Opinion Commentary and media

[czero]

Yeah. I reckon this joint goes overboard with reading too much into Scott's comments but FFS it looks like they didn't even bother to watch the whole 10 minutes, just the 30 seconds the producers stuck in front of them. If you've watched even a handful of Scott's interviews you know that's how he always answers these kind of questions, because, well, it's the truth and he's a ******* grownup.

Whatever his failings as a coach, I've never had a problem with his sit-down interviews. Goes into autopilot in pressers but is thoughtful and forthright in these settings.

No doubt he usually speaks well, but there has been two particularly bad ones for mine. His public shaming of Harvey and this latest one where he comes across as a man looking for work (IMO).

 

[Mcarcherey]

No doubt he usually speaks well, but there has been two particularly bad ones for mine. His public shaming of Harvey and this latest one where he comes across as a man looking for work (IMO).

Thanks caro, move along now.

 

[czero]

since i remember with brad our age demographic has always been older, it shows he's never been one to berth youth as early as other clubs do. if by one foot in and one foot out you mean balance, then yes, there is a balancing act between playing youth and the older players, there is a large grey area, it's not all black and white, he can't just dump all the older players for youth.

His desire is to win, and he knows what he'll get from the older guys, even when they're not performing. From past experience all our older players have responded the following week when they've played poorly, and they are easier to teach as they're not as overwhelmed by the pace and can think clearer during play. Other teams playing bulk youth are doing so because they're filled with first round picks that have the talent to compete, for the rest of the clubs that don't tank year in year out takes years for a player to debut.

If you follow fremantle for the first 2 weeks lyon did the exact same, and all freo fans were infuriated by him playing the same older players - These issues always arise during rebuilds.

By one foot out and one foot in, I mean his commitment to being the coach of NMFC.

We have had at least 1 first, second and third round pick for the entirety of brads time coaching. Our list opportunity and youth development is not different to only perhaps 4 teams who are a special case due to expansion (GC/GWS) and ongoing struggle (melb/carl).

I dont follow fremantle, or its fans, but I do know that freo beat us with a younger team. So while the fans might be asking for youth, they certainly are playing it more than us.

Perhaps what brad needs is a contract like ross's. Where he can feel less stressed about his job and just play for development. I dont know, but I do know that I do not like seeing a NMFC coach (IMH) looking for work in the press. Boils my blood.

 

[czero]

Thanks caro, move along now.

Excuse me? You don't like my opinion, fair enough. But that is blasphemous.

 

[Kimbo]

since i remember with brad our age demographic has always been older, it shows he's never been one to berth youth as early as other clubs do. if by one foot in and one foot out you mean balance, then yes, there is a balancing act between playing youth and the older players, there is a large grey area, it's not all black and white, he can't just dump all the older players for youth.

His desire is to win, and he knows what he'll get from the older guys, even when they're not performing. From past experience all our older players have responded the following week when they've played poorly, and they are easier to teach as they're not as overwhelmed by the pace and can think clearer during play. Other teams playing bulk youth are doing so because they're filled with first round picks that have the talent to compete, for the rest of the clubs that don't tank year in year out takes years for a player to debut.

Really good post Mcarcherey.

The 'balance' comments reminds me of a Yes Minister comment, paraphrased below:

Hacker: Having one foot in one camp, and one foot in another can be a virtue.
Humphrey: If you call it balance.
Bernard: That's one of those irregular verbs, isn't it? I'm looking to balance; you've got one foot in one camp, and one foot in another; he's got it all out of whack.

 

[Mcarcherey]

By one foot out and one foot in, I mean his commitment to being the coach of NMFC.

We have had at least 1 first, second and third round pick for the entirety of brads time coaching. Our list opportunity and youth development is not different to only perhaps 4 teams who are a special case due to expansion (GC/GWS) and ongoing struggle (melb/carl).

I dont follow fremantle, or its fans, but I do know that freo beat us with a younger team. So while the fans might be asking for youth, they certainly are playing it more than us.

Perhaps what brad needs is a contract like ross's. Where he can feel less stressed about his job and just play for development. I dont know, but I do know that I do not like seeing a NMFC coach (IMH) looking for work in the press. Boils my blood.

what did he say that makes you so confident he's not committed? He's playing older players and is selecting the team he believes is best suited to win? or the fact he said they'll reassess whether he's the best man for the role at the end of the year (just like every other coach would be assessed).

There isn't really anything wrong with out youth development, we're around the middle on age, and on performance we're about that too - if you quote this and start talking about the narrow loses i cbf, that's not our youth but our leaders on the ground and coaching within games, we need to learn to slow the game down once we have those larger leads and i'm sure it's all a part of the teething process in bringing in 5-6 new guys into the team.

