Preview Rnd 1 - Fremantle vs North Melbourne 24th March 3:20pm

[Beetlebum]

I can't help but feel the AFL scheduled this game when they still thought Gaff was going to sign with North. They thought they could hide him from the retribution coming his way.

 

[Carson Dial]

I can't help but feel the AFL scheduled this game when they still thought Gaff was going to sign with North. They thought they could hide him from the retribution coming his way.

Half expecting Gaff to be withdrawn from the Eagles side on our home Derby due to ‘general soreness’

 

[masai]

So Davies-Uniacke is only a depth player? Is that a bit disappointing for your top draft pick last year?

Oh how the great have fallen, or should that be, not risen ?.

 

[Kimbo]

So Davies-Uniacke is only a depth player? Is that a bit disappointing for your top draft pick last year?

He may not be depth, but if he is, it's not an issue. He's tracking just fine and will play a key midfield role in coming years. Scott isn't one to throw players in too quickly. He'll get games in 2019 as he did this year and will gradually build up.

Dumont is probably a good example; in his four years he's played 8, 12, 19 then 22 games. LDU played 7 in 2018. It wouldn't surprise me to see a similar build up, but who knows, he might demand more games sooner.

 

[Kimbo]

Oh how the great have fallen, or should that be, not risen ?.

It's one year.

 

[Jezzitizle]

It's one year.

That’s a whole career in bigfooty years.

 

[estibador]

It's one year.

You'll have to forgive us for our schadenfreude, but many of your fanbase were very quick with their vocal 'lol Freo' calls when we chose to overlook him. It's been pretty satisfying seeing the trajectories of our two boys compared to LDU since then.

 

[Kangaroos4eva]

So Davies-Uniacke is only a depth player? Is that a bit disappointing for your top draft pick last year?

Not at all, he's built in the Josh Kennedy mould, so he's going to take a while to build bulk and get fitter, and has to fight guys like Cunnington, Anderson, Higgins, Ahern etc., for an inside spot. His VFL form at the back of the year was very good and he's still building into his rather large frame. We probably won't see the best of LDU until 2021 and beyond due to his body type. Even as depth, he's not super far off a best 22 spot, but as Kimbo pointed out, midfield competition is a bit a stronger this year. His main issue was that he kept blowing up by the 3rd quarter of an AFL match, so he did not get to a great deal of contests.

 

[Kangaroos4eva]

You'll have to forgive us for our schadenfreude, but many of your fanbase were very quick with their vocal 'lol Freo' calls when we chose to overlook him. It's been pretty satisfying seeing the trajectories of our two boys compared to LDU since then.

Fair enough, most of the North board were keen for Dow or Cerra pre-draft, I was big fan of the latter during that period. Stephenson was another favourite, hindsight is a fickle mistress. Cerra is doing exceedingly well and Brayshaw did well considering his inexperience.

 

[im_a_lazy_sod]

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We have 21 weeks to discuss this game.


Go!

OP plz update countdown timer

thx

 

[SHill Shall]

10 of NM’s squad did not run in the opening time trial yesterday. Seems quite a high proportion.

 

[the big lebowski]

10 of NM’s squad did not run in the opening time trial yesterday. Seems quite a high proportion.

Brown and Daw will be looking to resume full training after Xmas. Tazz and Ziebs in the next couple of weeks.

The rest are young blokes that aren’t locked in best 22.

 

[Monument Hills]

just won't be the same without creepy pinching whingey. All too sterile and too many nice guys these days.

 

[Unique Name]

 

[Unique Name]

With Thompson being suspended for Rnd 1 and poor Majak's circumstances, North will be without 2 of their B22 Kpd's. Only Tarrant left to hold down the fort.

I believe Ben McKay and Sam Durdin are their next two kpd's off the rank. Anyone know much about either of them?

 

[Taylor]

They have played ten games between them.

Good opportunity for Lobb, Tabs and Cox to get dangerous.

 

[M_rash]

They have played ten games between them.

Good opportunity for Lobb, Tabs and Cox to get dangerous.

