North Melbourne captain Adam Simpson says his team needs to be prepared for the possibility of a hostile reception from the Carrara crowd in Saturday night's AFL clash with West Coast.

The Kangaroos turned down an offer to relocate to the Gold Coast last year, but are still required to play three home games on the tourist strip in 2008.

But whether or not the crowd back the `Roos, Simpson still believed his team would have a home ground advantage against the struggling Eagles.

Last year, the Kangaroos won three of their four matches at Carrara.

"We'll have to cop it - if they boo us, they boo us, but we're not too worried about it," Simpson said on Tuesday.

"We still think it's a pretty good advantage for us to play up there.

"West Coast haven't played up there, we know the ground, the hotel, the facilities, it's a bit like the Canberra atmosphere as well."

Only 1,000 tickets had been sold for the match by the close of business Monday, although Simpson said North had plenty of experience of playing in front of small crowds in previous seasons at Manuka Oval in Canberra.

"Once the game starts, you really are oblivious to what the crowd is," Simpson said.

A new Gold Coast team is expected to enter the AFL in 2011.

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