Past #29: Brent Harvey - drafted w/ #47 in '95 ND - 432 games/518 goals for NM - AFL games record holder

[danj]

I think it is totally fair and reasonable that his position as captain is questioned. Brilliant player and has had a marvellous career, but out of all the captains in the AFL, I find he goes missing most often. His games against Fremantle and St Kilda were absolutely putrid. How often is he our best when we are being smashed?

We have a new young coach and a very young side. To compliment that I think we need a young vibrant captain.

The other component to this is I hope that by Boomer relinquishing the captaincy that it will assist him in playing at this level for longer. I hope he has another 2-3 years in him at least.

I was in favour of Drew being our Captain right from the start and i think making Drew Co-Captain at the mid season break and Zeibel and Adams Co-Vice captains would be a nice transition phase and at the end of the year make Drew Captain with Zeibel and Adams Co-Vice Captains.

This would allow Boomer to focus on what he does best, play footy, and it would develop the leadership skills of potential future Captains we might also consider Swallow as a co vc.

DISCLAIMER: The above views in no way lessen my regard for Brent Harvey as a player and leader at the NMFC

 

[trooroo4life]

I was in favour of Drew being our Captain right from the start and i think making Drew Co-Captain at the mid season break and Zeibel and Adams Co-Vice captains would be a nice transition phase and at the end of the year make Drew Captain with Zeibel and Adams Co-Vice Captains.

This would allow Boomer to focus on what he does best, play footy, and it would develop the leadership skills of potential future Captains we might also consider Swallow as a co vc.

DISCLAIMER: The above views in no way lessen my regard for Brent Harvey as a player and leader at the NMFC

Adams ? ..... at this point going with this year and last. Swallow should and will be the next captain in my view he leads the midfield already and oozes captaincy material. Spitta for Captain is my opinion he's always laying tackles , putting his head over the ball and never giving up whether were losing or getting smashed

And as for Adams i would say your a Patch fan lol , i dont ever see him being a Vice or Captain of the NMFC but i could be wrong lol

 

[Kimbo]

With Wells and Anthony out, Boomer has too big a load to carry as our only midfielder with pace to run and carry. He gets too much attention as a result.

We rightfully suggested he didn't get enough protection in the St Kilda game. What was different in a game roundly criticized for pathetic effort across the board?

 

[trooroo4life]

I aint saying Boomer shouldnt be captain i love Boomer but i think this will be his last year taking some of the load off his shoulders for his last few years and he will be there to help a young bloke should he take over the role

 

[Twinkletoes]

With Wells and Anthony out, Boomer has too big a load to carry as our only midfielder with pace to run and carry. He gets too much attention as a result.

We rightfully suggested he didn't get enough protection in the St Kilda game. What was different in a game roundly criticized for pathetic effort across the board?

Is that you Dermie?

Brereton was asked about Boomer last night on SEN. He was asked "Boomer Harvey Derm.............is he coming to the end or is he struggling with the captaincy? What reason do you give for his patchy form?"

Your comment above was his answer, almost verbatim Kimbo. He particularly concentrated on the "lack of protection" bit.

 

[Kimbo]

Is that you Dermie?

Brereton was asked about Boomer last night on SEN. He was asked "Boomer Harvey Derm.............is he coming to the end or is he struggling with the captaincy? What reason do you give for his patchy form?"

Your comment above was his answer, almost verbatim Kimbo. He particularly concentrated on the "lack of protection" bit.

Even Dermie has to get it right sometimes?!

 

[stoja]

how many more years do you fellas think he will play?

i think 3 years is being overly optimistic and simply wont happen.. in saying that im gonna say 1 - 2 years maximum

 

[DarkPhoenix]

It’s time Brent Harvey relinquished the captaincy at North Melbourne to Drew Petrie. And he should do it this week.

The little man in the No.29 guernsey has been a grand servant of his club for more than a decade but as a captain and leader of men, I’m sorry to say, he manifestly falls short of what’s required.

And what’s required at the moment at Arden St is a skipper who either leads by example with courageous deeds on the field that inspire others to follow (think Brett Kirk, Nick Maxwell or Cameron Ling); or plays so well that his very presence lifts everyone around him (think Chris Judd, Matthew Pavlich, Jonathan Brown or Nick Riewoldt).

Harvey provides neither. He’s not an in-and-under type who does the dirty work; he’s a frontrunner who can’t be relied upon for any sort of decent output when the going gets tough. Which might sound harsh but you'll hear it said too often among North powers-that-be for there not to be an element of truth about it.

