Who finishes last in 2024?

[Shueygod]

That maybe true, but Yeo and Hurn have had injuries as of late, can you trust they will have a full season of not being out?

Hurn retired but assuming you probs meant Gov.

Definitely don’t trust or expect a full season from either, but the point is that the output we got from them last year was minimal due to those injuries.

Not saying we won’t come last but I do think this talk of Eagles getting worse is pretty unfounded. Realistically none of our players that had an impact last year should decline this year and a number should improve.

Hurn & Shuey will be massive losses. Hurn still had a high output due to his game style in a team lacking current day stars. Shuey was at half pace but still smart and a leader.

The leadership will be missed and it’ll take a few years to replace in a team that can’t afford to lose anything on the plus side.

The bulk of the kids are year 1 so will take another year or two to get an AFL body. If they were freaks and bucking the trend they would have show it already.

Still a few years off till the worm turns unless McGovern, Yeo, Cripps & Ryan rediscover their best form. It would be like Fyfe winning a Brownlow in 2024 though.

Shuey played 4 games with over 70% tog and Hurn played 11. In no way can you think they had a big impact on our season.

The bulk of kids are absolutely not year 1. I’d expect natural improvement from Allen, Ginbey, Hewett, Long, Hough, B.Williams, Chesser, Maric, J.Williams, Bazzo, Edwards at a minimum.

Then add in improvement from the kids outside the 22 and new draftees/trades (Reid, Brockman, Flynn) creating more competition for spots and I believe there is no chance we regress in 2024.

You also underestimate the impact of us bei by forced to play WAFL level players due to sometimes having 22 to pick from, guys like Clark, West, Jamieson, Barnett, Rotham either aren’t up to it or simply aren’t ready.

Replace them with draftees/trades and a couple of extra fit players and it’s a far better looking team.

Also not sure why Ryan is included there, he’s 27 and had a contact injury last year, no reason he shouldn’t be able to reach peak form again.

 

[Judd2Sewell]

This is not going to be a well received post, but I honestly believe North Melbourne underperformed last season (okay tanked) cause they wanted to cash in on the Ben McKay Free Agency pick and get other draft assistance goodies from the AFL


North got bloody unlucky against The Swans (umpiring infringement) at Docklands last season, but i also suspect they threw both games against Essendon last year, for reasons I stated above.

I think we will see a significantly improved North Melbourne in 2024 (with a kind run of injuries)

7-8 wins is not out of the question in my opinion.

I've seen some Hawks posters going on about us losing three games by ten points or under, so we essentially won ten games.

North lost five games by under nine points and under. So if we apply that same logic they already won eight games last season.

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

West Coast have a better overall team than the Roos, with more experience & better talls... but imo Simpson is stale v Clarkson, which makes it more even.

I worry about Roos defence.

 

[Makeshift Park]

This backline will be conceding 15+ goals a week and 20+ against the better sides.

I think Sheezel will play more up the ground and forward next season.

McDonald Corr Pink
Fisher Cobden/Logue Bergman/Archer

That’s not the makeup. I think it’ll be a 7 man zone defence. Sheeze, Fisher and Mckercher have all said they’re training with the defence line. They’ll all play round 1. One of Goater and Bergman will probably be in the 22 too.

Then the talls are Corr, Comben and either Logue or Pink.

Then either Archer or McDonald as the small lockdown player.

 

[Elmer_Hauser]

West Coast have a better overall team than the Roos, with more experience & better talls... but imo Simpson is stale v Clarkson, which makes it more even.

I worry about Roos defence.

The Eagles midfield last season was the worst i have ever seen since Fitzroy 96.

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

The Eagles midfield last season was the worst i have ever seen since Fitzroy 96.

Yet how many premiership players did they have? Why are they not performing?
I know they have had injuries, but that doesn't fully explain the poor performances.

I don't think Simpson's messages are getting through. Dimma at least did the right thing & walked from the Tigers.

 

[ferball]

Howe's a pretty big unit. He's slow (physically and decision making) but he's very strong and a good size.

He is an appalling kick. he can find the ball quite well.

But that's kind of the problem.

 

[Altum Volantes]

The problem is I think it took West Coast a few years after your premiership to realise a full rebuild was necessary. I don't think you really began your rebuild until around 2021 at the earliest.

Clubs don’t often kick into ‘full rebuild’ less than 3 years after winning a flag.

 

[bh90210fan]

Yet how many premiership players did they have? Why are they not performing?
I know they have had injuries, but that doesn't fully explain the poor performances.

I don't think Simpson's messages are getting through. Dimma at least did the right thing & walked from the Tigers.

Our midfield from 2020 onwards was supposed to be Naitanui, Shuey, Yeo and Kelly while they still had a few decent years under their belts. With only 1 of them able to stay on the park since then it kinda put a bit of a dent in the idea.

 

[Giant Pete]

North by a mile.

 

[ferball]

I am a little perplexed by this statement.

