Can you believe it? After a long period of years over which Melbourne has dominated in matches against North Melbourne, the Demons are looking down the barrel at two defeats at the hands of the Kangaroos in the same season. And if that eventuates, it will come hot on the heels of an identical result against the Gold Coast Suns. How have the might fallen?

There is a slight difference in that North Melbourne are not yet in the same place as Gold Coast. Like Melbourne, they are currently situated in the lower half of the ladder and though they did achieve a significant upset when the teams met earlier in the season, their subsequent form has been equally unimpressive and inconsistent. 

When two teams meet at a later stage of the season with little at stake other than pride, the outcome is likely to be unpredictable. That is precisely the scenario the Demons will be facing as the game begins to unfold at the graveyard time slot of 1:10pm on Sunday at the MCG.

How can you reconcile the Melbourne that meandered pedestrian-like through the first quarter at Carrara a fortnight ago with the one that marched all over Crows for the first forty-five minutes of play a week later at Adelaide Oval but then disappeared from sight for a similar period immediately afterwards? The same can be said of the Kangaroos who beat the Blues at the MCG and then were systematically demolished a week later by the Hawks?

I’m almost tempted to predict a draw between the two adversaries but I suspect that one will come out punching and ready to play and the other will fall into a stupor given the meaninglessness of the game at hand. 

Melbourne has key forward Jake Melksham in form after bagging five and four goals in consecutive matches, giving the club a rare look at a multiple goal kicker who twice in a row has helped his team to come close without bringing home the proverbial cigar. 

For the Kangaroos, key forward Nick Larkey kicked five goals in the team's defeat at the hands of the Bulldogs, continuing his excellent season but he’s out this week with an injury and has been replaced by veteran Jack Darling.

The question of who wins might be decided on who brings some effective connection from further downfield into its anttack and who has the capacity to stop a key forward at the top of his game. 

Earlier this season, it was the Kangaroos who proved successful at holding the Demons at bay at the stoppages and winning the key contests. They held them up consistently with strong intercept marking in defence. It might well come down to a case of whether Melbourne has learned from this experience and whether coaching inventiveness can do the trick and turn things around.

I’m going for the latter in an even money contest because, apart from everything else, the Demons have one player back who was sorely missing last time but is in great form right at the moment - Kozzy Pickett who was cooling his heels in Round 2 while serving a suspension incurred at the end of 2024.

Melbourne by 3 points.

THE GAME 

Melbourne v North Melbourne  on Sunday 13 July 2025 at the MCG at 1:10pm.

HEAD TO HEAD

Overall Melbourne 90 wins North Melbourne 78 wins  1 draw

At the MCG Melbourne 57 wins North Melbourne 37 wins  

Last five times Melbourne 4 wins North Melbourne 1 win
The coaches Goodwin 3 wins Clarkson 1 win 

THE LAST TIME THEY MET

North Melbourne 19.11.125 defeated Melbourne 9.12.66 at Marvel Stadium, Round 2, 2025

Following a closely contested opening quarter, when Melbourne held a six-point advantage, North Melbourne dominated the subsequent two terms and yet, the game remained balanced at the final break. However, the Demons were outplayed and eventually humiliated at the end and succumbed to a 59-point defeat, foreshadowing a challenging year ahead for the team.

THE TEAMS

MELBOURNE

B J. Bowey, T. McDonald, C. Salem

HB J. McVee, J. Lever, X. Lindsay

C K. Chandler, C. Petracca, T. Sparrow

HF J. Viney, B. Fritsch, E. Langdon

F J. Melksham, J. Van Rooyen, K. Pickett

FOLL M. Gawn, C. Oliver, T. Rivers

I/C M. Jefferson, H. Langford, K. Tholstrup, D. Turner, C. Windsor

EMG T. Campbell, J. Henderson, B. Howes

IN T. McDonald, C. Windsor

OUT S. May, H. Sharp (omitted)

NORTH MELBOURNE  

B W. Dawson, T. Pink, G. Logue

HB R. Hardeman, C. Daniel, F. O'Sullivan

C D. Stephens, L. Parker, J. Simpkin

HF P. Curtis, C. Zurhaar, C. McKercher

F J. Konstanty, J. Darling, F. Maley

FOLL T. Xerri, I. Powell, H. Sheezel

I/C C. Comben, R. Hansen Jr, C. Harvey, W. Phillips, B. Scott

EMG C. Coleman-Jones, Z. Duursma, Z. Fisher

IN C. Comben, J. Darling, L. Parker

OUT L. Davies-Uniacke (concussion), Z. Duursma (omitted) N. Larkey (knee)

Injury List: Round 18

Blake Howes — concussion / Test

Aidan Johnson — ankle / 1 week

Harry Petty — concussion / 1 week

Oliver Sestan — hamstring / 1 week

Marty Hore — knee, shoulder / season

Shane McAdam — Achilles / season

Andy Moniz-Wakefield — knee / season

Well tomorrow I head off to the G. Am I confident? no! It feels like the many decades of making up the numbers. I hope we win. The operative word is hope. I struggle to think of a reason why we will win.