It isn't often a team sitting 15th on the table goes into a game as favourites against a side currently finals-bound.
But Port Adelaide's impressive win on Saturday night and doughty form in 2026 contrasted with North Melbourne's unconvincing winning over lowly sides has the Power in that position on Sunday.
It's hidden away in the 4.40pm timeslot and with the AFL finally returning to a full suite of games this weekend, it does not jump off the page as one of the most captivating watches.
But it's a crucial game for North Melbourne to stay in touch with the top 10.
North Melbourne opened the season with a 46-point win over Port Adelaide but that has proven an anomaly performance for the Power who have competed in just about every game since.
The point of greatest intrigue will be how North Melbourne fare against star Power midfield duo Zak Butters and Jason Horne-Francis.
The Kangaroos have been lauded as an improving midfield in 2026, spearheaded by Luke Davies-Uniacke, All Australian contender Harry Sheezel and his right hand man George Wardlaw, and the ruck pairing of Tristan Xerri and Cooper Trembath.
But no team in Wildcard Round contention has been as vulnerable to star midfielders running amok – and Port Adelaide have one of the best midfield one-two punches in the competition.
Harley Reid, Lachie Neale, Toby Greene, playing predominantly as a midfielder, Max Holmes, Jordan Dawson and Luke Jackson have all gotten a hold of the Roos' midfield and dominated proceedings.
It has hurt North Melbourne's ability to compete with the very best sides and neutralising the very best players, whether through tagging or quelling them as a group is a must.
Both players sit in the top 12 of the coaches votes despite Port Adelaide's poor win-loss record, routinely taking it up to the best in the competition as a complementary pairing.
Finn O'Sullivan has shown he is capable of negating, doing so earlier in the season against Zach Merrett and performing the role on multiple occasions last year, but as he continues to develop his offensive punch, is asking him to negate robbing Peter too much to pay Paul?
Butters is in career-best form as he puts contract talk on the backburner and Horne-Francis has averaged 23 disposals and five clearances.
“It's more about like appreciating how competitive, how driven, how connected to the team that that he is, with all this stuff going on, all this noise around that he just loves celebrating his teammates' successes as well,” Port Adelaide midfield coach Hamish Hartlett told media on Wednesday of Butters.
“And the incredible competitive nature that he plays a game with is something that's actually just extraordinary to watch every week, so we just really appreciate that.”
The Power midfield is coming off its best performance of the season in the showdown, winning clearances by 20 and contested possessions by six, stymying Adelaide's top four push.
“We definitely planned well, and a lot of the time, at training Monday to Friday, we train with one less player at stoppage, so the boys are in a more 50/50 defensive mindset,” Hartlett said.
“And I reckon on the weekend we went in with that mindset and attitude around the contest. The boys hung into the battle for a little bit longer and were able to get some good results off the back of it, and a lot of that also came on the back of Sweety's dominance as well, in around the footy was outstanding, he had a great game for us.”
If the Kangaroos are to be true September contenders, beating Port Adelaide is a must and it poses as a critical
The following week, the Roos will be tested by a Pies midfield spearheaded by Nick Daicos.
Nullifying the game's best will be a critical element in a season-defining fortnight for Alastair Clarkson's troops.
