North Melbourne and the 1990's

[boncer34]

I agree, but I think people don't realise how good the rest of the side was. Longmire, McKernan, Archer, Stevens, King, Abraham, Bell, Grant, Boomer, etc., were all fantastic players in their own right, and that's just players from the very late 90s.

With the exception of Boomer who really was only in his infancy in the 90's I agree.

Though keep in mind the 90's was still fairly amateurish by todays standards, the "dirt poor" factor of not having the best facilities etc wasn't really in play, at least for '96 anyway. Maybe it played a factor by 1999.

 

[Engimal v3]

With the exception of Boomer who really was only in his infancy in the 90's I agree.

Though keep in mind the 90's was still fairly amateurish by todays standards, the "dirt poor" factor of not having the best facilities etc wasn't really in play, at least for '96 anyway. Maybe it played a factor by 1999.

Maybe, but North won a flag after being bottom 4 in football department spending. We're talking gaps of millions of dollars between the top and bottom. The Dogs are the only team to do it since, in 2016.

 

[boncer34]

Maybe, but North won a flag after being bottom 4 in football department spending. We're talking gaps of millions of dollars between the top and bottom. The Dogs are the only team to do it since, in 2016.

In the 90's was the gap that big? Richmond and Collingwood weren't flush with cash, Hawthorn was broke, Dogs and Saints didn't have a s**t load, maybe the interstaters?

Don't get me wrong you're right they did well but I think the have and have nots gap wasn't quite that big in the 90's until professionalism really took off.

 

[Alphonse_]

2 flags is a great effort but three, four or even five was possible given the quality of the squad.

I disagree strongly, only Carey (with all due respect) could be considered an all time great in those Roos flag teams..

Always thought West Coast and especially Geelong squandered flag opportunities in that decade with superior lists.

 

[Handsome.B.Wonderful]

I disagree strongly, only Carey (with all due respect) could be considered an all time great in those Roos flag teams..

Always thought West Coast and especially Geelong squandered flag opportunities in that decade with superior lists.

How many all time greats do you need to win 3, 4 or 5 flags?

 

[Power Raid]

I disagree strongly, only Carey (with all due respect) could be considered an all time great in those Roos flag teams..

Always thought West Coast and especially Geelong squandered flag opportunities in that decade with superior lists.

Yep, I loved the eagles and cats sides, with the cats the most unlucky.

The general rule was having 9 top players and excellent depth puts one in the running for a flag. I forget who played when for the roos but pickett, harvey, blakey, carey, king, martin, archer, rock, stevens, Schwass, grant, simpson, pike and bell etc is pretty impressive.

 

[Father Jack]

This sums it up very easily imo. If you're the team of the decade, how is it that you win only two finals games in 5 seasons? The last 5 seasons of the decade.

1995 - Straight sets
1996 - beat Carlton at home, lose by 13 goals away
1997 - Straight sets
1998 - lose first week by 12 goals
1999 - beat the dogs then get smashed by Carlton

2 games in half of the last decade, and 3 finals campaigns with no wins isn't good enough for me. The Eagles losses, most of them, were very heavy. It's not how you start but how you finish. After 1994, WCE weren't really relevant in the finals.

... and by my reckoning North only won one final between 1990 and 1994, which is also five seasons.

 

[The Warlord]

With the exception of Boomer who really was only in his infancy in the 90's I agree.

Though keep in mind the 90's was still fairly amateurish by todays standards, the "dirt poor" factor of not having the best facilities etc wasn't really in play, at least for '96 anyway. Maybe it played a factor by 1999.

Boomer played his first game in 96. Was regular in 97, a key cog in Pagans Paddock in 98 and BOG in a State of Origin game in 99.

As for facilities not mattering, I think it was Matthew Lloyd who said Sheedy revved the team up by pointing out the drastic difference between the clubs respective facilities, asking how his players could get beaten by blokes who had no gym.

The whole line bàck then was that Essendon were the Manchester United of footy.

Turns out the were the East German womens shot put team, but that's another matter.

 

[The Warlord]

Interesting how many premiership coaches came through the Pagan coaching set up that defined the North 90s team.

Simpson, Longmire, Clarkson. Even Hardwick played under 19s for North then followed Pagan to the Essendon twos for a year.

 

[Shaneprice97]

McKernan was jibbed of a Rising Star and Brownlow alone.

Judging by the stats sheet without watching the game, seems like he was also robbed of the Norm Smith medal in 1996.

Brownlow, Norm Smith and Rising star would have made for a decorated career, 2 flags to go with it too.

Makes me wonder if there would be less talk of North being a one man(Carey obvs) team if Mckernan had been recognised with these awards.

 

[fusion]

McKernan was jibbed of a Rising Star and Brownlow alone.

He got a carlton best and fairest though.

 

[Handsome.B.Wonderful]

Judging by the stats sheet without watching the game, seems like he was also robbed of the Norm Smith medal in 1996.

Brownlow, Norm Smith and Rising star would have made for a decorated career, 2 flags to go with it too.