Freo started playing youth after a 90 point belting and it became obvious that the youth were either better or as good as the seniors, that's yet to happen to north. North's list management delisted the players they don't want to waste games on, and it's good, because we'll have about 7 new draftees from last years draft gaining experience either at werribee or in the seniors. Where freo has 7 players clogging their list and wasting valuable development that could've been spent on draftees.

the bolded part is caro and barrett, not scott, you shouldn't buy into the media so much. Even if that were the case (which it isn't) i think there are more obvious signs from North that it'll move scott on at the end of the contract through Tudor and Drummond coaching games during the JLT. If the media had any actual knowledge about north they would've made that connection. but the media isn't about logic, it's about thoughtless rumours created by journo's like caro looking for a cheap headline to 'break' first.

 

[Kimbo]

I couldn't believe what Kingy was going on about. Brad said nothing like what Kingy thought. It was like he heard a totally different interview. Forget about Whateley, even Slobbo and Maclure were wondering what on Earth he was going on about.

Kingy trying to be controversial or provocative again, but even he seemed half-hearted by the end. "I don't know what that means?"

Err, how about it means exactly what Brad said, without any further implication? That is, contract or no contract, if we're no longer right for each other, we'll part ways because I want to do the right thing by this football club. Mature, responsible adult statement. No wonder Kingy couldn't understand it.

 

[Kimbo]

Is he embracing that? I'm not sure. He is certainly doing it to an extent, but they way he sounds it out he is being forced. I just don't think he has the right mindset for the rebuild. The media he gave shows him with one foot in and one foot out, his ongoing post games are about its youth that are exposing us yet our out actual 22 playing lists we are still in the top half of the field for age - IMO he still prefers to select experience over youth even when those players are clearly not showing enough.

His comment about his desire to play experience over youth because experienced players are easier to train... I mean that just makes me sit in wonder... If you shy away from youth because its hard then is it any wonder why half of us baffled by the non selection of the likes of mason in 2015 and the start of 2016, or EVW late last year, or the continued selection of Petrie and McKenzie. Not only was he choosing experience over youth, he was choosing it over form (or even some about to be delisted!)

Comments, opinions and assumptions aside, the facts are that all the players that are left are his players now, pretty much only ever trained under Brad, so its ALL him now, and looking at the age numbers the playing 22 are about par for other lists vying for the top 8. Brads youth development of every one of our players under 28 is on show right now.

Back to opinions, I think that probably goes a long way as to why he would come out publicly looking for work.

As Mcarcherey has said, it's about balance and a general preference to blood kids later than other clubs might do, or supporters might want. (Yes, it's 'Brad's list'; I don't think you'd get any argument from him over that.)

So, perhaps it's not surprising to see the likes of McDonald, Mullett, Williams, and Brown in the mid-range being the core of the bottom age doing well. Throw in Wood and Dumont who are probably ahead of the curve, each with close to a cumulative season's experience each. Simpkin and Preuss have taken their chances. We may look back and say EVW has too. The point is all of these have opportunities to make the best 22 now than in past years.

Arguably, our development holds up well; it is just a longer apprenticeship. It seems the kids are being phased, rather than dumped in and as Whatley said, it's only five games in. Despite the win-loss situation, we were being favourably compared to Collingwood who it could be said have been 'rebuilding' for a few years now.

My issue remains the ongoing selection of out-of-form senior players, such as Swallow and Thomas at the moment. As Brad himself said, "You can put your football club back decades if you make indecisive calls and you delay decisions that need to be made immediately." I think that applies to selections, not just list management.

 

[Kimbo]

Thanks GR. Just wondering - how would David King know if North can or can't afford to pay out Brad's contract should they part ways? Like how can he comment on that?

Surprised he didn't comment on a likely small crowd this week too. Campaigner!

 

[Kimbo]

Scott: "My commitment to North Melbourne has never wavered. Ever." "What I'm clearly saying is that I'll always put the football club's interests first."

In other words, what I said on Footy Calcified.

 

[Deleted member 98541]

Good to see Brad waivering the final year payout as that fruitless expenditure would be terrible for the club. Swell guy.

 

[czero]

what did he say that makes you so confident he's not committed? He's playing older players and is selecting the team he believes is best suited to win? or the fact he said they'll reassess whether he's the best man for the role at the end of the year (just like every other coach would be assessed).

