Are North Being Too Impatient With Their Rebuild?

(Log in to remove this ad.)

TigermanM2

Norm Smith Medallist
Joined
Mar 7, 2013
Posts
5,701
Likes
19,280
AFL Club
Richmond
culture is more important than "blooding the youth". A couple of those youngsters will probably be delisted anyway and then what have you gained?

all the teams at the top end in the last 10 years only the Hawks had a reasonable swag of high 1st round picks anyway.
Wha?

You have gained the knowledge that they aren't up to it and you make the spot available to someone else instead of not playing them and not being sure and wasting a spot by giving them another year.
 

Pykie

Brownlow Medallist
Joined
Sep 17, 2006
Posts
14,386
Likes
25,548
Location
Lord's
AFL Club
North Melbourne
Other Teams
Leeds United
If they're not back up by the time Hawthorn's contract in Launceston is done, they'll be so dependant on the AFL for money they wont be able to resist the offer to have 7 home games in Tas....

Then 5-10 years later when the facilities at Arden St are starting to look even rattier and their cotenants there become more frustrating to deal with, they'll get an offer for a state of the art facility in Hobart that is entirely theirs and move their training based down there.

Gradually, another game or two will be moved to Tas and their Melbourne presence will be almost exclusively 'replacement games'.

Eventually the pretence will be dropped, the team will be renamed and Melbourne members just get 'away game' access to all games in Melbourne. They might still have one or two token 'home' games in Melbourne, but the crowds will be pretty much opposition fans anyway.


Frog in boiling water relocation.

North are upgrading their $20m facility even further for VFL games next year.


You obviously haven't read the planning submission in council for the North Melbourne Oval precinct redevelopment

http://www.nmfc.com.au/news/2017-05-09/norths-bold-plan

North Melbourne will boast the biggest and best inner-city training complex in Melbourne under an ambitious plan submitted to the Victorian government.

Under North's proposal, its Arden St headquarters' footprint would grow from 4.5ha to 11.2ha and would be upgraded to include:

- An indoor centre with a large synthetic oval.
- A second indoor centre with four multi-use hard courts.
- An indoor aquatic centre with a 50m pool.
- An outdoor synthetic oval with lighting.
- Sports changerooms and social rooms, which could be used for AFLW and VFL games.
- A café and other shops.

The Kangaroos' plan was submitted in response to a proposed $7 billion redevelopment of an industrial pocket of North Melbourne, which will become known as Arden.

The redevelopment will stretch over 10 years and, by 2051, is forecast to bring 34,000 workers and 15,000 residents into Arden. From 2026, the precinct will be serviced by an underground railway station, which will be one stop from the CBD, western suburbs and Melbourne University (Parkville).

North's proposal is before the Victorian Planning Authority, which last September released a draft vision and framework for Arden.

Although Essendon and Fremantle have recently set a new standard for club training facilities – and Hawthorn has advanced plans to follow their lead – North’s complex will enjoy a significant point of difference by being based close to the city, just 3km from Melbourne's CBD.

Melbourne, Collingwood and Richmond are also based near the city, but their existing facilities will be superseded, at least in size, if North's blueprint is implemented.

In a submission by Tract Consultants on behalf of the club, North contends its plan would be a win for both the club and local community.

"The club sees the development of the precinct not only as an opportunity to secure its long-term training and community base in the heart of Melbourne, but a major opportunity to engage and contribute meaningfully to a world-class community sports and recreation hub, which connects and is embraced by the local community," the submission says.

"The club considers that its facilities, particularly as benchmarked against its competitors, are key to attracting and developing talent and by extension to the future success of the club.

"North Melbourne intends to remain in its current location where it contributes substantially to the North Melbourne community and more generally to the inner north of Melbourne.

"To achieve this, the club needs to future proof its current base, including potential accommodation of a women's team and facilities suitable for VFL fixtures."

Arden will be bound by Macaulay Rd to the north, Dryburgh St to the east and the Upfield railway line to the south and west.

Under North's submission, the club's expanded grounds and most of its facilities would be open to the local community, and would serve as the new precinct's primary open space. New public amenities would also be installed around the site.

A new primary school is planned as part of the broader Arden redevelopment, with North proposing it be located at the public archives building on Macaulay Rd, which would give its pupils easy access to the Arden St grounds.

North also plans to expand its administration building and to relocate its Huddle social-inclusion program to adjacent larger premises, which will allow the club to expand its community work.

For the Kangaroos' proposal to become a reality, land and roads between the club's existing grounds and Clayton Reserve (to the north on Macaulay Rd) might need to be acquired.

