Where and when: Marvel Stadium, Saturday, July 13, 4.35pm AEST

TV, radio and online: Click here for broadcast guide



What it means for Essendon: The Bombers have won four of their last five games and are on a roll. They won ugly last week against Sydney, grinding out a win at the MCG, and could go a long way to extinguishing North's faint finals hopes with a win this week.

What it means for North Melbourne: Rhyce Shaw's charmed run at the helm of the Kangaroos has continued to keep the Roos within a chance of making the finals. Already a win outside of the top eight, the Roos can't afford a slip-up to grab a spot in September.

The stat: Essendon is aiming for a century this week. The Bombers have won 99 VFL/AFL games against North Melbourne since it entered the VFL in 1925.

The match-up: Zac Clarke is heading Essendon's injury-hit ruck division and struggled last week against Sydney. He will face North Melbourne's Todd Goldstein, who is ranked the third best ruckman in the competition (and overall the 15th best player) in the Official AFL Player Ratings.

It's a big week for: Ben Cunnington. The hard-nosed Roos midfielder has the capacity to be the difference between the sides given his brute strength around the ball. Essendon, which doesn't have a big-bodied equivalent, will need to clamp down on Cunnington.

Big call: Shaun McKernan again proves the difference between the sides, backing up his four-goal effort last year with two late goals to seal Essendon's win.

Prediction: Essendon by 17 points