David King says North Melbourne can’t afford to let Adelaide set the pace in Saturday’s final

ADELAIDE coach Don Pyke feels the need, the need for speed. And if that’s how the elimination final is played North Melbourne is in massive trouble, says DAVID KING.

Rory Sloane of the Crows.

DON Pyke even looks like Tom Cruise — Maverick — and he certainly feels the need for speed as the Adelaide Crows rely heavily on fluent, high-octane ball movement to score.

When Maverick gets the Crows’ game going, it’s high-quality football.

Only Geelong and the West Coast Eagles have stymied their ball movement as they virtually play leapfrog in the midzone of the ground, from the defensive half into back-leading forwards, generally charging towards goal into space.

Brad Scott’s blueprint for success must involve denying the Crows their fast play.

It’s created a scoring bonanza and is clearly a unique style unrivalled in 2016.

The North Melbourne Football Club would certainly want the previous month over again but this match-up presents opportunity if, and it’s a big if, the Kangaroo midfielders come with a defensive intensity seldom witnessed in 2016.

Brad Scott’s blueprint for success must be evident early and certainly must involve denying the Crows their fast play.

Could Drew Petrie play as a loose man in the defensive half and guard the open paddock in the Crows’ forward 50? The luxury of two weeks to plan tactics must be the difference in this final if the Kangaroos are to continue in September.

If there is any speed in this game the Crows could win by 10 goals, but if Ben Cunnington, Jack Zeibell and Andrew Swallow can control the clearances and exit with patience and surety — not hacked kicks — then they can threaten.

If not then the turnover game will become the Crows’ cash cow.

The Kangaroos average +5 points from stoppages against their fellow finalists — only Hawthorn is poorer — but can someone wake Todd Goldstein from his slumber? A special performance is required, circa 2015, for the Roos to have stoppage ascendancy.

North Melbourne must deny Adelaide the fast break players like Charlie Cameron love. Picture: Sarah Reed

Eddie Betts is one of the game’s toughest match-ups, a small who can mark over a pack let alone his head. Eddie can crumb a loose ball or lead from the goalsquare — basically, he’s a defender’s nightmare.

Scott Thompson will have sleepless nights preparing himself for Eddie with 12 goals and countless assists from his past five matches against North Melbourne. Betts is always on the move.

Rory Sloane is a huge inclusion for a midfield that lacks depth but requires Rory’s leadership.

Brodie Smith took 6-8 weeks post-concussion last season to get his mojo back and his status as the AFL’s No. 1 score involvement player from the defensive half

The Crows need more from their captain Taylor Walker, who has kicked just nine goals in his past seven games, including four against the struggling Brisbane Lions.

The Crows loomed as flag favourites after winning 12 of their previous 13 games but the Round 23 loss to the West Coast uprooted everything.

Why can’t they win four games in succession and claim the premiership?

The true effect of the Kangaroos’ “disconnect-four” who were sacked prior to Round 23 will be realised tonight.

Can they impact after all the turmoil and emotional toll? If Nick Dal Santo wants to play on next season then tonight is the perfect audition for any prospective suitor.

Can Brent Harvey sign off a magnificent career with a finals series to remember? After a 21-year career and an equal career-high goal tally of 36 this season, he must hit the scoreboard again.

Boomer realises that this could be the very last AFL game. Game number 432. Say it isn’t so.

The Kangaroos need to see more scenes like this of Jack Ziebell. Picture: Colleen Petch

KEEP YOUR EYE ON

1. Captaincy handover? Cometh the hour, cometh the man. Jack Zeibell will be next year’s North Melbourne skipper but tonight he must guide “his team” to victory. Has only kicked more than two goals once this season, way back in Round 4. Tonight would be a good time.

2. Daniel Talia mustn’t allow what happened against Josh Kennedy last weekend or Ben Brown will kick five! Talia was like a caravan, towed all over the Adelaide Oval, particularly inside the Eagles’ forward 50m.

JONATHAN BROWN SAYS

ROBBIE Tarrant was as stiff as a post to miss out on All-Australian selection and must shut down “Tex” Walker if the Kangas are any chance.

Big Tex has a Wayne Carey-like presence and is the biggest influence on his team in finals matches. We saw that last year in that cracking clash at the MCG against the Bulldogs.

Tarrant must prepare for four quarters of absolute, maximum concentration. Tex has shown he can ignite his team in five minutes, sometimes late in quarters, but Robbie has the size, speed and power to go with him.

The question mark will be whether he can maintain the job for the entire game, and if he does make a mistake or Tex gets the better of him in a situation, to quickly move on and get back to business.

Robbie Tarrant tracks Taylor Walker. Picture: Sarah Reed

If the big, key forwards with presence get a sniff of weakness in an opponent, they lift, and Tex has those qualities in spades.

There’s no real mystery to what Robbie has to do. He’s got to make Walker earn every ball at every contest and he’s got to keep his feet.

That’s what Tex is very good at. He’s strong in a contest but he recovers as well as anyone.

He’s the best handball for a key forward in the game. He sets up a lot of goals through lightening-quick hands after recovering a ground ball.

Tarrant can’t put all his eggs in the spoiling basket, because when you’re playing on Tex, that’s only half the job.

He’ll have to fist the ball, then recover and negate his ground-level influence.

It will also require constant niggling and body pressure. He can’t allow Tex to set up the Crows’ play all night and have that commanding presence to direct his teammates into spots.

He needs to take Tex’s attention away from being the traffic cop.

Adelaide get so much energy from Walker’s play, and if he has a dirty night North Melbourne could on their way to an epic upset.