Brad Scott has been a failure?

[PatrickBateman]

Every time Brad Scott whinges in a post match presser, hes taking the heat off the team and putting it on another issue. It makes excuses and lets them off the hook. It has to stop if theyre to be competitive

Last year they had a dream fixture, this year (like Adelaide) they got the finals finishing draw. Lost early games by small margins and most of their confidence with it.

They're still a better unit than Richmond. Lets see how the Tigers go next year with a tough draw IF they make the finals.

 

[fddf]

Ummm, didn't you employ the "half brained coach" that Melbourne sacked?

Not that I'm aware of?

 

[Zephyr Effekt]

Last year they had a dream fixture, this year (like Adelaide) they got the finals finishing draw. Lost early games by small margins and most of their confidence with it.

They're still a better unit than Richmond. Lets see how the Tigers go next year with a tough draw IF they make the finals.

Don't think Richmond's draw from year to year is too dependent on where they finish to be honest.

 

[Quivorir]

Not for us, i'm happy for him to coach north everytime they play us

Even when we smash you by 10 goals like earlier in the year? What a stupid post.

 

[PatrickBateman]

Don't think Richmond's draw from year to year is too dependent on where they finish to be honest.

Don't think it doesn't make a difference. Essendon and Richmond both only have Geelong, Sydney and Hawthorn once each!

If Richmond and Essendon both make finals (even if Essendon do lose all their points) next year will be different, trust me. It's all part of the AFL evening up the comp. For middle of the road clubs like those mentioned here, it's often the difference between making finals or missing.

 

[JUBJUB]

That;s the last time I put money on Norrth #shytehouse

Sportbet run these odd betting things each week,so how about one for people who bet on North ?
If North get 30 or more points in front and lose you get your money back

 

[mellowyellow]

Dunno but don't go making a thread about it!

Got what it deserved

 

[MaddAdam]

Not that I'm aware of?

My apologies. It was their s**t coach before Neeld that you employed.

 

[Zephyr Effekt]

Don't think it doesn't make a difference. Essendon and Richmond both only have Geelong, Sydney and Hawthorn once each!

If Richmond and Essendon both make finals (even if Essendon do lose all their points) next year will be different, trust me. It's all part of the AFL evening up the comp. For middle of the road clubs like those mentioned here, it's often the difference between making finals or missing.

Never said anything about it making a difference, just that Richmond's draw from year to year has not been dependant on where they've finished on the ladder.

 

[Ancient Tiger]

Don't think it doesn't make a difference. Essendon and Richmond both only have Geelong, Sydney and Hawthorn once each!

If Richmond and Essendon both make finals (even if Essendon do lose all their points) next year will be different, trust me. It's all part of the AFL evening up the comp. For middle of the road clubs like those mentioned here, it's often the difference between making finals or missing.

It is true. The draw is so inequitable.
Collingwood, Carlton and Essendon never have to play Geelong at Geelong. My team does (despite now having more members than the latter two).
That is unfair.
Geelong has a home ground advantage that my team doesn't. That is unfair.
We have never played the expansion teams at the MCG (or even in Melbourne!). That is unfair (yes I know we sold GC home games to Cairns, but now we have played GWS twice at Skoda in two years).
I know other teams have their own gripes and disadvantages too.
So the draw advantages certain teams and disadvantages others. This ultimately determines how far up the ladder your team goes.

 

[PatrickBateman]

Never said anything about it making a difference, just that Richmond's draw from year to year has not been dependant on where they've finished on the ladder.

Dependent? Maybe not, but to think its not greatly influential suggests that you don't understand.

You think they'd be playing the same fixture if they'd finished top 4 for the last few years? No. They'd have a typical Hawthorn like draw, as an example. In which case they'd likely be outside the 8 right now.

Understand equalisation in the AFL. It's a business decision, the AFL want every team to rotate through the top 4 as often as possible. This comes into fixture planning. You finish outside the 8 you generally get a favourable draw.

