It is officially a crisis.

[Hojuman]

We are a laughing stock, irrelevant. No pride, no fight, no care.

I am actually ashamed of my football club after 60 years

If they closed the doors tomorrow, l wouldn't care.

A sad, sad day for all in here. God help us next week.

 

[Gasometer]

84 we finished the home and away season on top.

Those 80’s finals were a mirage

 

[roo blitz]

We are a laughing stock. No pride, no fight, no care.

I am actually ashamed of my football club after 60 years.

If they closed the doors tomorrow, l wouldn't care.

A sad, sad day for all in here. God help us next week.

Sad, but true.

 

[TennisPlayerAndy]

 

[Devil Fish]

Will Phil and guys like Pink and Kallan Dawson need to be given a crack. Blokes who defend and run back with the opposition midfield. We are completely embarrassing when we don't have the ball with open players all over the ground and leaking I50s left right and center

The 3 guys you mention there may have a crack, but they a very limited footballers. They won’t move the needle one micron.

 

[Skarrz]

Potentially we gave pick 1 away as well, fold the joint if this is the case

 

[Archer_11]

I don't think it'll be long before the question about our existence will start being asked when Tassie come in.

Apologies if this is a non sequitur but I had some thoughts reading Themanbun's comment on page 1.

You could be right but I think the people talking the most about relocation the past few weeks has been ourselves. History suggests we'd fight like hell to avoid it and we did ok last time with 22k members facing ten times the challenge. If we had little to no growth off field and needed as much support as the NSW and Qld clubs then I'd be worried but for now at least we should be ok.

Also here's a thought - by 2050 WA and SA will probably get another club each. The AFL will also give a team in NT a good shake and the stars could possibly align there as well. That's 22 clubs and the most even fixture to exist since 1986.

Victoria is forecast to have the population of SA, WA, Tassie and (most of) Qld combined by 2070. We will absolutely be a state where there is a place for ten teams.

Personally I don't think anything could be more embarrassing for the AFL than killing off a 160 year old club to replace it with a fake one 20 years later. Footy supporters have long memories, I think it would be a PR disaster both when it happened and later when a new team is discussed.

Headcanon, sure. But the numbers are real, I remember 96 like it was yesterday and I don't think the AFL will dream of getting heavy handed anytime soon.

p.s sorry if this is a bit too much from what was just a comment but these are the thoughts I have when the topic is invariably raised elsewhere.

 

[The Talent Scout]

What gives you the confidence he still has it…?

He looked cooked for a few years at the Hawks and made numerous questionable recruitment calls & his game style was seemingly outdated.

Analogue player in a digital world.

Well for one, this is really his first full year with us, he has said it will take time, when teams used to do a full rebuild, it took time, you can't take shortcuts { I mean you can, but that is a recipe for disaster} and if your going to do it, do it properly no matter what! Is his game style outdated? That's a good question, but one that must be looked at logically before coming to a conclusion.

Well, on current form and that last match, one could easily say yes, that's the case, lets face it he had Buddy, Cyril, Roughhead, Luke Hodge, Sam Mitchell, Jordan Lewis and Grant Birchall, he took over as Hawthorn coach in 2005, three years later Hawthorn win the premiership. Lets now dissect why I don't think his game style is outdated and why there is certainly light at the end of the tunnel.

We don't have the luxury of the above mentioned players, we have LDU, Jy, Tristan, Aidan, Griffin, Luke, Jack, Caeb, Luke Parker, Cam and Nick as our senior leaders but we have Brayden George, Finn O'Sullivan, George Wardlaw, Colby Mckercher, Zane Duursma, Charlie Comben, Harry Sheezel, Will Dawson, Luke Urquhart, Riley Hardeman, Tom Powell, Taylor Goad, Josh Goater, Matt Whitlock, Eddie Ford and we are yet to see Finnbar in action in the seniors.

That's a hell of a list and on potential the sky's the limit, but for now that's all it is potentially, what it could be. Next we will move onto the timeframe, so with that list he got the chocolates, three full years, like it or hate it or even if you don't agree with it, he must have at the bare minimum three years before you can judge him, anything less and you are just not being logical about it and did I already say this is his first full year with us, with no distractions.

From the halfway point last year to right now there have only been two games that have not what I call, followed protocol. The last game of the year, that can be explained by the youngsters hitting the wall in what was a big turnaround from the first half of the year. The second one is the Good Friday match against Carlton, even the games against the crows and the suns we still had a chance to win or the very least make it close.

