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Opinion

The ten players your team can least afford to lose: North Melbourne Kangaroos

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Roar Guru
14th May, 2020
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The North Melbourne Kangaroos finished 12th on the AFL ladder in 2019.

Even though they didn’t make the top eight they did manage to win ten games for the season, which is respectable.

They started off the 2020 season well with a narrow win over the St Kilda Saints in a low-scoring contest. The Kangaroos scored just two goals in the first half, but they still managed to win the game. It was a character-building win.

Selecting their top ten players that could least afford to lose was an extremely thought-provoking exercise.

10. Nick Larkey
Larkey was the second-highest goal kicker for the North Melbourne Kangaroos with 26 goals despite only playing 17 out of 22 games. Larkey plays at centre half-forward and is probably keeping Mason Wood out of the team who plays in the same position as Larkey, and Wood is a good player in his own right.

Larkey is a key player with regards to the Kangaroos’ structure in season 2020.

9. Trent Dumont
Dumont finished fourth in the 2019 North Melbourne Kangaroos’ best and fairest despite missing one game. Dumont averaged the third-most disposals of any Kangaroos player in 2019 with an average of 23.57 disposals per game. He has been added to the Kangaroos’ leadership group for season 2020.

8. Jared Polec
Polec finished seventh in the 2019 North Melbourne Kangaroos’ best and fairest. Polec plays on a wing and averaged the fourth-most disposals of any Kangaroos player in 2019 with an average of 23.14 disposals in the 22 games that he played.

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He was probably the Kangaroos’ second-best player against St Kilda in Round 1 of season 2020.

7. Jamie Macmillan
Macmillan is a pivotal part of the North Melbourne Kangaroos team playing in a back pocket. Macmillan averaged an impressive 20.5 disposals from the 18 games that he played in 2019. He played a key role in the Kangaroos’ Round 1 win over St Kilda.

6. Jack Ziebell
Ziebell is the captain of the North Melbourne Kangaroos. Ziebell had a reasonable season, finishing sixth in the 2019 Kangaroos’ best and fairest. He averaged 20.45 disposals per game and averaged just over a goal a game kicking 24 goals while playing all 22 games.

Jack Ziebell

(Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)

5. Shaun Higgins
Higgins finished eighth in the 2019 North Melbourne Kangaroos’ best and fairest despite only playing 17 games out of the 22. Higgins averaged the most disposals of any Kangaroos player in 2019 with an average of 28.41.

He is the vice-captain of the Kangaroos for season 2020 and was instrumental in them winning in Round 1.

4. Ben Brown
Brown finished fifth in the 2019 North Melbourne Kangaroos’ best and fairest. Brown was named in the 2019 AFL All-Australian squad of 40. Brown averaged 2.91 goals per game in 2019, playing all 22 games.

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3. Todd Goldstein
Goldstein finished third in the North Melbourne Kangaroos’ best and fairest in 2019. Goldstein is the Kangaroos’ number one ruckman and a key part of their team.

2. Ben Cunnington
Cunnington is a fantastic player that keeps on improving and enhancing his reputation and was in the 2019 AFL All-Australian squad of 40. He won the 2019 North Melbourne Kangaroos’ best and fairest.

In Round 1 of season 2020 he was probably the Kangaroos’ best player, kicking two goals and amassing 25 disposals. He has been added to the Kangaroos’ leadership group for season 2020.

1. Robbie Tarrant
Tarrant finished second in the 2019 North Melbourne Kangaroos’ best and fairest. Tarrant is a player that the Kangaroos can’t afford to lose as he plays as a key defender usually on the opposition’s best tall forward.

He is also a fantastic leader, which is clearly valued within the club as he is a vice-captain of the Kangaroos for season 2020.

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