Where are north at?

[perplexed]

Yeah. It contradicts itself. I can sense some of it is meant to be sarcastic or clever but I can't tell which bits are which. Needs an edit. Sorry.

 

[Jade]

Yeah. It contradicts itself. I can sense some of it is meant to be sarcastic or clever but I can't tell which bits are which. Needs an edit. Sorry.

Tell me what you think.

 

[SnowyontheTram]

Y

Interesting that everyone is predicting bottom 4, whilst at the same time advocating that we carried 4 cooked veterans. I think we will get at least 10 wins, especially with a far easier draw than last year.

Obviously not, considering how salty you're getting about Essendon supporters having an opinion on your club which is widely tipped by pundits and bookies alike to finish bottom 4.

Typical sheep like response from an Essendon supporter. Not prepared to scratch the surface but merely follow the opinion of so called experts in the media.

 

[SnowyontheTram]

You left out Wells, who had his best season in years and then walked to Collingwood.

You can say all that but the fact is Harvey and Dal Santo were rated as two of your best seven contributors last season. Losing so much experience in one hit - even though Firrito and Petrie weren't much chop - will take its toll. You went from the oldest list in the league to the 2nd youngest, in one off-season. It's going to have an effect.

Might be second youngest, but check games experience against them. I read the same krap articles as you, I just don't feel the need to regurgitate and pass on as my own opinions.

 

[Jade]

I'd be absolutely stunned if North made finals.

I don't think they'll go rock bottom, but I certainly think a finishing position in the 12-16 range would seem likely.

 

[Jade]

Y


Typical sheep like response from an Essendon supporter. Not prepared to scratch the surface but merely follow the opinion of so called experts in the media.

Watch your posting.

 

[SnowyontheTram]

Watch your posting.

Yeah, thanks

 

[Beerfish]

I'd be absolutely stunned if North made finals.

I don't think they'll go rock bottom, but I certainly think a finishing position in the 12-16 range would seem likely.

And really, it would be the best thing for them so they can have a crack at getting some genuine talent into their system.

They also should have given Boomer 1 more year. He wasn't cooked.

 

[Jade]

And really, it would be the best thing for them so they can have a crack at getting some genuine talent into their system.

They also should have given Boomer 1 more year. He wasn't cooked.

Yeah was an odd choice that one. It's not as if they were brimming with talent and simply couldn't find the list space.

Their call, but yeah, I wouldn't have done it.

 

[Beerfish]

Yeah was an odd choice that one. It's not as if they were brimming with talent and simply couldn't find the list space.

Their call, but yeah, I wouldn't have done it.

Put it down to the Brad Scott brains trust I guess. New coach wouldn't hurt them either actually. What's his contract status?

 

[Jade]

Put it down to the Brad Scott brains trust I guess. New coach wouldn't hurt them either actually. What's his contract status?

Locked in until 2018.

Might be backing himself to have them looking on the up by middle of 2018.

 

[Beerfish]

Locked in until 2018.

Might be backing himself to have them looking on the up by middle of 2018.

Interesting, so if they're going as shit as I think they will they might sack him sometime towards the end of the season (presuming they can afford to pay him out).

 

[Kimbo]

And really, it would be the best thing for them so they can have a crack at getting some genuine talent into their system.

They also should have given Boomer 1 more year. He wasn't cooked.

Yeah, a bottom four finish wouldn't be the worst thing, as long as that comes of the back of pumping games into the kids, for the reason you've suggested.

Brad said it wasn't about 2017, but beyond, and creating space for the next generation. It was a succession plan decision as much as anything.

 

[Kimbo]

Locked in until 2018.

Might be backing himself to have them looking on the up by middle of 2018.

Not inconceivable. We have a fair number of 100+ game players. The key will be how quickly we find and develop the younger ones to complement them.

The bigger question is getting the cattle to make top four and genuinely challenge for a premiership. We weren't doing that in 2017 with Harvey hanging around. The other question, regarding Brad, is whether he shows the stones and the flexibility to play a few for development. One of his strengths - wanting to be competitive in every game (hence we didn't drop down the ladder early in his tenure) - is also a weakness. He doesn't seem to want to take the risks in selection or on match day. We need to do some experimenting and I think that'll mean a greater focus on week-to-week tactics to complement a sound strategic development approach. What I mean by that is that the tendency seems to be to decide upon a likely best 22 early on (including development spots) and not vary it enough along the way to take account of form.

 

[Beerfish]

Yeah, a bottom four finish wouldn't be the worst thing, as long as that comes of the back of pumping games into the kids, for the reason you've suggested.

Brad said it wasn't about 2017, but beyond, and creating space for the next generation. It was a succession plan decision as much as anything.

Understand that and while I can see that as justification for moving on Petrie and Firrito (and to a lesser extent Wells which I guess has been vindicated somewhat by his latest injury) I've always been of the opinion Boomer should have been required next year even if he didn't play every game.