This match though on face value was so out of character that maybe the problem lies elsewhere. There were no excuses, I mean it was so bad that even I couldn't believe it and apart from maybe four players, the rest didn't seem to care or for that matter keep going even if the game was lost. George Wardlaw in his first game back was utterly outstanding, repeat efforts, did a few kicks go astray, yes, but his willingness to keep going even if it meant he couldn't was nothing I haven't seen before, he is a special player.

The other three, Paul Curtis was just as good, because every time it came down they were worried about him, when that happens, you know he is an exciting talent. Colby played a lot better than a few realise but in the role he's playing he's still getting used to it and lets face it his first few games weren't very good. Going to go out on a limb here and say Dylan Stephens tried his heart out and had a red hot go but unfortunately four against 23 is always going to be a slaughter. Lastly, he's the GOAT, {Alastair} anyway you want to go about it he is the one, now I know some will say he WAS the goat and likewise but remember we are only 6 games into his first full season with us, its a long way from 3 years, have patience.

 

[hilly]

Well for one, this is really his first full year with us, he has said it will take time, when teams used to do a full rebuild, it took time, you can't take shortcuts { I mean you can, but that is a recipe for disaster} and if your going to do it, do it properly no matter what! Is his game style outdated? That's a good question, but one that must be looked at logically before coming to a conclusion.

Well, on current form and that last match, one could easily say yes, that's the case, lets face it he had Buddy, Cyril, Roughhead, Luke Hodge, Sam Mitchell, Jordan Lewis and Grant Birchall, he took over as Hawthorn coach in 2005, three years later Hawthorn win the premiership. Lets now dissect why I don't think his game style is outdated and why there is certainly light at the end of the tunnel.

We don't have the luxury of the above mentioned players, we have LDU, Jy, Tristan, Aidan, Griffin, Luke, Jack, Caeb, Luke Parker, Cam and Nick as our senior leaders but we have Brayden George, Finn O'Sullivan, George Wardlaw, Colby Mckercher, Zane Duursma, Charlie Comben, Harry Sheezel, Will Dawson, Luke Urquhart, Riley Hardeman, Tom Powell, Taylor Goad, Josh Goater, Matt Whitlock, Eddie Ford and we are yet to see Finnbar in action in the seniors.

That's a hell of a list and on potential the sky's the limit, but for now that's all it is potentially, what it could be. Next we will move onto the timeframe, so with that list he got the chocolates, three full years, like it or hate it or even if you don't agree with it, he must have at the bare minimum three years before you can judge him, anything less and you are just not being logical about it and did I already say this is his first full year with us, with no distractions.

From the halfway point last year to right now there have only been two games that have not what I call, followed protocol. The last game of the year, that can be explained by the youngsters hitting the wall in what was a big turnaround from the first half of the year. The second one is the Good Friday match against Carlton, even the games against the crows and the suns we still had a chance to win or the very least make it close.

This match though on face value was so out of character that maybe the problem lies elsewhere. There were no excuses, I mean it was so bad that even I couldn't believe it and apart from maybe four players, the rest didn't seem to care or for that matter keep going even if the game was lost. George Wardlaw in his first game back was utterly outstanding, repeat efforts, did a few kicks go astray, yes, but his willingness to keep going even if it meant he couldn't was nothing I haven't seen before, he is a special player.

The other three, Paul Curtis was just as good, because every time it came down they were worried about him, when that happens, you know he is an exciting talent. Colby played a lot better than a few realise but in the role he's playing he's still getting used to it and lets face it his first few games weren't very good. Going to go out on a limb here and say Dylan Stephens tried his heart out and had a red hot go but unfortunately four against 23 is always going to be a slaughter. Lastly, he's the GOAT, {Alastair} anyway you want to go about it he is the one, now I know some will say he WAS the goat and likewise but remember we are only 6 games into his first full season with us, its a long way from 3 years, have patience.

Turn it up. Yesterday was a disgrace.

 

[The Talent Scout]

Turn it up. Yesterday was a disgrace.

Yes it was bad, next level bad.

 

[sutcliffe's hotel]

We are a laughing stock. No pride, no fight, no care.

I am actually ashamed of my football club after 60 years.

If they closed the doors tomorrow, l wouldn't care.

A sad, sad day for all in here. God help us next week.

Ah Hoj, I hear you.

For me, the club is everything & more than just the current senior men’s team.

It is only four months ago that my little Joey had his greatest day as a North fan, when we witnessed Emma & Crocks lift the cup. Glorious. Passionate. Proud.