 

[benfica]

the sooner harvey retires the better it will be for north

 

[ManOfClay]

(Also, Luke McDonald will be taking Spud Firrito's spot next year, that's for sure. Get the kid in your DreamTeam now, he's going to rack ip touches across half back.)

Can he defend though? At least Firrito attempts to stop his man, you don't want to end up with two Shaun Atleys at the back who get the ball but let their men get it more.

 

[eth-dog]

Game day wise he is a carbon copy of Matthew Knights. Development of players wise Knights shits on him.

 

[Zephyr Effekt]

Dependent? Maybe not, but to think its not greatly influential suggests that you don't understand.

Again, less so for teams such as Collingwood, Carlton, Essendon and Richmond.

If the AFL does however decide that they want a draw, instead of a fixture going forward, well that changes that scenario completely.

You think they'd be playing the same fixture if they'd finished top 4 for the last few years? No. They'd have a typical Hawthorn like draw, as an example. In which case they'd likely be outside the 8 right now.

If they finished top 4 for the last few years, you'd think they could hold spot in the 8 at least, even after been given a harder draw, but i guess that the point you're trying to make right.

Understand equalisation in the AFL. It's a business decision, the AFL want every team to rotate through the top 4 as often as possible. This comes into fixture planning. You finish outside the 8 you generally get a favourable draw.

You need to understand the equalisation in the AFL up until now, has been a financial decision instead of a business one. Thats why, the teams i've mentioned above have been less dependant on their draws being determined by where they finish on the ladder.

 

[Barnzy]

Last year they had a dream fixture, this year (like Adelaide) they got the finals finishing draw. Lost early games by small margins and most of their confidence with it.

They're still a better unit than Richmond. Lets see how the Tigers go next year with a tough draw IF they make the finals.

How are North better than Richmond?

Just because they beat us head head? Teams have bad days and some match up well against others. One game doesn't prove anything.

We beat Adelaide, WC and Gold Coast. Three teams competiting for that lower right spot. North lost to all three of them. I don't think we will lose to Brisbane either. They only have themselves to blame for their poor ladder position so don't go making excuses for them. They've had some shocking losses and not just to good teams.

 

[Jack Bradley]

He certainly has been a huge success. This season has been a real heart breaker.

 

[PatrickBateman]

How are North better than Richmond?

Just because they beat us head head? Teams have bad days and some match up well against others. One game doesn't prove anything.

We beat Adelaide, WC and Gold Coast. Three teams competiting for that lower right spot. North lost to all three of them. North only have themselves to blame for their poor ladder position so don't go making excuses for them. They've had some shocking losses and not just to good teams.

You can use all sorts of measures. How about we judge both side's performances against the best sides?

I just think that North's best is better than Richmond's. They are genuinely competitive against the best sides most of the time, Richmond just get leant on and beaten hard if the opposing (top) side is playing their best.

Next year, the two sides will probably have their fixtures swapped. Lets see how the Tigers go then.

 

[Ron The Bear]

Why is it Richmond supporters always talk up average age, stupid stat that skews horribly when you have a Fletcher or Harvey in your side.

Because it tells a consistent tale. With a few glaring exceptions, the table of 2013 average age approximates the ladder quite accurately.

Club|AvAge|Rank|Ladder|Diff
\Sydney|26.48|1st|4th|-3
\Hawthorn|26.00|2nd|1st|+1
\Geelong|25.74|3rd|2nd|+1
\St.Kilda|25.43|4th|16th|-12
\West Coast|25.42|5th|10th|-5
\Carlton|25.36|6th|9th|-3
\Fremantle|25.33|7th|5th|+2
\Collingwood|25.32|8th|7th|+1
\Richmond|25.00|9th|6th|+3
\Essendon|24.93|10th|3rd|+7
\North Melbourne|24.92|11th|11th|-
\Brisbane|24.63|12th|13th|-1
\Adelaide|24.57|13th|12th|+1
\Western Bulldogs|24.51|14th|15th|-1
\Melbourne|24.20|15th|17th|-2
\Port Adelaide|23.80|16th|8th|+8
\Gold Coast|23.05|17th|14th|+3
\Greater Western Sydney|21.65|18th|18th|-

St.Kilda -12, widely perceived to be a train wreck
Essendon +7, *
Port +8, have amazed most of us with their precocity
West Coast -5, time to rebuild, or at least inject some youth

The older side has won 70% of games this year. Even leaving out Gold Coast and GWS, the figure is 66%. If you knew nothing about two opposing teams other than their average age, that's pretty significant. In general, the greater the age difference, the more likely the older team is to win.

