Analysis The Rebuild Of Essendon And North Melbourne And Their Future Prospects

[jdstorm]

When you have guys like Pink, Biggie and Stephens getting a game, and McDonald as a captain, the list is a shambles. Add to that players like LDU and Zurhaar looking like they can't wait to leave. Shambles.

Teams only need 6 real high end elite talent level guys to win a flag. Everyone else is just decent or better. (2 across each line)

North has Sheezel, Mckertcher, Wardlaw, LDU, Dursma and Zurhar.

They have the elite guys. And if they leave (LDU/Zurhar) then they should be able to trade them for another elite player and/or more picks.

North are lacking average mature bodied players at important positions. But those are easy enough to find in the off-season.

Add say 4 league average players with mature bodies and good training standards (who can fill a few list holes) and they would raise their level by a lot

 

[JayJ20]

Come off it Essendons best KPPs are a Gold Coast reclaimation project and a FA from north.

Melbourne is top 4 and don’t have any KPFs and their defence was bought/traded in

Geelongs forward line is one father son and a bunch of free agents/trades.

You don’t have to draft those guys and many teams don’t.

North might be a mess this season but acting like their list is some shambles isn’t true. It’s more of a cultural issue with them

When did I say their list was in shambles? They have great young mids. But you always need good KPPs. It's not like they didn't have the opportunity either. Selecting Phillips over McDonald was a mistake even back then let alone now.

I don't deny their cultural issues, but a team like North isn't going to attract the best KPPs through trade and FA until there is a future they can sell.

That said, I like their young talent and believe the North discussions are overblown. Just like the Melbourne, Brisbane, Carlton and West Coast narratives over the last decade were overblown. They need a Paul Roos for Melbourne or a Hodge for Brisbane type to provide some leadership.