2021 Wooden Spoon

[Lit_Dorito]

Ziebell & Cunnington's bodies look close to cooked if last season was anything to go by, not sure how confident I'd be on them seeing out an entire season.

Tarrant is 31, Goldstein 32. Both have been good players, but are right in the frame for when players start to struggle to back up week after week. Maybe they'll have another good year in them, but the cupboard is pretty bare if they don't.

I think North's youth are good, but there's still a heavy reliance on the few guys at the end of their careers to hold it together.

Thanks for the well reasoned respose. The older players have come back in superb nick and Ive followed training closely. I think they'll get through OK. To have them taking the spoon however seems to me absurd when you look at Adelaide and Essendon.

 

[eth-dog]

Thanks for the well reasoned respose. The older players have come back in superb nick and Ive followed training closely. I think they'll get through OK. To have them taking the spoon however seems to me absurd when you look at Adelaide and Essendon.

The Essendon that had 3 and a half more wins than North last year?

 

[owen87]

Thanks for the well reasoned respose. The older players have come back in superb nick and Ive followed training closely. I think they'll get through OK. To have them taking the spoon however seems to me absurd when you look at Adelaide and Essendon.

I can see why people have North as the favourites, finishing 2nd last, another year of wear on Goldstein & Tarrant with no clear replacements, Cunnington being important to have fit.

Adelaide is the obvious choice given they were last in 2020, but in reality I don't think there's any team that's clearly worse than the rest this year. It'll come down to whoever gets the worst run with injury out of the bottom-6 from 2020 is my guess.

 

[JackFlash]

No matter how dysfunctional that club gets this year no way that Pies team falls hard enough to be a spoon contender.

They're in more trouble than anyone realises...

 

[Lit_Dorito]

The Essendon that had 3 and a half more wins than North last year?

The Essendon who lost it's best players and Merritt who wants out because of bad culture, YES

 

[Lit_Dorito]

it'll be the two clubs with the worst culture. Essendon & Collingwood.

 

[B4Bear]

I can see why people have North as the favourites, finishing 2nd last, another year of wear on Goldstein & Tarrant with no clear replacements, Cunnington being important to have fit.

Adelaide is the obvious choice given they were last in 2020, but in reality I don't think there's any team that's clearly worse than the rest this year. It'll come down to whoever gets the worst run with injury out of the bottom-6 from 2020 is my guess.

Not so sure about that this year. Don't get me wrong, he is important, but with Simpkin and LDU improving last year (a lot), he is less critical than he was.

I can see Cunnington spending more tie up forward this year than in the guts.

I do think your comment about injuries is highly pertinent. We were destroyed by them last year, added to the club's total mismanagement of the hub due to covid, and it was a perfect storm of crap.

All of that is to say, I won't think North will get the spoon this year. 2020 was an aberration.

 

[Lit_Dorito]

I can see why people have North as the favourites, finishing 2nd last, another year of wear on Goldstein & Tarrant with no clear replacements, Cunnington being important to have fit.

Adelaide is the obvious choice given they were last in 2020, but in reality I don't think there's any team that's clearly worse than the rest this year. It'll come down to whoever gets the worst run with injury out of the bottom-6 from 2020 is my guess.

Goldstein's a freak, never gets injured. We do have Josh Walker if Taz goes down. Cuners is a bit of a worry but we have good midfield depth and we picked up corr

 

[eth-dog]

The Essendon who lost it's best players and Merritt who wants out because of bad culture, YES

Daniher played in 1 win last season
Fantasia played in 3 wins last season
Saad is a big loss.

North had 3 wins last season and were equal last on points. Their young talent is very light on KPP's, with McKay being unconvincing as a key defender; Comben not playing a game and breaking his leg again to be out indefinitely; Xerri having played 4 unconvincing games as a forward/ruck; Larkey looks good. The young midfield brigade really only has Simpkin as anything close to proven quality; LDU was a high draft pick but has never averaged 20 disposals or more than 2.4 clearances over a full season; Bailey Scott's over/under possession mark was 11 last year - as many under that mark as over; Phillips should be good but look at LDU - he should be better than what he is currently too.

Not to mention the fact that two of North's best players, who have actually played footy consistently, have left the club as well.

 

[Lit_Dorito]

Daniher played in 1 win last season
Fantasia played in 3 wins last season
Saad is a big loss.

