Stinear on the shorter week

Yeah probably just with the preparation in the week, it has been a bit different.

There hasn't been a window to do a full main training session, but the group loves footy, so that always helps. They don't have to wait too long to get another game.

Even the Collingwood game, it felt like the second half was really strong and how we wanted to play. The first half, there were some gaps in the way we wanted to play.

To not have to wait too long to get another game and to have a home game, against a strong team that we have good history with. There have been some really good performances here on a Thursday night leading into a Grand Final, so we are hoping to get a big crowd.

I think our group is just happy to keep playing footy and it's a chance for us to get better, against a team that is in form. 

Stinear on Piper Dunlop's form

I think he centre bounce dominance, she said it feels like a layup in basketball.

She has taken to that really quickly and has been able to give us first use. Her communication in there with the mids an connection is continuing to develop.

Then I think around the ground, it has been a work in progress, her aerial skills are continuing to improve.

But from a stoppage perspective, she is building a lot of trust and connection with those mids, just being able to get her hands on it first. But her appetite to learn and evolve has been good. 

Stinear on what they learned about Hawthorn last week

I think the consistency of their pressure and ferocity around the ball.

It was un-North like with some fumbles and errors, I know they had a few changes to their personnel which might have impacted their system. But I think the Hawks took their game away from them, and probably where others have failed in terms of fatigue and dropping away, the Hawks were able to persevere. They finished that last quarter really strongly.

North, who are normally pretty cool, calm, collected and trust they that will get there in the end because they are good enough, the Hawks denied them that opportunity to ever find their rhythm. They really fought the game out well.

So their pressure game is high, they are strong around the contest, they are able to get good territory and I think they back it up with a good intercepting game, with Lucy Wales and Jenna Richardson. The acquisition of Jacqueline Dupuy has helped their contested marking and is giving them another threat, and even Poppy Stockwell is looking quite dangerous at ground level.

We are looking forward to a great battle, and a good chance for us to test ourselves against a really in-form team. 

Stinear on Amy McDonald's potential return

The more consistency we can get with that midfield, even having Piper back in the ruck and Renee Morgan has done a great job over the last couple of weeks as well.

It is turning into a real weapon for us, that midfield unit.

Amy has done a great job, been really diligent with her rehab. The first half that she played against St Kilda was really impressive.

Hopefully she can pick up where she left off, but Ryan Pendlebury is doing a great job with the mids. They are continuing to grow and evolve, as we are as a team.