A lot has happened in North Melbourne land since the last time I wrote about my beloved club.
24 hours after the club’s Round 10 victory over the Bulldogs, Brad Scott stood down as coach of the club, where he had been in charge for nine and a half years.
24 hours after that, I published an article calling on the club to bring the heart back to Arden Street. Bring in people who love the club and what it stands for (I believe I referred to these people as ‘North Nuffies’) and just get the club back on track.
The honest, hardworking track that has led them to success before and could lead that way once again.
It’s been almost six months since then and just about the entire club has been turned on its head.
GM of Football Cam Joyce, CEO Carl Dilena and assistant Leigh Tudor were shown the door and departed the club after Scott.
Rhyce Shaw’s position as senior coach was solidified by the end of July.
In 2020, he will be working alongside Darren Crocker, who has been at the club for about four decades, former Roos Leigh Adams and Jade Rawlings, Jared Rivers, Heath Scotland and Brendan Whitecross.
The new-look assistant coaching staff has one thing in common: they have all coached their own sides. Leadership in all forms is exactly what this team needs right now.
(Photo by Darrian Traynor/Getty Images)
The club also managed to bring three-time Syd Barker medallist Brady Rawlings home to Arden Street, where he will start as GM of Football in December.
And finally, Ben Amarfio was announced as CEO, completing the overhaul.
There are plenty of North Melbourne names in that mix, but are they the right ones?
That’s the question the club has to answer, and it appears they may not have a lot of time to do so.
In the days following the finalisation of the club’s new direction, Damien Barrett penned an article for AFL.com.au outlining the club’s potential fate if they could not get themselves back on track.
It wasn’t a welcomed read by many North Melbourne supporters, but most of the time people don’t like the truth. He hasn’t pulled this from nowhere; it’s come straight from the AFL.
And it was a real wake up call.
It’s very easy to slip into a state of denial when something you love very dearly is potentially in danger, but what’s written in Barrett’s column simply reiterate messages that have already hit the club hard.
And I think it has the potential to spark a new era at North Melbourne.
This was made obvious by the tone set at the club’s Best and Fairest dinner back in October.
There was less celebration than usual and rather a hint of determination and dissatisfaction in speeches made on the evening by chairman Ben Buckley, captain Jack Ziebell and newly appointed coach Rhyce Shaw.
Something we haven’t really seen from the club before – or at least in a very long time.
When Ziebell took to the Syd Barker stage, his message rang loud and clear.
“We all understand that we didn’t reach our goals last year and sometimes that’s hard to take… we need to use that feeling of a bit of failure… to drive our season next year,” he said.
“In the back of your mind have the feeling that there’s unfinished business around.
“We haven’t won a premiership at this club for the last 20 years and on us, as current players, we need to fix that.
“So make sure, next month when we come back for pre season we are ready to go. We need to earn the right to put this club back to where it belongs and that’s playing in September.
“Realise that hard work is just around the corner and we all should be hungry for that as well.”
(Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)
The message was bold, to the point and exactly what the club (particularly supporters) needed to hear.
To know the club isn’t satisfied with where it currently sits on field should be music to fans’ ears, as North hasn’t made finals for the previous three seasons.
It’s certainly a far cry to where the club was at just eight months ago.
North Melbourne’s 2018 season took plenty by surprise.
Expected to finish in for bottom four for another season, North won 12 games and finished ninth.
Certainly a better effort than what was expected of them…
However.
Of the club’s 10 losses in 2018, half of them came against sides that didn’t make the eight either.
On reflection it appears like a lost opportunity, but in the moment there was a buzz around the club. An idea that they could really go on to do great things in 2019.
Instead the entire club has been turned on its head after ten years and is ready to start fresh next year.
On reflection, it’s exactly what the club needed as 12 months ago we were celebrating finishing ninth.
A club, that under the same coach in Brad Scott made finals four times in five seasons between 2012 and 2016.
A club that made back-to-back Preliminary Finals.
A club that now, two years on was ultimately celebrating mediocrity? Celebrating a finish outside of the top 8?
Sure, in context the revival was promising.
The outside noise was predominantly negative so to change its tune was a victory in the moment.
But failure to back it up and instead flip the entire club on its head?
That says to me that people other than Damien Barrett know this club needs a real change in gear. Whether that’s the reality supporters are looking for or not.
(Photo by Michael Dodge/Getty Images)
Ben Amarfio’s appointment highlights the club’s realisation that things have to change.
He’s an out-there character and he’s honest.
In his first letter to fans last week, he already said, “there’s a lot of work to do”.
Straight to the point. I like it. No one is beating around the bush here.
The time is now for North Melbourne.
Ben Buckley, Jack Ziebell and Rhyce Shaw know it and acknowledged it almost two months ago.
Incoming CEO Ben Amarfio knows it – it’s one of the first things he’s told supporters coming into the club.
