Can we learn from North Melbourne?

[Freddy Bassett]

You have got to love how North Melbourne have the courage to drop big name players, when it doesnt have that many stars, and play young kids in crunch games. The kids seem to always perform and its usually against the top sides. Why are we so different? What would Taylor Walkers goal tally be if he was a Roo? Not bagging NC or Adelaide as I love the way we go about most things but can we take a leaf out of Laidleys book?

 

[Porps_is_HOT_loz]

Yeah hopefully we can learn.
Would love to see Tex come in for MCGREGOR because he'll play a shit game for next week.
I also loved how North Melbourne played last night; they moved the ball quickly when using handballs. We use handballs but move the ball slow most of the time...

 

[Sir Vlado]

North Melbourne really turned it on last night, their ball movement was ridiculously quick which created goals even if they didn't have a "superstar" forward. Credit to them, But I really badly want to see Walker play. Though, luckily McGregor wasn't actually picked, Jericho and Moran were good inclusions and I just have the feeling that McLeod will play as a crumbing forward.

 

[Porps_is_HOT_loz]

North Melbourne really turned it on last night, their ball movement was ridiculously quick which created goals even if they didn't have a "superstar" forward. Credit to them, But I really badly want to see Walker play. Though, luckily McGregor wasn't actually picked, Jericho and Moran were good inclusions and I just have the feeling that McLeod will play as a crumbing forward.

Really Mcgregor wasnt picked??

ALALOOOYA!!!!
Boyyeahh!

Thankgod! That brings the pressure off..

Jerico and Moran Good inclustions!
Well.. I dont really like Jerico but he deserves another chance

 

[Sir Vlado]

Really Mcgregor wasnt picked??

ALALOOOYA!!!!
Boyyeahh!

Thankgod! That brings the pressure off..

Jerico and Moran Good inclustions!
Well.. I dont really like Jerico but he deserves another chance

McGregor is an emergency though, along with Mackay and Otten.

 

[relapse]

Really Mcgregor wasnt picked??

ALALOOOYA!!!!
Boyyeahh!

Thankgod! That brings the pressure off..

Jerico and Moran Good inclustions!
Well.. I dont really like Jerico but he deserves another chance

Jericho shouldnt have gotten dropped in the first place IMO

 

[Porps_is_HOT_loz]

McGregor is an emergency though, along with Mackay and Otten.

Mackay deserves a game.. Otten will get his chance soon.
Good to hear Kenny isnt playing..

Jericho shouldnt have gotten dropped in the first place IMO

Yeah I guess.. but really still would like to get a draft pick or a handy player for him

 

[jo172]

You have got to love how North Melbourne have the courage to drop big name players, when it doesnt have that many stars, and play young kids in crunch games. The kids seem to always perform and its usually against the top sides. Why are we so different? What would Taylor Walkers goal tally be if he was a Roo? Not bagging NC or Adelaide as I love the way we go about most things but can we take a leaf out of Laidleys book?

He'd probably be dominating the VFL and not getting a game still like Mike Wundke who has outscored Taylor in the last 3-4 weeks

 

[RoosterLad]

Wundke has been starring in the VFL which is great to see, hopefully he gets a senior game at some stage but will probably be next year at the earliest.

But yeah I agree, bring in Walker for McGregor, Walker deserves to be an emergency this week.............

 

[macca23]

You have got to love how North Melbourne have the courage to drop big name players, when it doesnt have that many stars, and play young kids in crunch games. The kids seem to always perform and its usually against the top sides. Why are we so different? What would Taylor Walkers goal tally be if he was a Roo? Not bagging NC or Adelaide as I love the way we go about most things but can we take a leaf out of Laidleys book?

Which Morth Melbourne kid are we actually talking about??

Apart from Lachlan Hansen who turns 20 next month and was drafted in 2006, there were no other players in North's side under 20 years of age.

