ADELAIDE coach Brenton Sanderson is steeling himself for a midfield battle against North Melbourne on Sunday, a side he rates much higher than its 13^th place on the ladder.

While his own team boasts names like Patrick Dangerfield, Scott Thompson, Rory Sloane and Sam Jacobs, he said the list of young Kangaroos was also impressive.

"They're a good side, they structure up really well, they've got a good balance of inside young midfielders; (Jack) Zielbell, (Ben) Cunnington, of course (Andrew) Swallow their captain and plus (Daniel) Wells and (Brent) Harvey outside," Sanderson said.

"I like their rucks too, we've seen Majak Daw's just brilliant but very raw and (Todd) Goldstein we certainly rate as well.

"It'll be a great midfield battle this week, we'll see two young midfields go head to head."

Sanderson hinted that one of the youngest of Adelaide's midfielders, Brad Crouch, would spend another week on the sidelines despite an impressive performance with West Adelaide in the SANFL last weekend.

"It'll be a tough one, I still wouldn't mind seeing him play one more for 'Westies'," he said of the 19 year-old.

The coach declared key forward Josh Jenkins a certain starter, admitting he "dodged a bullet" last weekend against St Kilda when he hyperextended his knee. Jenkins escaped injury and Sanderson said the incident was a carbon copy of the way Taylor Walker suffered a ruptured ACL.

Playing the luckless Kangaroos this weekend, Sanderson said the side's string of narrow losses could work in its favour on Sunday, providing added motivation rather than frustration.

They've lost three games this season by less than a goal, including their post-siren loss last weekend to West Coast.

"North have been really unlucky with some of their results…they could easily be in the top four and I really mean that," he said.

"It can motivate you even more (narrow losses).

"It would have been a long flight back [from Perth] for them coming back from that loss."

Sanderson wasn't fazed by Adelaide's Etihad Stadium hoodoo, choosing to focus on his own record as coach at the ground rather than that of those before him.

"The report this week was one win from 10 [at the ground], in my history it's one out of two, so 50 per cent's a bit better than 10 per cent," he joked.

"In my short history here we're 50 per cent, which is not too bad."