Preview Round 1, 2021: North Melbourne vs Port Adelaide @ Marvel Stadium | Sunday 21 March @ 1:10pm

[Themanbun]

We never went in to rebuild post 2016 like we needed to. Unless rebuild means throw mega contracts at anyone available. All we did was punt a few old blokes.

In that period or thereabouts we picked up:

Larkey
Xerri
Zurhaar
Taylor
Thomas
McKay
Hayden
Scott
LDU
Simpkin
Walker
Bonar
Polec (who given his age presumably would be around in 5 years)
Tyson (similar to Polec, also a former pick #3)

As of 2016 we already had Atley, McDonald, Jed, Dumont, Ben Brown who were presumed to be hitting their prime around 2021.

We could have gone harder at the draft but people are really, really downplaying the warm start that the current coaches, managers, etc. have been given. Most of the above blokes are best 22 in 2021, 5 years from 2016.

 

[Psicosis]

We never went in to rebuild post 2016 like we needed to. Unless rebuild means throw mega contracts at anyone available. All we did was punt a few old blokes.

2016/17/18
Removed: Drew Petrie, Brent Harvey, Michael Firrito, Nick Dal Santo, Daniel Wells, Lachie Hansen, Andrew Swallow, Lindsay Thomas, Sam Gibson, Jared Waite
Added: Pick 4, Pick 12, Pick 23, Pick 34, Pick 36, Pick 46, Tarryn Thomas NGA, Dom Tyson, Jared Polec, Jasper Pittard, Aaron Hall, Paul Ahern

2020
Removed: Shaun Higgins, Ben Brown, Jamie Macmillan, Jasper Pittard, Marley Williams, Ben Jacobs, Mason Wood
Added: Pick 3, Pick 13, Pick 36, Pick 42, Pick 56, Jaidyn Stephenson, Aiden Corr, Lachie Young, Atu Bosenavulagi

Interesting to compare what we did over 3 years, versus what we did over 1 year.

 

[Passmore]

In that period we picked up:

Larkey
Xerri
Zurhaar
Taylor
Thomas
McKay
Hayden
Scott
LDU
Simpkin
Walker
Bonar
Polec (who given his age presumably would be around in 5 years)
Tyson (similar to Polec, also a former pick #3)

We could have gone harder at the draft but people are really, really downplaying the warm start that the current coaches, managers, etc. have been given.

We took our God given draft picks and ended up with one of the oldest lists on the competition 4 years after we embarked on a rebuild. We didn't attempt to bring in young talent or improve our draft hand.

We should be entering a period of contention now instead of starting again. Basically 4 years have been wasted.

Hopefully we've learnt from the mistakes of 2018 when we handed out long contracts to average footballers like Tyson and Hall. And traded out serious draft capital for Polec. Yeah its hindsight, but if you don't review what you've done you repeat your mistakes.

Sent from my SM-A908B using Tapatalk

 

[DarwinRoo]

To be fair...he's better than anyone we have on our list. And there's at least 10 better than him on his own list.

Yeah that’s simply not true.

 

[Themanbun]

We took our God given draft picks and ended up with one of the oldest lists on the competition 4 years after we embarked on a rebuild. We didn't attempt to bring in young talent or improve our draft hand.

We should be entering a period of contention now instead of starting again. Basically 4 years have been wasted.

Hopefully we've learnt from the mistakes of 2018 when we handed out long contracts to average footballers like Tyson and Hall. And traded out serious draft capital for Polec. Yeah its hindsight, but if you don't review what you've done you repeat your mistakes.

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We ended up with an old list on average - but I don't think it can be denied that the majority of our 2021 best 22 was already on the list before the new mob announced that we had to 'start again'. That's what I take issue with - it's spin. They're not, and we're not starting from scratch. Most of our young talent that form the backbone of this rebuild was handed to them as soon as they walked in the door.

 

[bengrina]

Apologise if already been asked but is anyone aware on how members go about getting tickets for the round 1 game? Thanks

 

[Psicosis]

In that period or thereabouts we picked up:

Larkey
Xerri
Zurhaar
Taylor
Thomas
McKay
Hayden
Scott
LDU
Simpkin
Walker
Bonar
Polec (who given his age presumably would be around in 5 years)
Tyson (similar to Polec, also a former pick #3)

As of 2016 we already had Atley, McDonald, Jed, Dumont, Ben Brown who were presumed to be hitting their prime around 2021.

We could have gone harder at the draft but people are really, really downplaying the warm start that the current coaches, managers, etc. have been given. Most of the above blokes are best 22 in 2021, 5 years from 2016.

