North Melbourne v Hawthorn Preview, Marvel Stadium

The battle of winless teams to finish off round six. North are coming off back-to-back beltings against premiership contenders in a brutal run of games to start the season. The Kangaroos will be desperate to win in Nick Larkey’s 100th game, especially after the star forward this week delivered a passionate plea of seeing premiership success during his career at Arden St. Hawthorn’s lacklustre effort on the Gold Coast frustrated coach Sam Mitchell, who is refusing to use a lengthy injury list as an excuse. The Hawks were competitive against Geelong and Collingwood before that game and might have too much class for the inexperienced Kangaroos.

TIP: Hawthorn by 11 points, Jai Newcombe for 20+ possessions and five clearances

North Melbourne has shown they can match it with anyone at Marvel Stadium when their young midfield gets moving, but staying consistent across four quarters remains their biggest hurdle. Meanwhile, Hawthorn’s high-speed transition football makes them incredibly dangerous on the fast indoor deck, especially coming off some massive performances earlier in the tournament. Analysts digging into the AFL betting odds will see the line is tighter than many expected, reflecting North’s ability to turn home games into a real scrap. Our AFL Expert Tips suggest looking at the total game points market rather than standard head-to-head picks, given both sides love to play high-scoring, attacking footy.