When he’s tagged by a Ling or Clint Jones or, yesterday at Fremantle, Jay van Berlo, his head drops and he seems to have little stomach for the fight. Invariably these days, that sort of close attention is enough to snuff out any Harvey influence. Yesterday, he managed seven kicks and three handballs before being injured in the last quarter. Not good enough.

Yet when he’s given free rein, he becomes damaging with his speed, skills and peripheral vision. But these days, that’s not something Kangaroos supporters are used to seeing too often.

In round two, when the Roos were thumped by St Kilda, Clint Jones (and others) reduced him to three kicks and two handballs for the match. The following week, West Coast coach John Worsfold inexplicably allowed Harvey to run around without a tagger. The result was 19 kicks and 25 handballs in a three-vote display.

The Kangaroos are at a delicate point in their rebuilding phase. They are fielding the youngest team in the league and getting belted regularly. What these young players need is a strong leader, a galvanising figure, someone to rally around. That will be pivotal if the club is to scale the heights it reached in the '90s, or even to get to base camp.

What they don’t need to see is their captain not chasing and not tackling and not putting in desperate second efforts. That has a morale-sapping effect on everyone. And that, I’m afraid, is what Harvey is providing at the moment.

Harvey would do well to get a tape of Collingwood’s Maxwell, a player of limited ability but extraordinary determination. Maxwell is no-one’s idea of a champion but what he lacks in talent more than makes up for in enthusiasm and unyielding commitment. He’s a born leader.

For those same reasons, Petrie is the obvious candidate to take over Harvey’s mantle. He was incredibly stupid to cop a two-match in round 22 last season, when he whacked Alipate Carlisle off the ball in a meaningless fixture at Football Park.

But you’ve only got to see the way he marshals the forward line, the way he gees up the troops, the way he never gives up in any contest and it’s plain he’s the man for the job. And at 27, he’s five years younger than Harvey.

Make no mistake, ‘Boomer’ has had a distinguished career in the royal blue and white, overcoming shortness of stature with an array of glittering skills, baulks and feints, not to mention blistering speed. And his form when he represented the state in the Big V jumper was invariably outstanding. At the tailend of the great North era, when he was only young, Harvey was also a great contributor.

But that’s the thing: he is good in strong sides, when he can run around and do his thing, unmolested. But when he’s the No.1 midfielder in poor sides, which is what the Kangas are now, and likely to attract the No.1 negator on the other team, well it’s almost game over. And who wants that quality in their skipper?

Harvey turned 32 a fortnight ago. He’s got not much to prove to anyone as a player. But, in the interests of North’s future, he should hand over the captain’s armband now. And let the club start planning for its next five years which shapes as one of the most important periods in Shinboner history.

Article from Charles Happell posted on the main board.

 

[RoyalBlue]

So is Petrie the next Captain? Surely too early for a JZ etc....maybe Swallow, but I'd like to see him tear games apart a little more.
Think we have a real "leadership" gap ATM.

I actually reckon we don't.

If Harvey finished up this year it'd be Drew.

If he finished in two years, it'd be Jack.

 

[TennisPlayerAndy]

And what’s required at the moment at Arden St is a skipper who either leads by example with courageous deeds on the field that inspire others to follow (think Brett Kirk, Nick Maxwell...

Massive LOL.

 

[LB2Snake]

I actually reckon we don't.

If Harvey finished up this year it'd be Drew.

If he finished in two years, it'd be Jack.

I hear ya RB.....but i really don't think either of those options is up to it yet.
Petrie is hard etc, but not a captain in my book.....I love the way he plays but just don't see it.
JZ looks like he'll be a great player for us, but he's miles off being an AFL captain, even in 2 years, he oozes hardness and desperation, but his skills sometimes?????
Maybe JZ's skills will really come to the fore with a bigger tank etc, but at the moment he's a fair way off being elite which is what you want in your captain IMO. Also think he doesn't need the added burden.
I really feel that there is a dearth of leaders at North ATM, someone who actually puts there hand up when we are struggling to do something about it.
Maybe Spud, but again, not a captain.
Hopefully I'm totally wrong on JZ, and am sure will get shot down for thinking he's not captaincy material yet.

 

[r_boy]

Reasoned article from Happell.

My problem with it though is that our young leaders just aren't mature enough yet to undertake that kind of responsibility. It's all well and good to say we need a young strong captain for a young team but if it were me I'd wanna give it to Ziebell and he is at least 3/4 years away from it. Better off just giving it to Drew for a few years then deciding after that. That's when it will really matter anyway because we'll actually be starting to throw our weight around in the league.

