from an ankle injury.

Pushing for finals

It's been a rollercoaster season for the Roos so far. A change in coach, high player turnover and a tough run of fixtures saw them manage just one win in their first seven games, against this weekend's opponents Williamstown in Round 5.

Three consecutive victories against Darebin, Port Melbourne and Carlton launched North back into finals contention, only for last week's loss to Geelong to plunge them into a three-way race for the last spot in the top six.

With three games to go, Collingwood, Darebin and North Melbourne are now all competing for that spot, and the Kangaroos are the lowest-placed of the three sides.

With the Western Bulldogs and Southern Saints lying in wait in the Roos' last two home-and-away rounds, a big win against Williamstown this weekend will go a long way towards piling pressure on the Magpies and Falcons.

Facing up to the past

Williamstown are familiar opponents for North Melbourne, not least because several Kangaroos are former Seagulls.

Liz McGrath headlines the former Seagulls now plying their trade at Arden Street. Since arriving at the club this season she has established herself as one of the best rucks in the competition, underlining the point by dominating Carlton's Jorja Borg two weeks ago.

Ash Melnikas is another key Kangaroo taking on her former side this weekend. The versatile midfielder/defender impressed with a game-high seven tackles against Williamstown in Round 5, while Lisa Loughnane comes into the team with a point to prove at her former home ground.

>> The game will be streamed live on vflw.tv

Saturday, May 14

Williamstown v North Melbourne at Williamstown Oval, 2:00pm AEST

B: 17. J Jones, 1. M Eastman
HB: 23. A Scott, 3. H Ibrahim, 24. E Macdonald
C: 2. J Mourney, 18. A Melnikas, 35. A Smith
HF: 26. T Craven, 21. E Paterno, 44. B Gibson
F: 16. G Nicholas, 15. S Skinner
R: 22. E McGrath, 28. P King, 12. R Hicks

I/C: 4. A Rhodes, 10. C Fitzgerald, 33. T Bradley, 25. L Loughnane, 29. T Moss
Emg: 13. K Murrihy, 32. A Vine, 14. M Klaumanns-Moller, 19. L Wrigh

Ins: 29. T Moss, 10. C Fitzgerald, 25. L Loughnane
Outs: 39. G Alomes, 42. E Maurer, 19. L Wright