Play Nice North Melbourne - 2018 and beyond

[donkeypunchd]

Flying the flag is rubbish.

I'm happy to rid the club of culture killers like Thomas and onfield liabilities like Gibson and Swallow. They are improving.

The next few years will feel like supporting Melbourne/Carlton/Richmond but the club will gain ground off field and hopefully blue ball excessively once they escape the Brad Scott era and appointment of risk free yes men.

Perhaps but knifing Junior MacDonald was one of the worst things we did and getting rid of Boomer reeked of that decision to me.

 

[Snake_Baker]

You don't have good youth coming through at the moment though. When was the last time you had a genuine young gun, or a young player nominated for the Rising Star?

We do, they just aren't midfielders, they are mostly defenders and flankers. Rising star nominations are neither here nor there for me. It's a mickey mouse award and on any given week they are just looking to fill spots. Remember, we have only had one 1st round pick that was inside the top 10 since 2010 (McDonald). Our picks have all been in the better flanker/KPP range.

If you look at our drafting over the last 4 years whilst taking in to consideration that we have been contending in the finals, then I think we have had some good results:

2013: McDonald, Dumont, Brown, Turner (R)
2014: Durdin, Neilsen, Vickers-Willis, Preuss (R)
2015: McKay, Clark, Hibberd, Mountford
2016: Simpkin, Watson, Williams, Larkey, Zurhaar (R)

We have done well considering the picks we have used for these players: 8, 12, 16, 21, 25, 30, 33, 34, 36, 36, 37, 60, 73 and 3 rookies

5 of these kids have established themselves in our best 22 and they have all debuted with the exception of Declan Watson who missed his first season through injury. I am very bullish about the 12 players in bold type. Of course, the jury is still out on many of last seasons batch.

Add Ahern, Marley Williams and Hrovat via trades. Jed Anderson has been our only bomb here. If Ahern stays injury free then he will be the big bonus. Williams was excellent prior to his back injury and Hrovat was serviceable, but he needs to lift another gear

These drafts have shored up our defence as Neilsen, McKay, Vickers-Willis and Hibberd will form the core of our future defence, the key forward post is fine with Brown in charge, the small forwards Turner and Simpkin are quality and Preuss is the highest rated ruckman not currently playing seniors. Clark, J.Williams, Mountford and Simpkin all contribute to addressing our pace issues. Look out for Clark in particular next season. I have tipped him to top 500 disposals..

We have these areas set for the next 8-10 years. We have drafted well with what we have had to utilise, and now we can focus on drafting nothing other than midfielders. What we haven't had is the picks to grab the elite midfield talent we require for our next campaign, which is why we were moving heaven and earth for Martin & Kelly. Unfortunately this did not pan out. I expect we will go for two with picks 4 & 23 this draft and back up with at least another two in next years draft, where we have some very promising father/son & academy prospects. Then it is just a matter of padding the list out with a couple of RFA/UFA's and we should be ready to go again.

We are going to turn around our ship a lot quicker than many suspect, because they haven't properly analysed the areas that we have already covered with our list rebuild up until this point.

 

[Thats Wright]

Perhaps but knifing Junior MacDonald was one of the worst things we did and getting rid of Boomer reeked of that decision to me.

Harvey was the victim of a stumbling figurehead coach and an unhealthy list age average.

The issue was more the weak handling of the situation rather than letting him go with fuel in the tank.

Firrito could've easily played on as well, but the club had heavily invested in Scott's passive-aggressive media hypnotism.

Even though he bumbles his way through, totally stubborn and ignorant, his ability to smugly present a delusion is second only to snake baker. It's a waiting game now.

 

[Le Grille]

Perhaps but knifing Junior MacDonald was one of the worst things we did and getting rid of Boomer reeked of that decision to me.

The main difference between the McDonald and Harvey situations is that we still had senior leaders around the club including ziebell, cunnington, swallow, Higgins, tarrant, Thompson and not relying on younger players like Grimes and Trengrove to step into the major leadership roles before they were ready

 

[WA ROO]

It's not as if the players the Dees drafted weren't talented. It's just that Melbourne were spectacularly bad at developing them

We don't have that problem.

North is where talented kids go backwards
2 pre-seasons at North would turn Josh Kelly into a slow no skills plodder with no tank
You know Jack Ziebell

Luckily Kelly will never be at North

 

[Rich01]

They had a crack at the flag and made a couple of prelims. Went for it and just came up short. But now they pay the price, shedding their experienced players and playing kids who might be decent, but not stars - lack of top picks has cost them now.

If they rebuild, the likes of Carlton will be well in front of them in development.

Can't see them bringing stars in either, just not a destination club. Lots of work to do to turn this around.

Will be interesting to see how coach Scott rebuilds as well. Got the most out of the the talented players had at his disposal.
Now the hard yards begin.

Supporters will just need to be patient.

 

[Wayne Swan]

2018: 17/18
2019: 10-14
2020: 5-8
2021: Premiers

I didn't notice Nick Blakey in your 2021 team, is that an oversight by you?

