North Melbourne are without Ben McKay and probably Griffin Logue but are confident they can find a way to cut ominous Carlton duo Harry McKay and Charlie Curnow down to size.
The Blues' towering pair of Coleman medallists are expected to play a key role when Carlton (2-1-0) take on the undersized Kangaroos (2-1) in their Good Friday match at Marvel Stadium.
Ben McKay (foot) remains sidelined, meaning if the Blues and Kangaroos don't make and face-off in finals, he and twin brother Harry will notch a comical seven seasons since their 2017 debuts without playing each other.
Harry has played North Melbourne twice in 73 games, while Ben has faced Carlton twice in 52 appearances, but they have never featured in the same game.
Logue has received a one-match suspension for a high bump on Hawthorn's Will Day, which he will challenge at the AFL tribunal.
Regardless of whether Logue is successful, midfielder Ben Cunnington was confident North could handle McKay and Curnow.
"It is a test but I believe last year with McKay we didn't have a couple of our key defenders and I think (Aiden Bonar) and (Aidan) Corr, or a couple of our smaller defenders, actually did not a bad job," he told reporters.
"So whatever happens at appeal we'll back-in our system and go from there."
Curnow has booted 10 goals across the first three rounds while McKay has just two.
Defender Sam Docherty was confident the Blues could maximise their twin towers.
"The pleasing thing is we're getting the shots on goal and we're getting the ball inside 50, and the efficiency around that is just where we need to improve," Docherty said after they kicked 9.20 against GWS.
"If we improve that, we'll score a lot more."
Jy Simpkin will return from suspension while Cunnington was optimistic star midfielder Luke Davies-Uniacke (corked calf) would play after he was a late withdrawal from North Melbourne's loss to Hawthorn.
Meanwhile, Carlton winger Blake Acres will front the tribunal to challenge a one-match ban for a high bump on the Giants' Brent Daniels.
The 'Superclash' match helps raise funds for the Royal Children's Hospital Good Friday Appeal.
Docherty and Cunnington have experienced the hospital system through their respective testicular cancer battles.
They are both in remission but said becoming fathers had accentuated the importance of the work undertaken by the children's hospital.
"Ben and I didn't get to play against each other last year," Docherty said.
"To be able to play on a big occasion against each other - I've been quietly hoping neither of us got injured in the first few rounds this year and make it through this week. It's a great occasion."