 

[Richo83]

Never said anything about it making a difference, just that Richmond's draw from year to year has not been dependant on where they've finished on the ladder.

This. PatrickBateman I don't think you understand either. Richmond's fixture is designed to maximise revenue, ergo, Richmond will probably play two, possibly all three of Carlton, Essendon, or Collingwood twice, regardless of where they finish. This leaves two or three teams to play twice. Richmond may get one game or two against say Footscray or St Kilda taken away, but that's not a massive difference. They could take one of Richmond's matches against Fremantle away, but that would be an assistance if anything, given Hardwick struggles against Lyon coached sides. Either way, the afl seem committed to Richmond playing Carlton twice, and seem keen on Richmond playing Essendon twice as well, that leaves limited options.

 

[Richo83]

Why is it Richmond supporters always talk up average age, stupid stat that skews horribly when you have a Fletcher or Harvey in your side.

Harvey is only one player, so the age factor isn't skewed to a point of irrelevance. And if North still have experienced players in their lineup like Harvey, shouldn't they do a better job of holding onto leads, in the sense of having composure and all that?

 

[Ron The Bear]

I just think that North's best is better than Richmond's. They are genuinely competitive against the best sides most of the time, Richmond just get leant on and beaten hard if the opposing (top) side is playing their best.

Next year, the two sides will probably have their fixtures swapped. Lets see how the Tigers go then.

I'd agree with the first bit. Our best form this year hasn't matched our best from last year.

Last year the positions were reversed, North had the easy draw and Richmond had the close losses. We played all the previous year's finalists in the first ten rounds. After Round 10 we played like a "burnt out" team and our form plateaued at mediocre.

 

[scarecrow2k1]

Last year they had a dream fixture, this year (like Adelaide) they got the finals finishing draw. Lost early games by small margins and most of their confidence with it.

They're still a better unit than Richmond. Lets see how the Tigers go next year with a tough draw IF they make the finals.

Disagree. You're only as good as your form and right now they aren't better than us. Yes they beat us comprehensively, but if they can't beat Brisbane, Gold Coast (I can say that now ) and these other cellar dwellars than they aren't a better team than Richmond. Otherwise they'd be in the 8.

 

[Spitta09]

Disagree. You're only as good as your form and right now they aren't better than us. Yes they beat us comprehensively, but if they can't beat Brisbane, Gold Coast (I can say that now ) and these other cellar dwellars than they aren't a better team than Richmond. Otherwise they'd be in the 8.

The best way to judge a team is usually head to head i would have thought..
Sure our form is woeful but i think a lot of these close losses have left us devoid of any confidence. Not to mention we have a muppet in the coaches box who has no plan B when the opposition start getting a run on and change things.
You cannot just say x team beat y team therefore this team is better blah blah because a week is a long time in footy and anything can happen on gameday.

 

[theflea]

Dependent? Maybe not, but to think its not greatly influential suggests that you don't understand.

You think they'd be playing the same fixture if they'd finished top 4 for the last few years? No. They'd have a typical Hawthorn like draw, as an example. In which case they'd likely be outside the 8 right now.

Understand equalisation in the AFL. It's a business decision, the AFL want every team to rotate through the top 4 as often as possible. This comes into fixture planning. You finish outside the 8 you generally get a favourable draw.

What also bobs up, is teams from the previous years finals not playing well which perpetuates an 'easier draw' ie we've played the crows and wce and would've expected losses from those games.