Still, what's the feeling on Brad? It's all well and good for him to give himself a free pass for next year but I'm guessing the supporters won't see it that way when you're neck deep in losses going into the second half of the season. He's never really seemed terribly inspiring as a coach.

 

[Kimbo]

Understand that and while I can see that as justification for moving on Petrie and Firrito (and to a lesser extent Wells which I guess has been vindicated somewhat by his latest injury) I've always been of the opinion Boomer should have been required next year even if he didn't play every game.

And Dal. Actually I thought Spud was the more necessary player to retain in terms of ready-made bigger bodies in defence. The signs were there with Boomer and it wouldn't have surprised me if 2017 was the cliff for him every non-North supporter expected 5 years ago.

Still, what's the feeling on Brad? It's all well and good for him to give himself a free pass for next year but I'm guessing the supporters won't see it that way when you're neck deep in losses going into the second half of the season. He's never really seemed terribly inspiring as a coach.

Needs to be tougher as he was in the back end of 2015. He's a good coach who needs to take it to another level. Whether he can or not remains to be seen.

 

[Jack Bradley]

I'd be absolutely stunned if North made finals.

I don't think they'll go rock bottom, but I certainly think a finishing position in the 12-16 range would seem likely.

I'd be absolutely stunned if North made finals.

I don't think they'll go rock bottom, but I certainly think a finishing position in the 12-16 range would seem likely.

this sounds about right to me.

Ive set it a million times.

99% of the time scraping into finals at 8th or 7th is pointless (unless your the bulldogs )

Its good for publicity, however you get worse draft picks and a harder drawer.

We need some years down the bottom 4 so we can get some decent picks inside the top 10.

 

[Jack Bradley]

And really, it would be the best thing for them so they can have a crack at getting some genuine talent into their system.

They also should have given Boomer 1 more year. He wasn't cooked.

Defensively he became a liability.

He was cooked

 

[Thats Wright]

He's a good coach who needs to take it to another level.

Always good to hear from the Perth supporter base and I don't even know why you're on ignore, but geez.. good coach... that's spin, beige and hope all wrapped up in a North bigfooty special. Keep it up.

 

[Beerfish]

Defensively he became a liability.

He was cooked

Looking at his 2015 stats next to his 2016 stats he had very similar seasons. He was still a good player and could absolutely have played a role in your best 22 next year.

In short, wasn't cooked. Could have and should have played on another year.

 

[Jack Bradley]

Looking at his 2015 stats next to his 2016 stats he had very similar seasons. He was still a good player and could absolutely have played a role in your best 22 next year.

In short, wasn't cooked. Could have and should have played on another year.

Cool.

I'll take my opinion overs yours because i actually watched us play while you watched a stat sheet.

Jog on champ

 

[Bojan KantKick]

Cool.

I'll take my opinion overs yours because i actually watched us play while you watched a stat sheet.

Jog on champ

Harsh but fair.

 

[Beerfish]

Cool.

I'll take my opinion overs yours because i actually watched us play while you watched a stat sheet.

Jog on champ

"Defensively he became a liability". Sounds like a load of mealy mouthed codswallop not backed up by, well anything really.

Do you think your 22 next year would be better or worse with him in it?

 

[Jack Bradley]

"Defensively he became a liability". Sounds like a load of mealy mouthed codswallop not backed up by, well anything really.

Do you think your 22 next year would be better or worse with him in it?

Next year? probably not. In the long term it will be though.

Hes still at the club mentoring young players.

I love blokes like you. This year Harvey and North were getting shit because we were so old and harvey was selfish for not retiring.

Now hes gone its like you all loved him.

Classic Bigfooty bullshit.

 

[Jobe Watson]

Might be second youngest, but check games experience against them. I read the same krap articles as you, I just don't feel the need to regurgitate and pass on as my own opinions.

Typical sheep like response from an Essendon supporter. Not prepared to scratch the surface but merely follow the opinion of so called experts in the media.

What are you going on about you dingus?

I haven't read a single article about North Melbourne this off-season. My opinions on your horrible-looking youth stocks and your impending fall down the ladder extend back months, when your team went from 9-0 to an embarrassing 12-10. So what exactly am I trying to pass off as my own? Just because I share the opinion of a lot of football pundits out there doesn't mean I'm "regurgitating" anything.

Me constantly quoting the bookies' odds and the opinions of the BigFooty community is just me simply giving a broad view of where most people see North's list at, as opposed to the slightly deluded view of some North supporters that they'll still be challenging for finals next year. If you must know, I actually did an early ladder predictor the other week and didn't have North in the bottom 5 like most others do. Sheep, huh?

OK, I'll check the games experience list. And yep, you've gone from having the most experienced list by GAMES PLAYED to the 5th least experienced. Again, a massive drop in both experience AND age that North supporters somehow think won't culminate in a decent drop down the ladder. It looks like you don't like facts and figures being used to show that North's list is full of mostly young, untried and so far largely unimpressive kids.

North supporters seem very angsty this off-season. Apparently everyone's assessment of their list is wrong except theirs, and don't dare criticize their awesome youf.