Review 2023 Mid season review - good, bad and ugly

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Mid season REVIEW & PREDICTIONS!

Firstly…
🔹 THE SEASON SO FAR

Most impressive first year player
The kids (first year in the AFL): George and Harry

Brought in from another club (first year at North): I thought Logue would be as good as he's been, didn't expect Shiels to be contributing as much as he has done on-field

Current TOP 3 in the B&F:
1. Sheezel
2. Goldy
3. Souv
Honourable mentions: Ziebell, Logue

Which player/s have been a pleasant surprise for you personally: The aforementioned Shiels and Bergman, who's developed into one of the few I'm comfortable about having ball in hand.

Which player/s have been disappointing (from what you were expecting): Not LDU himself but just disappointing to have had a lot of his year so far ruined with injury. As far as actual performance, it's tough but Curtis was great in his first year and has well and truly got the second year blues thus far, GOTY notwithstanding

Pick 3 blokes to delist immediately:
1. Turner
2. Hall
3. Edwards

Favourite moment on field: Sheezel and Wardlaw's debuts

Favourite thing off it: Love the way Viney has handled everything that's been thrown at him.

Biggest face palm 🤦‍♂️ moment on field so far: There's a few to pick from. Aside from the obvious interchange stuff-up, I'll go skipper McDonald having the awareness of a comatose sloth and being run down mid-kick in the goal square by Neal-Bullen.

Player that has moved into your personal favourites this year: George has shot right to the top, Harry and Griff not too far behind.

Biggest thing on field that we need to address/rectify by seasons end
Win a game again, simple as that.

Biggest thing we need to address/rectify during the off season:
Small forward who can pressure and kick goals and half back with some dash that uses it well.


From A+ to F how are you grading our season so far & why:
C

The kids have looked great, especially the past month or so. There's a nice nucleus to build a successful team around.
When things click, we play some real good footy.
This is all contrasted with us not winning a game since round 2, including a few that were winnable going in (Hawks, GWS, I'd argue GC) and others where we got ourselves into winning positions and couldn't seal the deal (Sydney, *). There's also been games where if you didn't know better, you'd assume it was a replay of one of the games from the Noble years (Brisbane, Melbourne, Port)

I didn't have insane expectations coming in and it's certainly promising how we've been playing as of recent, but at the end of the day, it's 2 wins from 14 games and the last one game three months ago...

Secondly…
🔹PREDICTIONS

How many wins in the back half (& who are we beating):
Not beating Adelaide, Geelong or Melbourne
We can't for the life of us beat Tullamarine it seems
A chance - Saints, Richmond, GC
Winnable - Hawks, Eagles

We should be beating WC, reckon we get one or two more.

Who will find form & turn their season round: McKay

Final TOP 3 in the B&F:
1. Souv
2. Sheezel
3. Simpkin

If you had to put money on it, who will be delisted/retire:
Young (touch harsh), Dawson (touch harsh), Howe, Turner, Hall, Mahoney, Turner
Edwards, Lazzaro, Perez, Spicer could all go either way
Think Cunners and Shiels retire

Does Ben McKay stay or go: Go, prefer him to stay tho

How many goals does Larkey finish on: 58

Does Sheezel win the Rising Star: Should but colour of his jumper will prevent him

Does Clarko come back this season? Prefer him to take the rest of the season to get himself right and then step back in during the off-season

Who wins the Brownlow: Daicos

Who wins the AFL Premiership & who are they beating: Pies get it done over the Dees
 
Good: The kidz
Bad: Composure
Ugly: The Hawthorn Racism Debacle
 
Mid season REVIEW & PREDICTIONS!

Firstly…
🔹 THE SEASON SO FAR

Most impressive first year player
The kids (first year in the AFL): Harry, kids a wizard.

Brought in from another club (first year at North): Logue. Need more quality trades like this. Will fast track our climb.

Current TOP 3 in the B&F:
1. Sheezel
2. Larkey
3. JZ (ignoring last few rounds he was solid)
Honourable mentions: Goldy, Bailey is coming

Which player/s have been a pleasant surprise for you personally: Shiels. Has provided the dependability, reliability that is essential to rebuilding teams. Can't be understated how valuable a pick he's been.

