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West Coast Eagles vs North Melbourne Kangaroos AFL Round 2 Tips - North to deliver on early season promise

Adam Cusworth

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Last updated: Fri 20 Mar 2026 09:13

Adam Cusworth 20 Mar 2026

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The game will be played at Optus Stadium on Sunday, 22nd March, with the bounce at 6:10 PM (AEDT)
Same old North Melbourne or will the Kangas deliver on early season promise?
Preview, expert analysis, stats, team news & best bet

West Coast Eagles vs North Melbourne Kangaroos AFL Round 2 Tips

West Coast Eagles vs North Melbourne Kangaroos, Round 2 2026 - Expert Prediction

West Coast Eagles vs North Melbourne Kangaroos, Round 2 2026 - Expert Prediction
Head to Head Stats
West Coast Eagles Form Analysis & Team News
West Coast Eagles Team News
West Coast Eagles Team List
North Melbourne Kangaroos Form Analysis & Team News
North Melbourne Kangaroos Team News
North Melbourne Kangaroos Team List
West Coast Eagles vs North Melbourne Kangaroos AFL 2026 Round 2 FAQ’s

North Melbourne will take another step forward with a win over the hapless West Coast Eagles at Optus Stadium in Perth on Sunday evening.

The Kangaroos impressed in Round 1 with Harry Sheezel again dominating possessions while Nick Larkey led the forward line effectively. Their midfield combination of Sheezel, Luke Davies-Uniacke and Tom Powell continues to develop into a dangerous unit.

West Coast remain in rebuild mode and while they showed some improved passages in Round 1 they still struggled to contain opposition ball movement and conceded multiple scoring opportunities, going down to the Gold Coast Suns by 59 points.

Look for North Melbourne to control the clearance game- they ranked 3rd in this measure last season, while West Coast were last. They represent value at the line and if they can deliver quality inside 50 entries their forward line should create enough scoring chances to secure the victory with a stack of scoring options, including Nick Larkey, Cooper Trembath, Cam Zurhaar and Paul Curtis. .

West Coast have lost their past 14 matches with those coming at an average of 48 points
Cooper Trembath has kicked 12 goals from his four AFL matches
Harry Sheezel has had 30+ disposals in his past five macthes, averaging 36 in that period
North Melbourne have averaged 116 points in their past three matches, West Coast have averaged 53

Head to Head Stats

West Coast and North Melbourne met just once last season, with the Round 13 encounter going the way of the Kangaroos by 10 points in Bunbury. The Eagles had their chances but were inaccurate in front of goal. Colby McKercher picked up 35 disposals for the winners, while Paul Curtis booted three goals in a low-scoring match. The Kangas forward has booted seven from his past three matches against the Eagles.

The past eight matches between the two sides have been decided by 15 points or less with the Kangaroos winning two of the past three at Optus Stadium.

West Coast Eagles Form Analysis

The 59-point loss to the Gold Coast marked the Eagles 14th consecutive loss and they are 14-80 since the start of 2024. While they showed patches of resistance, they were unable to sustain pressure for long enough periods to challenge.

From an individual standpoint against the Suns, Harley Reid had some influence around the contest and finished with a team-high 23 disposals, while Jake Waterman booted three goals from limited opportunities.

Structurally, West Coast remain vulnerable in the key contested areas. They have struggled to match opposition sides in clearances and contested possessions, which has allowed opponents to control territory and create repeat inside-50 entries. Until the Eagles can improve their midfield competitiveness and reduce the time the ball spends in their defensive half, they are likely to remain under heavy scoreboard pressure.

West Coast Eagles Team News

Liam Baker and Harry Schoenberg are set to return from suspension, while Bailey Williams is a chance to return from a groin injuries.

The Eagles have a number of their starting 23 on the sidelines, including Jack Graham, Brandon Starcevich and Bailey Williams.

North Melbourne Kangaroos Form Analysis

North Melbourne delivered one of the more impressive performances of Round 1 with a win over Port Adelaide, controlling the contest through the midfield and winning the key contested battles. The Kangaroos were dominant around the ball with 132 contested possessions to 112 and a 40–29 clearance advantage, allowing them to generate consistent territory and forward entries throughout the match.

Harry Sheezel was again central to North Melbourne’s midfield strength, collecting 31 disposals in another influential performance. His form has been exceptional, with the young star now third in the AFL for average disposals across his past 10 matches (31 per game) and ranked first across the past five games. Colby McKercher has also been prolific, sitting 15th in the competition for average disposals across the past 10 matches, giving the Kangaroos strong ball-winning support around the contest.

North Melbourne’s forward line also showed encouraging depth with Nick Larkey booting four goals and Cooper Trembath adding three, while Cameron Zurhaar and Paul Curtis provide additional scoring threats. With the Kangaroos ranking 3rd for clearances in 2025, their ability to win first possession and supply a forward line with multiple options could be a major advantage — particularly against a West Coast side that finished last in the competition for both contested possessions and clearances in 2025.

North Melbourne Kangaroos Team News

George Wardlaw remains close to returning while several depth players are available which keeps their midfield rotation strong.

The Kangaroos have minimal injury concerns and should enter this matchup close to full strength. They are unlikely to make too many changes to the side that defeated the Power.

West Coast Eagles vs North Melbourne Kangaroos Team List

West Coast	POS	North Melbourne
R. Ginbey, T. Young, B. Hough	B	T. Pink, G. Logue, C. Comben
L. Duggan, H. Edwards, L. Baker	HB	F. O’Sullivan, C. Daniel, T. Blamires
H. Davis, E. Yeo, D. Robertson	C	J. Simpkin, T. Powell, D. Stephens
J. Graham, J. Shanahan, W. Duursma	HF	P. Curtis, C. Trembath, J. Konstanty
A. Reid, J. Waterman, J. Cripps	F	C. Zurhaar, N. Larkey, L. Dovaston
M. Flynn, H. Reid, T. McCarthy	FOLL	T. Xerri, L. Davies-Uniacke, H. Sheezel
J. Lindsay, T. Kelly, C. Duff-Tytler, R. Maric, B. Allan, J. Newton, M. Murdoch, H. Schoenberg	I/C	Z. Duursma, C. McKercher, L. McDonald, C. Coleman-Jones, L. Parker, J. Darling, Z. Banch, R. Hansen Jr

West Coast Eagles vs North Melbourne Kangaroos AFL 2026 Round 2 FAQ’s

How to watch West Coast Eagles vs North Melbourne Kangaroos AFL 2026 Round 2?

You can watch the game via Fox Sports or Kayo Sports. Viewers outside Australia can use WatchAFL.

How to buy tickets to West Coast Eagles vs North Melbourne Kangaroos AFL 2026 Round 2?

Tickets can be purchased via the AFL website or the West Coast Eagles official site.

Verdict

West Coast Eagles v North Melbourne Kangaroos

Kangas to cover the line with Trembath on for multiple goals again. Sheezel a lock for 30+ disposals

Handicap +12.5

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