 

[hellas_johnny]

When Boomer origninally got the captaincy i expected it. But I thought that he should'nt have ogtten it. Petrie, who is a genuine leader and a great player should've gotten it. he like Harvey bleeds blue and white for the club, and plus he is younger then Harvey. Ever since Boomer has gotten the captaincy he has been really down. His first season last year, he was shit the first few games, then he got his elbow injury. This season he I think that he has been ok besided against Stkilda and Freo but would really prefer him to give the captaincy to Drew. Boomer as VC i have no problem with.

 

[Pres]

Drew is clearly the man for the job in my book. The man bleeds for the club and is without doubt the most inspirational player on the list.

 

[danj]

Adams ? ..... at this point going with this year and last. Swallow should and will be the next captain in my view he leads the midfield already and oozes captaincy material. Spitta for Captain is my opinion he's always laying tackles , putting his head over the ball and never giving up whether were losing or getting smashed

And as for Adams i would say your a Patch fan lol , i dont ever see him being a Vice or Captain of the NMFC but i could be wrong lol

Of all our younger players i would say Patch has had the experience as a leader he is "A former Victoria Metro captain at under 18 level" "He went on to win a best and fairest award, (in Tassie VFL) despite playing just 13 games."

He has been hampered by injury but he is developing some consistency and has a lot of respect around the club, having said that i am equally happy for Swallow to be VC or co VC BTW what do people think of having co captains or co vice captains?

 

[Twinkletoes]

BTW what do people think of having co captains or co vice captains?

Don't like it myself (co-captains).

Spitter captained the WA U18's from memory too.

 

[shintemaster]

Without wanting to seem like bagging Boomer too much, I have to say that Petrie was my choice when the decision was getting made. I just felt he was a better age and a better 'type' to be the captain. I don't have any major issue with Harvey in the job though, just my preference.

If they make a change after this year Petrie's probably still the main contender. Swallow not too far behind although it's probably a year early. JZ is it in a few years but hopefully it will be almost a minor issue by then.

 

[danj]

Don't like it myself (co-captains).

Spitter captained the WA U18's from memory too.

I was only thinking co captains for the rest of this season as a transition from Boomer to Drew however co vc's for younger players is a good idea i reckon you could mix it up over a couple of years (assuming Drew is Captain for 3-4yrs) and during the last year of Drew's captaincy have the incoming Captain (Spitta!) as co captain??? Anyway some form of succession planning that allowed a degree of flexibility due to forced retirement or desertion to other clubs should not be a bad thing

 

[breeno]

Spitter or Drew next year for mine. Harvey's been great and is still one of the best performed 30-something year olds in the league, but these two do the real hard stuff and are extremely inspiring to watch.

We need someone who is very unlikely to be ommitted due to poor form aswell. Swallow is as consistent as it comes and when he isn't getting the ball, he's worth his place in the side based on his insatiable appetite for tackling.

JZ too young and is likely to be ommitted (for rest or form purposes) at some point during the next few years.

 

[Twinkletoes]

Boomer can have it as long as he wants afaic. Beyond that, whenever he decides his tenure at the helm is done or ending, it's Dish or Spitter for mine.

 

[Sheezel2Wardlaw]

Spud Firrito???

 

[SB Dan]

Spud Firrito???

Definitely. SHould be spud, he is everything a captain should be.

Boomer, while a champion, is a receiver/goal sneak. It's not the position for an inspiring captain. This is not a slight against him. I think his form would appreciate relief from the captaincy role. Boomer's a good selfish player. Again not a slight, but I like it when he bursts through and kicks goals on his own.

Drew could do it as well, but at this stage with injuries, you can't put the expectations on him.

 

[muttley45]

scotty thompson gets my vote,a bit left field but i think he would definately rise to the occasion,would upset a few flog journo's too,extra responsibility might see him really blossom into a deadly weapon,has the heart,and the mongrel too,luv ya work scotty

 

[Thewlis Dish]

Massive LOL.

Rate him or not as a player, anyone who doubts Maxwell's qualities as a captain and ability to inspire his teammates is an idiot.

 

[toepoker]

Rate him or not as a player, anyone who doubts Maxwell's qualities as a captain and ability to inspire his teammates is an idiot.

Anyone who thinks Maxwell can't play/inspire teammates should maybe watch the 2007 prelim again.
As far as I can tell, Drew seems to me to be a natural leader who presents well to outsiders as well as North people. Spitter wouldn't be too far behind him. I hope that Boomer's around for a while yet though.