UNDEFEATED North Melbourne could be in for a world of hurt as it faces footy’s toughest fixture for the rest of the 2016 season.

But the high-flying GWS Giants, currently sitting third with an impressive 7-2 record, might be in the box seat for a shock minor premiership, with one of the easiest draws remaining.

With clubs having faced the majority of the rest of the league through nine rounds, Stats Insider has taken a look at every team’s run home and judged them based on the difficulty of their remaining opponents, including each club’s ‘double-up’ opponents (the five teams they play twice in 2016).

It found that the Kangaroos are way out in front of the rest of the AFL for remaining draw difficulty — but not because of their double-ups.

Round 18

SCROLL DOWN TO SEE WHERE YOUR CLUB SITS ON STATS INSIDER’S RUN HOME DIFFICULTY LADDER ...

North Melbourne so far has beaten every side it has played — but it has only faced two current top-eight sides (Adelaide and the Western Bulldogs) while also beating six of the current bottom seven.

The Roos’ easy draw so far just means the rest of their fixture is incredibly tough, with their remaining opponents having an average percentage of 118.25 — the equivalent of facing the Crows every week — and an average win total of just over five.

The next toughest draw based on average percentage belongs to winless Fremantle, which as last year’s minor premiers was given a tough list of double-up opponents. The average percentage of the Dockers’ remaining opponents is 108.9 — the equivalent of facing a side a bit worse than Melbourne every week.

The problem for the Kangaroos is who they haven’t faced yet. They have two games to come against Sydney and Hawthorn, with second clashes with Adelaide, the Western Bulldogs and St Kilda still on the docket.

Brad Scott’s Kangaroos are undefeated and 9-0, but their draw from here is the toughest in the AFL. Source: Getty Images

They’re also yet to face GWS (and won’t until Round 23), Geelong or West Coast — the last of which will be played in Perth.

In contrast, the contenders with the easiest remaining fixtures are the Hawks, Eagles and, especially, the Giants.

GWS was one of the five clubs fortunate enough to draw Fremantle as one of its double-up games — a fixture that looked very tough before the season, but not now.

In fact after a difficult next three weeks, which includes games against the Crows in Adelaide, the Cats in Geelong and Sydney, the Giants play just two more games against current top eight sides: West Coast at Spotless Stadium (Round 21) and North Melbourne in (Round 23).

So if you assume the Giants win all of those games, in which they will be favoured against bottom-10 sides for the rest of the season, 15 wins, remarkably, could already be a near certainty.

Of course, that is a major assumption.

Other interesting facts from Stats Insider’s analysis include:

— 2015 minor premiers Fremantle was supposed to be given the toughest set of double-up opponents and the league did this correctly, with two matches scheduled against the Crows, Giants, Eagles and Bulldogs (as well as Gold Coast).

— Carlton’s surprise resurgence may be helped by its set of double-up opponents (the AFL’s easiest) with the Blues scheduled to face the Magpies, Lions, Saints and Bombers (along with Sydney) in the run home.

— West Coast has the second-easiest set of double-up opponents in the AFL, with tough repeats against Hawthorn and Adelaide. That’ll be balanced out by two games against Fremantle, Brisbane and Collingwood.

— The apparent crisis in Queensland footy could be eased by the fact the Lions and Suns have quite easy draws remaining this season.

DIFFICULTY OF EVERY CLUB’S RUN HOME

With their remaining opponents’ average percentage

1. North Melbourne — 118.24

2. Fremantle — 108.9

3. Collingwood — 108.66

4. Sydney Swans — 107.57

5. Port Adelaide — 106.63

6. Western Bulldogs — 105.16

7. Carlton — 104.36

8. Geelong Cats — 104.32

9. Adelaide Crows — 103.88

10. Melbourne — 103.81

11. Richmond — 103.65

12. Gold Coast Suns — 101.82

13. Essendon — 101.1

14. Hawthorn — 100.94

15. West Coast Eagles — 100.13

16. GWS Giants — 99.46

17. St Kilda — 99.43

18. Brisbane Lions — 97.98

YOUR CLUB’S MOST IMPORTANT RUN OF GAMES LEFT

Adelaide Crows: Sandwiched around the bye in Rounds 12 to 15 are three crucial contests as the Crows travel to Perth to face West Coast then have a week off before hosting North Melbourne and travel to the MCG to face the Demons.

Brisbane Lions: Looking to avoid the wooden spoon, the Lions will be hoping to stay ahead of Fremantle when they host them in Round 12 a week after facing Carlton at Etihad Stadium.

Carlton: The Blues could end the season in fine form as from Round 20 to 23 they square off against St Kilda, Brisbane, Melbourne and Essendon.

Collingwood: Rounds 11 to 15 will prove crucial as the Magpies attempt to continue their resurgence, with games against Port Adelaide, Melbourne, Fremantle and Carlton (all at the MCG) sandwiching the bye.