There isn't really anything wrong with out youth development, we're around the middle on age, and on performance we're about that too - if you quote this and start talking about the narrow loses i cbf, that's not our youth but our leaders on the ground and coaching within games, we need to learn to slow the game down once we have those larger leads and i'm sure it's all a part of the teething process in bringing in 5-6 new guys into the team.

Freo started playing youth after a 90 point belting and it became obvious that the youth were either better or as good as the seniors, that's yet to happen to north. North's list management delisted the players they don't want to waste games on, and it's good, because we'll have about 7 new draftees from last years draft gaining experience either at werribee or in the seniors. Where freo has 7 players clogging their list and wasting valuable development that could've been spent on draftees.

the bolded part is caro and barrett, not scott, you shouldn't buy into the media so much. Even if that were the case (which it isn't) i think there are more obvious signs from North that it'll move scott on at the end of the contract through Tudor and Drummond coaching games during the JLT. If the media had any actual knowledge about north they would've made that connection. but the media isn't about logic, it's about thoughtless rumours created by journo's like caro looking for a cheap headline to 'break' first.

The bolded part is me - I havent seen caro or barrett say that? I form my own opinions.

What did he say that makes me so confident that he's not committed? I think I've already posted that... at length. I don't want to rehash just or tick one of your boxes.

Not sure why you assume I would talk about our losses. We had a tough first 4, so nothing can be read into that. Freo is always hard away from home. But what I am pointing out is that its pretty much his team now, and his development of the players at this stage, and we have a team running around that is top 8 for age when playing. So unless he starts really bringing that down and playing more young players over the course of the next 10 games, we need to assess him on that age/development bracket. If you are not training up our next generation, it should be because you are trying to make the 8. This isnt something we can see until much later in the year.

I'm note sure why you insist on comparing us to fremantle. They are playing a younger list than us... Yet your trying to say they are clogging up older players... This doesn't make a lot of sense.

 

[Kimbo]

Good to see Brad waivering the final year payout as that fruitless expenditure would be terrible for the club. Swell guy.

IF it came to that, and I doubt it would, I imagine they'd come to an amicable settlement that recognised Brad's contractual entitlement and didn't cost the club too much.

 

[Cool Kangas]

My concern is...what if the club & brad part ways & we end up with a dud coach???

Who would be a likely replacement? Would Leigh Tudor be a candidate for a senior role?

 

[Kimbo]

My concern is...what if the club & brad part ways & we end up with a dud coach???

Who would be a likely replacement? Would Leigh Tudor be a candidate for a senior role?

Tudor is doing the coaching course now, which I imagine older candidates like him wouldn't bother with unless they were still up for it.

Whether that's with us or not, that's another matter.

 

[LuvtheKangas]

IF it came to that, and I doubt it would, I imagine they'd come to an amicable settlement that recognised Brad's contractual entitlement and didn't cost the club too much.

How can you say that?????

I mean, just because it's the best interpretation of all the facts doesn't mean you should say it. Rather, you need to say the coach is greedy and only cares about himself and is challenging the club to sack him and pay him out. Sure it's a stretch based on what he has consistently said throughout his tenure, but this is Bigfooty and you need to treat him as the enemy.

 

[Kimbo]

How can you say that?????

I mean, just because it's the best interpretation of all the facts doesn't mean you should say it. Rather, you need to say the coach is greedy and only cares about himself and is challenging the club to sack him and pay him out. Sure it's a stretch based on what he has consistently said throughout his tenure, but this is Bigfooty and you need to treat him as the enemy.

What was I thinking?

 

[Mcarcherey]

The bolded part is me - I havent seen caro or barrett say that? I form my own opinions.

What did he say that makes me so confident that he's not committed? I think I've already posted that... at length. I don't want to rehash just or tick one of your boxes.

Not sure why you assume I would talk about our losses. We had a tough first 4, so nothing can be read into that. Freo is always hard away from home. But what I am pointing out is that its pretty much his team now, and his development of the players at this stage, and we have a team running around that is top 8 for age when playing. So unless he starts really bringing that down and playing more young players over the course of the next 10 games, we need to assess him on that age/development bracket. If you are not training up our next generation, it should be because you are trying to make the 8. This isnt something we can see until much later in the year.

