Well done to him.
He's had his faults, and therefore detractors, but overall I think he's done the job expected of him thus far.
He's certainly lifted the profile of the club, brought in a level of professionalism, and created an atmosphere of trust and positivity. He's been exceptionally good at selling the club, and he's every bit the North Melbourne person anyone else might claim to be.
I'd really like it now if, five years in, he recognised and used his real strengths to push the club forward. It was mentioned in that article about his record versus Hardwicks' - the handball attack of 2012, the conscious effort in 2013 to balance the kick/handball ledger, and this years' defence focus - he seems to be very reactionary. To have the record he does, with essentially a non-bottoming out rebuild taking place, and a new gameplan nearly every year, is a very good effort. I think we'd be a genuine premiership threat if we used the confident 2012 game (who cares about the amount of handballs, we killed it!!) with a touch of this years' lockdown footy when required. I see we have the talent there. I'd love to see Scotty use it and back them in, and not have them in two minds when running out there, which sometimes they seem to be now. They're not 'all defensive' players, and they shouldn't be 'all attack'; but they're talented enough and smart enough to do both now when needed, without over-correcting.
We don't have blue collar scrubbers asked to play one menial role in a dour gameplan anymore, we're not Sydney or Freo. I hope Scotty realises this in the next couple of years, because if everything clicks, it will have been worth the wait and he'll be a North legend. His attitude to our club since day dot had him well and truly on that path, and now I hope for his and eveyone elses' sake that he gets the results.
Congrats Brad
