Preview Changes v Hawthorn - Marvel Stadium, Sun 21 April 4:00pm

[Amicalola]

It could just be that we've gone up against some bloody good top-shelf teams and haven't had room to breathe.

In fact, it feels like since the first half against Freo, we haven't really felt like we could play our style.

I don't like this argument. Yes we should probably be losing, but getting consistently belted (yes once happens sometimes) is unacceptable against any teams. And if you think that's unreasonable, the other bottoms teams have certainly managed it thus far. West Coast's fixture was, until this week, almost as hard as ours, but I haven't heard them whinging about it. I've heard them getting excited as they manage to stay in games against much stronger opposition through willpower and effort. They've fought through the adversity of a shit fixture to improve every week, where we have regressed according to my eye test, and to the margins.

Yesterday they proved the fighting spirit matters by finally smashing another lower team when presented the opportunity. Even if we beat Hawthorn, I doubt it will be a dominant performance like that, because in our tough game we haven't earned it. That's what worries me.

 

[Gasometer]

Mean no offence mate. New here and dont post often but I go to most home games and am hurting to.

No probs. I just read wat I wrote and thought it was smart arsey. Sorry, play on

 

[Possession]

Will be attending, of course, but I'm fully expecting a loss and that mindset is just not sitting right with me. Probably need an honest break from footy if things do go south on Sunday, especially if Ginnivan gets off the chain lol. Leaving Marvel when it's dark out on a Sunday, truly I'll be home.

I want to see Sheezel in the middle and delivering into 50 more now. Carefully chip away at the senior rot some more. Bring Phillips in, the midfield setup is just not working for whatever reason so it might as well get an injection of fresh blood. Drury is proving himself, Chom is superb, Biggie keep it up. The young guys keep me watching.

 

[roos_fanatic08]

Out: Kerch (inj), Stephens (until he learns to be physical), Corr (dud), Mcdonald (dud) and Duursma (rest, he looked tired)

In: Phillips, Archer, Dawson, Lazz, Zurhaar.

B: Archer, Comben, Biggie
HB: Sheezel, Dawson, Fisher
C: Scott, Phillips, Tucker
HF: Ford, Larkey, Drury
F: Curtis, Sellers, Zurhaar
Foll: Xerri, Powell, LDU
Int: Lazz, Greenwood, Simpkin
Sub: Stephenson

 

[Groucho]

Don’t care , not interested just like our playing group….

Yoos mad?

 

[disco_cowboy]

i know everyone would have this game circled on their calendar but I don't see a win this weekend.

It's not that we can't - it's just that we won't.

Not enough confidence after 5 very disappointing games.

 

[HBFlanker]

Our seasons starts at 4pm on Sunday.

Nothing up to this point matters apart from the blokes who have improved (Sheezel, Comben, Wardlaw, Powell, Xerri, Curtis, Ford)

Phillips has to play. He simply has to.

Out: Mckercher, Sellers, Stephens
In: Phillips, Stephenson, Hardeman

B: Mcdonald Comben Corr
HB: Fisher Nyoun Sheezel
C: Tucker LDU Scott
HF: Stephenson Duursma Ford
F: Drury Larkey Curtis

FO: Xerri Powell Wardlaw
INT: Simpkin, Hardeman, Greenwood, Phillips
Sub: Lazzaro

Mcdonald/Hardeman - Ginnivan
Mcdonald/Hardeman - D.Moore
Corr - Connor Mcdonald
Tucker - Amon (Hard Tag)
Ford - Sicily

I back us in everywhere else

 

[harper2bastinac]

if ever there was a game where this club needed to come out with their backs against it and make a statement, this is it.
No more losing to clubs who should be around the same level as them.

Move the magnets around, Phillips, bring him in, fisher, Scott, move them up the ground, put someone down back who can actually defend.
No more of this nonsense where average players kick bags against us

In- Phillips, zurhaar (if fit), archer
Out- greenwood, sellars, mckercher (inj)

Last, and I mean last warning for Stephens and tucker, both have struggled this year but will give them a chance against an inexperienced opponent

 

[Rooniversity]

Perversely, I'm looking forward to going to the game on Sunday; curious to see how we'll respond to yesterday. If there's no response or even a slight improvement I'll rethink this strategy

 

[Fruity33]

What I would like:

Out: LMac, Corr, Stephens, Tucker, McKercher (inj)
In: Zurhaar, Phillips, Archer, Hardeman, Dawson (if fit)

What will happen knowing our selectors:

Out: Sellers, McKercher (inj)
In: Zurhaar (if fit), Sleevo.

