In early December last year it was announced that Jack Ziebell would assume the captaincy of the Kangaroos for the 2017 season. The 25-year old had the reins handed to him by Andrew Swallow, whose captaincy tenure lasted the previous five seasons. Since being drafted by North Melbourne in 2008, Ziebell has always been discussed as a likely captain at some stage. Ziebell will help lead his club into a new era after the pre-season departures of experienced quartet Brent Harvey, Drew Petrie, Nick Dal Santo and Michael Firrito.
Despite being only round two of the pre-season competition, this won't be the first time the Hawks have met the Roos this year. In late January, teams from each club were selected to travel down to Launceston to compete in a charity T20 cricket match against each other. Although the final result did not favour the Hawks, everyone was left with a winning feeling after the event raised more than $300,000 for the Ponting Foundation, whose efforts go towards helping young Australians beat cancer.
Sunday’s clash will be the first official league match Arden Street has hosted in 32 years. North Melbourne overcame Richmond by 50 points in round 20 of the 1985 season, in what would be the final game played at the venue for over three decades. This week’s historic pre-season clash promises to be a competitive display of two 2017 premiership contenders, in front of a sell-out crowd.
Assistant coach and Head of Transition Josh Drummond will assume the position of senior coach for Sunday’s match. The former Brisbane Lion's call-up comes after fellow assistant coach Leigh Tudor guided the Roos through their pre-season opening clash against the Swans in Coffs Harbour last Sunday.
Despite being stuck behind All Australian teammate Todd Goldstein, Braydon Preuss showed he is certainly a capable back-up option in the event of Goldstein's unavailability. Shooting to internet fame after performing a vicious spear-tackle on former captain Andrew Swallow in the Roos' finals intra-club match, the 206cm, 109kg giant continued this show of aggression with countless attacks on the footy, adding two tackles to his 29 hit-outs and eight touches.
Jack Ziebell dominated in North’s final intra-club match earlier this month, while former Bulldog Nathan Hrovat and defender-turned-midfielder Shaun Atley continued their strong pre-seasons.
The Kangaroos current injury list features a number of their key senior players, including Todd Goldstein (ankle), Ben Brown (knee), Majak Daw (knee), Scott Thompson (adductor), Sam Wright (ankle) and Ben Jacobs (foot). None of these names featured in the club's final intra-club match nor in their pre-season opener against the Swans.
199cm key forward Ben McKay has been a strong performer throughout the club's practice games this pre-season. The Gippsland Power product enters his second year in the league after being taken with pick 21 in the 2015 National Draft. Having bulked up over the summer, McKay was selected for his side's pre-season opening clash against the Swans. McKay had eight disposals, spending some time both forward and in the ruck and will be hoping he can build on this performance against the Hawks.
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Small forward Lindsay Thomas has been a standout at Arden Street this summer, earning the potential for more midfield exposure this season. The 28-year-old looks noticeably leaner and has run strongly in time trials. In his previous ten years at the club, the two-time leading goal kicker has been played almost exclusively in the forward line. But his improved running ability and impressive midfield performances throughout the pre-season suggest a slight change in the talented Roo's role this year. Thomas was relatively quiet by his standards in the first hit-out on the weekend, collecting eight disposals without any scoreboard impact.
Of North's new draft additions, Queenslander Declan Watson has made a notably strong start in his first pre-season. Being trialled in defence, he has displayed a level of composure and confidence beyond his years and was rewarded with an opportunity to show his wares against Sydney on the weekend. Watson finished with 11 disposals, four tackles and three marks in his first AFL outing.