 

[smoovy]

Wundke has been starring in the VFL which is great to see, hopefully he gets a senior game at some stage but will probably be next year at the earliest.

But yeah I agree, bring in Walker for McGregor, Walker deserves to be an emergency this week.............

Wish the crows or port had drafted him. Could have done with him in Roosters jumper this year.

 

[RoosterLad]

No doubt. It wasn't long ago we had too many tall options up forward, now we have the champ Alleway and a developing Stewart. Wundke would add a lot to our forwardline, he's a very talented player.

 

[Vince Van Mackay]

He'd probably be dominating the VFL and not getting a game still like Mike Wundke who has outscored Taylor in the last 3-4 weeks

Yeah, except Mike Wundke is 2 years older than Taylor.

 

[smoovy]

No doubt. It wasn't long ago we had too many tall options up forward, now we have the champ Alleway and a developing Stewart. Wundke would add a lot to our forwardline, he's a very talented player.

He won't be around next year unless agian Port or Crows draft him. Not really sure what else is around in next year's draft, but I would be surprised if he was not on an AFL list. Has inspector gadget like long arms, takes marks well above his head.

 

[Zvim]

Wundke has been starring in the VFL which is great to see, hopefully he gets a senior game at some stage but will probably be next year at the earliest.

But yeah I agree, bring in Walker for McGregor, Walker deserves to be an emergency this week.............

He is very close to a game, he has been good in the VFL but VFL standard is pretty ordinary. He has kicked quite a few opportunistic goals which probably wouldn't be kicked in the AFL. Obst also has been given a few games and has been pretty good, struggled a bit on the road trips like many of the inexperienced players.

Our kids have been fantastic, they have really stepped up. Couldn't ask for more, I think putting the faith in them helps a lot, our kids have traditionally been slow to come alone in the years when we rarely pushed out senior players who weren't performing. Some kids who I thought were 1-2 years away at least have surprised that when given the faith they can produce the goods.

 

[Zvim]

Which Morth Melbourne kid are we actually talking about??

Apart from Lachlan Hansen who turns 20 next month and was drafted in 2006, there were no other players in North's side under 20 years of age.

Ross is 19, Goldstein and Urquhart just turned 20. Riggio, Obst, Josh Smith and Scott Thompson are fairly young and inexperienced and have been brought in for big games this year and have done well. While Obst, Smith and Thompson are a bit older being 21 or 22 they were just recruited last year and most are undersized or really lack AFL conditioning but showed a lot of heart and ability.

I think the experience they gained this year will give them a really good idea of what they need to work on during the pre-season, I think that is a really good opportunity and a good incentive to put in some hard yards over the pre-season.

 

[Freddy Bassett]

Which Morth Melbourne kid are we actually talking about??

Apart from Lachlan Hansen who turns 20 next month and was drafted in 2006, there were no other players in North's side under 20 years of age.

Talking about blokes like Ross who is also almost 20, Urquhart, Goldstein for example. Blokes who I havent heard much of but who are given oppurtunities on the big stage. And it isnt just this game, North have been doing it all year. It takes a lot of courage as a coach to drop players like Thompson, Grant and Corey Jones in games when the season is on the line.
It is easy to play the kids when the season is over and there is no chance to play finals. But Laidley has the courage to do it when he is still in the hunt for finals and from what I see it is paying off. Craig always talks about the club challenging itself, I think NC should challenge himself on having the courage to pick kids instead of the safe options of the older style player. Got to admire the Roos

 

[KUNG FU]

I've always stood up for Laidley, but I don't like his approach to juniors. They are too in/out of the side randomly and rarely dependent on on-field performance. Of course he is privy to far more information, but I think he has stunted the development of some of this players by not backing them for long enough periods of time. Not knocking him, but I wouldn't hold him up as a model to emulate either. Urquhart could have been raised by wolves and become a gun player.

 

[RoosterLad]

He won't be around next year unless agian Port or Crows draft him. Not really sure what else is around in next year's draft, but I would be surprised if he was not on an AFL list. Has inspector gadget like long arms, takes marks well above his head.

