Rarely can there have been such a feel-good factor around a club with just two wins from their opening seven AFL rounds.
But North Melbourne feel they have momentum and morale heading into Sunday's meeting with Sydney.
The Kangaroos shocked all-comers with last weekend's dismissal of league leaders Adelaide.
Shocked everyone but themselves that is, with Roos forward Nathan Hrovat saying coach Brad Scott and his teammates didn't drop their heads after five straight losses.
"The vibe around the club is really great," he said.
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"We were always positive. Even when we were 0-5 the morale was really positive.
"As much as close losses are really hard to deal with, you can take a lot of positives out of them.
"That's the approach Scotty and the coaching staff took to our first month: we're doing so much right, let's clean up the little bits.
"It worked. It flipped for us finally and the last couple of weeks have been really, really enjoyable."
Despite a similar win-loss record, there's a decided lack of good vibrations emanating from Sydney.
The Swans chalked up their first success of the season last Saturday - at home to cellar dwellars Brisbane - and look a shadow of the side that roared to last year's grand final.
Hrovat said he was shocked to see Sydney - who have finished in the top four every year of the 22-year-old's career - in the bottom two.
"I'd be lying if I say I wasn't surprised by their start," he said.
"Knowing Sydney and the club they are they'll turn it around. It's not going to be an easy game for us.
"They're such a quality side and they're just getting some personnel back now that they've been missing.
"Sydney is one of those clubs that always bring hardness around the footy and we need to match it to be in it on Sunday."
Sydney have named an unchanged side from last week's defeat of Brisbane.
Swans talls Kurt Tippett and Gary Rohan have not been brought back into the side despite overcoming injury, with coach John Longmire preferring to see the pair build up their form in the NEAFL.
North Melbourne have made two forced changes.
Sam Durdin will play his second game for the club, recalled alongside fellow youngster Jy Simpkin.
Jarrad Waite (suspension) and Corey Wagner (ankle) will miss the Etihad Stadium match.
