Autopsy Post-game: North Melbourne dances with our sister, draws against Brisbane

[tales129]

 

[HongKongRoo]

Post-game thoughts from a surreal and empty feeling with a tinge of optimism;

• How much better did we look structurally after we dropped the extra tall up forward? I think we can put the red-pen through that experiment
• Xerri, Sheezel, LDU, and Parker all immense in that 4th quarter. Great to see our 'leaders' step up.
• On the flipside, Simpkin, Powell, McKercher, and Wardlaw all with some sloppy/unclean play in the latter stages of the game was immensely costly.
• Loving what we're seeing from Hardeman and O'Sullivan. Especially Hardeman who was immense today. FOS didn't rack up a lot of touches but you can feel his presence.
• Larkey... do I need to say it?
• I like Finnbar and think he has a bright future... but probably needs more VFL time.
• Bailey Scott did absolutely nothing as the sub essentially. Shouldn't have played.
• Dylan Stephens isn't elite but he's developing into a reliable player which is nice to see.
• Zurhaar... best game of 2025. Sleeves forever.
• Worth calling out since I have highlighted it previously; only one player today who didn't record a single tackle (McKercher) - much better intensity across the board from basically everyone.

Darling did nothing until the last. He was immense in the last but has been less than stellar for about 6 weeks. We need that last qrt effort every week. Maley just couldn't clunk it. He will be better for the experience.
Agree with the Scott call, would rather have had someone a bit more unpredictable and explosive. Maybe Eddie Ford or RHJ or Geordie Payne. We don't really have much x-factor on our list.
Thought Chom was excellent in his role.
I would not put Wardlaw in with the others, his mistake was trying to make something happen wheras the others were just making basic errors or dumb decisions. I would add Daniel to that list. Some absolute brain fades.

 

[Roostorm]

Been taking a break from here....but gee wiz that game was a could've should've missed it by that much...
Hate draws.....but
Considering previous form and that media land had us absolutely no hope of being with reaching distance...one media expert on radio tipped brissy by 70 ....take the shared points and hope that the team builds from this...and riley darn well stays ....

 

[HongKongRoo]

Game high 9 marks

He plays so well with Pink back in. Idk why

Because Pink is reliable and always sticks to his job. Not his fault when the ball is delivered from the mid with no pressure and he is trying to stand a bloke 15cm taller.

 

[HongKongRoo]

I think it’s turning. Slowly, painfully, but not imperceptibly — Port are ordinary, but we could have beaten them at home. Essendon are ordinary, but we should have won. Brisbane are grouse, and were basically full strength: we were missing our best small defender and best forward.

It’s not happening like the it’s happening gif. But this team is starting to look like…well, a football team. Must beat Richmond next week. But a hell of an effort today. The Comben is a forward crew might have a little re-think. Also those writing off Daniel after a shit start at a bottom 2 side. Dyl Stephens one of the top wingers in the comp atm. It’s trending in the right direction.

Daniel was poo, prefer Fisher and Sheezel back there.

 

[giantroo]

 

[DarwinRoo]

Konstanty will be the scapegoat but the lead from the full forward was terrible, again.

 

[DuckYeah]

We didn't let them get out of third gear.

Quote: lachie neale “we couldn’t have played any worse”

 

[DuckYeah]

Konstanty will be the scapegoat but the lead from the full forward was terrible, again.

1. Full backs deliberately push you to the boundary line. Wasn’t a bad lead, the kick was too shallow and simply the wrong option

2. Scores are level, run the ball and use the loose man.

needed to hand the ball off.. any score willdo

 

[HongKongRoo]

Pre-season we need to rub the footies in butter and replace the training cones with jam tins.

Butter yes, replace the training cones with silverback gorillas.

 

[DarwinRoo]

1. Full backs deliberately push you to the boundary line. Wasn’t a bad lead, the kick was too shallow and simply the wrong option

2. Scores are level, run the ball and use the loose man.

needed to hand the ball off.. any score willdo

He wasn’t pushed, his instinct is to lead wide.

Every decent full forward leads at the kicker, not away from him.

 

[DuckYeah]

He wasn’t pushed, his instinct is to lead wide.

Every decent full forward leads at the kicker, not away from him.

He wasn’t pushed, his instinct is to lead wide.

Every decent full forward leads at the kicker, not away from him.

Not physically pushed, locked off the running lane. Just like what Comben was doing to the port adelaide forward georgiadis. It was a shit kick and flat out the wrong option.