Like all of us, we just want this men’s team to have the skill of Jazzy & the fierce competitiveness of Bricky Wall & Kearney. They represent everything we want our beloved club to be.

 

[Midas]

Ah Hoj, I hear you.

For me, the club is everything & more than just the current senior men’s team.

It is only four months ago that my little Joey had his greatest day as a North fan, when we witnessed Emma & Crocks lift the cup. Glorious. Passionate. Proud.

Like all of us, we just want this men’s team to have the skill of Jazzy & the fierce competitiveness of Bricky Wall & Kearney. They represent everything we want our beloved club to be.

Sadly that doesn’t pay the bills.

But the Shinboner Spirit they play with surely can be replicated with this lot now?

 

[Firebat]

Well for one, this is really his first full year with us, he has said it will take time, when teams used to do a full rebuild, it took time, you can't take shortcuts { I mean you can, but that is a recipe for disaster} and if your going to do it, do it properly no matter what! Is his game style outdated? That's a good question, but one that must be looked at logically before coming to a conclusion.

Well, on current form and that last match, one could easily say yes, that's the case, lets face it he had Buddy, Cyril, Roughhead, Luke Hodge, Sam Mitchell, Jordan Lewis and Grant Birchall, he took over as Hawthorn coach in 2005, three years later Hawthorn win the premiership. Lets now dissect why I don't think his game style is outdated and why there is certainly light at the end of the tunnel.

We don't have the luxury of the above mentioned players, we have LDU, Jy, Tristan, Aidan, Griffin, Luke, Jack, Caeb, Luke Parker, Cam and Nick as our senior leaders but we have Brayden George, Finn O'Sullivan, George Wardlaw, Colby Mckercher, Zane Duursma, Charlie Comben, Harry Sheezel, Will Dawson, Luke Urquhart, Riley Hardeman, Tom Powell, Taylor Goad, Josh Goater, Matt Whitlock, Eddie Ford and we are yet to see Finnbar in action in the seniors.

That's a hell of a list and on potential the sky's the limit, but for now that's all it is potentially, what it could be. Next we will move onto the timeframe, so with that list he got the chocolates, three full years, like it or hate it or even if you don't agree with it, he must have at the bare minimum three years before you can judge him, anything less and you are just not being logical about it and did I already say this is his first full year with us, with no distractions.

From the halfway point last year to right now there have only been two games that have not what I call, followed protocol. The last game of the year, that can be explained by the youngsters hitting the wall in what was a big turnaround from the first half of the year. The second one is the Good Friday match against Carlton, even the games against the crows and the suns we still had a chance to win or the very least make it close.

This match though on face value was so out of character that maybe the problem lies elsewhere. There were no excuses, I mean it was so bad that even I couldn't believe it and apart from maybe four players, the rest didn't seem to care or for that matter keep going even if the game was lost. George Wardlaw in his first game back was utterly outstanding, repeat efforts, did a few kicks go astray, yes, but his willingness to keep going even if it meant he couldn't was nothing I haven't seen before, he is a special player.

The other three, Paul Curtis was just as good, because every time it came down they were worried about him, when that happens, you know he is an exciting talent. Colby played a lot better than a few realise but in the role he's playing he's still getting used to it and lets face it his first few games weren't very good. Going to go out on a limb here and say Dylan Stephens tried his heart out and had a red hot go but unfortunately four against 23 is always going to be a slaughter. Lastly, he's the GOAT, {Alastair} anyway you want to go about it he is the one, now I know some will say he WAS the goat and likewise but remember we are only 6 games into his first full season with us, its a long way from 3 years, have patience.

Sorry but I think you have blinkers on and relying on blind faith. It’s the 76ers approach that the ‘process’ will just work because of the volume of talent being brought into the club.

I’ll just pick a few items to respond to but we might need to agree to disagree.

The performance certainly wasn’t out of character. It was atypical of our club over the last 5 years. Things got hard & we gave up. No leadership & our opponent cut us up like butter. I’ve seen this time & time again & half of us are conditioned to get smacked by 60 & force positives.

The thing that’s is unacceptable is that it was arguably the ‘best’ side we’ve put up against a shit undermanned opposition and we got absolutely pantsed. Not only that, the guy that everyone has been hanging on to resign has done so on massive years & coin, and put in one of the most gutless performances I’ve seen this year.

