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Joined September 2018
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A diehard North Melbourne supporter!
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I agree North don’t need a full rebuild but bringing in free agent’s or recycled players (not inc someone like Hill) won’t get North into premiership contention. In 5yrs time Cunnington, Goldstein, Ziebell, Higgins, Tarrant, Majack, Jacobs, Macmillan & Pittard will be either retired or mid 30’s. Anderson, Atley, Brown, Garner, Polec & Williams will be 30 or over. All those players are in the best 22 and will be finishing up or gone. Adding more players in that age bracket just adds to the problem down the track and unless they are genuine A-grade players won’t get North closer to a premiership. Unless North hit the draft hard and find talent in 50% of their picks it’s going to be a bleak future. North need to try and trade 2-4 of these players over the next 12 month’s. Another way to fast track and make the most of the current senior players is to target young talent at other clubs in the 18-24yr bracket such as Constable (@ Geelong) Powell-Pepper or Wines (@ Port) Brayshaw or Petraca (@ Melb) Brayshaw, Cerra or Valente (@ Fremantle) King or Ainsworth (@ suns) could possibly get a couple of these players whilst moving a few senior players on and staying active in the draft. Port did it well last year, the bulldogs have been similarly impressive since their premiership. The Eagles were meant to fall down the ladder when Petrie, Mitchell and Priddis retired. They ended up adding a premiership by great drafting. Time to be bold and throw the magnets around.
North Melbourne must fix dud drafting to end the mid-table madness
I believe the term used was “aggressive reset”
North Melbourne must fix dud drafting to end the mid-table madness
Interesting but continuing the free agent chase is hurting the side long term and keeping us nowhere. Ellis is a solid player but who does he replace, Atley, Dumont, McDonald, Garner? Gray is solid but not game changing. He would be soo much better than Turner who gives his all but doesn’t hit the scoreboard enough and can’t produce enough pressure to lock the ball in the forward 50. Would be better long term to draft a small or give either Hosie or Taylor a year to show what they can do. Look at the Eagles with Ryan and Rioli. Hill is a star but seems likely he’ll join the Saints. If North trade Higgins he would be an ideal replacement and a risk North could take by keeping their second pick and what they get back for Higgins.
North Melbourne must fix dud drafting to end the mid-table madness
Draft value index I believe
North Melbourne must fix dud drafting to end the mid-table madness
Great article. Thank you for taking the time. I believe North’s injuries are underrated. Vickers-Willis out for most of the season, he looks promising. Higgins missed 5-6 games and for the second year Ben Jacobs missed the whole year. For a club that has serious midfield deficiencies Jacobs is a big loss. Had Higgins not missed could North have won 2-3 more games and made the finals? I agree North are no better than 8-12th and seemingly treading water. In regards to McKay I’ve thought the same thing. He looks uncomfortable, out of his depth in defence at time’s hence why he isn’t being played. Why not play him forward with Brown, Larkey and Zurhaar and add 2 quick small forwards to crumb and add pressure to the forward line. I think North should get aggressive and creative, Higgins is a great player (our best) and it would hurt to loose him but North need to make hard decisions and take a step backwards for 2-3yrs and build under Rhyce. Possibly trade Higgins to Geelong but work out a deal to get a first round pick back. Would the sun’s possibly be interested in something like Jed Anderson, Mason Wood, pick 7, (Higgins pick) and North’s 2020 1st & 3rd for pick’s 1 & 2 (if they get a priority pick) It gives the sun’s three 1st rounder’s plus their own 2nd this year all in the top 30 plus two 1st rounders next year (North’s likely to be between pick 7-12) and two mature players to help them immediately over the next 5-7yrs. It leaves north with 3 picks inside 30 this season but getting the best 2 midfielders in this years draft (something they desperately need) or they trade and load up at the draft. Personally I’d take Luke Jackson with pick 7 as ruck will be an issue in the near future and ruckmen take a few years to develop. If North pry a late 1st or very early 2nd for Higgins, Elijah Taylor could become a small forward we desperately need (possibly playing midfield eventually). North’s other picks it’s own 2nd and what they get for Mason Wood they should target 2 running half back defender’s. Another option could be to target young talent at other clubs who may be unhappy or homesick. Could a deal be done for Adam Cerra (Fremantle)…