Its a non argument. He should have given the handball and thats it. Dont worry about ****in leading and shit. WRONG OPTION.

 

[LETSGOKANGAS]

Actually disagree here. I think I stated in the team selection thread, I thought the lions would play in 3rd gear. They would get out to a 5 goal lead, and it would hover around that for the game, maybe we got as close as 3 goals, they would blow it out to 7 goals, arms length stuff. They would muck around with it, and we would get some goals that way.

But I don’t think they played in 3rd gear at all, they just weren’t allowed to play their style. Neale was busting his arse to get involved, and we weren’t allowing it. Listening to the 2nd half on the radio after the missus kicked me outside, all you heard was Roos players. Seemed like they only had 10 blokes out there, we were all over them.

No doubt they wouldn’t have gone into the game with the same mindset as if they were playing a Collingwood or a Hawthorn, but both teams were having a red hot crack in that last quarter. Check out Harris Andrews on the Darling mark, or when he got done holding the ball. He was furious. Our work rate was so good that Brisbane didn’t even look like scoring at the end, apart from a great individual mark from Rayner that come out of no where, and a free kick we haven’t seen paid since Auskick days.

As I stated pre game, I thought it would be a false hope game. Lose by 4 goals, pat ourselves on the back, and actually still be no where near it. But that game was not that. We were all over a very good team, and our blokes didn’t look in the mood for back patting after it, they looked disappointed. Exactly how it should be heading into this weekends game.

Agree. Issue is, what we’ve been through, its hard to comprehend that we took it right up to the premiers and drew with them.

I too look for excuses against us. Lions had an off day, lions missed a lot of gettable goals etc etc yeah well we have had an off 7 years and we miss and gift goals every week.

I’m still in retraining but can see the effort from both teams last night.

 

[ohmygewd]

Positives:

• 3rd match in a row that we've kept a team under 100pts.
• Continual upward trajectory of Geroge Wardlaw
• Riley Hardeman's justification to why he should be the starting HBF.
• Xerri's dominances.

Negatives:

• Fumbles and dump kicks still a massive issue.
• Slow ball movement - just invites pressure.
• Kickouts - see slow ball movement.
• Goal Kicking

Overall, like others have said, if PC was available, we probably win this game and against the scum but he wasn't available.
It's amazing when the midfield group have upped their defensive workrate that the backline seems to be a lot more solid.
The misses from close to or directly in front is really poor especially when we are a side that still have a forward line that's not well structured or entries are still haphazard, chances like those missed are like gold!.
Our ball efficiency has got to be better and l agree with some pundits, we have a lot of 1st rounders that make fumbles and blind kicks like oz kick kids.

With that said, there are more than glimpses of a North Melbourne machine lurking inside and tbh, l thought we were a sneaky and to be fair, l think this team can push if not win games against anyone because, like G.Whitlam said...Its Time!

 

[Spud11]

Did anyone else google the score and see that we’d won 72 to 70?

I did. I was out to dinner so could only refresh the score here and there and spent a good ten minutes thinking we’d won that thing. Planned to get home and bask in the glory.

Then I went on here and saw all this talk about a draw. Then on the Facebook page and saw 71-71.

Another step added to the excruciating existence of being a North fan. Can’t trust, or enjoy anything.

ANYTHING
AT ALL

F*** you Google

()

 

[shintemaster]

Konstanty will be the scapegoat but the lead from the full forward was terrible, again.

He shouldn't be, he made the wrong call under pressure, but no worse than a heap of other wrong calls under pressure this game by others. Agree, the forwards - Larkey, yes but others too - need to lead up field.

 

[kool kangas]

Quote: lachie neale “we couldn’t have played any worse”

You can only play as well as the opposition lets you,. Lachie

 

[giantroo]

 

[Hatchy1992]

Quote: lachie neale “we couldn’t have played any worse”

That's because we negated their game plan. Fagan alluded to it in his presser.

 

[hsquid]

I know everyone is feeling flat and that we let another one slip. That's totally understandable because we watch footy every week for the adrenaline and dopamine "YEAH!!!!" moments that we've been starved of so much. Even though we went a million times better than we dared hope, the emotional parts of us respond to being teased again and it feels....flat.

But putting aside the moment of winning, and understanding that there is no impact on finals or premierships, the underlying thing I want to get out of each week is info about "How are we trending?". How long do we think we are going to be stuck in this mire? And for that question, whether we win lose or draw is not that significant. Yes, "Learning how to win" is a thing but if we improve we'll win games and then we'll learn how to do it regularly.