I'm note sure why you insist on comparing us to fremantle. They are playing a younger list than us... Yet your trying to say they are clogging up older players... This doesn't make a lot of sense.

rehash? wow lets see how many things i have to repeat just from this response:
1. i was trying to get some actual facts, not constant opinions about his commitment, you still haven't provided any - you've only copied opinions of scum journo's.
2. you've just said we're top 8 (7th) for age, i already said under scott he's never dumped in bulk youth (other than rnd when it was required due to injuries), he's phased them in. I don't know how many times the media questioned north's age demographic in recent years and thought that teams like the pies had a better list with youth and talent - yet today they're closer to a premiership age demographic and even the media rate north higher.
3. freo are clogging up their list because they have SENIORS playing in the 2nds that will be delisted, while we have youth in the seniors and at werribee developing. and i'm comparing us to freo because their fans (like you) were bitch moaning and complaining about the exact same stuff, as well as the fact that lyon never seems to be questioned as a coach and scott is always questioned.

Also, what's wrong with being in the top 8 for age exactly? should age = place on ladder? well lot's of teams aren't performing according to that rule....we're 7th and we're not performing too far from that position.

 

[koshari]

I didn't know how to take him. He blames his ex-wife for his demise moving from Sydney to Brisbane . Then blames Mark mickan the bears captain for being resentful over his pay and kicking torps over his head and not passing to him.
Lol

Sent from my EVA-L09 using Tapatalk

that my friend is how Wakka rolls.

 

[lockheed]

we have a rookie coach.

Making rookie mistakes?

 

[giantroo]

 

[giantroo]

Jon Anderson rates every club after five rounds

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/a...s/news-story/55363cc21d21066757ea4fa99c09bba0

NORTH MELBOURNE
THUMBS UP: Take your pick out of the exquisitely-talented Jy Simpkin and the come-from-nowhere ruckman Braydon Preuss.

JURY’S OUT: No goals from his last four games isn’t what the doctor ordered from Lindsay Thomas, while Andrew Swallow battles as he nears 30.

TICK: Generated 20 points per game from centre bounces — ranked No. 1.

CROSS: Has been outscored by 17.4 points per game from turnovers — ranked 15th.

 

[LB2Snake]

Rohan Connolly, from http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/afl-competition-framework-is-better-than-ever-so-can-we-stop-the-fiddling-for-five-minutes-20170423-gvqix8.html. A reasonable, positive article.
So how are North Melbourne going? Depends who you ask. My suggestion on Twitter on Saturday evening that the Roos had been stiff this season certainly drew plenty of scorn.

There was the usual "chokers" label regularly applied indiscriminately to any team which loses by a kick after leading. And in North's case, the increasingly regular "Brad Scott must go" lines.

I wonder, though, how many people throwing those tags around expected much more from the Roos this season than they're getting? Not many, I would have thought. And if those that did were unrealistic to expect more, I reckon they're also being a bit harsh now.

This is a team that has calculatedly taken the rebuilding route, with the departures of five veterans at the end of last year shedding close to 1600 games worth of collective experience to do so. This year was never going to be smooth sailing, most people consigning the Roos to the bottom four, where with a 0-5 scoreline now, they're every chance to wind up.

The question now is whether the focus, after three losses by under a kick, should be on the five-goal leads North have given up each time, or the effort in getting to those winning positions. I think it's the latter.

Two of the defeats have been to a reigning premier and a preliminary finalist of last season, both in pretty decent form again. The other, on Saturday, was against a clearly revitalised Fremantle in Perth, the most difficult of road trips, where North have won just twice in their last dozen appearances.

It's true the Roos under Scott have issues in the tight finish. In his eighth season as coach, North have lost 21 games decided by single figures, and won only nine. Then again, how many expected them to be that close to those three teams this season anyway?

The effort can't be questioned. And the gains have been considerable, the Roos already using 29 players and handing six their AFL debuts, all of whom have had some sort of impact when given a chance.

Senior recruits Nathan Hrovat and Marley Williams have added plenty, Trent Dumont has improved out of sight, Mason Wood is now back in the mix, and while senior types Jarrad Waite and Ben Jacobs are still several weeks away, there's more good kids ready to have a crack in Ryan Clarke, Sam Durdin and Corey Wagner.

If there's one thing Scott should look at harder now, it's playing even more of their like and having the courage to drop some under-performing veterans. But this is a team playing much, much better than a 0-5 win-loss record would indicate. And while it's easy to parrot lines like you're only as good as the scoreboard, in North's case right now, that is patently untrue.

saythatagaindarcygif?

 

[Deleted member 98541]

IF it came to that, and I doubt it would, I imagine they'd come to an amicable settlement that recognised Brad's contractual entitlement and didn't cost the club too much.

What's too much? At what annual salary would you say Brad is overpaid in 2017 all things considered?

 

[Kimbo]

What's too much? At what annual salary would you say Brad is overpaid in 2017 all things considered?

Nothing to do with 2017.
As for 2018, if it came to that, that's for the club to answer.