Thorp is set to return from an ankle injury that has sidelined him since round 1 for the big clash and has his coastal Magpies sitting second on the ladder with a 3-1 record, the same as North in third, but ahead by a handful of percentage.

The Northern Bombers will be boosted for the clash by the return of Chris Tarrant for his second game with the club this season and veteran Allan O'Sign should be a definite starter coming back from a calf injury.

But they face the prospect of being without key defender Andrew Cox-Goodyer who left the field in the third quarter against Western Storm and did not return.

"Cox-Goodyer has a problem just behind his knee and we're not sure what it is at the minute but we will have it assessed early in the week and make a judgment call there," Littlejohn said.

"With the evenness of the competition wins are important at this time of the year and you don't need to be playing your best footy you just need to be getting the wins and we're ticking them off now and sitting 3 and 1 going into another important game next week against Devonport.

"That is a really good challenge for us and we understand every week is a challenge for us.

"We've got some players now who should have some confidence in what they can do and it's just about them learning and continuing to focus on their roles and if we have our 22 contributors we believe we can compete in any game."

WESTERN STORM faces a road trip South to play Hobart City still searching for its first win of the season.

The Storm was again in a position to win the game against North Launceston but failed to go on with it and missed three shots for goal in the final quarter that proved crucial in a close contest.

In other games, Launceston also faces a difficult road trip to play undefeated ladder-leader Glenorochy at KGV, Clarence travels to West Park to play Burnie after its loss to the Tigers who take on Lauderdale.