The second versus third match-up doubles as a potential finals’ preview with plenty on the line for both teams.

‘‘It’s a huge game for our footy club and we want to win it like we do every other game,’’ Littlejohn said.

‘‘We want to give a really good effort and good account of ourselves and send a message because there hasn’t been a lot written about us as a contender again this year.

‘‘It’s been more about Burnie and Glenorchy, which is fine and we don’t mind it that way.’’

Littlejohn said he wanted his side to play their brand of football and show that they can win away from their Aurora Stadium home ground.

‘‘It’s about playing away and playing our style and we don’t want to change or throw out the baby with the bathwater just because we are playing Burnie at West Park,’’ he said.

‘‘We know how we have to play down there and learnt a lot from last time when we went there and to Devonport Oval and North Hobart – there is a lot of publicity about us not being able to win away from home so we want to play a good game and give a good account of ourselves.’’

The Dockers won their last clash at West Park by 29 points in round 7 after jumping out of the blocks in the first quarter and Littlejohn said it would be important for his team to make a better start on Saturday and come with the right mindset.

‘‘They have good players across every line with some talls and rebounding defenders and livewire forwards who can kick goals in a hurry so if we don’t have our mindset right we will be in a lot of trouble.’’

Burnie coach Clinton Proctor said they were excited for a big game and looked forward to the challenge.

‘‘We have some areas we need to improve on from the last time we played and North I think have improved since then and no doubt Zane will be getting into them to see if they will respond from last time they came up here,’’ he said.

Proctor rated their win in wet and trying conditions against Devonport last week as one of their best for the season with the hunger and attack on the contested footy by his players, impressive.

‘‘They’ve got confidence and hopefully they can take that into this week too,’’ he said.

‘‘Defensive pressure is the key to getting a win and North are normally one of the best teams at spreading from the stoppage and their ball movement is probably the best in the competition at speed so we have to be mindful of their numbers and their run and their carry.

‘‘Defensively if we can be there we are a chance – if we’re not they will get on top of us.’’