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North’s year ahead may not be as bad as it looks

Roar Rookie
8th February, 2018
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Brad Scott is the first coach to go in 2019 - who's next? (Photo by Michael Dodge/Getty Images)
Roar Rookie
8th February, 2018
3

North Melbourne are in the second year of a rebuild, a rebuild that took them to the depths of finishing low on the ladder last year as well as getting rid of a number of experienced key players.

Over the journey I have understood where they are coming from when others seem to have not and this view is vital again this year.

Barring any major turnarounds or collapses, North should be somewhere between the 8-14 range in the ladder. That section of the ladder is always tight, and it will be hard for North to push into the eight, but I remain optimistic.

The reason this is so is because of three points;
1) Ben Brown
2) The midfield
3) The coach

Before delving into these points I feel it is only fair to name the team I think North will play in round one..

This is without playing AFL X or a Pre-Season game so it will inevitably change. It is as follows;

FB: Marley Williams, Scott Thompson, Majak Daw
HB: Paul Ahern, Robbie Tarrant, Jamie Macmillan
C: Luke McDonald, Ben Cunnington, Shaun Atley
HF: Jye Simpkin, Jarrod Waite, Luke Davies-Uniake
FF: Mason Wood, Ben Brown, Taylor Garner
FOL: Todd Goldstein, Shaun Higgins, Jack Ziebell
INT: Nathan Hrovat, Ben Jacobs, Kayne Turner, Trent Dumont

The backline is strong and adding Paul Ahern down back gives the extra class needed off the half-back line. Combine this with Jamie Macmillan and Marley Williams and it allows for rebound off this line which is so important in the modern game.

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The keys in Scott Thompson and Robbie Tarrant are locks and will play every game, form permitting. Majak Daw is the one that interests me and more likely you as well. He has all the attributes but up forward he looked lost, unable to pick up the movement of the ball and just struggles with his forward craft.

Down back he could be an asset. He will be lead to the ball and if he attacks it with ferocity, looking to punch at all times, he could be a real asset in 2018, but the jury is definitely still out on him.

The midfield I think is where North have added depth this year and hope they give the players the opportunity to grow. I’m thinking of the likes of Nathan Hrovat and Kayne Turner who could do the job.

Looking at the likes of Ahern, Ben Jacobs and Trent Dumont combining with Jack Ziebell, Ben Cunnington and Shaun Higgins makes for a bit of depth and quality in the middle.

In my last article I had Brayden Preuss as my starting ruckman thinking that Todd Goldstein would be traded but this was not the case. So, unfortunately for the team and Brayden Preuss, he will have to settle for the second ruckman role which is not common in modern AFL and, therefore, he will play a lot in the VFL this year.

The forward line looks good with the two keys of Jarrad Waite and Ben Brown and, combining this with the height and pace of Mason Wood and Taylor Garner respectively, is a department which will be good for North moving forward.

Add young draftee Luke Davies-Uniake and the talented Jye Simpkin to this and it looks as though there is plenty of talent to burn down there. Also, adding a resting Ziebell or Cunnington deep in a Dustin Martin-type role could be an element of surprise during games.

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In saying this, it may not translate to consistent results.

So, back to what I touched on above being my three keys. Ben Brown, having kicked a bucket full of goals last year with very little quality supply, was a shining light for supporters and, if everyone gets that bit better, the chances he will get can only increase.

Also, if a player like Wood or Garner could get a sustained run at the game it would help him immensely in that he would not take as much attention as he did last year. It was almost; stop Ben Brown, stop North Melbourne.

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So, this year, if it is a big one it makes for a big year for North.

The midfield was touched on above but you have a look at the players in there and think they are serviceable role players. Okay, you could say this for a blanket few but not the whole bunch.

Ben Cunnington, one of the best players below his knees in the game. He rarely drops or fumbles a ball and when he gets it he is one of the elite users by hand also with his ability to handball in tight spaces elite.

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Jack Ziebell is not the most accurate kick but neither is Patrick Dangerfield. He is not on that level but plays a similar role at North. Able to bust through packs and get the ball in long, he is a clearance machine and is one who is worried about around stoppages.

The class with the ball in North’s midfield is Shaun Higgins. His foot skills are great and he makes good decisions. He opens up the ground and the most dangerous part of his game is that he takes his opponent forward and looks to score against them.

Add in the younger players like Ahern, Davies-Uniake, Simpkin, Dumont, Luke McDonald and the like and it looks to be a good deep midfield.

Brad Scott is the right coach at this stage for North Melbourne. I was calling for his head two years ago after the loss to Adelaide, but now the current situation cries out for stability and that is what North will get with Scott.

Barring the players completely losing him as coach or the other way around he is the man to lead North through the next few years.

In the end, North are in a good place. They are working hard and hopefully that enables them to have a good year on the field. The three points above signify what is the most important part of the team and the team will inevitably change before round one.

There is a lot of water to go under the bridge before the Gold Coast.

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