Reckon Hogan might go ok too. I believe the club originally said he was tracking for round one, and I haven’t seen anything that suggests otherwise (Other than bf rumours).

It’s not like he’s a midfielder running 15kms a game and needing to learn the game plan and stoppage structures. The game plan will be - kick it to Hogan. He’s Hogan. If he can’t learn that before round one, he’s done

 

[Unique Name]

 

[Taylor]

Reckon Hogan might go ok too. I believe the club originally said he was tracking for round one, and I haven’t seen anything that suggests otherwise (Other than bf rumours).

It’s not like he’s a midfielder running 15kms a game and needing to learn the game plan and stoppage structures. The game plan will be - kick it to Hogan. He’s Hogan. If he can’t learn that before round one, he’s done

Jesse's game was getting up the ground, not so much a deep contested mark. He has to be able to run and if building that engine takes too long for him to play round one then that's ok, I'd rather he was playing at the end of the season.

 

[Johnny Dalmas]

Reckon Hogan might go ok too. I believe the club originally said he was tracking for round one, and I haven’t seen anything that suggests otherwise (Other than bf rumours).

It’s not like he’s a midfielder running 15kms a game and needing to learn the game plan and stoppage structures. The game plan will be - kick it to Hogan. He’s Hogan. If he can’t learn that before round one, he’s done

Well the last update I saw about Hogan he looked Pretty Well Rested so perhaps he will be ready to go by Rd 1 !

 

[SHill Shall]

Well the last update I saw about Hogan he looked Pretty Well R**ted so perhaps he will be ready to go by Rd 1 !

Edited for accuracy

 

[Kangaroos4eva]

With Thompson being suspended for Rnd 1 and poor Majak's circumstances, North will be without 2 of their B22 Kpd's. Only Tarrant left to hold down the fort.

I believe Ben McKay and Sam Durdin are their next two kpd's off the rank. Anyone know much about either of them?

McKay dominated the VFL last year as a monster CHB with multiple vfl bests. He didn’t get a game because Scott plays favourites with the veterans and we usually wait until our youth is 100% right to go. He’s quick, 200cm, only 20 and built big. He won’t be outmuscled and, like all north defenders, has a good knack for interceptions. Just lacks AFL experience.

They have played ten games between them.

Good opportunity for Lobb, Tabs and Cox to get dangerous.

They won’t out muscle McKay. Durdin is a leaner and more of a mobile swingman, but he’s back in the pecking order. If your tall forwards are dominating, it’s because North’s midfield isn’t pressuring at all.

 

[DaveLister]

McKay dominated the VFL last year as a monster CHB with multiple vfl bests. He didn’t get a game because Scott plays favourites with the veterans and we usually wait until our youth is 100% right to go. He’s quick, 200cm, only 20 and built big. He won’t be outmuscled and, like all north defenders, has a good knack for interceptions. Just lacks AFL experience.
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They won’t out muscle McKay. Durdin is a leaner and more of a mobile swingman, but he’s back in the pecking order. If your tall forwards are dominating, it’s because North’s midfield isn’t pressuring at all.

Looks tall and top heavy, would have a decent match up on Tabs but every other of our forwards would be too agile.

 

[Kangaroos4eva]

Looks tall and top heavy, would have a decent match up on Tabs but every other of our forwards would be too agile.

Quite possibly, it all comes back to ball movement speed and pressure up the field. He would play on the gorilla forwards normally.

 

[DaveLister]

Quite possibly, it all comes back to ball movement speed and pressure up the field. He would play on the gorilla forwards normally.

Gorilla is sort of a dying breed. Strength is great to have but he has so much mass that it almost certainly limits him. Way more KPF are agility based than wrestling nowadays, only Hawkins comes to mind and he's a lot trimmer and agile than he was 3 years ago.

As to upfield situation, that applies to every forward contest ever. Being able to prevent opposition score when it's not on your terms is just as, if not more, important than intercepting when it is on your terms.

Fans get giddy when they see their kids with massive guns but they're just impractical in today's game.