And the outside noise has solidified it.
So there’s not much left for the club to do than to get a move on.
As a supporter, who loves the club from the bottom of my heart I can only hope they embrace the opportunity to start again and make the most of it.
Because I’d hate to know the reality if they fail to do so.
Tim Tyler
Guest
Surely it's a reflection on the quality of you coaching staff if you have to fill your club with players who learn't their craft at another AFL club, what a great honour that would be,wining a premiership with no players that came through the ranks.I'd rather leave that to Carlton and Hawthorn.
GaiusBaltar68
Roar Rookie
They didn't play for Sydney, even though Sydney had first dibs on them. It's really not that hard to understand, Sydney recruiting staff messed up, and Ron Casey played a blinder for North.
Elizabeth Borden
Guest
When did John and Wayne ever play for Sydney?
GaiusBaltar68
Roar Rookie
They were zoned to Sydney at the time, both being NSW boys. Sydney passed them on to North Melbourne for $10k (that's a number from memory), I believe without even bothering to wonder why North was interested.
Elizabeth Borden
Guest
Don't remember Longmire and Carey ever being at Sydney.
Elizabeth Borden
Guest
I wish North and their supporters would forget about dragging up this destination club crap, it seems to be holding them back ,as if there was no other way to do it . Just get on with the job with what you've got without all the whingeing and moaning.
RooBoy18
Roar Rookie
I think Shaw will take North as far as they can go...hopefully top 4 in the next 2-3 years. If you can present yourself in September then you just never know. A lot will hinge on the fortunes of Goldstein and Brown...for mine these two are like a barometer for North...when they are on fire North are unbeatable. A fit and healthy Ben Jacobs would also be handy! My prediction is North to fight it out for 8th spot come late August.
Pope Paul VII
Roar Rookie
Sounds good to me. 3-2 North's way.
anon
Roar Pro
I think Shaw is the right man for the job. But the second half of last season was a bull trap. Mediocrity awaits!
Kannga2
Guest
North have a decent team , I predict North and Brisbane to share the flags between 2020-2024
Footy Fan
Guest
I thought they could have gone more aggressive at trade period I know their trade period was widely praised by supporters and Bonar is a good prospect they could have been bolder and traded out guys like Kayne Turner, Mason Wood, Taylor Garner, even Paul Ahern was struggling to fit in with their midfield for a while, they need a ruck after Goldstein, luke Jackson would have been good, fisher mcasey he'll be gone but he's the sort of player they need, harrison jones sam de koning will likely be around, what is the word on dekoning in the latest phantom draft he was top 20 but one a few weeks ago on big footy forums I read that the eagles would pick him up at 47
TomC
Roar Guru
I agree with Marnie that they need a re-set. On the whole Scott did really well to get what he did out of the list he had. But he didn't really put the investment into young players that some other clubs did over the same period of time, and now the output of the Roos squad is weighted towards older players. Out of their B&F top 10 in 2019, just one player - Trent Dumont - is under 27 years of age. Dumont will probably continue to be a good midfielder. They've got some games into Davies Uniacke, Thomas and Simpkin. But they still have a lot of work to do to bring the next generation of North players up to the level of the older generation, let alone beyond. They need a long term plan. I'm not convinced Rhyce Shaw was the right call. He's only been around as an assistant four years, and I think they need someone capable of seeing further into the future than that. Hopefully he grows with the playing group.
Paul D
Roar Guru
North Melbourne are like the fairytale no-one wants to read. The Black Cauldron of Disney movies. They continue to exist in Melbourne so the big 4 clubs don't have to go to Tasmania, and to give them a break from having to play each other all the time. The biggest problem they have is one you mentioned Marnie - the seriously elite players who are looking to come back to Melbourne, or who are already in Melbourne and looking for another club won't even consider them. I would be comfortable in saying they are dead motherless last in the pecking order in Victoria when it comes to attracting players. And I am not sure how they are ever going to fix it. Not when the clubs above them have such entrenched positions of dominance through membership numbers and historic success and geographical spread.
GaiusBaltar68
Roar Rookie
Changing the perceptions to make North a 'destination' club is something I want to see. That's not going to be an overnight fix, it takes a long period of success. But being able to get in quality in the areas we are poor in is a must. The 1990's team was, in many ways, rather a fortunate experience. A group of talented players indoctrinated in the Dennis Pagan style through the u-19's, augmented by getting Longmire and Carey from Sydney for essentially a set of steak knives. If anything that group underperformed with only 2 premiership (I'm still upset about 1998). But what was built on a sustained period of success? To my mind it was a wasted opportunity. Fingers crossed that this time the back-office team can take full advantage if/when a bit of on-field success is obtained.
Pope Paul VII
Roar Rookie
Most importantly they have a handy list and you never know your luck in a big city.