Which player/s have been disappointing (from what you were expecting): Corr. I thought with Logue coming in, McKay fit, he would slot into the third tall role. But has been incredibly disappointing given the 5 year contract and money we paid. At the moment, getting close to Polec level of disaster.

Pick 3 blokes to delist immediately:
1. Turner
2. Hall
3. Mahony
Particularly Turner and Hall, given their seniority, if they can't provide at least par AFL performances, play the kids.

Favourite moment on field: Wardlaw ragdolling Parker.

Favourite thing off it: Viney. Solid operator.

Biggest face palm 🤦‍♂️ moment on field so far: JZs SECOND out on the full in the quarter against Bombers. By a long margin.

Player that has moved into your personal favourites this year: Who else but the Warlord? Even non north fans are excited!

Biggest thing on field that we need to address/rectify by seasons end: Leaders need to step upto the level of the kids.

Biggest thing we need to address/rectify during the off season: Cattle down back

From A+ to F how are you grading our season so far & why: C minus. Given the off field dramas we've done okay, lots to work with, but we are still with only 2 wins.

Secondly…
🔹PREDICTIONS

How many wins in the back half (& who are we beating): 3. Hawks, Eagles and one finals team.

Who will find form & turn their season round: I'm hoping Curtis builds in the second half. Lots to like about him. Desperately need players like him to convert into consistent AFL quality.

Final TOP 3 in the B&F:
1. Sheezel
2. Scott
3. Larkey

If you had to put money on it, who will be delisted/retire: Turner delisted.

Does Ben McKay stay or go: Go. Doesn't look like he wants in. Gut feel nothing more.

How many goals does Larkey finish on:
54

Does Sheezel win the Rising Star:
No :(

Does Clarko come back this season?
He'll be back when he's ready.

Who wins the Brownlow:
Butters

Who wins the AFL Premiership & who are they beating:
Mind says Port
Heart wants anyone but Port or Pies
 

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justroyal said:
Unpopular thought… is it the backline or is it Blakey?
Click to expand...
You cant just look at the back 6 and say that's the reason we are conceding so many goals.
The reality is the forwards aren't doing enough to keep the ball locked in the F50, the Mids aren't doing enough to force contests and turn overs.
So the ball moves very quickly end to end which puts the back 6 under constant and great pressure.
Sure that has been some very bad decision making in the back line but its a team game.
If we can place pressure on their Mids the quality of delivery into their forward line drops and gives our backs an improved chance to spoil or intercept.
Over the last few weeks there has been a visible improvement, we are staying competitive longer and the losing margins has come down, we are pressuring the ball carrier and this is resulting winning turn overs.
That all said there's a long way to go.
 
🔹 THE SEASON SO FAR

Most impressive first year player
The kids (first year in the AFL):

Wardlaw. it was Sheezel but Gearge in an animal.

Brought in from another club (first year at North):

Shiels. There are times I can see why Freo didn't play Logue as a back tbh. (Generally liked his year tho.)

Current TOP 3 in the B&F:
No idea so I'll post the board b&F last week cos its pretty accurate more often than not.

1. Sheeze (30)
2. JZ (23)
3. LDU, Goldy, Bull (15 each)

Honourable mentions:

Larkey, Phillips are both on 10 votes, Cunners and Log are on 9.

Which player/s have been a pleasant surprise for you personally:

Shiels

Which player/s have been disappointing (from what you were expecting):

Perez

Pick 3 blokes to delist immediately:
1. Turner (love you Kayne but your time has come.)
2. Bonar (Not robust enough. Too many injuries.)
3. Mahony (Unlucky, its a ruthless industry.)

Favourite moment on field:

Wardlaw's pass to Goldy in his first game after keeping the ball in on the boundary.

Favourite thing off it:

Sonja's recovery. Then the way we dealt with Clarko needing a break. But I could just as easily say the entire admin and footy dept right now. HM to the way we've handled TT. If he stays that's a massive win.

Biggest face palm 🤦‍♂️ moment on field so far:

We all know what it was.

Player that has moved into your personal favourites this year:

Warlord. Shiels too. Hard to separate them.

Biggest thing on field that we need to address/rectify by seasons end:

Composure, control of the game etc etc. Mental state on field. *(Been this way for years too.)

