Preview Changes and prematch discussion vs Adelaide

[Friday Night Lights]

The Polec situation is very curious. If this dates back as far as the Dogs game (as mentioned by Giantroo) and Jared and Rhyce still aren’t on the same page then it is a little concerning.

It seems putting him on Cripps to start the game last week was to make a point rather than anything tactical which for a senior player is not a good sign.

That it has come to the point of dropping him after playing what looked on the surface to be a pretty decent game ain’t good at all.

How Polec responds now will be very telling.

 

[shintemaster]

I think it's expecting too much for Maj to come in, play full forward, and kick goals, for his first game back in nearly 2 years. Should ease him in down back behind the ball.

I'm happy to ease him back in behind the ball, but I also don't think it's expecting too much for him to come in and impact forward either.

 

[shintemaster]

I think Maj will play back and walker forward

Why not both?

 

[Themanbun]

As I said elsewhere, it's the public roasting of the guy that was curious. Fair enough to be dropped for your 'body of work' (even if to our eyes it seemed he played well), but airing dirty laundry in public is usually a hail Mary type play for people management.

Dude's halfway through the second year of a 5 year deal, at 750k a year. Not a player who you want to lose through rash public humiliation.

 

[The Nostradamus]

As I said elsewhere, it's the public roasting of the guy that was curious. Fair enough to be dropped for your 'body of work' (even if to our eyes it seemed he played well), but airing dirty laundry in public is usually a hail Mary type play for people management.

Dude's halfway through the second year of a 5 year deal, at 750k a year. Not a player who you want to lose through rash public humiliation.

Not against trading out Polec
Same as brown

 

[Themanbun]

Not against trading out Polec
Same as brown

Can you even trade a contracted player without their consent?

 

[Snake_Baker]

Then why come out and publicly roast the guy?

Are 26 possessions, 16 of them contested, 6 tackles, and two goals (have adjusted for Pittard's stupidity) not following the game plan?

Also think we have crucified Brown this season with our game plan, forward entries, selections etc this season, and then just as he gets his best forward line partner back and looked to have turned the corner he gets dropped.

I think there is setting standards and then there is Mark Neeld who completely lost the players. Shaw got plaudits last season for the relationships he built with the group but it seems all is not well with at least one of those relationships at the moment.

I get why this is foreign to a lot of folks considering Laids & Scott had the media game of anal retentive accountants, but what I think we are seeing is something that's known as "gamesmanship".

 

[B4Bear]

Can you even trade a contracted player without their consent?

No, but it won’t stop it being stated as possible.

 

[The Nostradamus]

Can you even trade a contracted player without their consent?

Nope
You’d have to essentially ask them and tell them the clubs preferred position so they are willing to

 

[Themanbun]

No, but it won’t stop it being stated as possible.

Not that I think it would ever happen, but when you start going down the road of publicly crucifying your workers and potentially 'losing' them, well, as I said, this guy's contract has him set for life. Need to be very careful about creating an irreparable rift.

It could be the spark Jared needs. It could destroy his relationship with the coach. I trust Shaw knows what he's doing but it's a big, big move.

 

[fusion]

Just rest everyone, until our game against Melbourne. That's the game we need to win to secure two top 5 picks in the draft. Tanking until then...

 

[zoomba23]

Have never warmed to Polec.

His on field softness is noticeable.

He’s also one of our best users. Honestly staggered why people seem to prefer hard nuts who couldn’t hit the side of a barn over silky outside players. North Melbourne have been a ‘hardworking,’ ‘honest’ team for too long. What we need is outside class, and that’s exactly what we’ve gotten rid of this week in Polec. The ONLY justification the selection committee can have for this is that we’re resting him up for the Geelong game

 

[The Nostradamus]

He’s also one of our best users. Honestly staggered why people seem to prefer hard nuts who couldn’t hit the side of a barn over silky outside players. North Melbourne have been a ‘hardworking,’ ‘honest’ team for too long. What we need is outside class, and that’s exactly what we’ve gotten rid of this week in Polec. The ONLY justification the selection committee can have for this is that we’re resting him up for the Geelong game

i agree with the first part of this statement in principle
but polec is not that classy imo, he can kick long but his general field kicking has been average

 

[the big lebowski]

Wow. Bizarre.

