LAST TIME: North Melbourne 18.7 (115) d Adelaide 10.8 (68), round 11, 2011 at Etihad Stadium
Form suggests Adelaide will account for North Melbourne comfortably this Sunday. The Crows have dropped just two games for the season and just one of their past eight to sit second on the ladder, while the Kangaroos have won just one game against a team above the bottom four. However, that win, against Geelong in round three, showcased the fast-moving football the Kangaroos are capable of at their best. Although North has largely struggled since then, the Crows will be wary of letting the young Kangaroos get their confidence back.
THE FOUR POINTS
NORTH MELBOURNE
1. North has won its past two matches against the Crows, both of which were played at Etihad Stadium. However, before that Adelaide, under former coach Neil Craig, strung together eight consecutive victories over the Kangaroos. The teams have met on six previous occasions at Etihad Stadium, with Adelaide holding a 4-2 advantage. This is the sixth consecutive year North and Adelaide have played only once in a season.
2. The Kangaroos' 47-point win over the Crows in round 11 last year kick-started their season after a 2-7 start. That victory was the first in a four-game winning streak that reignited North's hopes of making the finals. The Roos had sat 14th on the ladder before the Crows game but remained in finals contention until the penultimate round before finishing ninth for the second year in a row.
3. North skipper Andrew Swallow played one of the best matches of his career when these teams last met. With an amazing 17 possessions in the first quarter, Swallow spearheaded the Kangaroos to a four-goal quarter-time lead that seemed to break the Crows' spirit. He finished with 39 possessions, two goals, 17 clearances and, subsequently, three Brownlow Medal votes.
4. North went with a shorter defence last round, dropping talls Luke and Cameron Delaney for its clash against Gold Coast. But North will probably consider bolstering its key defensive stocks this round given the Crows boast two of the in-form power forwards in the competition in Taylor Walker (29 goals in 2012, fourth on the AFL goalkicking table) and Kurt Tippett (25, equal eighth).
Luke Delaney, in particular, is in line for a recall given he has generally played on the opposition's best key forward in his eight games this year.
ADELAIDE
1. Adelaide's forward line continued to function outstandingly well against St Kilda, so well that Saints captain Nick Riewoldt described it as the most versatile attack in the AFL. Walker and Tippett are yet to fire at the same time in 2012, but the good news for coach Brenton Sanderson is that Ian Callinan and Jason Porplyzia head a host of midfielders capable of kicking multiple goals.
2. Adelaide has let its opponents back into the match in its past two games, letting significant leads slip before regrouping to win. Against Fremantle in round 10, the Crows' lead blew out to six goals before the home side stormed back into contention, while the Crows led the Saints by 33 points early in the fourth quarter last Friday night before hanging on for a four-point win.
3. Sanderson has said he wants to stay clear of 'shootout' football and get back to Adelaide's tough, contested style. The Crows smashed the Saints in contested possessions last Friday night and are ranked first in the League in this area. North Melbourne is ranked eighth, so the Crows will back themselves to again win the hard ball on Sunday.
4. Adelaide's already-strong midfield will receive a boost this week with the return of Bernie Vince from suspension. North Melbourne's engine room proved far too good the last time these sides met, so the Crows' onballers will be seeking redemption.
AFL.com.au prediction: Adelaide by 23 points
The views in this story are those of the author and not necessarily those of the clubs or the AFL
