North Melbourne gave the Power a harsh introduction to the AFL, winning the first nine games from 1997-2002.

Port Adelaide has done its best to even the ledger since, but the Roos still boast a 70% winning record, the best against any side in the league.

Back in 1997, little known full-forward Julian Kirzner was the hero for North booting four goals in just his second game. Kirzner, a high leaper who'd previously lined up for the Bombers, had a short-lived period at the top, playing just two games after his bag of four.

Yet to really make his mark, an undersized rover had 19 possessions at the tender age of 19, in just his 19th game. His tally of five goals somewhat ruined the numbers pattern, but there was no doubting his emergence. His name; Brent Harvey. In round three of 1998 he polled his first ever Brownlow votes as North defeated the Power by 29 points at Football Park.

13 years later Harvey lines up for his 306th game, equaling Wayne Schimmelbusch and Adam Simpson as the second greatest capped Kangaroo of all time. In that period he also boasts 143 Brownlow votes to his name, with five Syd Barker Medals.

Fast forward to 1999 and a full-forward would prove the match winner in a shoot-out at the MCG. Kent Kingsley banged through six goals in a seven-point win over Port but like Kirzner, he never fulfilled his potential. He played in Kangaroos' colours another 11 times before being traded to Geelong.

When finals time came around it was a young Port Adelaide side which tried its best to take it up to a firing North Melbourne outfit. The gauge between the two sides can be illustrated most accurately by games played. North's list averaged 122 games to the Power's 72. The Kangaroos' won comfortably as Wayne Carey slotted six of the best, while the likes of Stevens, Harvey and Grant were among the goals.

The club ventured to Canberra and Sydney in the early 2000's and netted two wins against the Power. Shannon Grant would become one of Port’s biggest foes in those years with two best on ground performances in a row through '01 and '02

One win was achieved in traditional fighting spirit with the player’s backs against the wall at the start of 2002. It was Anthony Stevens' first game as captain, Glenn Archer's 200th and the club had been embroiled in controversy throughout the pre-season. With true 'Shinboner Spirit' the Kangaroos won against the odds.

At Football Park in round eight of 2003, the exploits of Stevens weren't enough to combat Burgoyne brothers Shaun and Peter as the Power registered its first ever win against North Melbourne. The tide was turning.

A year later the new generation at Arden Street inflicted a 92-point thrashing of Port, but it would be the Power's year. Port won the next eight matches before eventually being crowned premiers for the first time. North missed the finals for the third time in four years.

Warren Tredrea and Port had a slow start to the year in 2005 but got their season back on track against the Roos at Football Park with a convincing win. Lade and Primus dominated in the ruck and after winning the first five, North Melbourne went on to lose four in a row.

There would be a turning of the tables later that year in Canberra, but it was the elimination final that was most damning as Port Adelaide won by 87 points at Docklands.

A skinny-ruckman by the name of Hamish McIntosh played just his second game in round one of 2006. At the other end of the spectrum Glenn Archer notched up his 275th. North won by 41 points at Football Park with the usual candidates Simpson and Harvey the best.

In recent years the wins have been shared, but Port has perhaps inflicted the most pain. An 87-point win in the Preliminary Final of 2007, and then a 76 point thrashing in Shannon Grant's 300th as the Kangaroos' were on the brink of the top four in the final round.

The two sides split their matches in 2010, but now in round six and both sides battling for respect at the bottom end of the ladder, the stakes become even higher.

Who will prevail?