Play brown or don’t play brown, I don’t care. But the messaging is dismal. He’s just gone through a family tradegy plus we should be looking at trading him at the end of the year.

Option A: “Brown has had a really tough few weeks and with the short turnaround we thought we’d give him a week off”

Option B: “Browns form hasn’t been where we want so he’s dropped”

And Polec, OMG! There are 18 blokes who should be dropped before him.

How is Hall, Atley, Mahoney, even LDU based on last week, getting a game in front of Polec.

Ludicrous.

Is Shaw all there mentally?

 

[Snake_Baker]

Yep, happened during the Dog's game.

Hmmmmm.

Hopefully scamper has decided to go all "Barassi" on our more talented players.

 

[Mr north man]

Just rest everyone, until our game against Melbourne. That's the game we need to win to secure two top 5 picks in the draft. Tanking until then...

If we beat the red and blue cheats what the odds they ask for an priority pick?

 

[the big lebowski]

Hmmmmm.

Hopefully scamper has decided to go all "Barassi" on our more talented players.

Yet he’s rushed back ziebell who can’t move 3 times this year.

 

[zoomba23]

i agree with the first part of this statement in principle
but polec is not that classy imo, he can kick long but his general field kicking has been average

His disposal has been down on his usual standards, to be sure, but I saw enough quality kicks inside 50 last year to know he was the type of player we had sorely missed for a long time. When he’s on he can execute kicks that pretty much no one else in the team can. And anyway, based on form there are literally 15 players that you would be dropping before him. Just an all round weird decision, with only one real justification for it

 

[Snake_Baker]

Yet he’s rushed back ziebell who can’t move 3 times this year.

There's never a question about Jack giving his all.

 

[benbanjo]

i agree with the first part of this statement in principle
but polec is not that classy imo, he can kick long but his general field kicking has been average

His kicking hasn't been up to his usual standard, but its still likely top 5 in our team.
Jmac, Atley, Hall, Pittard have terrible field kicking, all 4 should have been dropped before him.

 

[HongKongRoo]

wow some interesting stuff here. very surprised Polly got dropped. He might be below par but he is far from the worst

 

[Dirty_11]

If Maj wasn't back tomorrow this game would be the absolute least interested in a North game I have ever been. We appear to be all over the place at the minute.

Dropping senior players to make a point after the season is shot is just tokenism. Anyone thinking this will make other players 'step-up' in fear of losing their position in the side they're are dreaming.

If this is tanking we should hang our heads in shame, loser mentality has no place at football clubs.

All the best tomorrow Maj, you deserve a win. Hopefully the rest of the club care enough to get you one.

On SM-G950F using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[Uncle_Leo]

The Polec situation is very curious. If this dates back as far as the Dogs game (as mentioned by Giantroo) and Jared and Rhyce still aren’t on the same page then it is a little concerning.

It seems putting him on Cripps to start the game last week was to make a point rather than anything tactical which for a senior player is not a good sign.

That it has come to the point of dropping him after playing what looked on the surface to be a pretty decent game ain’t good at all.

How Polec responds now will be very telling.

After 5 straight losses I’d rather the coach make a tactical move that helps us win than a move to “prove a point”

 

[7577969923]

His kicking hasn't been up to his usual standard, but its still likely top 5 in our team.
Jmac, Atley, Hall, Pittard have terrible field kicking, all 4 should have been dropped before him.

Hall's disposal has vastly improved in the last few weeks when he is not trying to win the game off his own boot. Provided our single best forward fifty entry for the game against the Blues. Agree with the others. LMac's is pretty hit and miss, Anderson's mostly miss, and Dumont's okay if he is not under pressure and doesn't bite off too much.
Polec is ambitious with his kicks and doesn't always hit it well but he is capable of more damaging and higher degree of difficulty kicking than most on our list.

 

[DrZaius]

After 5 straight losses I’d rather the coach make a tactical move that helps us win than a move to “prove a point”

Such as? We are running on fumes with barely enough guys to fill a team.