The AFL would be excused for padding the walls of Brad Scott’s coaches’ box, because the performance of his team late in games this year is enough to institutionalise any coach.
While Adelaide played some phenomenal football, led by Patrick Dangerfield in the final quarter, the Kangaroos are developing a bad habit.
Leading by 30 points with ten minutes to go in the final quarter against the Crows, North Melbourne self-imploded to lose by one solitary point.
It was not the first time this season Scott’s men cracked late in a game. Sadly, it was the fourth time this season they have lost by less than a goal.
While sitting 13th on the ladder with a 3-6 record, they could easily be 7-2.
In Round 2, North Melbourne led by 41 points against Geelong in the second quarter to lose by four points.
In Round 5, North Melbourne led by 12 points against Hawthorn in the fourth quarter to lose by three points.
In Round 8, North Melbourne led by 15 points against West Coast in the fourth quarter to lose by two points.
With the losing margins taunting Scott, it must be infuriating his boys cannot close out their games. All of their close games have come against finals teams, so North Melbourne is clearly capable of playing finals football.
They’re just not doing it for four quarters.
They are doing everything that has been asked of them for 95% of game but the psychological effect on players is mounting if their belief to win is waning.
If Scott was looking for reasons behind his team’s capitulation last night, Twitter would have been a no-go zone. #ThingsThatFinishBetterThanNorth was trending.
The Crows led for just 16 seconds of the game and fortunately for them, they were leading at the only time that mattered.
Vision of Scott in the coaches’ box showed him fuming and slamming the desk, which probably requires replacing after every North Melbourne game.
In stark contrast, the sight of the Adelaide box was inspiring, as the coaches rose in unity when Jared Petrenko soccered a loose ball to put the Crows in front.
Every week, it takes a phenomenal performance by North Melbourne’s opposition to come from behind and steal victory. It directs the praise towards their opposition, labelling North Melbourne as unlucky.
For it to happen to a team four times in nine weeks though, it tugs at the hearts of loyal supporters, who are filthy at their men. So much so, more than bad luck is costing the Kangaroos these games.
Why are these brain fades occurring?
The buck usually stops with the coach, but there is no doubt Scott has taught his defence the importance of spare numbers late in a game.
Last night’s loss falls on the players and, most importantly, their on-field leaders.
With 66 seconds on the clock last night, the ball was thrown in on the wing. They just needed to lock the ball up but there were shockingly few Kangaroos around the ball.
There were only four Kangaroos players around the ball when it was thrown in and Bernie Vince got the clearance for Adelaide.
At that point, any Kangaroo player should be in one of two spots on the ground – either around the ball or in their defensive 50. Adelaide pumped the ball long but a free kick was awarded to Petrie with 43 seconds left on the clock.
Petrie did his best to waste time but only had one-on-one contests in front of him. He looked around and there was zero movement.
This stunk of a weakness in North Melbourne’s fitness levels. They had been run off their feet to the point not a single player could shake his man to give Petrie an option.
The ball eventually kicked up the line to a pack and spilled from a contest. Adelaide’s find of the night, Sam Kerridge – who had kicked six goals in the second half – was able to get the ball on the wing and pump it inside 50.
As the ball entered Adelaide’s forward 50, there were only four North Melbourne defenders in their defensive 50 arc. Four!
Scott’s hair should have been torn out when the ball spilled out the back and Petrenko was able to run onto the loose ball.
It was a situation where there should have been loose players on the goal-line and Petrenko should not have had the running room he found.
North Melbourne’s defence was abysmally organised. It is up to the players to have the game-presence to know how important it was to flood their defence. It is something their coach would have hammered into them after the same mistakes cost them previously.
While analysing 66 seconds of a game is not representative of the game, those 66 seconds were where North Melbourne players had to ask themselves, how badly did they want to win?
They didn’t want it enough.
Timmuh
Roar Guru
That is a good point. North lost the game in the second quarter as much as the last. And it has been a recurring theme for four or five years. Once five or six goals up, against anyone except the very worst, North always get the lead clawed back. This year, and to an extent last, it has cost matches but the pattern extends back maybe as far as the early Laidley era. Having got back into the game once from six goals down, why would Adelaide not feel they could do it again. Great mental resilience from the Crows aided and abetted by something terrible that has developed over a number of years at North.