North Melbourne must fix dud drafting to end the mid-table madness
Ok a confused north supporter with a few questions. Can someone please tell me why Goldstein isn’t being traded? The only reason to keep him is if you are a finals team, north is a few years AT BEST from that! Preuss is proven @ afl level albeit a small sample but he is the future! They also have daw to give him a spell when needed and Brown who pinch hits up forward! Very odd move for a club “aggressively resetting” They could potentially get a late second or early third round pick for Goldstein. They could even pay his hefty salary for 2019 to get the deal done and a better pick! Geelong, bulldogs, Melbourne maybe even Essendon could be willing to take him. Second question why is north not on the phone to Gws about setterfield, all rumours are he’s gettable, offer pick 10 in exchange for their 1st pick and setterfield and maybe their 3rd, seems like a no brainer for a team desperate to add midfielders. Then offer Port that first round pick for Polec and Joe atley and that’s pretty fair compensation. Use their remaining picks for Tarryn Thomas. Getting 2 young guys into the club both 1st rounders and getting a quality winger in Polec. Going backwards in the ruck short term but who knows long term? I also think Hartung would’ve been worth trying as a small forward, he has the skills, just his kicking that let’s him down but he could work on it. Gaff is a quality player but personally they’ve offered too much. 6yrs with the 7th partially guaranteed @ 1 million a year should’ve been enough. I like Aaron Hall if he goes to North, has speed and class which North desperately need and has a solid 4-5yrs left. In a stronger team with stronger leadership I think he’ll become the player he showed he could be a few years ago.
Andrew Gaff's next move will shape North Melbourne's future
I think North have a pretty promising young core. Larkey, Zurhaar, Thomas, Simkin, Scott, Davies-Uniack, Taylor, McKay, Hayden, Xerri and Bonner. In the next age bracket they have Anderson 26yo, MacDonald (25yo) Dumont (25) There’s 14 players. Simkin, Davies-Uniack, Zurhaar, Scott and Larkey have shown enough to say they are tracking to be possible A grade players in another 2/4yrs. Above that Polec (27) J Walker (27) and Brown (27). Ahern (24) showed promise when he finally played 2yrs ago and was chased by rival clubs but has struggled since as he has been tried in multiple positions. He’s a midfielder. Probably a depth player. Vickers-Willis (24) has shown real promise but has had a terrible run with injury. Turner (24) has shown promise but doesn’t score enough and lacks elite pace. Depth player. If Vickers-Willis can get continuity he looks a solid player in a best 22. Keep Ziebell, Tarrant in the side and build from there. Keep Daw also. It seems North will get pick 2. I’d be trying to trade it for a player like Josh kelly (25). Gives North an instant A grader in the midfield young enough to grow with this group. Aim to get a 2021 second round pick back possibly. Pick two is more valuable than two 1st round picks in the teens imo. Could North move their 2021 second round pick to the suns for Peter Wright (23) and Will Broadie (21) these two are both gettable and Wright has shown promise. Would fit in well. Carlton is desperate for a big bodied inside mid to help Cripps. Cunnington would be ideal and is worth two 1st picks or could you get creative and possibly get De-Koning (21) Fisher (22) and a 1st or 2nd 2021 pick? Maybe Paddy Dow instead of Fisher? De-Koning plays ruck, Fisher or Dow off half back. Win for both clubs? Would Goldstein get a 1st pick from Geelong for either 20 or 21 draft. Add Higgins in and pay their salaries for 2021. Get creative and possibly get Nakia Cockatoo and Charlie Constable in the deal. Fresh start for both. Goldstein and Higgins go to a contending team. North still has Melbourne’s 1st 2020 pick. Is Angus Brayshaw gettable? Could North trade Melbourne’s pick back in exchange? Or something similar next year. Ben Brown is worth a late 1st round pick. Collingwood and Essendon both need a forward and can give one either this year or next. North needs to be ruthless and cut 10-14 players. They need to get creative and build better depth. They need to unfortunately trade some senior players, trade picks and pick swaps to do so. If North can get a core of players in the door like the players suggested it brings their age demographic down and gives them depth they desperately need and haven’t had for over a decade. Keep hitting the draft over the next 3yrs (they’ll be a bottom 6 team) then hopefully the list gels, the young guys mature and some become the A grade stars they are leaning towards. Hit free agency again in 2yrs and hopefully push for finals.
The three scenarios for Ben Brown and North Melbourne