Most of that land is owned by the City of Melbourne and government entities, with only 25 per cent privately owned.

North has also included potential flood planning solutions in its plan, something the government and Melbourne Water have identified as a critical consideration for the new precinct.

North's plan is yet to be costed, but the club proposes it be funded in partnership by the City of Melbourne (via revenue received from the Arden redevelopment), the State Government, AFL and Kangaroos.

The VPA intends to release a final vision and framework for Arden by the end of the year at the latest.
 

MightyTiger

Norm Smith Medallist
Joined
Jun 21, 2010
Posts
8,185
Likes
7,186
AFL Club
Richmond
I don't think they are that bad off compared to other teams. The avg age was 25 in their last game.

on the weekend WCE had Hurn 30 / Jetta 28 / Kennedy 30 / Lecras 31 / Mackenzie 29 / Mitchell 34 / Priddis 32

with an average age of 27. so its hardly a huge difference between teams.
Difference being one team is apparently rebuilding with such an old 22 and the other is playing off in a semi final.
 

Snake_Baker

L'enfant terrible
Joined
Apr 24, 2013
Posts
39,346
Likes
69,933
Location
inside your head
AFL Club
North Melbourne
Other Teams
The Unicornia Reactants

Snake_Baker

L'enfant terrible
Joined
Apr 24, 2013
Posts
39,346
Likes
69,933
Location
inside your head
AFL Club
North Melbourne
Other Teams
The Unicornia Reactants
Kelly would have been a great addition for the rebuild.

Martin would have been too if the contract was front loaded.

It is odd that they're having bris levels of trouble trying to lure anyone.
Richmond basically got down on hand & knees and begged Martin to stay. What was he supposed to do then?

Kelly is also having enormous pressure applied to him.

We have seen rare levels of pressure applied to retain 2 out of 3 of the best midfielders in the competition.

At least we're shooting for the stars. I can't begrudge my club for doing that.
 

master bate

Brownlow Medallist
Joined
Aug 13, 2006
Posts
13,181
Likes
10,553
Location
Melbourne
AFL Club
Melbourne
I disagree with this part. No where near as bad as some teams 6-7 years ago, but probably the worst positioned currently in the AFL. Brown is a stud, as is Tarrant and they have a few quality youngsters in McDonald, Garner, Clarke, Durmont, Wood, and Preuss. But IMO not enough at the top, with Ziebell and Higgins having a history of wear and tear and probably have three and two years left respectively, to really try a half rebuild/half top up.
They aren't in nearly as bad a spot as StKilda, Melbourne or Carlton have been in the last few years where they needed a full rebuild from the ground up. They don't have GC problem with leadership and culture. They don't have Brisbane's problem of good players leaving and until this year perennial injuries to their class mids in Beams/Rockliff.

They certainly have to find some midfield class before Higgins drops off, that's for sure and that's why they went for the big swings at Martin and Kelly, but I'd give them 2 or 3 drafts from outside the 8 and back them to find at least 1 classy mid. If they completely wipe on the next few drafts then they'll be stuffed but right now I'd back them in.
 

Snake_Baker

L'enfant terrible
Joined
Apr 24, 2013
Posts
39,346
Likes
69,933
Location
inside your head
AFL Club
North Melbourne
Other Teams
The Unicornia Reactants
They aren't in nearly as bad a spot as StKilda, Melbourne or Carlton have been in the last few years where they needed a full rebuild from the ground up. They don't have GC problem with leadership and culture. They don't have Brisbane's problem of good players leaving and until this year perennial injuries to their class mids in Beams/Rockliff.

They certainly have to find some midfield class before Higgins drops off, that's for sure and that's why they went for the big swings at Martin and Kelly, but I'd give them 2 or 3 drafts from outside the 8 and back them to find at least 1 classy mid. If they completely wipe on the next few drafts then they'll be stuffed but right now I'd back them in.

Far out.

An outsider has finally nailed it.
 

(Log in to remove this ad.)

Joined
Jul 22, 2016
Posts
1,960
Likes
2,405
AFL Club
Adelaide
Bit of a nonsense thread, do people realise the trying to land a big fish is also partly done to show their supporters they are trying everything possible to rebuild as quickly as possible rather than just appear to be accepting their situation as good enough for now. For a club likely to be in the bottom part of the ladder next year its certainly a boost for their morale and marketability to fans to have something to cheer about. Obviously it won't look great to not land anyone but atleast they have made it clear to their supporters it wasn't for lack of trying.
 