Makes me wonder if there would be less talk of North being a one man(Carey obvs) team if Mckernan had been recognised with these awards.

He made a comment during the Grand Final parade to the effect that the Brownlow meant nothing to him anyway and a Norm Smith wasn’t on the radar, he only cared that North won on Saturday.

Knowing the conservative AFL under Ross Oakley and the fact they treated McKernan being suspended as an embarrassment, you wouldn’t be surprised to know that he wasn’t considered to win the Norm Smith.

 

[Shaneprice97]

He made a comment during the Grand Final parade to the effect that the Brownlow meant nothing to him anyway and a Norm Smith wasn’t on the radar, he only cared that North won on Saturday.

Knowing the conservative AFL under Ross Oakley and the fact they treated McKernan being suspended as an embarrassment, you wouldn’t be surprised to know that he wasn’t considered to win it.

I’m not saying that he did care about these awards. I have no doubt he wanted the team to succeed before his own individual honors.

Just pointing out there might have been another award he probably deserved, and how decorated his career could have been.

 

[Handsome.B.Wonderful]

I’m not saying that he did care about these awards. I have no doubt he wanted the team to succeed before his own individual honors.

Just pointing out there might have been another award he probably deserved, and how decorated his career could have been.

I am agreeing with you, just saying that it would have been well known amongst the team of shills the AFL assembled to vote for the Norm Smith in 1996 that McKernan was not to win it.

 

[Goggin Our Best]

I agree, but I think people don't realise how good the rest of the side was. Longmire, McKernan, Archer, Stevens, King, Abraham, Bell, Grant, Boomer, etc., were all fantastic players in their own right, and that's just players from the very late 90s.

Like all good teams - strong bodies - keep their feet and dont fall over

 

[The Warlord]

Judging by the stats sheet without watching the game, seems like he was also robbed of the Norm Smith medal in 1996.

Brownlow, Norm Smith and Rising star would have made for a decorated career, 2 flags to go with it too.

Makes me wonder if there would be less talk of North being a one man(Carey obvs) team if Mckernan had been recognised with these awards.

Yep. Carey kicked 80 odd goals in 96, but McKernan was the better player that year.

 

[The Warlord]

Like all good teams - strong bodies - keep their feet and dont fall over

Two other blokes not mentioned in that list. John Blakey and Martin Pike. Very strong bodies, long accurate kicks, good overhead. Primarily defensive minded players who could also attack with great effectiveness.

All the great teams have this kind of player.

 

[The Warlord]

I disagree strongly, only Carey (with all due respect) could be considered an all time great in those Roos flag teams..

Always thought West Coast and especially Geelong squandered flag opportunities in that decade with superior lists.

Harvey is an all time great. Blokes like Simpson and Longmire were absolute guns onfield who have shown just how brilliant as onfield generals they were.

 

[Shaneprice97]

Yep. Carey kicked 80 odd goals in 96, but McKernan was the better player that year.

I didnt get to watch much Carey, but i find it impressive his goals per year seem to stack up similar to the modern forward, yet he was still considered the best. Were his goals kicked in important moments, or was he just like Riewoldt with his off the ball work.

 

[The Warlord]

I didnt get to watch much Carey, but i find it impressive his goals per year seem to stack up similar to the modern forward, yet he was still considered the best. Were his goals kicked in important moments, or was he just like Riewoldt with his off the ball work.

Kicked at important moments. He had the ability to turn a game in ten minutes.

He would take huge crashing pack marks, and kick massive long goals.

Buddy is similar in that regard. Carey did it with two hanging off him.

 

[fusion]

Kicked at important moments. He had the ability to turn a game in ten minutes.

He would take huge crashing pack marks, and kick massive long goals.

Buddy is similar in that regard. Carey did it with two hanging off him.

Carey was the ultimate big moment player. He turned so many games at crucial moments, and everyone knew he was going to get the ball, and play 2 or 3 on him at these times and still win the contest. He had tremendous self belief bordering on arrogance which made him a great player but loathed by the opposition.

I kind of see the same thing in the NBA where you just know that the ball is going to superstar player when they are down by 2 points with 10 seconds left. And they inevitably win the game for their team.

 

[psychobrown]

Yep brilliant team with stars across the lines and good forwards, I liked that they played strong, contested, direct football, unlike the semi-circle, backwards chipping stat-padding sides of today.

 

[Cuzz09]

Carey was the ultimate big moment player.

"Peter Caven kicked the Roo Boys Ass!"

 

[The Warlord]

Carey also played classically beautiful footy. He was insanely brave in his high marking, his long kicking for goal would get the crowd up while the ball was in the air, the way he played was everything that we tell ourselves makes our game different and better than soccer or rugby.

The commentators absolutely loved him.

 

[MISFITS]

I disagree strongly, only Carey (with all due respect) could be considered an all time great in those Roos flag teams..

Always thought West Coast and especially Geelong squandered flag opportunities in that decade with superior lists.

I thought that Essendon blew the 90s.
WCE had an aging list late 90s from memory.
Geelong were like Collingwood in the late 70s.
Close but just lacking that something.