You reference the rebuild in he did with the Hawks in the mid 2000’s. The game of footy has changed remarkably since then, and Clarko showed for years he was able to adapt and genuinely drive the league in innovative strategies. I ask you to engage in conversation with any Hawks fan and enquire about Clarkos last few years at their club. He was stagnant, obsessed with a chip/mark approach that didn’t produce or winning footy. Unfortunately the same is happening here with over possession and shambolic structures that leave us wide open for counter attack. We’re signing our own death wish. He is stubborn and won’t change his ways.

The players you listed are just names on a page at the moment. I agree there is individual talent there but we’ve lacked any sort of cohesion to bring it all together for almost a decade. Without structure (absent) they’ll all just become stat padding, one way nomads who don’t know how to win.

Clarko has had two seasons with a winning percentage over 50% since 2017… since being appointed, he and his coaching staff (all appointed by him) have delivered 7 wins to date. And our next 5 are Port away, Bombers, Lions, Tigers and Pies.

On exposed form, we’re going to be 1-10 and that’s absolutely sackable.

 

[Mr north man]

Those 80’s finals were a mirage

1983 we finished top flogged by Hawthorn and Essendon at the Cow paddock of AFL .
1984 Didn’t make finals .

 

[Marstermind]

I know Snoz is a pushover, I was just taking the piss.

We have seen all of our top players have several games where they put it all together and play fantastically, even tear games apart, but this culture of loss acceptance and "we'll get 'em next time" is holding them back in a big way.

Why can't a 4x premiership coach arrest this mindset and instill a hardness through the group. Is he being held back by club policy after Noble tore the group a new arse?

Whatever is going on is deeply rooted and the players and coaches seem helpless.

For me, this is the #1 Clarko has to achieve.

Yes, we need a modern game plan, and maybe he's not the man for that. But he's got a team who can't adhere to the basics of holding structure in transition or setting up properly at a stoppage. They are literally too undisciplined and/or stupid to learn anything more revolutionary than that. So maybe the growing belief that Clarko is yesterday's man in terms of modern footy is irrelevant.

But surely, the demands of effort, pride in performance and professionalism haven't changed since forever. That when the tide turns against you, as it did in the second half in the last 3 weeks, you don't drop your head, retreat into self preservation, show the world that you're beaten and timid. As you walk into Marvel for home games there's a banner saying "Bold. Real. Never Beaten." Clarko probably knows nothing of it, but if I were him I'd demand it be taken down until it was true. I'd recruit for this very purpose. If you aren't a competitor, you aren't coming to or staying at North Melbourne. And the goes for the coaching staff. We need some steel. The only players from Friday's debacle who are dog hungry competitors were a bloke who played near on 300 games somewhere better, and a kid with less than 30 games under his belt who has no regard for his own paper thin hamstrings. The rest are fickle at best when it comes to their application and desire for the contest. That the club hasn't had a strong onfield leader for over 15 years is an indictment.

John Kennedy came to a young, ordinary North in the 80s and won nothing but he set up the 90s by acquiring talent through the 19s and teaching them the required effort. Barassi did something similar at the Swans. That's all Clarko can achieve at North. Turning a meek, loser mindset into an attitude which regularly wins games. He won't be our next premiership coach, or even finals coach. But he can wipe the board clean - now - and set up the pieces for whoever will be and that can be his legacy.

And to this end, so far, he's failed miserably.

 

[LETSGOKANGAS]

Apologies if this is a non sequitur but I had some thoughts reading Themanbun's comment on page 1.

You could be right but I think the people talking the most about relocation the past few weeks has been ourselves. History suggests we'd fight like hell to avoid it and we did ok last time with 22k members facing ten times the challenge. If we had little to no growth off field and needed as much support as the NSW and Qld clubs then I'd be worried but for now at least we should be ok.

Also here's a thought - by 2050 WA and SA will probably get another club each. The AFL will also give a team in NT a good shake and the stars could possibly align there as well. That's 22 clubs and the most even fixture to exist since 1986.

Victoria is forecast to have the population of SA, WA, Tassie and (most of) Qld combined by 2070. We will absolutely be a state where there is a place for ten teams.

Personally I don't think anything could be more embarrassing for the AFL than killing off a 160 year old club to replace it with a fake one 20 years later. Footy supporters have long memories, I think it would be a PR disaster both when it happened and later when a new team is discussed.

Headcanon, sure. But the numbers are real, I remember 96 like it was yesterday and I don't think the AFL will dream of getting heavy handed anytime soon.

p.s sorry if this is a bit too much from what was just a comment but these are the thoughts I have when the topic is invariably raised elsewhere.

