Geelong beware: the AFL's fiercest competitor is burning to put the Kangaroos into a preliminary final.
Brent Harvey looms as North Melbourne's game changer in their Friday night semi-final after completing his three-week spell handed down by the tribunal.
At half-time against Essendon last week, the 382-game veteran faced the prospect of returning from his suspension in round one next year rather than a finals series.
But the Kangaroos' comeback ensured he gets at least one more match in 2014.
After the elimination final, Harvey's team-mates said seeing his face in the rooms was the highlight of their night.
And now the spiritual leader of the Kangaroos' pack, the Boomer, is ready to make his mark again.
"He looks in unbelievable shape," coach Brad Scott said.
"A more driven competitor I haven't come across in my time in footy, and he's got a little bit of extra drive, an extra spring in his step this week.
"We expect him to create havoc."
Harvey is just one of a handful of survivors from North Melbourne's last semi-final win over Hawthorn in 2007.
It proved to be Glenn Archer's last win for the Kangaroos, and until last Saturday night stood as North's last finals victory.
But their stirring win over Essendon has given North Melbourne a platform that Scott is keen to launch from.
"We've got a lot of players who we really rate and probably too many others in the competition do just yet," he said.
"That's mainly because they haven't been playing on the big stage at this time of year.
"You'll see a few players that will enhance their reputations hopefully in the next few weeks.
Sadly for Scott, that won't include Lachlan Hansen or Leigh Adams.
Hansen has managed just one game in the last five, though Scott said he was much better than last week.
"We're still very hopeful he can play a part the rest of this season but he won't play this week." Scott said.
Tenacious forward Leigh Adams has also been ruled out with lingering concussion concerns.
With five straight wins, North Melbourne are the league's form team and hold no fears of the awaiting Cats.
The gap between the two sides' home and away records - Geelong finished with 17-5 and North Melbourne 14-8 - has surely been narrowed by form and fitness.
While the Cats are beset by questions around star midfielder Steve Johnson, Steven Motlop and Allen Christensen and will not have a specialist ruck.
So what will decide the contest?
According to Scott, look to the contested footy.
"Finals always has been, and always will be, about the contest and who's up for it more," he said.
"Who can win more of the footy in the one on one contest.
"That's what we pride ourselves on and that's going to be the focus."
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