"It's only JLT" is an all too common phrase heard when assessing the form of different teams heading into a new season, and that's fair.
Coaches are hesitant to reveal too much of a game plan too early and players are often just seeking match fitness and regaining touch, rather than focusing on pressure and contested footy.
But for Brad Scott's men -- who many tip are a good chance to rise back into the eight after acquiring some mature talent in the offseason -- there's some alarming stats which need attention heading into the Kangaroos' first-round meeting with Fremantle at Optus Stadium.
According to Champion Data, North Melbourne by far had the worst defensive efficiency of any team in the league during the JLT series. This is measured by tallying how many points are conceded for every 50 minutes the ball is in a team's defensive half.
Throughout JLT, North allowed a staggering 118.9 points for every 50 minutes the ball was in their defensive half. That's up from 82.6 points (ranked ninth) from their 2018 premiership campaign, while -- and possibly most worryingly -- that's almost 20 points worse off than last year's leakiest defence; in 2018 St Kilda averaged a defensive efficiency of 99.6 points.
What this means is, if the Roos' opposition can move the ball into their own forward half, they're more likely to score and score heavily, with limited pressure on the forwards and ball carriers.
North Melbourne also allowed the most marks inside 50 of any team throughout JLT, giving up 19 per match, up from 11.5 (ranked 11th) in the 2018 home and away season.
In addition, North were comfortably ranked 18th in JLT for both scores and goals allowed per inside 50. The Roos gave up a score on 58.5 percent of their opposition's inside 50s (compared to 42.7 percent in 2018) and gave up a goal on 36.2 percent of their opposition's inside 50s (compared to 22.3 percent in 2018).
With Scott Thompson (suspension) and Majak Daw (injury) both set to be missing Round 1 and major queries about best 22 defenders Robbie Tarrant (shoulder) and Marley Williams (calf), it all adds up to worrying signs in the lead up to the new season.
Yes of course, "it's only JLT" and no doubt Brad Scott wouldn't have wanted his side to give away too many tricks too early, but the ease of which the Kangaroos conceded scores during the preseason isn't ideal for a side with finals aspirations, and must be fixed if the Roos are to improve on their ninth-place finish from 2018.