Essendon: Could the Bombers pinch another win in the next two weeks when they face the up-and-down Tigers then winless Fremantle?

Fremantle: The Dockers’ best chance of a first win for 2016 is certainly over the next three weeks when they clash with St Kilda in Melbourne, Essendon at home and Brisbane at the Gabba.

Geelong Cats: With a top-four spot the goal, games against GWS, North Melbourne and the Western Bulldogs from Round 11 to 13 should prove vital.

Gold Coast Suns: If the Suns are to recover from their current slide, they’ll need to stop the rot between Rounds 16 and 19 with three home games against St Kilda, Brisbane and Fremantle surrounding a tough clash in Cairns against the Bulldogs.

GWS Giants: Rounds 10 to 12 will be crucial as the Giants face the Crows in Adelaide, Cats in Geelong and Swans at Spotless Stadium.

The Giants have a tough run over the next three weeks but from there, it settles down a lot. Source: News Corp Australia

Hawthorn: The Hawks’ draw from here isn’t too bad, with their final three games — North Melbourne at the MCG, West Coast in Perth and Collingwood back at the ‘G — a potential launching pad for their run at a fourth straight flag.

Melbourne: To break into the top eight, the Demons will need to record wins against the teams around them. From Rounds 12 to 15 they have the bye surrounded by games against Collingwood, Sydney and Adelaide.

North Melbourne: There are tough games almost every week from here for North Melbourne, but the next month will show us where the Roos really are when they play Sydney, Richmond, Geelong, Hawthorn and Adelaide in consecutive weeks before the bye.

Port Adelaide: Can the Power break away from the chasing pack and grab a top-eight spot? If it comes down to the end of the season, they may need to win all of their games from Round 21 onwards when they’ll face Melbourne, the Crows and Gold Coast.

Richmond: To be a realistic chance of finals footy (and to not require a miracle run of wins like 2014), the Tigers will be hoping to win every game before the bye. Wins over Essendon, North Melbourne and Gold Coast could set up their season.

St Kilda: The Saints have shown they can be much better than some of the teams below them at times this season. With that in mind they’ll be aiming at three straight wins in Rounds 15 to 17 against Gold Coast, Essendon and Melbourne.

Sydney Swans: Sydney will need to get as much rest as it can during the bye because their three games after it are no cakewalk. The Swans could move into premiership favouritism with wins over the Bulldogs and Hawks at home, as well as a victory down at the Cattery.

West Coast Eagles: The Eagles will either have a perfect tune-up for finals or a disappointing slide into September from Round 21 when they face GWS on the road, host Hawthorn and travel to battle the Crows.

Western Bulldogs: The Dogs’ three games before the bye in Round 14 could prove difficult as they host West Coast, travel to face Port Adelaide and then clash with the Cats.

EVERY CLUB’S DOUBLE UP OPPONENTS FOR 2016

Adelaide Crows: Fremantle, Geelong Cats, North Melbourne, Port Adelaide, West Coast

Brisbane Lions: Carlton, Geelong Cats, Gold Coast Suns, Port Adelaide, West Coast

Carlton: Brisbane Lions, Collingwood, Essendon, St Kilda, Sydney Swans

Collingwood: Carlton, Melbourne, Richmond, West Coast Eagles, Western Bulldogs

Essendon: Carlton, Geelong Cats, Gold Coast Suns, Richmond, St Kilda

Fremantle: Adelaide Crows, Gold Coast Suns, GWS Giants, West Coast Eagles, Western Bulldogs

Geelong Cats: Adelaide Crows, Brisbane Lions, Essendon, GWS Giants, Western Bulldogs

Gold Coast Suns: Brisbane Lions, Essendon, Fremantle, GWS Giants, Melbourne

GWS Giants: Fremantle, Geelong Cats, Gold Coast Suns, Sydney Swans, Port Adelaide

Hawthorn: Melbourne, North Melbourne, Richmond, Sydney Swans, West Coast Eagles

Melbourne: Collingwood, Gold Coast Suns, Hawthorn, Port Adelaide, St Kilda

North Melbourne: Adelaide Crows, Hawthorn, St Kilda, Sydney Swans, Western Bulldogs

Port Adelaide: Adelaide Crows, Brisbane Lions, GWS Giants, Melbourne, Richmond

Richmond: Collingwood, Essendon, Hawthorn, Port Adelaide, Sydney Swans

St Kilda: Carlton, Essendon, Melbourne, North Melbourne, Western Bulldogs

Sydney Swans: Carlton, GWS Giants, Hawthorn, North Melbourne, Richmond

West Coast Eagles: Adelaide Crows, Brisbane Lions, Collingwood, Fremantle, Hawthorn

Western Bulldogs: Collingwood, Fremantle, Geelong Cats, North Melbourne, St Kilda