View source for Kangaroos Won t Target Ex-teammates In Bombers Clash

North Melbourne won't have any extra motivation to beat Essendon recruits Ben McKay and Todd Goldstein when they face their former teammates for the first time, says coach Alastair Clarkson.<br><br>McKay and Goldstein joined Essendon via free agency over the off-season, and have been crucial to their rise this year.<br><br>When asked if that added extra motivation to Sunday's clash at Marvel Stadium, Clarkson said: "No, no, not really.<br><br>"Both of them effectively took advantage of the free agency they were both entitled to and  [https://blueskypixels.co.uk/ bluesky pixels] right to this point, their decisions have been really, really good ones.<br><br>"We're really pleased for both those lads, they made contributions at our footy club and they did the professional thing in a sense, and that's assess their careers, took advantage of the free agency clause that's available to them and opted to go to another club.<br><br>"So whilst we'll be competitors tomorrow, they've been great servants of our footy club and we wish them well."<br><br>Clarkson won't lean into the rivalry between 18th-placed North and third-placed Essendon.<br><br>"Perhaps you would if the two sides were really a lot closer on the ladder," he said.<br><br>"But we want to be strong competitors against any opposition that we play and I don't think there's anything that's in this game that will needle our players to perform any better than what they've been trying over the last nine rounds.<br><br>"So yeah, there might be a little bit in it. But we're not going to be driving it too much."<br><br>Co-captain Jy Simpkin (quad) is "highly unlikely" to return as North ponder a conservative approach to the midfielder and youngster Colby McKercher (foot).<br><br>"He's got a really low-grade strain in a deep muscle in the quad," Clarkson said of Simpkin.<br><br>"It doesn't stop you from being able to run and do most things but to kick full length is the concern for him.<br><br>"We'll see where that lands over the next 24 hours but hopefully we can get him right for next week.<br><br>"We've got a bye coming up, so that's also in our mind with young McKercher as well, he's got a bit of stress in his foot and he's got a history with that from last year. So we just don't want to take a risk with that.<br><br>"We'll just see how he is as well, but with two games before the bye we'll probably look at both he and Jy - if they're no certainty, we'll just hopefully get them right for the second half of the year."<br><br>After playing higher up the ground recently, Harry Sheezel is likely to return to half-back to replace McKercher.