Bruce Lee
Guest
Nobody can stop Nic with his Air Jordan moments of genius. Even better than that though has to be the look on BS face at the post match. Really enjoying this lately... More so than Eddies face following a close loss. Yeahhhh !!!!
Nathan of Perth
Guest
They were anti-clutch - have missed several key late chances to seal games.
Nathan of Perth
Guest
Yeah, isn't that the point? It's the very fact they couldn't nail down even one of those close games that makes this conversation relevant! Four straight makes it a pattern.
vocans
Guest
Having looked at the game again, it doesn't look like fitness was the issue. The Crows believed they could win and threw themselves in. Scott reckons it's mental and it looks like he may be right. The Crows had the attitude and in the end the Roos didn't. And the Roos were never as dominant as it seemed. The Crows also had patches of dominance - in the 2nd they were back to 10 pts at half time. It could have been 5 if Patrenko had not hit the post. Great game really - Fun! (If you're not a Roos fan).
vocans
Guest
It's apparently not only final quarters but the 3rd isn't too hot either. Do we call that a 'fade-out' or is it something more?
Timmuh
Roar Guru
Spelling is for chumps.
Pope Paul VII
Guest
you are smashing me Timmuh, all I've got left is this....check out your spelling of "accountability" in your original post.
Timmuh
Roar Guru
In adfdition to the games above, the same happened against Port and the Dogs last year - and very nearly against Gold Coast. When the time comes to stop playing pretty football and be accountable to benefit the team, 22 players go missing every time. That is very much like St Kilda used to be back before the mid-90s, except the interchange is bigger now meaning St Kilda used to only have 20 go missing.
Pope Paul VII
Guest
You are too kind Nath. Might not be a bad idea if he gets down to the boundary line for the last quarter so his charges get the gist of his frustration.
Nathan of Perth
Guest
Led all the way to T-16 seconds. Unbelievable. I have literally gone past the point of schadenfreude on Brad Scott. Now I just want the poor bugger to win one so he stops looking like he's holding back the waterworks.
Pope Paul VII
Guest
This rumour might have been started by Port. St K that is harsh. The mighty saints are in a league of their own when it comes to self sabotage.
Timmuh
Roar Guru
He'd be stupid to stay. North are developing the culture St Kilda had before Stan Alves, no accuntability, no care, no team. There is nothing to stay for. He should get out before his mind is rotted for all time.
mpalm
Roar Rookie
If Brad Scott's post game press conference was anything to go by then there will be a few players on the chopping block this week. These close losses are reminiscent of Richmond's series of close losses last year but there is still plenty of time to prove themselves, especially after a tough draw to start the season.
mpalm
Roar Rookie
If Brad Scott's post game press conference was anything to go by then there will be a few players on the chopping block this week. These close losses are reminiscent of Richmond's series of close losses last year but there is still plenty of time to prove themselves, especially after a tough draw to start the season.
langou
Roar Guru
It’s heartbreaking for supporters but compared to many other clubs they are in a great position. In the next couple of years, if they can learn to eradicate those final quarter fade outs they could be a top four side. Let’s face it, any game that is a single figure margin has an element of luck about it as well. A kick here or there or a decision that doesn’t go your way, a bad bounce can all have an effect. That’s not taking responsibility away from the players who have blown some big leads but just putting some perspective on it.
aghhhhh
Guest
"You wouldn’t be saying that if North had won just two of the tight games" What a stupid thing to say! they didn't win those games did they? they lost them........................because they couldn't handle the pressure! Not false, that's actually fact!
Avon River
Guest
We gave the boys excuses v Geel, and Haw a d even West Coast with Nic Nat back. But we had a the advantage of a longer break than the Crows who have a patched together forward line and an out of form ruckman. This week there were no excuses. Just questions. Like why was Spud so often exposed by Kerridge?
Kev
Guest
For a side that was copping hidings against the top 4 sides 12 months ago North have come a long way. As disappointing as it is, fade outs are a sign of a young and inexperienced side which will hopefully be eradicated as they gain experience both in terms of matches and mentally. Having followed North for 15 years I've seen enough of the bad to know that there's a good side in the making here. Let's hold off on the panicking.
Nick
Roar Guru
Thats so blatantly false, vacuous and reactionary. You wouldn't be saying that if North had won just two of the tight games. You would be saying something equally vacuous like "North can hang in tight in situations of unrelenting pressure." North are a top 8 team, they just have a lot of work to do now.