North Melbourne begged for the big stage. On Good Friday, they must prove they belong

April 2, 2026 — 10:45am

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North Melbourne pleaded to be on this stage, now’s the time for them to prove they deserve to be there.

Carlton and their embattled coach Michael Voss might be under the microscope this week after Sunday’s fadeout against Melbourne, but it’s the Roos who have the most to prove on Good Friday.

This was a day long considered too sacred for football, until the Roos convinced the AFL they could turn it into a worthy occasion – a boutique blockbuster at Marvel Stadium, and a central point of Good Friday Appeal fundraising.

Unlike the Blues, who are so familiar with being in the spotlight – good and bad – the Roos are often pushed to the margins of the fixture. They craved a day when they were the centre of attention, and they deserve to have it.

Alas, they have so far wilted under the spotlight.

A win over St Kilda in 2018 is all they’ve got to show from a decade’s worth of Good Friday games, and along the way they’ve suffered some almighty thrashings, including last year’s 82-point loss to Carlton.

Alastair Clarkson’s team has a chance to atone for that result against the under-siege Blues on Friday. But more importantly it’s an opportunity for Zane Duursma, Finn........

© Brisbane Times