How far can North Melbourne go?

[Stratton_Gun]

With their easy draw they could make Top 4 but I think they are a 5-7 team

 

[Winter]

To make top 4 you have to go 17-5.

North is going to lose more than 1 game this season.

Their only chance of making the 2nd week is if they draw Collingwood in the first round.

It's hard to see their forwards doing much damage against a fit hawks, Freo or Geelong in the first week.

There's 4 points separating Hawthorn (2nd) and North Melbourne (7th) which will be entertaining through the back half of the season.

I think 16-6 with a good percentage may sneak in 4th, but anyway it's far too early to predict with so many to play, injuries to overcome and beatings to evolve percentages.

What pleases me is North are capable of knocking off any team anywhere, been nearly 15 years since I could say that with confidence.

 

[bradrowe#32]

Their only chance of making the 2nd week is if they draw Collingwood in the first round.

Why? We flogged North last time.

 

[SterlingArcher]

Talking heads on North Melbourne: "Inconsistant, up and down, jeckell and hyde, lose games they should win." (Have only lost to one team lower than them on the ladder.)

Talking heads on Fremantle: "Building, will peak come September, premiership contenders"

Both teams are 7-4.

North fans on beating Sydney: "it counts and we could do it again"

North fans on losing to Essendon: "nuh uh it was only round 1 and we suck in round 1"

 

[SterlingArcher]

They are the most unpredictable team in the league. They could very well finish 3rd-4th with 16-6 and a great %, or they could go 14-8 with a few poor losses and finish 7th. I fully expect Brent Harvey and Ben Cunnington to win them their first final though (or a final), especially if they get a sore and battered Cats outfit or Essendon/Adelaide @ Etihad.

 

[NorthernLights]

North fans on beating Sydney: "it counts and we could do it again"

North fans on losing to Essendon: "nuh uh it was only round 1 and we suck in round 1"

We were awful against Essendon, I'll cop that. At the end of the day we are 7-4 and three games off top spot, one game and % off 2nd.

 

[CharlieMortdecai]

He was listing wins

Then he's got every team in the top 8 winning their next four games. Even when they play each other. And he strangely contradicted himself saying North would not beat Adeaide or Hawthorn.

 

[Hap Hapablap]

top 6 with maybe a chance of the four if things go their way

 

[Only Forwards]

We would still need to turn a corner to be a high level finals side.

We currently concede easy goals and go missing for parts of games, things that you cannot do to good finals sides.

Our back half of the year should be easier than the first half but there are few teams that are now easy beats.

I would break where we land up as follows:

Top 4 and we have had a superb second half to the year, we'd have turned a significant corner to make top 4 from here I believe.
5th-6th from 10th to here is decent improvement, its where I had us pegged at the start of the year.
7th-8th under performed, but improved on last year, its a pass but just.
9th onward something has gone wrong and I would want a review of the Football Department.

 

[EBCantona]

Highly doubt they'll make top 4, they'll lose a couple of games you would expect them to win. They should make finals though and making it to the 2nd week of finals is realistic at this stage.

 

[Morris Major]

Easily a top 8 side.

Can't see them pushing out any of the top 4 at the moment, as they all have strong form. I wouldn't rule out a slip up by one of those teams and North pouncing (although you can say the same about Geelong and Freo, it's just too tight right now)

 

[MarkT2]

Mid range team (there are a few). Not enough class on any line to win a flag.
Suspect they'll end up near the top of the middle sides - around 5th to 7th.

 

[JoondalupJ]

The next 4 weeks consists of Adelaide away, Melbourne mcg, brisbane gabba & hawthorn ethiad.

More than likely win 3 out of 4.

Are North a genuine top 4 contender? Remote flag threat?[/QUO
How far can North Melbourne go? If they were not playing Richmond this weekend past, they may have lost, so they were great to come back, but what about the 1st half.
So the question is unanswerable , because they've been up and down all season, only difference was the Richmond game they were up and down in two halves not two games.

 

[db swannie]

I have not read a single post in this thread but I bet it ends in a steaming shitfight.

 

[Bigeasy]

Not too far unless they find some consistency. They were ******* appalling in the first half.

Start like that against Hawthorn, sydney, port and probably geelong and there will be no coming back. You give those teams that much opportunity and they wont be up by 35 it will be 70.

