The views in this article are those of the author and not necessarily those of the AFL or its clubs.

On paper at least, the most appealing NAB AFL Women’s fixture this weekend is the match-up of the competition’s top two teams, the North Melbourne Tasmanian Kangaroos and Adelaide.

The winner will be one step closer to securing top spot in Conference A and locking in a home preliminary final, against the second-placed team from Conference B.

The Kangaroos are in the box seat, currently first, four points and 33 per cent clear of the Crows. 

But an Adelaide win on Sunday at Avalon Airport Oval in Werribee (south-west of Melbourne) could shake Conference A right up, keeping third-placed Fremantle and fourth-placed Melbourne in the finals frame. 

What's happened so far? 

Expansion side North Melbourne cruised through its first three matches in the competition, defeating Carlton by 36 points, Greater Western Sydney (25) and the Western Bulldogs (31). 

The Roos had their first hiccup last weekend but still recorded a win, overcoming a dogged Melbourne by just four points at Casey Fields. 

It was the first time this year North Melbourne has looked vulnerable, three consecutive weeks of travel (to Hobart, Sydney and Launceston) perhaps catching up with the squad. 

Adelaide started the season with a loss, inaccuracy (1.11) costing it dearly in a one-point loss to Western Bulldogs in Adelaide. 

The Crows have since posted three straight wins, beating Carlton by 13 points, Geelong (29) and the previously undefeated Fremantle (42).

They put on a masterclass in Darwin last weekend, piling on six second-half goals while holding the Dockers to just three behinds. 

Star-studded Roos 

North Melbourne's multi-pronged forward line has been an issue for opposition sides. Mid-sized forwards Jasmine Garner, Moana Hope and Sophie Abbatangelo present well at the ball and create space for each other.

Ruck Emma King has been a constant threat up forward this year. She is excellent at drawing free kicks, her reach causing defenders to panic and either push her in the back or chop her arms.

Small forward Daisy Bateman has worked well with the big ruck, the other forwards clearing out and isolating the pair close to the square. 

But King has been allowed to spend time up forward because of the good form of Kate Gillespie-Jones, who as a second ruck has been much more influential than she was as a key back at Carlton. 

The Roos have only the fourth-highest average inside-50 count (29), but their ability to score and their accuracy set them apart. They are third for average score (48 points per game) and first for goalkicking accuracy (52 per cent). 

No conversation about North's strengths is complete without mentioning the midfield. The Roos average 207 disposals a match, the third-best in the competition. Captain Emma Kearney is the reigning AFLW best and fairest, while Jenna Bruton has taken her game to a new level after also crossing to North from the Bulldogs, averaging 18 disposals (up from 11 in 2018).

Jamie Stanton has been a ball-winner, while her former Lions teammate Kaitlyn Ashmore (round four aside, when she was well-beaten by Demon Sarah Lampard) has provided plenty of drive. 

Rebounding defender Jess Duffin is on track to poll well in the competition's best and fairest award, Danielle Hardiman continues to fly well under the radar as a strong lockdown defender, and Jasmine Grierson has looked assured across half-back. 

Score Crows 

Adelaide had a disappointing 2018, with a slow start and injuries to Erin Phillips and Courtney Cramey eventually leading to a fifth-place finish. 

One facet of the game the Crows have significantly improved is their scoring. 

In 2018, they average 33 points a game, while in 2019, they've bettered that by 18 points so far.  

The Crows’ 51 points per game this year (best in the competition) includes a first-round score of 17, when they were wildly inaccurate. 

Phillips is back to her best, averaging 12.8 contested possessions (third in the competition), 5.5 clearances (equal-third) and 15 kicks (second) a match. 

In four matches, she has also kicked six goals, had 26 score involvements (first in the competition) and totalled 1407m gained (second). 

But it's not just Phillips who has driven Adelaide to new heights this year.

Stevie-Lee Thompson always showed great dash and intensity off half-back but has been much more dangerous since moving forward. 

The 26-year-old is averaging a career-high 11 disposals and has kicked seven goals (including four against the Blues in round two), the equal-most in the competition. 

Eloise Jones is having longer patches of dominance up forward, and Danielle Ponter (a round-four nominee for the NAB AFLW Rising Star award) has showed poise at both ends of the ground, her 20 disposals in three games delivered at a team-high 90 per cent efficiency.

The Crows were hit hard on the eve of the season, losing rucks Rhiannon Metcalfe (left ACL) and Jasmyn Hewett (right ankle).

It left 35-year-old debutant Jess Foley as the side's sole ruck. The former Opals basketballer impressed in her first year of footy in 2018 with SANFLW side Sturt and has slotted into AFLW level with ease. 

She has been feeding the ball to one of the competition’s most improved, Anne Hatchard. The 20-year-old played her first two seasons in defence and also spent a bit of time up forward and pinch-hitting in the ruck. 

Hatchard worked hard on her fitness over winter and is now a top midfielder. Tall enough to help Foley in the ruck, she has increased her average disposals from eight in 2018 to 23 in 2019. 

After last season, it was clear Ebony Marinoff needed more support in the middle of the ground, and Hatchard has delivered. 

How the Roos can win

While it would be entertaining if North Melbourne coach Scott Gowans and his Adelaide counterpart Matthew Clarke allowed Emma Kearney and Phillips to go head-to-head, that’s unlikely to happen. 

Someone like Ali Drennan could be one to run with Phillips in the middle, while Britt Gibson is strong enough to take Phillips when she moves forward. 

Aside from clamping down on Phillips, the Roos must win the ball out of the middle to deny Adelaide's potent forward line supply. The Crows are first for both average inside 50s and disposals. 

Winning the ball out of the centre will be crucial, because the Crows are unlikely to let the ball leave their 50 easily when it’s in there. 

When attacking, the Roos must be accurate to limit the impact of interceptors Chelsea Randall and Sarah Allan, whom they’d prefer to see in one-on-one situations. 

How the Crows can win 

Shutting down the dynamic duo of Kearney and Bruton is vital. Kearney's biggest strength is the amount of distance she can cover with a single disposal; last year she led the competition in metres gained and is in the top 10 again this year.

This match will come down to a battle of midfields: Marinoff, Hatchard and Phillips versus Kearney, Bruton and Stanton. 

Allan looks likely to take on the might of 187cm King when she swings forward. At 178cm she's the tallest (available) player on Adelaide's list other than Foley, who will be required to ruck most of the match. 

The vastly improved Crow have the smarts to not concede too many free kicks to King, but stopping the ball at the source – the midfield – will help their defence enormously in combating the dynamic Kangaroos forward line.