For the first time, flag-chasing North Melbourne will head into an AFLW meeting with the Brisbane Lions as the favourites.
Having lost to the Lions in every match since their first in 2021, the unbeaten Kangaroos are looking to flip the script at Launceston's UTAS Stadium on Sunday.
“There's probably always been the big three in Adelaide, Melbourne, and Brisbane,” North Melbourne stalwart Emma Kearney told AAP on Friday.
“We've got a really good test this weekend to see if we can knock off one of those big three, which we haven't really been able to do before."
The Kangaroos sit at the top of the ladder thanks to a mammoth percentage, buoyed by a 60-point drubbing of Carlton in round two, but face a stern test against the 2021 premiers.
Kearney, who has captained the side since their 2019 debut, is not shy about North Melbourne's sky-high ambitions.
“Sometimes teams are scared about talking about why they're in the competition," she said.
“We want to win a flag, and we feel like we can win the premiership, so there’s no denying that.”
Brisbane captain Bre Koenen is not expecting an easy ride against the Roos.
“You'd be silly going into any game against them thinking they're going to be anything close to easy,” she told AAP.
“I don't think you can look back on too much of our history and rely on any of that.
“We'd love to keep the winning streak (against North Melbourne) going but it's a totally different circumstance.
“They're undefeated so they've got to be really well respected.”
The Lions head into the match without key forward Dakota Davidson, who has been handed a one-match ban for a dangerous tackle on Sydney's Brenna Tarrant last round.
Davidson has stood up in a Lions forward line missing former stars Jesse Wardlaw (now St Kilda) and Greta Bodey (Hawthorn), kicking eight goals across the opening three matches.
Greater Western Sydney captain Alicia Eva, Geelong star Julia Crockett-Grills and Carlton's Gen Lawson-Tavan are among the players also suspended for rough conduct.
The 16th-placed Giants have had a horror 0-3 start to the season and life is likely get harder when they go head-to-head with unbeaten Adelaide on Saturday without Eva.
Second-placed Melbourne get the weekend's AFLW action under way when they defend their 100 per cent start to the season against Hawthorn, who are 11th, at Frankston on Friday evening.
Port Adelaide host Geelong and Carlton take on Richmond on Saturday.
Bottom of the ladder West Coast will continue the search for an elusive first win when they take on Sydney at Henson Park on Sunday, while new St Kilda recruit Steph Chiocci goes up against her former side Collingwood.
Essendon welcome Fremantle to Windy Hill in a mid-table clash, while fourth-placed Gold Coast complete the round-four action against a Western Bulldogs side looking to bounce back from last weekend's 42-point thumping by Melbourne.