Very true. No coming back against those teams that far behind.

 

[MaddAdam]

Very true. No coming back against those teams that far behind.

Freo were five goals up on us in Freo in the 2nd quarter. And we came back and won.

 

[Righteo]

Freo were five goals up on us in Freo in the 2nd quarter. And we came back and won.

In fairness Essendon did the same at about the same stage of last year too, not expecting North to drop off massively like they did though.

 

[NMFC 1811]

Why do people start these threads?

Even worse when North supporters start firing back at every troll post.

 

[samFFC]

Talking heads on North Melbourne: "Inconsistant, up and down, jeckell and hyde, lose games they should win." (Have only lost to one team lower than them on the ladder.)

Talking heads on Fremantle: "Building, will peak come September, premiership contenders"

Both teams are 7-4.

Well considering Freo's draw in the first 9 rounds, we are coming out at 7-4, and we are coming into the easier part of their draw.

Freo's losses have been:
Hawthorn - terrible first quarter, played well 2nd half, undermanned
Sydney - close game, if taken chances might have won that.
North - fair cop
Port Adelaide - pushed them at AO, played decently.

No really terrible performance, like North versus Essendon, Collingwood and Gold Coast. I'd say North's game v Geelong was equivalent to Freo's versus Hawthorn.

And no Jeckyl and Hyde performance a la North v Richmond.

 

[Pusswah]

We were 5 goals down against Fremantle and Port as well, what's your point? Pretty sure all games go for 4 quarters.

It was Richmond for shit's sake.

If you guys want false appraisals saying that you're one of the best four teams in the comp and that you've not got vulnerabilities that need sorting out then don't ask the main board.




But yeah, you're monties for the premiership

 

[NorthernLights]

Well considering Freo's draw in the first 9 rounds, we are coming out at 7-4, and we are coming into the easier part of their draw.

Freo's losses have been:
Hawthorn - terrible first quarter, played well 2nd half, undermanned
Sydney - close game, if taken chances might have won that.
North - fair cop
Port Adelaide - pushed them at AO, played decently.

No really terrible performance, like North versus Essendon, Collingwood and Gold Coast. I'd say North's game v Geelong was equivalent to Freo's versus Hawthorn.

And no Jeckyl and Hyde performance a la North v Richmond.

At the end of the day it doesn't matter how you win, just that you do win. Sydney looked awful at times early in the season and look at them now. You could call the game against Richmond a "Jeckyl and Hyde performance" or you could call it a great comeback by a team that just found a way to win (like good teams do) in difficult circumstances against a team who's season was on the line.

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Top 6 side, but after that who knows. Just feel Sydney, Port, Fremantle, and Hawthorn are CERTAINLY better. Then you have Geelong at fullstrength and Collingwood. Have them in that 2nd tier of top sides. I think they need another 12 months personally and that is purely just a gut feeling.

 

[MaddAdam]

Top 6 side, but after that who knows. Just feel Sydney, Port, Fremantle, and Hawthorn are CERTAINLY better. Then you have Geelong at fullstrength and Collingwood. Have them in that 2nd tier of top sides. I think they need another 12 months personally and that is purely just a gut feeling.

Agreed we need another 12 months - Cunnington alone in another year is going to ratchet it up a notch - but the fact that we have beaten all the sides you mentioned (that we have played) and beat two of them at their home grounds is pretty impressive.

Win a final this year. That's the passmark.

Then come at next year like a bull at a gate.

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Agreed we need another 12 months - Cunnington alone in another year is going to ratchet it up a notch - but the fact that we have beaten all the sides you mentioned (that we have played) and beat two of them at their home grounds is pretty impressive.

Win a final this year. That's the passmark.

Then come at next year like a bull at a gate.

Yep, win a final could be the goal, just think the key players need another year, and you get another one pre season from McDonald, etc.

 

[MaddAdam]

Yep, win a final could be the goal, just think the key players need another year, and you get another one pre season from McDonald, etc.

Yep. The only real worry is Petrie with age but I reckon he can go round again a time or two. Even then, I reckon Mason Wood - currently leading the VFL goalkicking - will be blooded soon enough.

Boomer Harvey is currently recording career best stats. At 36. It is just astounding.