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Full Noise by SN
Simpson: This is North’s biggest game in 10 years
Harry Cumming • March 19th, 2026 1:45 pm
Could this be it?
Has North Melbourne finally turned the corner after a decade spent at the lower rungs of the ladder?
Adam Simpson, the two-time premiership player at the Kangaroos, has declared that the upcoming game against his other old club West Coast is a significant occasion for the Roos.
“I think this is the biggest game they've played this week in the last 10 years. (It’s the biggest game) since the last time they played West Coast in the preliminary final in 2015,” Simpson said on SEN’s Whateley.
“I feel like it's that big this week that if they consolidate with their identity, put up a strong performance, have a good win, and then they've got Essendon and Carlton after that.”
Simpson’s statement comes off the back of a strong Round 1 performance when North comfortably beat Port Adelaide by 46 points in front of an ecstatic crowd under the roof at Marvel Stadium.
There were green shoots across the field with young forward Cooper Trembath kicking three goals, Charlie Comben dominating in defence, Dylan Stephens producing a monster showing, and Harry Sheezel doing Harry Sheezel things. Additionally, veteran Luke Parker gave the side poise from half-back.
It’s opened the door for an even stronger beginning, given the opposition they face in the next few weeks is West Coast, Essendon and Carlton who are all considered beatable.
“There's an opportunity to start the year in a way where it's more than just one or two games in a row,” Simpson said.
“So, I think this is the biggest game for the club for a long time.”
There have been a number of false dawns over the years at Arden St, with a similar early-year belting of the Demons in 2025 building hype for a launch up the ladder. However, the Kangaroos couldn’t keep the momentum going and ultimately finished with five wins and a draw for the season.
Simpson believes that this time it will be different.
“There's a little bit of evidence… I think players that have been beaten up for years are looking for belief,” Simpson said.
“So to have a game where, ‘Hey, we've done this across the board, it wasn't just a centre bounce dominance, it was just a full, we won every quarter, we defended well, our system stood up’.
“‘Let's do that again, and let's be really aware that we're not the finished product as well’.”
But Simpson also noted the form of his former side, West Coast, which he coached to a premiership in 2018.
“And if you're West Coast, there's opportunity for them as well,” Simpson said.
“Their second half was great. They beat Gold Coast up there away (in the second half), which was a horrendous fixture, by the way.
“And they come back with a little bit of belief and evidence themselves, so I don't think it's going to be a walk in the park, but there's definitely opportunity for North to double down on a really good performance.”
The conversation led Gerard Whateley to throw down the early-season gauntlet.
Whateley: “Are you inclined to believe in them?”
Simpson: “Not yet. Give me another week.”
“I was really happy for the club and for everyone just to settle things down a bit but now it's become survival versus opportunity.”
“And that's turned pretty quick, hasn't it, from what we were hearing three weeks ago.”
North Melbourne will face the Eagles at Optus Stadium this Sunday at 6:10pm AEDT/3:10pm AWST.
