WHERE AND WHEN: Aurora Stadium, Saturday June 2, 2.10pm
LAST TIME: Hawthorn 15.13 (103) d North Melbourne 13.8 (86), round 20, 2011 at Aurora Stadium
The first ever battle of Tasmania, between the state's part-time Launceston and Hobart occupants, will pit a team determined to rebound against one trying desperately to stay in finals contention. Hawthorn was stung by its 62-point loss to Richmond in round nine, which came just as it appeared to be gathering momentum. North Melbourne, despite yet another lapse that saw it almost give up a 58-point lead to the Brisbane Lions, secured its first win for a month and kept itself within a game of the top eight. A fierce battle awaits.
THE FOUR POINTS
Hawthorn
1. The Hawks won the teams' only clash last season, holding off a last quarter North Melbourne surge to win by 17 points at a wet and windy Aurora Stadium. Recent history between the teams is tight, with Hawthorn leading five wins to four since 2007. The Kangaroos have beaten Alastair Clarkson's men twice from five attempts in Launceston.
2. Thrashed in close by Richmond last Saturday, the Hawks also lacked their usual ability to spread and share the ball once in possession. It led to a lop-sided stats sheet, with Tigers onballers Shane Tuck, Brett Deledio, Dustin Martin, Trent Cotchin and Nathan Foley all gathering more of the football than the Hawks' highest disposal winner, Shaun Burgoyne.
3. Sam Mitchell is due for a big one. The ball magnet had fewer than 24 possessions in a match only twice during his career-best 2011 season. In nine games this year the 29-year-old has already had five sub-24 touch games, including each of the past three. He is yet to go above 35 possessions this year, something he managed five times in 2011.
4. Hawthorn will have its hands full dealing with Kangaroos ruckman Todd Goldstein who, in the absence of fellow big man Hamish McIntosh, returned to his best form on Sunday. The 201cm former Trinity Grammarian had 28 touches and 47 hit-outs against the Brisbane Lions. After Ivan Maric dominated the Hawks last week, Clarkson will be desperate to curb Goldstein's ability to give his small men first use.
North Melbourne
1. North will want to stop the opposition scoring runs that have plagued it in the past two rounds. Port Adelaide and the Lions both kicked five consecutive goals against the Roos, with North struggling to find a way to halt their momentum. Kangaroos coach Brad Scott has said North's problems in both matches stemmed from simple mistakes rather than fatigue or panic. Nonetheless, North will want to avoid a similar lapse against the Hawks.
2. Who will play on Lance Franklin and Jarryd Roughead? Franklin's freakish combination of agility, speed and endurance makes him one of the most difficult match-ups in the AFL. Nathan Grima might be given first crack at him, with Scott Thompson another possible opponent. Luke Delaney's strength in one-on-one contests should see him stand Roughead.
3. North is ranked seventh in the competition for contested possessions in 2012, averaging 2.8 more a game than their opponents. The Hawks are ranked 11th, with a differential of 0.1 more a game, but Richmond smashed them in the contested possession count last round 166-137. North's ability to replicate the Tigers' success in this area will depend heavily on its midfield, particularly Andrew Swallow, Jack Ziebell and Daniel Wells.
4. North's forwards will be focused on denying Hawthorn's defensive playmakers Grant Birchall, Brent Guerra and Matt Suckling time and space. The Hawks rely on the left-foot trio to launch most of their counter-attacks. But Richmond's forwards applied strong defensive pressure last round to restrict Guerra to 13 possessions (down from his season average of 19) and harass Suckling into a disposal efficiency rate of 55 per cent (down from 76.5 per cent).