Thanks for making me feel dare I say risen a little this Easter Sunday morning after reading your post.

Agree crisis would be used if our existence was again in the firing line. Off field we are stronger than ever. I dont doubt we will have close to 60k members when we are finally competing consistently. We manage a hard core devout 45k to 50k membership base during the worst on-field times of our clubs history.

I like your “You dont fold 160 year old clubs” with 2 premierships in the modern game and 60k membership base when plastic soulless clubs have a fifth of that.

 

[Themanbun]

Apologies if this is a non sequitur but I had some thoughts reading Themanbun's comment on page 1.

You could be right but I think the people talking the most about relocation the past few weeks has been ourselves. History suggests we'd fight like hell to avoid it and we did ok last time with 22k members facing ten times the challenge. If we had little to no growth off field and needed as much support as the NSW and Qld clubs then I'd be worried but for now at least we should be ok.

Also here's a thought - by 2050 WA and SA will probably get another club each. The AFL will also give a team in NT a good shake and the stars could possibly align there as well. That's 22 clubs and the most even fixture to exist since 1986.

Victoria is forecast to have the population of SA, WA, Tassie and (most of) Qld combined by 2070. We will absolutely be a state where there is a place for ten teams.

Personally I don't think anything could be more embarrassing for the AFL than killing off a 160 year old club to replace it with a fake one 20 years later. Footy supporters have long memories, I think it would be a PR disaster both when it happened and later when a new team is discussed.

Headcanon, sure. But the numbers are real, I remember 96 like it was yesterday and I don't think the AFL will dream of getting heavy handed anytime soon.

p.s sorry if this is a bit too much from what was just a comment but these are the thoughts I have when the topic is invariably raised elsewhere.

My only concern is mate that members are losing the will to watch our team, and therefore potentially the will the fight.

I'm probably not the only one who's so numb to our plight that I wasn't tempted to sign up this year.

 

[Ashley B]

Haven’t brought this out re our 2025 form this yr . And oldie but a goodie when talking about us . Was hoping I didn’t need to use it again for a while

 

[Petrie4PM]

depressing to be a north fan

 

[Ashley B]

I’m not going anywhere , I won’t be doing a JHF when the going gets tough . I will be here when we have our second win later in the yr, and won’t I celebrate.
Love the pain not the odds
Go The Mighty Roos

 

[zoomba23]

I’m not going anywhere , I won’t be doing a JHF when the going gets tough . I will be here when we have our second win later in the yr, and won’t I celebrate.
Love the pain not the odds
Go The Mighty Roos

Admirable but can I remind you that this is the sixth consecutive year in which the going has been tough. And not just regulation tough, but historically tough. No supporter should be begrudged for losing their will

 

[Ashley B]

Admirable but can I remind you that this is the sixth consecutive year in which the going has been tough. And not just regulation tough, but historically tough. No supporter should be begrudged for losing their will

I have no issue with how anyone reacts . But for me I am sticking phat. And I am sure most will too .

 

[zoomba23]

I have no issue with how anyone reacts . But for me I am sticking phat. And I am sure most will too .

Fair enough, I just take issue with the 'doing a JHF' phrase. He checked out after six weeks of this. Most players, and all supporters, have at least been here for a lot longer than that, and shouldn't be equated with him

 

[Archer_11]

My only concern is mate that members are losing the will to watch our team, and therefore potentially the will the fight.

I'm probably not the only one who's so numb to our plight that I wasn't tempted to sign up this year.

I agree it's hard and there aren't many scenarios in the 'real world' where this type of performance lets you come back next week and try again. Let alone fail for five years on a salary any of us would take, it's mental.

Having said that (and financial hardship aside), the only way to stop the topic ever being raised again is to be a paid up member. If our tally trends towards 45k and the gap between us and GC/GWS begins to close we know with certainty that Kornes, Wilson and Mr Fuxit McGuire will warm up the tonsils. I wish we could 'send a message' and not have to worry about this side of it but unfortunately we are playing with fire to do so.

Just sharing my opinion, not seeking to change yours or anyone else's.

 

[Possession]

It's not us insane people that I worry about. How many stories have we read about supporters' kids telling them they don't want to go to games or even barrack for North at all? There's probably people on here dealing with that right now.

Those kids get on board the Richmond or Collingwood or Chocolate Frog trains and they rust on and they start coming on here saying "pardon the intrusion but my Dad goes for North so I have a soft spot for you guys, your kids are great"