Joined
Jun 6, 2012
Posts
1,564
Likes
1,678
AFL Club
Richmond
I don't know why they chased Martin so hard, I don't think they are one star away from a flag. Chasing Kelly makes sense if they made some tuff calls and traded some of the older talent for more picks. But right now, like Richmond at the end of last year, there list looks really crap.
 
Joined
Jul 14, 2005
Posts
9,421
Likes
10,210
AFL Club
Carlton
Other Teams
Manchester City, Boston Bruins
Thread starter #116
They certainly have to find some midfield class before Higgins drops off, that's for sure and that's why they went for the big swings at Martin and Kelly, but I'd give them 2 or 3 drafts from outside the 8 and back them to find at least 1 classy mid. If they completely wipe on the next few drafts then they'll be stuffed but right now I'd back them in.
This is exactly the problem.

Unless they show significant improvement, good players are going to bypass them and they'll stay a mediocre team. They've still got a lot of players to cycle out of their current team, which will mean some big gaps in their list in years to come.

It makes sense to lure some big names, but they are offering some huge contracts and still being rejected. It makes sense in the current situation, but it'll be troubling in a few years when they should be making a push up the ladder. Even when they were a decent mid-table team they struggled to attract talent and mostly went after older players looking for a big final contract.

Still haven't shown they can produce elite talent, apart from a few guns, but to be fair they haven't had the luxury of early selections.
 

Snake_Baker

L'enfant terrible
Joined
Apr 24, 2013
Posts
39,346
Likes
69,933
Location
inside your head
AFL Club
North Melbourne
Other Teams
The Unicornia Reactants
This is exactly the problem.

Unless they show significant improvement, good players are going to bypass them and they'll stay a mediocre team.
Dunno about that champ.

Back in 2005 your club picked up the best player in the game and never went beyond a mediocre team.
 

G0ther00s

Club Legend
Joined
Oct 14, 2008
Posts
2,104
Likes
2,737
AFL Club
North Melbourne
Other Teams
Miami Heat
All this attention on North missing out when I've seen St Kilda, Carlton and to a lesser extent Essendon linked to every free agent North have been linked too. So North have missed out on two of the best players in the game, big deal, how has it hurt their rebuild so far by targeting the best player and missing out, I'd say it'd be no different than having not targeted them at all.
 

Judd2Sewell

Norm Smith Medallist
Joined
Aug 31, 2008
Posts
7,706
Likes
6,300
AFL Club
Hawthorn
Other Teams
Nuggets
It is pretty embarrassing watching them essentially run around begging to players to play for them next year.
They have money to play with and have targeted the two best potentially available players. Every club in their position would do the same, you might just land a Franklin.
 

G0ther00s

Club Legend
Joined
Oct 14, 2008
Posts
2,104
Likes
2,737
AFL Club
North Melbourne
Other Teams
Miami Heat
Kelly would have been a great addition for the rebuild.

Martin would have been too if the contract was front loaded.

It is odd that they're having bris levels of trouble trying to lure anyone.
You mean two top ten players? You're right that is anyone. :drunk:
 

SterlingArcher

Brownlow Medallist
Joined
May 16, 2014
Posts
12,058
Likes
15,434
AFL Club
Carlton
Honestly, if it is true they chased Motlop and players like him hard, then yeah maybe. Because those players aren't good enough to make a big difference but would still be worth a fair bit.

But any club who didn't at least sound out Kelly and Martin should be way more embarrassed than chasing them and failing.

Kelly would be a huge part of any rebuild and any premiership contention team. 22 yo elite midfielder. I reckon going for him with a club-high salary and contract is worth it.
 
Joined
Jul 14, 2005
Posts
9,421
Likes
10,210
AFL Club
Carlton
Other Teams
Manchester City, Boston Bruins
Thread starter #123
Dunno about that champ.

Back in 2005 your club picked up the best player in the game and never went beyond a mediocre team.
2007 mate, and despite being a basket case Judd chose us.

North don't have that pull power and probably wont until they're back to being a good team which is no guarantee.
 

Snake_Baker

L'enfant terrible
Joined
Apr 24, 2013
Posts
39,346
Likes
69,933
Location
inside your head
AFL Club
North Melbourne
Other Teams
The Unicornia Reactants
Kelly would be a huge part of any rebuild and any premiership contention team. 22 yo elite midfielder. I reckon going for him with a club-high salary and contract is worth it.
Q: What club wouldn't pay him 8% of the cap and what club wouldn't want him for the next decade?

A: No club.
 
Top Bottom