Biggest thing we need to address/rectify during the off season:

Fitness and experience/game plan practise into the younger guys.

From A+ to F how are you grading our season so far & why:

C+.

We're where we're at. We haven't gone forwards or backwards, but we've had disruptions and injuries. I'm expecting better in the second half of the year. The improvements are coming at the rate I'd expected, not hoped for.


🔹PREDICTIONS

How many wins in the back half (& who are we beating):

Three or four. Eagles, Suns in Hobart and one or two of Hawthorn, * and Richmond.

Who will find form & turn their season round:

McKay, Curtis.

Final TOP 3 in the B&F:
1. LDU
2. Scott
3. Sheeze

If you had to put money on it, who will be delisted/retire:

Turner.

Does Ben McKay stay or go:

No idea so I tossed a coin. He stays.

How many goals does Larkey finish on:

He's on track to kick 61. He'll kick 65.

Does Sheezel win the Rising Star:

Yes

Does Clarko come back this season?

Yep.

Who wins the Brownlow:

Butters or Petracca. Can't pick right now.

Who wins the AFL Premiership & who are they beating:

Dunno & everyone else. I don't really want to answer this so i'll say Collingwood.
 
THE SEASON SO FAR

Most impressive first year player
The kids (first year in the AFL):

Undoubtedly Harry. The only problem being that he hasn't exceeded my expectations, except perhaps statistically. He's getting more of it than I thought he would, but being played at HB has helped.

I had no doubt that Wardlaw would be a worthy selection, but have been pleasantly surprised by his impact. He's a real energiser bunny around the footy, with or without it.

Brought in from another club (first year at North):

Shiels. What he brings in consistency, maturity and leadership is exactly what we've needed, and unfortunately, he also highlights just how underwhelming our more senior players have been.

Logue has been promising, and largely what I thought he'd be, and I hope we get the right players to complement him.

Which player/s have been a pleasant surprise for you personally:

Probably Eddie Ford. Showed more smarts further from goal than I'd have imagined, especially given comments about his inability to follow instructions. They aren't necessarily related, but he shows that he knows what he's doing - versus one-off acts of brilliance - which has surprised me.

Which player/s have been disappointing (from what you were expecting):

McKay. While I'm not overly surprised, I thought he'd reached his new level of capability, whereas he's sunk back down to a level he was at earlier in his career. At best, patchy, despite the later start to the year. Whether his head is elsewhere or not (gone or deciding), I'm disappointed he's not gelling with Logue and, together, forming the basis of our key position defensive line.

Pick 3 blokes to delist immediately:

1. Turner. I could, kind of, see the logic of his re-listing, but thought a Josh Walker or Ethan Phillips a wiser bet.
2. Hall. Age. His deficiencies have been exaggerated in the past, but justified this year.
3. Edwards. Let's not entertain the sunk cost fallacy. Let's just write him off.

1687608071107.jpeg

Favourite moments on field:

Before it succumbed to momentum at the end of the game, the way we controlled the ball with deft passing against Fremantle. We looked like a football team. Similar in the first quarter against the Dogs.

Favourite things off it:

Sonja's recovery.
The way the football department have handled the off-field issues, in particular Viney and Ratten. Shows wisdom and compassion of leadership.

Biggest face palm 🤦‍♂️ moment on field so far:

The interchange fiasco.

Player that has moved into your personal favourites this year:

Warlord will be more of a favourite than I thought. Phillips and Scott cementing their places. Liam's a beauty too.

Biggest thing on field that we need to address/rectify:

Fitness, and composure to retain or regain possession and momentum. Two-way running outside the contest.


From A+ to F how are you grading our season so far & why:

Results: D
Development: B

Does Ben McKay stay or go:

If he doesn't re-sign before our next game, I'd suggest he's probably gone. It's disappointing he's shopping himself around, rather than committing to the club, but his form indicates he may not be the loss we thought he'd be.

Does Clarko come back this season?

I just hope he comes back in a healthy state of mind, regardless of when.
 
