Both teams sit at 5-1 and are separated by a handful of percentage setting up a great contest.

The Northern Bombers beat the Dockers by 49 points at Aurora Stadium in round 2 but taking on Burnie on their home ground under lights will be a more difficult proposition for the reigning premiers.

They face a second road trip south to play Hobart City the following week setting up a challenging fortnight for the club.

‘‘It’s a massive fortnight and there has been publicity about us not being able to play on smaller grounds and having the luxury of playing on Aurora Stadium so we want to go and send [a message] not only to our supporters but the rest of the football community in Tassie that we can play anywhere,’’ North coach Zane Littlejohn said.

‘‘I think Burnie bring Cameron Cloke in next week as well so that is another hurdle but we know as reigning premiers that there are challenges every week and we set ourselves for those each week and look forward to the challenges as they come.’’

Key defender Andrew Cox-Goodyer made a successful return from a hamstring injury against Launceston on Friday night.

LAUNCESTON has to pick up some battered and bruised bodies after its 119-point loss to North and focus on Lauderdale at Windsor Park on Saturday.

The Blues will celebrate the club’s 140th year as the oldest football club in Tassie, with a Back to Windsor Park day for all past players, members, committee, volunteers and supporters and a president’s luncheon.

The Blues’ young and inexperienced list is on a steep learning curve, which won’t get any easier against fourth-placed Lauderdale.

WESTERN Storm hosts Clarence in a rematch of last year’s preliminary final with both teams enduring vastly different fortunes so far this season.

The Storm sits bottom of the ladder at 0-6 after another heart-breaking loss to Devonport and the Roos are a shadow of their former powerful selves at 1-5 and easily beaten by Glenorchy.

‘‘We would have liked to have won today with a couple of home games against Clarence and Launceston to come where we would have been a fair chance,’’ coach Mitch Hills said after the Devonport loss.

‘‘We just have to take that first step and I think the belief will change and it won’t be too far away but we just have to stick at the task for four quarters and if we do that we can win.’’

Beau Thorp faced a report for attempted striking against Devonport as will Devonport’s Phil Crowden who was red-carded after being reported for striking Storm’s Glenn Dawson.