North had 3 wins last season and were equal last on points. Their young talent is very light on KPP's, with McKay being unconvincing as a key defender; Comben not playing a game and breaking his leg again to be out indefinitely; Xerri having played 4 unconvincing games as a forward/ruck; Larkey looks good. The young midfield brigade really only has Simpkin as anything close to proven quality; LDU was a high draft pick but has never averaged 20 disposals or more than 2.4 clearances over a full season; Bailey Scott's over/under possession mark was 11 last year - as many under that mark as over; Phillips should be good but look at LDU - he should be better than what he is currently too.

Not to mention the fact that two of North's best players, who have actually played footy consistently, have left the club as well.

Did you check the injury ladder by any chance? Culture is main point I was making

 

[owen87]

Not so sure about that this year. Don't get me wrong, he is important, but with Simpkin and LDU improving last year (a lot), he is less critical than he was.

I can see Cunnington spending more tie up forward this year than in the guts.

I do think your comment about injuries is highly pertinent. We were destroyed by them last year, added to the club's total mismanagement of the hub due to covid, and it was a perfect storm of crap.

All of that is to say, I won't think North will get the spoon this year. 2020 was an aberration.

LDU & Simpkin might be able to carry the load with another year of maturity, but you could see them struggle without Cunnington in there. Goldy has been a warrior but at 32 there's a finite amount of time he can carry the load he has been.

If LDU can become the player he was drafted to be, that will go a long way to fixing the midfield exposure, along with Simpkin being able to hold on to his early season form for longer.

2021 doesn't have an obvious GWS / GCS / Carlton / Melbourne in their bad years type side, which is a good thing.

Adelaide had a few late season wins which has probably tricked people in to forgetting how poor they were for a lot of the season, they beat a cooked Hawthorn & GWS at home in Adelaide, with Carlton at Metricon probably the best win of the lot.

 

[eth-dog]

Did you check the injury ladder by any chance? Culture is main point I was making

The injury ladder is an excuse. And of course the old "culture" coverall. Can't argue with that logic - because there is none.

North are one of the favourites for the spoon for a reason. I can understand a supporter disagreeing with that, but your denial that you'll be anywhere near the bottom will be entertaining at least.

 

[Lit_Dorito]

My fault, I went a bit hard. Was pissed off that so many had us for the spoon. Bit of banter alright but I did cross the line

 

[Lit_Dorito]

The injury ladder is an excuse. And of course the old "culture" coverall. Can't argue with that logic - because there is none.

North are one of the favourites for the spoon for a reason. I can understand a supporter disagreeing with that, but your denial that you'll be anywhere near the bottom will be entertaining at least.

I still honestly believe well be ~10-11

 

[eth-dog]

My fault, I went a bit hard. Was pissed off that so many had us for the spoon. Bit of banter alright but I did cross the line

It's fine, I know Essendon will be down near the bottom, but I'm looking at North's list and I don't see that much quality in your kids. You even listed a bloke who's played 45 games in 8 years in your best side.

 

[Lit_Dorito]

It's fine, I know Essendon will be down near the bottom, but I'm looking at North's list and I don't see that much quality in your kids. You even listed a bloke who's played 45 games in 8 years in your best side.

Garner. He looks in great nick. I rekon him and Ford will alternate HF. Will Ford is gonna be huge for us. Especially if he continues to grow in height

 

[Lit_Dorito]

It's fine, I know Essendon will be down near the bottom, but I'm looking at North's list and I don't see that much quality in your kids. You even listed a bloke who's played 45 games in 8 years in your best side.

Which kids don't you rate?

 

[eth-dog]

Garner. He looks in great nick. I rekon him and Ford will alternate HF. Will Ford is gonna be huge for us. Especially if he continues to grow in height

He's a tease. Much like Laverde for us.

Which kids don't you rate?

It's not that I don't rate them, it's that they're unproven apart from Larkey, Stephenson, Thomas and Simpkin by and large. Taylor, Scott and Hayden have all shown a bit, but that's not a lot.

 

[Lit_Dorito]

The injury ladder is an excuse

Can't agree with that. You need a lot of luck with injuries to be competitive. Especially the amount we had.

 

[Lit_Dorito]

He's a tease. Much like Laverde for us.

It's not that I don't rate them, it's that they're unproven apart from Larkey, Stephenson, Thomas and Simpkin by and large. Taylor, Scott and Hayden have all shown a bit, but that's not a lot.

Yeah well I don't rate Hayden either. If garner stays injury free he can play a role at HF. Not a tease, just injury prone. Mason wood was a tease, lo.

