Think Tank David Noble - how much longer can he survive?!?

[A Cut Above]

A trio of North Melbourne recruiters led by Mark Finnigan and Glenn Luff had departed the building amid significant turmoil and accusations of a total lack of support.

For coach Noble and the North Melbourne hierarchy, the timing was abysmal — eight days ahead of a mid-season draft where the club will have two selections.

But the greater fallout will be a renewed focus on the club’s football department and a coach who, until the last month, had been keener to shout than to nurture his players.

Finnigan will find his way to Hawthorn on a three-year deal, but only after feeling undermined and unsupported in recent months.

After repeated job offers elsewhere the highly rated recruiter was compelled to take the Hawks offer when the Roos hierarchy was lukewarm on matching the three-year Hawthorn deal.

Former Champion Data analyst Luff walked too and even if he was already considering his future, the unfair hit job on some of the list team’s draft picks this week must have had him wondering where that information came from.

It is understood the recruiting team felt a collaborative approach as seen in the best clubs —we own our recruiting successes and failures equally — was instead replaced by blame from specific members higher up the chain.

All of it adds up to a sense of impending doom for a club that admits it has multiple seasons of onfield struggles ahead, given it is 33 games into a rebuild it expects to last 88 games across four seasons.

Noble’s tendency to shout rather than nurture, to roar rather than cuddle, was an open secret in the early rounds of the season.

As the club’s hopes of improved performances earlier in the rebuild were exposed as fallacy, Noble was frustrated and angry.

There are several versions, but that tirade delivered to players after the round 3 loss to Brisbane either brought young players to tears or awfully close, and was followed by an apology to the group days later.

But as has been said more than once inside the walls of Arden St, in his first year Noble delivered more sprays than Brad Scott in his entire tenure.

There is no doubt Noble has put some Roos staffers off side with bedside manner and yet what the Roos believe is that he has changed significantly since that round 3 contest.

That the fallout from that round 3 spray forced Noble to be a more positive and affirming presence in his feedback to players.

That he has listened and responded with a moderated tone for a playing group who come from a generation where the only real feedback they accept is positive.

Jason Horne-Francis is the club’s most important property and yet he has put off contract talks amid signs he has not settled as well as he might at a club that rejected astronomical trade offers for him.

The news last night that he was counselled by the club after he flew home to Adelaide without its permission after a Friday night game in Perth was another worrying sign for a club.

It has already had talks parked for exciting 24-year-old forward Cam Zurhaar.

Those close to him were adamant that the club knew he wasn’t playing the following week and that the story had been overblown, but for a club that only has two years to convince Horne-Francis to re-sign, none of it helps the cause.

For the Roos there is so much at stake as they attempt to surround Noble with the support staff to get through the dark days of a rebuild.

They simply cannot afford to find a fourth coach in four years given it was only three years ago this week Brad Scott moved on.

Obviously Norf can't afford to pay out Noble even though he's probably agreed to work for peanuts, but it sounds like he has no idea how to relate to younger generations.

I'm not big on the whole touchy-feely way these little shits insist on being treated either, but the bottom line is if it's your job to get maximum performance out of the people around you then you use whatever methods work best regardless of your own personal preferences. Much as I've never been a fan of his coaching this is an area where Nafan Noflags took his once-hardarse approach & toned it down over the years with the result being increased team success including a successful GF choke.

Can Noble re-invent himself with a list full of potatoes at the most under-resourced club in the league? Once Zurhaar & Horney-Fracas jump ship there won't be a lot of talent left... would it be too late to give Brad Scott a call at head office and admit they were wrong letting him go? At least he had them making up the numbers in finals!

 

[A Cut Above]

"....how's getting the next five #1 picks sposed to help us when they immediately **** off after two years?!?"

 

[HAPPY CHEFFY]

I haven’t known much about Norfs finances since their bank account was leaked but seriously, where are they getting the coin to pay an annual salary to a head coach, never mind the players..!?!?

 

[A Cut Above]

I haven’t known much about Norfs finances since their bank account was leaked but seriously, where are they getting the coin to pay an annual salary to a head coach, never mind the players..!?!?

Proceeds of Suzanne Olsen's Onlyfans account.

 

[Sqotty from office works]

Think you've jumped the gun a bit early.
Both norf fans have consistently pointed to the fact the good Scott was given an extra 5 years.
Do your homework next time op.

 

[A Cut Above]

'He's our man': Roos back Noble, explain key exits, slam media reports

Roos CEO Ben Amarfio and coach David Noble have faced the media to address a number of issues

www.afl.com.au

NORTH Melbourne has thrown its full and unequivocal support behind senior coach David Noble

Uh oh.....

 

[Lethality]

The human life expectany for an adult male is about 80 years, so maybe he has another 25 in him.

 

[HAPPY CHEFFY]

The human life expectany for an adult male is about 80 years, so maybe he has another 25 in him.

I reckon a Norf coaching job would shave 2-3 off your life expectancy for every 1 worked. With that ratio in mind you’re probably better off smoking cigarettes..

 

[hawkman]

'He's our man': Roos back Noble, explain key exits, slam media reports

Roos CEO Ben Amarfio and coach David Noble have faced the media to address a number of issues

www.afl.com.au

Uh oh.....

3 weeks

Mark Neeld won 5 from 33. When Norf lose this week Noble will be 5 wins from 33

 

[Dinsdale]

3 weeks tops then hes gone

 

[Mofra]

The human life expectany for an adult male is about 80 years, so maybe he has another 25 in him.

You're assuming he will stay male for the duration of his life, which isn't a given for North coaches.

Enjoy your ban for transphobia

 

[A Cut Above]

Any news yet on who's replacing this poor chap?

Gotta say I feel for him, or anyone handed the poisoned chalice that is the Norf coaching job. At least he hasn't wound up like Rhys Shaw.

 

[catscratchfever]

 

[HAPPY CHEFFY]