I actually don't think Stewart is draft material. Has potential to be a very good SANFL player but not sure if he will get drafted, I could be wrong though. He has the best nickname though.

 

[Drugs Are Bad Mackay?]

I actually don't think Stewart is draft material. Has potential to be a very good SANFL player but not sure if he will get drafted, I could be wrong though. He has the best nickname though.

What is it? Martha? Payne? Patrick?

 

[macca23]

Ross is 19, Goldstein and Urquhart just turned 20.

I have no criticism of the Roos at all. My point is that all these players are in their 2nd year with the Roos and either turned 20 or close to that.

What all the hullabaloo by some on this site has been about is the non-selection of players in their first year with our club and as young as 18.

To say that our club should be adventurous like North Melbourne in picking young players is mis-leading when comparing first year players to 2nd year players up to 2 years older.

 

[Lets Beyblade]

People continually banging on about shinboner spirit start to get on my nerves but maybe we need to give spirit a name at Adelaide

I think it is something that the team has really lacked in the last few weeks, where has the inspirational goal from Goodwin gone when we really need it. His goals usually have the ability of sparking our team into action but lately it has even looked like happening.

The showdown should be a perfect way to get some excitement back into the side

 

[Outburst]

You have got to love how North Melbourne have the courage to drop big name players, when it doesnt have that many stars, and play young kids in crunch games. The kids seem to always perform and its usually against the top sides. Why are we so different? What would Taylor Walkers goal tally be if he was a Roo? Not bagging NC or Adelaide as I love the way we go about most things but can we take a leaf out of Laidleys book?

You make this thread yet dont suggest any "big name players" to be dropped...
Drop your name sake Basset the hack for a start and do not let McGregor play another game..

 

[Zvim]

I have no criticism of the Roos at all. My point is that all these players are in their 2nd year with the Roos and either turned 20 or close to that.

What all the hullabaloo by some on this site has been about is the non-selection of players in their first year with our club and as young as 18.

To say that our club should be adventurous like North Melbourne in picking young players is mis-leading when comparing first year players to 2nd year players up to 2 years older.

I guess 21/22 is fairly young for a KPP, as 18/19 is young for a non-KPP. I would consider for example Moran to be young even though he is 21. I think young is interchangeable with inexperienced.

I think in part we have been forced to play the younger/inexperienced players, we only have a handful of players aged over 22 who are not in the side that aren't injured or recovering from long injuries, those that aren't in the side I don't think will be around at the end of this year. When that happens your hand is forced to some extent and have to play some of the younger players.

But, I think it has been the first time for a while that we have dropped key senior players who have been just out of form or inconsistent. I think in the past we tend to persist with those kind of players and I think some can get complacent that their spot in a side will still be there even if they give 75% instead of 100%. We have a few hot or cold players and I think the message is that the variance between a good and a bad game has to be much smaller than it is at present if they want to keep playing.

I don't see enough Crows games to say if you have the same issues with inconsistency or form or where your younger/inexperienced players are at with their development and if they can come in and have the kind of impact which can motivate the club if it works out well.

I think it is only natural if a senior player sees that a kid is doing a good job filling his spot that he has to raise the bar to justify his spot in the side, it can be a positive if things work out well. It probably wont achieve much if you push in a kid that isn't ready and he doesn't perform well.

 

[Freddy Bassett]

You make this thread yet dont suggest any "big name players" to be dropped...
Drop your name sake Basset the hack for a start and do not let McGregor play another game..

Bassett probably deserved to be dropped earlier in the season but is now getting back on track as has Edwards. If you want an example, I would of liked to have seen Walker at least come into the squad rather than McGregor. I think Otten should of been given another oppurtunity rather than Campbell. I think Petrenko should of also been played. I understand the AFC policy but Im merely asking whether we should have a bit more courage and pick some kids in crunch games, like North have.