And that is why Finnegan still has a job IMO. He made the best of the situation.

I find it bewildering that we did not secure more access to higher picks during this period.

 

[Psicosis]

We ended up with an old list on average - but I don't think it can be denied that the majority of our 2021 best 22 was already on the list before the new mob announced that we had to 'start again'. That's what I take issue with - it's spin. They're not, and we're not starting from scratch. Most of our young talent that form the backbone of this rebuild was handed to them as soon as they walked in the door.

Who & when are the new mob that said we had to 'start again'?

It's been pretty consistent out of the club - The u22s that we have are good, the age profile was not in a good place for a side that finished 17th.

For mine, we have some quality kids, however we need more. 2020 & 2021 draft crop will put us in a really good place IMO.

 

[Themanbun]

Who & when are the new mob that said we had to 'start again'?

It's been pretty consistent out of the club - The u22s that we have are good, the age profile was not in a good place for a side that finished 17th.

For mine, we have some quality kids, however we need more. 2020 & 2021 draft crop will put us in a really good place IMO.

You literally said that we were starting again in the post I quoted. That seems to be the messaging out of the club as well, with the shift from "we'll surprise a few" messaging to "winning isn't our priority".

Edit: whoops, that was Passmore.

 

[Psicosis]

You literally said that we were starting again in the post I quoted. That seems to be the messaging out of the club as well, with the shift from "we'll surprise a few" messaging to "winning isn't our priority".

Think you may have your posters starting with "P" confused...

I don't think the club think we are starting again from a list perspective.

Pretty clear they've got a solid group of young players already in there. When you add a top 2 pick this year & a top 6 pick next year, as well as some creativity with later picks, we will be fine.

 

[shinboner magic]

I live in Docklands. Give me the key and I will run down there the night before. Like the way the StKilda people did it I will drink cans while watering the turf, probably in more than one way now I think of it

The way the AFL run things - it’s probably left unlocked.

We took our God given draft picks and ended up with one of the oldest lists on the competition 4 years after we embarked on a rebuild. We didn't attempt to bring in young talent or improve our draft hand.

We should be entering a period of contention now instead of starting again. Basically 4 years have been wasted.

Hopefully we've learnt from the mistakes of 2018 when we handed out long contracts to average footballers like Tyson and Hall. And traded out serious draft capital for Polec. Yeah its hindsight, but if you don't review what you've done you repeat your mistakes.

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And wasted 4 yrs of cunners , Goldy , taz , jacks ect careers

 

[Merlin007]

We took our God given draft picks and ended up with one of the oldest lists on the competition 4 years after we embarked on a rebuild. We didn't attempt to bring in young talent or improve our draft hand.

We should be entering a period of contention now instead of starting again. Basically 4 years have been wasted.

Hopefully we've learnt from the mistakes of 2018 when we handed out long contracts to average footballers like Tyson and Hall. And traded out serious draft capital for Polec. Yeah its hindsight, but if you don't review what you've done you repeat your mistakes.

Sent from my SM-A908B using Tapatalk

the mismanagement of that draft year was well analysed by Pykie when he was still here

 

[Event Horizon]

We ended up with an old list on average - but I don't think it can be denied that the majority of our 2021 best 22 was already on the list before the new mob announced that we had to 'start again'. That's what I take issue with - it's spin. They're not, and we're not starting from scratch. Most of our young talent that form the backbone of this rebuild was handed to them as soon as they walked in the door.

Correct, and when trying to pick the 22 for round 1, even allowing for some injuries, it becomes apparent that the 22 is actually not that bad, and it's actually hard to squeeze some blokes in due to some competition for spots. Which again brings me to the question: Why have we looked that bad in the two preseason games??? Our best 25 is way better than Brisbane's when Fagan (and Noble) started there 3-4 years ago and it's certainly not bottom 2 quality. We should be winning 8 games at a minimum, yet the performances so far suggest that we'll be lucky to win 3.

I'd like to understand what's going on

 

[Event Horizon]

the mismanagement of that draft year was well analysed by Pykie when he was still here

Where is he? Haven't seen him since the post-draft analysis

 

[Merlin007]

Where is he? Haven't seen him since the post-draft analysis

I think there was a clash of personalities.....

 

[DrZaius]

We went in to rebuild at the end of 2016...........which was extended again in 2020.................then they bring in a guru spin doctor to cosmetically give a makeover to their incompetence.......................and now we enter a period which has no conformed arrival date.................again.

Didn't Buckley literally say something like finals by 2023 at the bare minimum?

 

[Event Horizon]

I think there was a clash of personalities.....