 

[Wayne Swan]

It's not unusual. Go over to the north board. There's posters saying Lindsay Thomas epitomizes the shinboner spirit.

Not joking.

Reckon Gary Rohan has felt Thomas' shinbone spirit, He's still having trouble with his smashed shin and ankle!

And I couldn't bring myself to visit the North board, I've seen too much disillusioned dross from some North posters on the main board

 

[Snake_Baker]

I didn't notice Nick Blakey in your 2021 team, is that an oversight by you?

No, it is an acknowledgement of more "special rules" so your mob can get carried by the AFL yet again.

 

[Doggies 06]

North are facing a task of monumental proportions.

They need to understand "their market" and target some B / C+ grade players to bolster their depleted playing stocks.

 

[Pykie]

You don't have good youth coming through at the moment though. When was the last time you had a genuine young gun, or a young player nominated for the Rising Star?

Another problem you have is your list manager, believe me I'm talking from bitter experience as a Dees when I say that I'm shocked any club hired Barry Prendergast as their list manager. With likely access to high picks over the next few years I would be extremely worried as a North fan at Prendergast having the final say on who's drafted.

Moving on your older players and leaders at the same time is copying what we did too.

He's not our list manager.

He's not even in our AFL recruiting department.

He heads up our talent identification for our Tasmanian Next Gen Academy.

 

[Heisenberg_]

Lol

This is a remarkable, almost unprecedented level of horseshit.

It's topped his previously ridiculous comments before he "disappeared" of Lachie Hanson being a better forward then Riewoldt while he was winning Colemans and that history will prove him correct.
Yet he ignores this when challenged on it.

Sadly he's to used to being worshipped on the NM board that he believes he's own bullshit.

 

[Kangaroos4eva]

It's topped his previously ridiculous comments before he "disappeared" of Lachie Hanson being a better forward then Riewoldt while he was winning Colemans and that history will prove him correct.
Yet he ignores this when challenged on it.

Sadly he's to used to being worshipped on the NM board that he believes he's own bullshit.

Worshipped isn't the word and off the money, however he certainly rustles a few jimmies now and again.

 

[Thats Wright]

https://www.google.com.au/amp/www.s...os-brad-scott-draft/nn6cahq2y3d81kruah8rxsye4

Another ex-hawthorn con artist making excuses for an ex-hawthorn coach.

The tanned, helium bobblehead knows sweet eff all about North as their list actually has quite a lot of potential.

Any team with a coaching staff that can't set a ruck direction, set up basic kick ins and generally fumbles their way through the AFL will struggle.

More than competitive backline with depth (short & tall), strong forward line with one of the best key forwards in the game and decent depth with smalls. Decent midfield that could easily outperform its reputation with the right direction. Then there's a dominant ruck division.

Wallet has no idea and shouldn't be paid to parrot biased nonsense.

 

[Sir_Loin]

https://www.google.com.au/amp/www.s...os-brad-scott-draft/nn6cahq2y3d81kruah8rxsye4

Another ex-hawthorn con artist making excuses for an ex-hawthorn coach.

The tanned, helium bobblehead knows sweet eff all about North as their list actually has quite a lot of potential.

Any team with a coaching staff that can't set a ruck direction, set up basic kick ins and generally fumbles their way through the AFL will struggle.

More than competitive backline with depth (short & tall), strong forward line with one of the best key forwards in the game and decent depth with smalls. Decent midfield that could easily outperform its reputation with the right direction. Then there's a dominant ruck division.

Wallet has no idea and shouldn't be paid to parrot biased nonsense.

Yeah I agree Sydney will go pretty well nek year

 

[TheKanga]

Could you give an outline of how this will happen please ?

 

[Draft Pick]

??????

 

[Ocker]

Yep

And when we win the premiership, we will actually be the best side in the competition.

Yes...ah...yes, that would be right...

Just like the Tiges - the best team in the comp.

 

[Engimal v3]

The reaction towards North's list in the 2017 offseason has been hilarious, quite frankly. Aside from midfield speed, our list isn't that bad. Not top 8 at this stage, but definitely not in terrible shape in the first year of a rebuild. Our youth at both ends of the ground s actually very encouraging, it's only some dash/class in the midfield than leaves any room for concern.

 

[Jobe Watson]

Wooden spooners for 2018. Horrible list.

 

[KeilorUnder9s]

snake baker you are now my favourite poster on BigFooty. Can you please never stop. Thanks.

 

[Snake_Baker]

snake baker you are now my favourite poster on BigFooty. Can you please never stop. Thanks.

I am the captain. Feel my power.

 

[mellowyellow]

I am the captain. Feel my power.

I don't think you understand the concept of ridicule and how it relates to you

 

[ApplecrossWC]

I don't think you understand the concept of ridicule and how it relates to you

Why are you ridiculing Snake Baker?

 

[Snake_Baker]

I don't think you understand the concept of ridicule and how it relates to you

I don't think you understand the concept of ridicule and how it relates to me.

I'll let you know when I consider you to be a peer. Until then, you are just white noise.

Why are you ridiculing Snake Baker?

Turn it up. I have more respect for the ants in my garden.