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Let me start by saying that I’m not too likely to get all hot and bothered over whether or not Jordan de Goey decides to ask for a trade to North Melbourne at the end of the year. That’s one of the perks of supporting a team that’s actually playing pretty good footy.
In 2017, I spent plenty of hours daydreaming about Dustin Martin and Josh Kelly – there was nothing better to do.
In 2018, there’s enough real stuff to get excited about that offseason machinations are more of an afterthought – potentially exciting, but I’m more interested in who we’re playing next week.
The Roos have cash to spend and if De Goey winds up being the guy we spend some of it on, goodo. If not – and I really do think that this is the very likely result – no big deal, and we move on to the next name on the list.
That said, it’s an approach that does make a lot of sense for North Melbourne. I wouldn’t have thought so at the start of the year, but I do now.
When I looked at North’s ‘rebuild’ in February this year I thought the crucial thing to get right in 2018 would be to successfully acquire academy prospect Tarryn Thomas while still holding a pick in the first round.
That looked a likely path then, as the general expectation on North was that they would probably do poorly and have an early draft pick, and a bid for Thomas would probably not come until the teens – allowing the club to grab two top talents almost for the price of one.
The tables have turned since the season began, however – North don’t look like a bottom four side anymore, and Thomas has pushed his name up into the bracket of those players who will be considered in the draft’s top ten, maybe even top five.
If the draft were to be run today, with North holding pick 14, and rival clubs evaluating Thomas based on the form he’s shown at under-18 level so far this year, you could bet the farm on a bid coming well before North’s first selection.
And if that’s the way things pan out in November then it’s by no means a poor result – Thomas is exactly the kind of player North needs and if the club must pay a high price for him then so be it.
But why not try to game the system a little if you can? If North can successfully lure a star player via trade this year, they can spend their first selection on trading for them, and then make up the cost of Thomas with a collection of later picks instead.
It was a disappointment for North Melbourne to miss out on possible father-son recruit Nick Blakey, but it may yet turn out to be one of the better things that could have happened to the club, giving the list management team the impetus to do something a bit more creative.
So yes, it looks like a good idea for North. But enough about that. Why is it a good idea for Jordan de Goey?
(Photo by Michael Dodge/Getty Images)
There are plenty of good reasons why any AFL player – including De Goey – should consider an offer from North Melbourne. But here’s the biggest and most important one: this is a club where you can play the best football of your career.
There is more player movement than ever these days and while moving clubs can work out really well for some players, there are plenty for whom it proves more of a rocky road.
We’ve seen a number of players in recent years who, for one reason or another, just haven’t been able to find their feet at a new club.
Well, it may happen elsewhere, but it doesn’t seem to happen at North Melbourne. Let me tell you about five players who have come in the last four years, and have all gone on to play career-best football at the club.
I’d wager most bald Carlton fans out there could track their hair loss back to the stress of following Jarrad Waite’s career at the Blues. He’s been a different player since moving. He’s 35 years old, but on pace for a career-best year when it comes to kicking goals.
Shaun Higgins came across the same year as Waite and has gone from being one of the league’s most injury-prone players during his time at the Bulldogs to North’s classiest and most valuable midfielder, and a best and fairest winner in 2017.
Jed Anderson arrived ahead of the 2016 season after the early years of his career at Hawthorn were derailed by frequent issues with injury and illness. It’s taken some time to get things right, but his improvement in 2018 has been out of sight.
Marley Williams was traded from Collingwood at the end of that year for the cost of pick 105 (in a draft where only 77 picks were actually taken). Nathan Buckley and the Pies gave up on him – now he’s one of the most crucial and reliable members of the No.1 defence in the AFL.
At the end of last year, Billy Hartung was delisted by Hawthorn. Not hard enough, they said. Doesn’t win his own ball. Well, he’s averaging career-high numbers in tackles, contested possesions and clearances for the Roos in 2018.
Oh, and keep an eye on Paul Ahern in this space too – after suffering consecutive ACL injuries in his two years at Greater Western Sydney, he’s on the verge of making his AFL debut after a year and a half with North Melbourne. Might even be this weekend.
It’s not too often that players find a reason to leave, while those that arrive tend to wind up playing the best football of their careers under Brad Scott.
Can we say the same about Collingwood and Nathan Buckley? I’m not here to pass judgement, but I know which regime I’d rather be working under.
(Photo by Daniel Kalisz/Getty Images)
But what about the elephant in the room – the thing that’ll get thrown in a North fan’s face every time they get a bit uppity when talking footy? Crowd numbers.
I won’t lie to you, North tends to play in front of fewer fans on average each week than most clubs, and you won’t play too many Anzac matches at Arden St. That’s just the way it is.
Every club has its plusses and minuses. In this case, it’s important to remember – and perhaps this might speak to Jordan De Goey more than most – that being at a lower profile AFL club means being at a lower profile AFL club.
When a Collingwood player stuffs up off the field it tends to dominate the news cycle all week – if not longer. You know the kind of thing I’m talking about.
I’m not saying the standards and expectations on player behaviour are any lower at the Kangaroos – they may be higher. However, the trial by media on high-profile players who make a dumb mistake off the field gets a bit ridiculous these days and I wouldn’t blame any footballer who wanted to get away from it.
At a small club like North, players have the chance to move on pretty quickly and just get back to playing footy without being talked about on the telly every night for a week – you know, like any normal person should. Sounds nice, doesn’t it?
Oh and lastly, quickly, just between us… It’s worth mentioning that we’ve got plenty of room in our salary cap right now. I hear that’s not so much the case at Collingwood. Perhaps Mister Belfort isn’t the only Jordan out there who enjoys fun coupons?
Something to think about.