That's unfortunate. He was one of the best posters to talk to here...

 

[Event Horizon]

Didn't Buckley literally say something like finals by 2023 at the bare minimum?

I thought he said top 4 by 2023 in fact

 

[DrZaius]

I thought he said top 4 by 2023 in fact

Short of insane claims about multiple premierships in the next 5 years (*cough* port adelaide *cough*), it doesn't get a much more definitive statement than that.

 

[Psicosis]

Correct, and when trying to pick the 22 for round 1, even allowing for some injuries, it becomes apparent that the 22 is actually not that bad, and it's actually hard to squeeze some blokes in due to some competition for spots. Which again brings me to the question: Why have we looked that bad in the two preseason games??? Our best 25 is way better than Brisbane's when Fagan (and Noble) started there 3-4 years ago and it's certainly not bottom 2 quality. We should be winning 8 games at a minimum, yet the performances so far suggest that we'll be lucky to win 3.

I'd like to understand what's going on

Respect your opinion EH, just a couple things:

Why have we looked that bad in the two preseason games??? New game plan, new players, missing Cunnington, Polec, Dumont, Tarrant (for 1), Goldstein (for 1). It is completely understandable IMO that the game plan is yet to be executed properly, the teams in the praccy matches have clearly lacked chemistry of playing together.

it's certainly not bottom 2 quality. We should be winning 8 games at a minimum, yet the performances so far suggest that we'll be lucky to win 3. This is subject to opinion. There are a few factors that contribute to whether our list is bottom 2 quality, one of which I mentioned above about the group only playing together for 3 months, other factors include: - Will Cunnington, Goldstein get back to their best? - Will we see significant improvement from our u22s yet? - How long will the new game plan/chemistry take to gel? (this can take 6-18 months)

My point really is that there are varying levels of opinions on here in regards to where we are vs where we should be - however IMO, without Cunnington/Goldy at their best, significant improvement from our u22s & the game plan gelling, we aren't winning 8 games at a minimum.

 

[Devington]

I think there was a clash of personalities.....

Not so sure that was the case. His last post was December 31st, I suspect he just made a new year's resolution to spend less time on things like this.

 

[Long Live the King]

IMO cant underestimate the importance of Cunners to our team. This might sound hyperbolic but his impact on our ability to win, physicality in the contest and the ability to lift those around him simply with his presence is as significant as anyone who has played for North in the past decade. Hoping he gets there for round 1.

 

[Hojuman]

We getting emails or what so we can get rd.1 tickets ?

 

[Event Horizon]

Respect your opinion EH, just a couple things:

Why have we looked that bad in the two preseason games??? New game plan, new players, missing Cunnington, Polec, Dumont, Tarrant (for 1), Goldstein (for 1). It is completely understandable IMO that the game plan is yet to be executed properly, the teams in the praccy matches have clearly lacked chemistry of playing together.

it's certainly not bottom 2 quality. We should be winning 8 games at a minimum, yet the performances so far suggest that we'll be lucky to win 3. This is subject to opinion. There are a few factors that contribute to whether our list is bottom 2 quality, one of which I mentioned above about the group only playing together for 3 months, other factors include: - Will Cunnington, Goldstein get back to their best? - Will we see significant improvement from our u22s yet? - How long will the new game plan/chemistry take to gel? (this can take 6-18 months)

My point really is that there are varying levels of opinions on here in regards to where we are vs where we should be - however IMO, without Cunnington/Goldy at their best, significant improvement from our u22s & the game plan gelling, we aren't winning 8 games at a minimum.

Good points there mate. One thing I would say to that, it shouldn't really take 6-18 months to master the gameplan. Looking at Hawthorn on the weekend, they had a huge amount of new/inexperienced players, yet they were well drilled and knew what to do. If our coaches can't get to that by round 4-6, then perhaps they aren't doing something right. St Kilda proves the same point to a lesser extent. They had a number of additions to the list over the last two offseasons, albeit most of them experienced blokes. Didn't take them long to gel.

While all your points are valid, I still maintain that our best 25 or so is way better than we are seeing at the moment.
In any team sport, one of the key measures to judge a coach is how quickly he can get the team to play the way he wants them to, and the other is how many players (of any age) improve or play their best footy under him. Will be interesting to see how Noble goes on those fronts.

 

[TennisPlayerAndy]

IMO cant underestimate the importance of Cunners to our team. This might sound hyperbolic but his impact on our ability to win, physicality in the contest and the ability to lift those around him simply with his presence is as significant as anyone who has played for North in the past decade. Hoping he gets there for round 1.

We need to develop a system that isn’t so reliant on one bloke.