In the world of AFL futures betting, I can’t help but feel North’s current price to ‘win’ the wooden spoon constitutes the best value in the sport.
While Saturday’s loss in Cyclone ‘let’s think again about March football in Cairns’ did nothing to sway my thoughts on how very ordinary this North team is, a closer look at the list bought up some more worrisome trends.
While the direction the Roos are taking holistically, from Brad Scott’s contract extension to the clubs desperate and dateless approach to free agency, can be debated elsewhere, what’s perhaps lost within the North discussion is their near decade’s worth of simply deplorable drafting.
While the jury’s out on whether Jy Simpkin was an optimal choice in 2016 – and hopefully need never to convene regarding the Luke Davies-Uniacke pick last year – what isn’t up for consideration is the complete butchering of the club’s first and second round picks this decade.
From my count, there are currently just five players’ on North’s list who could be considered above-average AFL footballers.
They include Shaun Higgins – who’s in the twilight of his career, a decent ruckman in Todd Goldstein – who’s well and truly lost his place among the game’s elite, Ben Cunnington – who’d be complimentary midfielder on a good team, Robbie Tarrant – who’s ever so busy but highly effective, and Ben Brown – who’s as wonderful a footballer as he is a human being.
But that’s it.
Outside of those players, North’s list looks like a wardrobe of clothes which, had you more time and a better frame of mind, would have made very different choices.
In fact I’d be willing to wager that if you sat down with members of North’s recruiting team and legitimately asked them to tell the truth about their handiwork, they’d say they would re-do each and every one of their first and second round picks from 2010 through to 2016.
Every one of them.
While, of course, North’s coaches and staff have to continue to develop these players and convince them of their professional sporting ability, the reality is we are talking about 18 players over seven separate drafts who were simply the wrong choice.
That’s an entire team of players. That’s Wayne Carey’s number.
One needn’t possess the sharpest football mind to know that it’s in the first couple of rounds of a draft where the sweetest fruit is picked.
It’s those selections that underpin a team’s success and allow a club to both be creative with their later picks and more adventurous in trading and free agency.
That first couple of rounds simply cannot be butchered. Not over seven drafts they can’t.
JamesH
Roar Guru
I think you can point out one or two players at each pick that they could have taken in hindsight, but there are really only a couple of standout errors - Simpkin over Powell-Pepper, McDonald over Cripps - and those two are still probably the best players they've drafted over that time. North's biggest problem is that they kept topping up their list with older players and finishing from mid-table up to top four (kinda like Sheedy in the early noughties). With the expansion sides coming in, the Roos have mainly had their first pick in the mid-late teens. That sort of range is where things start to get a bit speculative and you're relying more on luck. They should have traded some players out a few years ago while they had some currency and tried to bring in some higher picks. Instead, they traded pick 15 for Jed Anderson and the Hawks used that on Ryan Burton. Ouch.
Nikelnuts
Guest
Where is the comparison of other lists - teams who had virtually no high selections? You should publish lists of all similar teams and count the number who are still on lists and/or the number who played on the weekend and/or the total games played by each list. This article is simply hollow rhetoric otherwise. In any case, I hope you put your money where your mouth is and emptied your bank account to back North for the spoon!
James Rosewarne
Guest
Thanks for your contribution Jackie. My article argues that North's draft from 2010-2016, and chiefly their first and second round picks, should and would be re-considered by the club. I'm not sure if you cottoned on to that contention, while I'd really appreciate you pointing out any of the first or second round picks during that time who you believe made for excellent, or even passable choices. As I stated, Jy Simpkin might be the only exception.
ferball
Guest
You can't even get Taylor Garner's name right. Or Ed Vickers-Willis. So its no surprise you don't rate them.
Jackie
Guest
Who let you publish an unfinished article? For posterity if you're going to make bold claims try using examples, even one will add strength to your arguments.
James Rosewarne
Guest
No, my piece clearly states that I'm looking at first and second round picks taking between the years 2010 through 2016. Here are those picks. My simple contention is that going back in time, there's not a single one of those picks who I reckon North would say they did a good job with. Perhaps Simpkin, maybe Ryan Clarke. In my opinion its not great to have messed up that being high round picks over so many years. Shaun Atley Harper Brad McKenzie Tom Curran Taylor Graner Mason Wood Ben Jacobs Luke McDonald T Dumont Sam Durdin Vikers Willis David Nielson McKay Ryan Clarke Hibberd Simpkin Watson Williams
PK
Guest
Think the guts of your article is missing? Where's the analysis of the draft selections?
John
Guest
Hi James Could you elaborate on who North should have taken and who they should take this year.
Nick
Guest
Hi James - are you able to provide a summary of realistic* selections North should have made instead with their picks? It's easy to pot drafting but without proper analysis it's a bit of a lazy angle. *I say realistic because saying they should have taken Fyfe over Cunnington in 2009 (for example) isn't realistic as he was never on the radar as a top five pick.
OnlyFowards
Guest
So your position is that North's drafting is rubbish because you say so? You offer absolutely zero analysis. It's largely hyperbole.
B4Bear
Guest
I guess we should have gone with Saint Kilda’s picks, seeing as how they kicked our arse last night...oh wait....
Bogdan Kanacheeny
Guest
And who can a North supporter look at for making these decisions?
James
Guest
Thanks heaps, Phil. Appreciate it. I’m on Twitter @jamesrokewarne
Phil Drake
Guest
Excellent and interesting article, James. Would really like to read more from you.