North Melbourne v Coburg
Sunday, July 1
Avalon Airport Oval
First bounce: 11.00am (AEST)

Storyline

North Melbourne’s VFL side will look to return to winning ways when it faces a determined Coburg outfit at Avalon Airport Oval on Sunday morning.

Despite losing every game so far this year, Coburg has shown promising signs in recent weeks in its search for premiership points.

After an injury-riddled afternoon against Geelong last weekend, North will be looking to rebound with a much-needed win at home, along with a four-quarter performance.

Forward threats

David Loader has named a strong forward line for Sunday morning’s crunch encounter.

North’s front six has been bolstered by the return of Oscar Junker to his familiar role in the Roos’ attacking third, after spending the final quarter of last week’s loss to Geelong in the backline.

The first meeting between the two sides in Round 4 told a story of forward dominance with Mason Wood and Taylor Garner combining for 10 goals.

Further to this, an impressive spread of goal-scorers also saw Nick Larkey and Michael Close contribute three and two goals respectively on a memorable afternoon.

Although North will be without its co-captain, with Close was ruled out for the remainder of the 2018 season, a plethora of forward options, including Cameron Zurhaar, Will Walker and Kyron Hayden, should provide multiple avenues to goal.

Imposing ruckman Braydon Preuss also looks set for a stint in the forward line, highlighting North’s aerial intentions.

Return to contested footy

North’s tireless pursuit of contested ball has become a signature of its attacking brand of footy.

After topping Coburg’s disposal count against the second-placed Casey last weekend, midfield pair Nick Mellington and Marcus Lentini no doubt have plans of derailing the first use of North ball magnets Nash Holmes and Chris Jansen in and around the stoppages.

The hard-working Holmes and Jansen worked in tandem at Etihad, with the former laying five tackles in his return from an adductor injury.

Meanwhile, Jansen had arguably his best game in the royal blue and white, making a rare foray forward for two goals.

Defensive duo retained

After suffering separate injury scares last weekend, key defensive pairing Ben McKay and Sam Durdin are slated to return in the heart of North’s defence.

McKay and Durdin will return to their familiar roles in North’s spine after overcoming individual knee and eye complaints, which forced the defensive pillars off just minutes apart in a worrying third quarter.

Having successfully limited the impact of several key forwards in the VFL this season, McKay will likely line up against Coburg’s James Belo, who continues to be amongst Coburg’s best in difficult circumstances.

The welcome return of McKay and Durdin will ease the defensive duties of Dan Nielson and Ty Leonardis, who marshalled North’s inexperienced backline for the best part of two quarters.

Versatile high-flyer Fraser Cameron should be granted more freedom in his defence after another energetic display across multiple roles.

Coburg team

B: Blair, Nolan, Guthrie
HB: Corigliano, Gregory, Dickson
C: Exon, Allan, Mellington
HF: Cannolo, McEvoy, Kerbatieh
F: Lowson, Belo, Weightman
R: Goodwin, Bunker, Lentini
Int: Conn, Fox, Iacobaccio, Kovacevic, Lever, McDonald, Murphy, O’Donoghue
23P: Podhajski


Burning questions

Will history repeat itself?
The two sides last met in April, with North posting an impressive 52-point win at Piranha Park.

Although a six-goal final term from Coburg reduced the Roos’ lead significantly, the game was ultimately put to bed on the back of a star performance from Mason Wood, who earned senior selection after booting six majors.

A similar effort from leading goal-scorer Nick Larkey could see the second-year forward mirror the progression of Wood, who has since cemented his place in North’s senior side.

Can North close the gap on the top eight?
The ultra-competitive nature of the VFL has been on display this year, with just a single win separating the fifth-placed Box Hill Hawks from North, which is currently sitting tenth.

A much-needed victory at home could prove vital for a potential finals berth ahead of a competitive run home.

Will North return to winning ways?
A pair of disappointing performances on the road has seen North fall to both Geelong and Footscray in back-to-back curtain-raisers.

With a potential finals berth still within reach, North’s emerging list, boosted by the inclusion of several AFL-listed players, will be looking for a complete four-quarter performance.

Fans are invited to attend Sunday’s VFL match against Coburg at Avalon Airport Oval, with the first bounce at 11.00am. Entry to home games is free for NMFC members.