When referencing Mcleod, Goodwin or recently Hodge, Burgoyne, Enright, Makie or the list of other half-blank flankers that could play in the midfield were not declared as 'hiding' as their sides were not screaming for midfield talent. Daicos has had the luxury of flanking it up as the Collingwood midfield has been up for contest.

North Melbourne have been miserable in the midfield. JHF and Wardlow both have gone into the North midfield as it is an obvious need.

Sheezel should have gone into the midfield. He was a high draft pick, fawned over by all and sundry at North, and yet would not go to where the game starts and chose to play halfback.

He should have forced his way into the midfield. He should have demanded he play in there. He should have tried to put the team success on his back (like George Wardlaw did). He chose not to. People don't talk about Wardlaw hiding on half back - because he didn't.

People refer to Sheezel hiding at half back because he did when North needed someone - anyone - in the middle with talent. Daicos is not required in the Collingwood midfield, so he was not hiding.

I'm more than a little perplexed by that statement.

What about you perplexed?

 

[perplexed]

I'm more than a little perplexed by that statement.

What about you perplexed?

He's an imposter. Don't believe a word of it.

 

[Orange crush]

He's an imposter. Don't believe a word of it.

I see what you did there ...

 

[RUNVS]

Tanking and dodgy compo will do that.

True, but it shows that West Coast have really only just begun their rebuild. They have not been rebuilding for 3 or 4 years like a West Coast fan claimed.

 

[Shueygod]

True, but it shows that West Coast have really only just begun their rebuild. They have not been rebuilding for 3 or 4 years like a West Coast fan claimed.

We have the most players under 21 in the comp, reckon we got them all this year?

 

[peetoo]

It’s not shocking unless a team other than north or eagles is nominated

 

[Corkintheocean]

Hurn & Shuey will be massive losses. Hurn still had a high output due to his game style in a team lacking current day stars. Shuey was at half pace but still smart and a leader.

The leadership will be missed and it’ll take a few years to replace in a team that can’t afford to lose anything on the plus side.

The bulk of the kids are year 1 so will take another year or two to get an AFL body. If they were freaks and bucking the trend they would have show it already.

Still a few years off till the worm turns unless McGovern, Yeo, Cripps & Ryan rediscover their best form. It would be like Fyfe winning a Brownlow in 2024 though.

For every game where they contributed to us being competitive, there were 2 where we finished the day with rotation on the bench. Hopefully punting half of those older/crocked bodies, will allow us to run out games a bit better (even if their replacements are not to the same level).

 

[Corkintheocean]

I reckon Fremantle are only a Serong LTI away from entering the chat.

• No goals in them (aside from Amiss who'll likely be facing a second defender drifting over all year) with Shultz gone.
• J-Lo's atrocious 'let Luke Ryan slowly flour bag it up the boundary line 35 times a match' game plan.
• And that's before mentioning the internal team disharmony and player revolts leading to those wanting to jump ship.

 

[NickyDal_NeXus]

Definitely the Tigers.

 

[The Feeder Club]

I voted North
I am surprised we're in the poll and Geelong isn't. I don't see either team playing finals, but Geelong are the smokey to fall off the cliff

 

[Purple Suit]

I reckon Fremantle are only a Serong LTI away from entering the chat.

• No goals in them (aside from Amiss who'll likely be facing a second defender drifting over all year) with Shultz gone.
• J-Lo's atrocious 'let Luke Ryan slowly flour bag it up the boundary line 35 times a match.
• And that's before mentioning the internal team disharmony and player revolts leading to those wanting to jump ship.

This sounds like the same issues from last year and we still won 10 games which is 7 more than WC. All our best players are young & will improve as a unit compared to the loss of Shultz.

Never heard of any team disharmony.

 

[Corkintheocean]

This sounds like the same issues from last year and we still won 10 games which is 7 more than WC. All our best players are young & will improve as a unit compared to the loss of Shultz.

Never heard of any team disharmony.

I don't think it's more likely that you finish bottom than West Coast, just that it is conceivable. 7 more wins turns into only three more if we roll you twice. From there, injuries to your list and us being relatively healthy could bridge that gap. I'm not convinced Freo's year last year was a 'blip'.

 

[Kangas_11]

Interesting that there's such an intense focus from opposition supporters on the North backline.

FWIW, this is my thoughts on the likely back 6 for round 1 next year:

McDonald - K. Dawson / Pink - Corr
Sheezel - Comben - McKercher

That FB line will be completely focused on shutting down the opposition, but that HB line should be pretty dangerous on the rebound.

To be honest though, the biggest improvement for our defense will have to come from further up the ground. We got absolutely destroyed on the spread last year, leading to a ton of uncontested i50s. Another preseason into the young mids and wings will definitely help in that regard.

 

[Caligo]

Interesting that there's such an intense focus from opposition supporters on the North backline.

It is the worst back 6 defensively in recent memory, worse than previous years when they came last or second last over so many years they were given 5+1 bonus picks.

Tanking in all but name.

 

[Kangas_11]

It is the worst back 6 defensively in recent memory, worse than previous years when they came last or second last over so many years they were given 5+1 bonus picks.

Tanking in all but name.

Did you read any of the post outside of the first line?