North Melbourne coach David Noble has admitted his side's competitive edge is perhaps behind where the club had held expectation for the start of the 2022 season.
The Kangaroos endured their fifth loss for the year against Geelong on Sunday, falling to the top-eight contenders by 60 points, their third defeat of 10 goals or more in the past month.
A 1-5 record coupled with a percentage of just 60.6 from their six matches has Noble's Roos placed last on the ladder and likely to extend their four-game losing streak.
Speaking after their Round 6 loss to the Cats, Noble said his side are battling to find consistency on a weekly basis.
"We feel like we're trying to guide the players through this portion of where we're at, in an understanding of how to play the game," he said.
"We've got to get better at competing on a more regular and consistent basis. The fundamental principle is that you've got to bring that level of competitiveness.
"That's something that I think the players haven't brought as much as what we thought they would in that energy and intensity consistently.
"It fluctuates, and when we get it we're okay and we can hold our own. But being able to then observe some of the pressure that opposition give to you and use that, that's probably where we're at."
The Roos will face Carlton, Fremantle, Port Adelaide, Melbourne and St Kilda in their next five rounds, potentially seeing them with 10 losses after Round 11.