Last edited:
The good:
  • Sheezel, Wardlaw, Logue
  • Games into Will Phillips
  • The VFL side providing a strong environment for players to develop
  • Viney, Clarkson and Ratten becoming familiar with just how unfit and unskilled many of our senior players are.
  • The prospect of delistings, retirements and the preseason addressing our fitness and skill deficiencies

The bad:

  • LDU injuries
  • Realising after 4 rounds that we still have too many players who can"t or won't run at AFL levels
  • As a result, a failure to apply forward half pressure and so we miss out on the easiest way to kick goals.

The ugly:

  • Being out run and overrun week in week out
  • Watching most of our mid aged and senior players blow up, go lactic half way through the second, third and fourth quarters after we've been competitive or even had the ascendancy
  • Watching those players fail to keep up with opponents when there hasn't been a stoppage for 5 minutes
  • Watching those players stop to a standstill and make basic skill errors - seemingly exhausted - when we get it back in defence leading to repeat entries as we can"t move the ball
  • Seeing those same players getting named in our best after they get 20 plus disposals
  • Seeing those players not get dropped
  • Realising those players clocked in for preseason but didn't work as hard as players at other clubs - yet again.
 
William Caresser said:
The good:
  • Sheezel, Wardlaw, Logue
  • Games into Will Phillips
  • The VFL side providing a strong environment for players to develop
  • Viney, Clarkson and Ratten becoming familiar with just how unfit and unskilled many of our senior players are.
  • The prospect of delistings, retirements and the preseason addressing our fitness and skill deficiencies

The bad:

  • LDU injuries
  • Realising after 4 rounds that we still have too many players who can"t or won't run at AFL levels
  • As a result, a failure to apply forward half pressure and so we miss out on the easiest way to kick goals.

The ugly:

  • Being out run and overrun week in week out
  • Watching most of our mid aged and senior players blow up, go lactic half way through the second, third and fourth quarters after we've been competitive or even had the ascendancy
  • Watching those players fail to keep up with opponents when there hasn't been a stoppage for 5 minutes
  • Watching those players stop to a standstill and make basic skill errors - seemingly exhausted - when we get it back in defence leading to repeat entries as we can"t move the ball
  • Seeing those same players getting named in our best after they get 20 plus disposals
  • Seeing those players not get dropped
  • Realising those players clocked in for preseason but didn't work as hard as players at other clubs - yet again.
Click to expand...
Perfectly sums up my views. The fitness levels at the club have been diabolical, I do Think the new S&C team have us on the right track. We are heading in the right direction and need another two strong drafts and some astute trades to get list in good shape
 
Good: kids like Sheezel, Wardlaw, Phillips showing he can play.
Bad: Almost all the Players over 25+
Ugly: The way we move the ball and defend transition

We started the season putting pressure on, then didn't and started to look s**t again, pressure has been better for longer periods since Clarko threw the chair but we are all over the shop, just poor system of moving the ball, the hacks forward come back via clean ball movement and we pay on the scoreboard. I just can't see how anyone in the AFL system thinks the way we move the ball or defend in transition is going to work out other than a massive string of losses.
 
Gasometer said:
Gawd these read like War and Peace

Wat the hell happened?

Good- Wally and Harry
Bad- losing Clarko
Ugly- the backline
Click to expand...
Mark loves beer happened.
 
Gasometer said:
Maybe MLB should go make his own thread
Click to expand...
Every thread makes its own tune.

giphy.gif
 

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Good; not a lot I’d like to think Sheezel amd Wardlaw are good cause we’re so bad. Meaning it wasn’t a stroke of genius that got them to us.

Although the JHFF deal was good once we strapped pick 1 to him. It was about us getting the two targets we wanted. So maybe was a stroke of genius 💁

Scott and Ford, Logue have been good. So happy for Ford especially.



Means we unearthed 5 players for the 2023 season.

Bad; Comben injury, have pretty much put a line through him.

Ugly; the al clarko saga.

Delist immediately; no comment on that as it is cruel and I won’t partake in such commentary.

And I can’t be bothered listing 15 names lol. Nah joking.

I had has pegged for finals in 25 may now be 26.
 
The acurate one said:
I had has pegged for finals in 25 may now be 26.
Click to expand...

Me too. It's still on the table but will take some doing now and obviously depends on off field moves. I think when we improve it will be a reasonably big jump in one year.
 
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