 

[cybercrab]

Out: Colby (inj), Duursma (rested), McDonald (omitted), Fisher (omitted)
In: Zurhaar, Phillips, K. Dawson/Archer, George/Hardeman

Sub should be Stephens or Tucker, please play Bailey on the wing I'm begging you

 

[Only Forwards]

What I'd like to see:
Out: corr, mcdonald, Stephens, mckercher (inj) greenwood, tucker
In: Archer, k. dawson, hardeman, George, Zurhaar, Phillips

Fb Archer comben nyuon
Hb Sheezel k. Dawson hardeman
C Scott Powell Fisher
R Xerri ldu simpkin
Hf Ford sellers zurhaar
Ff Curtis larkey wardlaw
Int Drury, Phillips, George, Duursma
Sub lazzaro

Hawthorn forward line won't be as tall biggy could relief ruck or Zurhaar. Wardlaw starting in the pocket as the pressure forward and to give simpkin more middle opportunity.

can't see this happening however out of all the ins either Archer or hardeman need to come into the side to get at least scott back onto the wing.

I can gert behind most of this.

I doubt Jacko comes in for McDonald. I can't see us doing that.

I would also keep Greenwood in for George.

 

[Hearts to hearts]

It’s not like we don’t love North

It’s just close to impossible to see any direction the club is going or trying to go down and the players definitely feel that way too as you can see it on the ground

JHF leaving only after one year and saying we are awful, the racism investigation, TT drama and getting fired just to be picked up by cats months later (our players loved him but must have been so disappointed in him), the media absolutely despises us and almost ignores us into irrelevancy (which is done deliberately) and much more

Even if you’re at the club and belief the path we’re going towards, after a while it gets tiring because the more we stay like this, this young, influential group players will start being like “hang on, was JHF actually right? Are we that s**t he had to leave? Hang on why is TT happy to play at Geelong but not put on the north jumper and respect us? Why does everyone bloody hate our Clarko? Is he who we think he is? And the doubts and lack of winning goes on and on and on

I know this sounds whiney and tbh I wish this would and has galvanised this group in the past, hell we used to perform under severe diversity, we used to only win after a horrible loss. You can see it at bombers with Brad RN (old habits never die lol) but this is unfortunately the reality I think we as fans and the footy club is rn.

But these are young players. Underdeveloped and lack of experience with leaders that haven’t had that success in a very long time either so it’s a double edged sword

Everywhere they look it’s just we must be s**t and tbh on the field they have accepted it or started to believe the s**t themselves. Doubt spreads like a disease.

The only time I seen us play a good style for a while, was Shaw, I know it isn’t sustainable, blah blah, but can someone tell me what team that doesn’t apply fierce pressure every game and go to win a GF? No weak team on defence wins finals, that’s crap. Plenty of teams do it week in week out, but the players, the fans, the leaders are accepting mediocrity

We need HOPE, like when Clarko came to the club but unfortunately it hasn’t happened at all due to the above reasons, and due to the group’s vulnerability and youth they just don’t trust it. And tbh I don’t blame em.

What do we do? Easiest thing is to take our emotion out the game because at the end of the day it’s just that. We got families, friends, work, maybe kids etc it’s just not that important but keep in mind we will always support them and never switch. We are just passionate fans at the end of the day.

this whole fluffy positive stuff just ain’t working and tbh it just makes me not want to watch the bullshit! and it comes from the top. Not naming names but I’m sorry something ain’t right. We have to start questioning Todd, Rawlings, Sonja, Clarko including the players but will change make a difference? Probably not, and that’s the uninspiring part, I personally just don’t care either way haha

Lets talk and more action 10 wins in 87 games

TT got drafted by Geelong? When did that happen? Or is this a mix of reality and misery based on forecasts and guesswork?

 

[Only Forwards]

TT got drafted by Geelong? When did that happen? Or is this a mix of reality and misery based on forecasts and guesswork?

88 games puts it to the start of the 2020 season.

