The Roos have eight six-day breaks, a tally equalled by only West Coast, play seven of a possible eight games against the top four sides from this year, and double up against four of seven finalists from this year.
However chief of football Donald McDonald believes it will bring out the club’s best.
"It's going to be a challenge. There are challenges in terms of six-day breaks and we are playing more of the sides which finished on top of the ladder," McDonald told the Herald Sun’s Jon Ralph.
"But we think it's going to be a draw which challenges us in a positive way. With our list lodgement we have gone younger again, so we look forward to the fact our young blokes will get challenged against good sides and in high-profile games."
AFL.com.au’s Ashley Browne rated North’s draw as the worst, using a formula that takes into account opponents’ win/loss records.
“The Kangas, who broke through to the 2012 finals for the first time in four years share the equal toughest draw with Hawthorn…” Browne writes.
But he also highlighted one positive; North’s three Friday night matches.
“But by giving North Melbourne three such prime-time matches in 2013 (after just one in 2012), the League has made it clear to the battling clubs that opportunities for prime-time football will be there if their results justify it.”
In The Age, Rohan Connolly believes the Roos have the second hardest fixture with the Hawks being dealt the worst result.
“North Melbourne, meanwhile, has paid a clear penalty of sorts for its status as a 2012 finalist. It has the second-hardest draw,” Connolly said
“While the Kangaroos would be happy with the commercial aspects, with more appearances in the coveted Friday night timeslot and more games against the bigger-drawing teams, theirs is a classic case of the financial benefits of a fixture to a club often being at cross-purposes with its football ambitions.”
Meanwhile the AFL was on the front foot denying it had penalised the Kangaroos for finishing inside the eight.
"I don't think it's penalising them. I think it's getting match-ups we all want to see, because they are playing each other," AFL fixturing boss Simon Lethlean said.
"It has been an unusual year where ninth to 12th was Richmond, Carlton, St Kilda and Essendon. If they had better years last year with injury most of those sides might have been in the eight. So I don't think it's a disadvantage."