And the big picture indications from this game were fantastic.

• Overall outplayed the reigning premier
• Didn't crack when they brutalised us in the first minute and later kicked a bunch in a row
• Intensity for pretty much 4 quarters
• Morale seems good and were able to keep ramping it up when we were close despite all the past failures.
• Good performances from question-mark players, Zurhaar, Stephens, Konstanty, Simpkin...
• Continued emergence of Hardeman, Chom, McKercher, Wardlaw
• Did it without big contributions from known/potential stars: Larkey, Duursma, FOS...
• Rooms to improve with a a couple of positions: Scott, Maley...
• Most of all: Getting to understand the best structure and game style makes it much easier for people to learn their role(s)

So yes, it was absolutely "an opportunity lost" but when we step out of the moment there is a lot to enjoy.

 

[Only Forwards]

Any team that we come near or beat will lament how they should have played better.

This whole they never got out of third gear is a nonsense.

They are as professional as a unit as any side in the competition. They have great players all over the ground. We planned, and executed that plan so well we all but pulled of one of the greatest heists ever.

Before the game who gave us a shot? no one. we just about f***ing did it anyway.

There is a heart in this team.

Just keep at what we are doing.

North will rise again.

 

[DarwinRoo]

Also the best result for us would have been a mark inside 50. Kill the clock for 20-25 seconds and only need a point to win.

A goal still gives Brisbane a chance of a centre bounce clearance and goal.

A point makes it harder but still gives the ball back to Brisbane.

 

[HoldingThe Ball]

I watched the game and if I may post a few thoughts?

I've seen most North games this year (on TV) and there is a big difference recently:

Stephens (who I thought was the biggest cat in the AFL) has obviously worked hard to gain self-belief that he can contest the footy against anyone. He didn't take a backward step and was very very good.
McKercher, whilst not being 'super-hard' at the footy, was at least contesting. Everyone cracked in except Bailey Scott

8

Bailey Scott

Age

25

Ht

186cm

Wt

77kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

10.6

3star

K

5.8

2star

HB

4.9

4star

M

3.1

3star

T

1.5

3star

CL

0.9

3star

D

8.0

2star

K

5.0

2star

HB

3.0

2star

M

2.5

3star

T

1.8

3star

CL

1.3

4star

D

11.8

3star

K

6.0

3star

HB

5.8

4star

M

3.6

4star

T

1.2

3star

CL

0.6

3star

, who I thought was a strange choice of sub as he was so so poor the week before.

Tristan Xerri

38

Tristan Xerri

Age

26

Ht

202cm

Wt

99kg

Pos.

Ruck

Career

Season

Last 5

D

5.5

1star

K

3.0

1star

HB

2.5

2star

CL

1.0

3star

HO

2.5

5star

D

5.5

1star

K

3.0

1star

HB

2.5

2star

CL

1.0

3star

HO

2.5

5star

D

5.5

2star

K

3.0

1star

HB

2.5

3star

CL

1.0

3star

HO

2.5

5star

's last quarter was inspirational - the guy was running on fumes and just kept on working so bloody hard that it was incredible. Kudos.

Comben was great intercepting.

Wardlaw was a catalyst for effort and will be such an A grader when he cleans up his disposal.

I didn't understand Cam Zurharrs thought processes with a set-shot with 90 secs on the clock. Why rush it?
Take the 30 secs and have a set routine shot for goal which at worst was a 50/50 shot. He was always going to kick a point if he missed the goal, but then the clock would have been down to 50secs at most pretty much ruling out a Brisbane attack.

That for me was the golden chance to win the game.

Super-effort and it's clear there is a change for the better happening at North Melbourne.

You'll smash Richmond next game - they really are very very poor.

Great game.

 

[King Corey]

This post from their review/autopsy thread about sums it up;

Interesting.

They could also add the presence of a complete rort northern state academy system and the cannibalisation of a Victorian club to their list of happenstance events.

But they would make their posts a bit too big.

 

[kool kangas]

Even though we drew l feel that game was the "line in the sand" game for us.

We didn't capitulate.
We were the better team on the day, against the reigning premiers and if not for some strange decisions and choices would have won.
The self belief is now installed in the team and to continue to move forward we MUST beat Richmond next week.
Nothing else will be acceptable.