Since then we have:

• shifted on 50+ players (someone did the actual math a few days ago, I am not gonna rehash that, but it is more than 50)
• replaced pretty much the entire football department, twice
• replaced CEO and President

Yet this is all talk?

What more action is there?

Sack everyone again?

Why not just burn Arden st to the ground, that'll show em.

This joint is doom spirals on doom spirals.

 

[Horizons_00]

TT got drafted by Geelong? When did that happen? Or is this a mix of reality and misery based on forecasts and guesswork?

My bad, he hasn't but its the premise of it. I read a article that Cats have definitely contacted TT or his manager and now the media have all of a sudden shifted their opinion on TT. When TT was at North he was the devil, now as he maybe go to another club the whole vibe has changed. The players are no doubt absorbing this all even if they don't delve into the media much.

Its the overall doubt that is at our club ATM and unfortunately we as fans can only just rock up to games still, support them still, but just take the emotion out of it because we all have our own lives to live. Even myself its unhealthy to put in so much emotion when its the same shit over and over again lol

Call me negative, call me miserable, but its fine hahaha we cant be shit forever but we cant ignore our reality as we see it today.

 

[Engimal v3]

Huge game. Time to stop the bleeding.

 

[Whereitallbegan]

Wouldn't be surprised if Luke asked to be traded, certainly doesn't look impressed or invested ATM.

If LMac wants to go, I’ll be first there helping clean his locker out, we couldn’t get that lucky, surely!

 

[Whereitallbegan]

Lose to Hawthorn and it is still R6. Last I checked the spoon isn’t given out a quarter of the way through the season. i

Just remember, our club has been the trailblazers for the AFL for decades now, if they want to try something new, we put our hands up for it and when it works they take it off us.
This handing out of the wooden spoon early in the season is something we’re cherry ripe for I’d say. All we can hope for, is that the AFL like the concept and take it off us for next season

 

[RossHenshaw]

Guaranteed the AFL (umpires) this week vs the Hawks will find & pay “all” of the too high free kicks for Jack Ginnivan

 

[TheKanga]

Looking at the Hawks backline still very experienced mostly all 100+ gamers

We will need to be at our best to win
Freo first half X2
If Sellers plays, he will need to hit the scoreboard.

 

[Cool Kangas]

Will be attending, of course, but I'm fully expecting a loss and that mindset is just not sitting right with me. Probably need an honest break from footy if things do go south on Sunday, especially if Ginnivan gets off the chain lol. Leaving Marvel when it's dark out on a Sunday, truly I'll be home.

I want to see Sheezel in the middle and delivering into 50 more now. Carefully chip away at the senior rot some more. Bring Phillips in, the midfield setup is just not working for whatever reason so it might as well get an injection of fresh blood. Drury is proving himself, Chom is superb, Biggie keep it up. The young guys keep me watching.

Yeah ginni will get 6 hahah

 

[shinboner_99]

Nyoun to CHF. If we're going to belt it in high he'll at least get it to ground.

 

[big_e]

I agree wholeheartedly with this.

This is the season to trade our draft picks for 100~ game, 22-25 year olds with some genuine class and composure.

Exact opposite, for mine.

The guys to have played at AFL level this year that have previously been on an AFL list:

Greenwood, Shiels, Corr, Tucker, Fisher, Stephenson, Stephens, Coleman-Jones, Pink, Nyuon

The guys to have played at AFL level this year, aged 25 and younger, who were drafted by NMFC:

McKercher, Duursma, Wardlaw, Sheezel, Ford, Curtis, Powell, Comben, Scott, Davies-Uniacke, Zurhaar, Xerri, Larkey, Lazzaro, K Dawson, Goater, Drury, Sellers

I reckon our drafting has been pretty good in the previous few years, but our trading in has been abysmal. That's not even accounting for the ones that have already disappeared, and not accounting for the length of some of those trade deals.

We've been chasing "nice" players for years - good quality, not superstars, but they'll do a job. And it hasn't worked.

 

[Uncle_Leo]

TT drama and getting fired just to maybe be picked up by cats months later (our players loved him

 

[The Nostradamus]

i know everyone would have this game circled on their calendar but I don't see a win this weekend.

It's not that we can't - it's just that we won't.

Not enough confidence after 5 very disappointing games.

I think we win

But only cos I don’t think hawks have enough scoring power to hurt us

Inb4 ginni and chol kick a bag