 

[B4Bear]

LDU & Simpkin might be able to carry the load with another year of maturity, but you could see them struggle without Cunnington in there. Goldy has been a warrior but at 32 there's a finite amount of time he can carry the load he has been.

If LDU can become the player he was drafted to be, that will go a long way to fixing the midfield exposure, along with Simpkin being able to hold on to his early season form for longer.

2021 doesn't have an obvious GWS / GCS / Carlton / Melbourne in their bad years type side, which is a good thing.

Adelaide had a few late season wins which has probably tricked people in to forgetting how poor they were for a lot of the season, they beat a cooked Hawthorn & GWS at home in Adelaide, with Carlton at Metricon probably the best win of the lot.

The team we field this year will in no way, shape or form resemble what we fielded last year.

Of the 12 delisted, only one has a run with another team pre-season (Mason Wood), The influx of new people, both recruits and trades bodes well, how well? Well only time will tell.

 

[Bring-Back-Powell]

North will shoot up the ladder if Cunnington plays a full year. Could finish as high as 10th but I doubt even the most optimistic North fan would contemplate finals.

 

[Bradkli]

Final prediction: Crows

18th- Adelaide- 4 wins
17th- North Melbourne 5 wins
16th- Hawthorn 6 wins
15th- Essendon 6 wins

 

[Psicosis]

North had 3 wins last season and were equal last on points. Their young talent is very light on KPP's, with McKay being unconvincing as a key defender; Comben not playing a game and breaking his leg again to be out indefinitely; Xerri having played 4 unconvincing games as a forward/ruck; Larkey looks good. The young midfield brigade really only has Simpkin as anything close to proven quality; LDU was a high draft pick but has never averaged 20 disposals or more than 2.4 clearances over a full season; Bailey Scott's over/under possession mark was 11 last year - as many under that mark as over; Phillips should be good but look at LDU - he should be better than what he is currently too.

Not to mention the fact that two of North's best players, who have actually played footy consistently, have left the club as well.

Christ this is lazy analysis. If you’re going to talk about our young players, don’t exclude facts to suit your agenda.

Ben McKay “unconvincing as a key defender”... given you clearly didn’t watch his last half of 2020 before claiming to be an expert, the following article is worth a read:

Turf toe, pneumonia, quadriceps strain: The 'other' McKay's long road

www.afl.com.au

Xerri has AFL 4 games, Comben injured, so yes we have no idea if they will make it just yet. Great insight!

Your comments on LDU also neglect his horrific run of injury throughout his first 3 years in the system (OP, Shoulder etc.). You also neglected to mention his performances in the back half of 2020 when he did get a consistent run at it, having polled brownlow votes in 2 games, showed that he is very capable if he gets his body right.

Your comments on Phillips are ridiculous. Cox, Reid & Perkins could all become the next Francis based on your logic.

You also neglected to mention the other 4 rising nominations we had outside of Larkey - Taylor, Thomas, Scott & Zurhaar. I assume because they also don’t suit your narrative.

Stephenson won a rising star and had a bad year after glandular & some stupid behaviour. We going to write him off too?

North will finish bottom 4, no doubt, but don’t comment on our list when you clearly have NFI what you’re talking about.

 

[eth-dog]

Christ this is lazy analysis. If you’re going to talk about our young players, don’t exclude facts to suit your agenda.

Ben McKay “unconvincing as a key defender”... given you clearly didn’t watch his last half of 2020 before claiming to be an expert, the following article is worth a read:

Turf toe, pneumonia, quadriceps strain: The 'other' McKay's long road

www.afl.com.au

Xerri has AFL 4 games, Comben injured, so yes we have no idea if they will make it just yet. Great insight!

Your comments on LDU also neglect his horrific run of injury throughout his first 3 years in the system (OP, Shoulder etc.). You also neglected to mention his performances in the back half of 2020 when he did get a consistent run at it, having polled brownlow votes in 2 games, showed that he is very capable if he gets his body right.

Your comments on Phillips are ridiculous. Cox, Reid & Perkins could all become the next Francis based on your logic.

You also neglected to mention the other 4 rising nominations we had outside of Larkey - Taylor, Thomas, Scott & Zurhaar. I assume because they also don’t suit your narrative.

Stephenson won a rising star and had a bad year after glandular & some stupid behaviour. We going to write him off too?

North will finish bottom 4, no doubt, but don’t comment on our list when you clearly have NFI what you’re talking about.

Well, if I've got your vehement disagreement I must have done something right.