Opinion Is this rock bottom?

[Forever North]

Beating GC in round 24 last year meant we got Duursma instead of Reid - that's the reality of it?...... It could end up being the straw that breaks the camels back.
So far Duursma has taken one nice mark. He looks like he has talent. Definitely no guarantees at this stage he will be an A Grade player though - we all HOPE he will be. And did we actually need another half-forward flanker???? I hope for all of our mental health that Duursma becomes an A Grade AFL footballer.
Reid is a generational talent - big-bodied mid with grunt & spunk. He is EXACTLY what we needed. It's going to hurt so much watching him for the next decade. On top of watching JHF have a stellar career at Port. I mean seriously, how much are we as NM fans, expected to tolerate? It has gotten beyond a joke. It really has.

I sincerely hope that the Board is fully aware of how close the supporter base is to breaking. "Be patient. It will turn" is a cop out. Will it turn? Who the **** knows? It might. Maybe. One day. But when - not before 2030. You can take that to the bank.

With our incompetence and shitness we’d probably turn Reid into the next Jack Watts. Or he’d probably do 2 knees in 3 seasons and become another slow, ineffective plodding mid/hff, joining the many wasted high draft picks that have gone through the joint. But yeah the GC game looks like being another ‘disaster’ for us.

 

[RightWingRoo]

Beating GC in round 24 last year meant we got Duursma instead of Reid - that's the reality of it?...... It could end up being the straw that breaks the camels back.
So far Duursma has taken one nice mark. He looks like he has talent. Definitely no guarantees at this stage he will be an A Grade player though - we all HOPE he will be. And did we actually need another half-forward flanker???? I hope for all of our mental health that Duursma becomes an A Grade AFL footballer.
Reid is a generational talent - big-bodied mid with grunt & spunk. He is EXACTLY what we needed. It's going to hurt so much watching him for the next decade. On top of watching JHF have a stellar career at Port. I mean seriously, how much are we as NM fans, expected to tolerate? It has gotten beyond a joke. It really has.

I sincerely hope that the Board is fully aware of how close the supporter base is to breaking. "Be patient. It will turn" is a cop out. Will it turn? Who the **** knows? It might. Maybe. One day. But when - not before 2030. You can take that to the bank.

Don't stress too much about it he isn't, never was and never will be a North player. We'd be exactly where we are now regardless of whether he was here or not. 18 year olds can't turn the dial

GC turned in one of most pathetic single game performances of any side in the comp last year, in that game.
It would've taken Clarko actively telling the boys not to try or outdoing 2009 Melbourne.
We would've been punished and punished severely, if we went down the blantant tanking route.

I know you look for the negative in everything and to be fair there are plenty of negatives around.
But of all our problems, this isn't one to get too stressed about. We're not winning a game this year anyway, even if we had him.
Zane will be fine once he puts on some more size and has teammates who can move the ball properly.

 

[amaz199]

I reckon Duursma will be a ripper. The teams we have played all have competent backlines and get a lot of help up the ground.

If we gave him half a chance against weaker opposition, there's potential to be a dangerous target. Even this early in his career. This week will be the first time he can put his name in the frame and show something.

 

[Kangapirate]

The whole "we would have been punished" had we lost the last game against GC is a load of nonsense. We hadnt won since round 2, nobody would have batted an eye lid had we lost that game. Once we got a whiff of GC phoning it in we turned into flat track bullies and smashed them. We put more effort into that than the previous 5 months combined.

 

[ChairmanZia]

Reasonable to expect better than 1 win from the last 26 starts.

On SM-S901E using BigFooty.com mobile app

And thats where the stress comes from.

I got a feeling most here did not fully understand why we did the 'purge' back in 2020. If we didn't, we would be continuing the 02 to 2019 cycle of huffing and puffing only to fall short followed by a fall and then huff and puff back to 8th again only to get belted (see st kilda and essendon).

Do supporters want us to be like them or do they want to see a possibility of perhaps one day vying for the top prize?

If it's the latter then the only path, the GOLDEN PATH is to do what we are doing. Many will fall before we get back to the top, many will jump ship before we come good and many fake supporters will give up before it's our time. I think the club sees this and continued despite this because they would rather get all those losses than languishing at the middle of the table and that is the sign of a proper leadership.

For me to abandon ship would be when we start to flipflop by trading out picks for some 'good free agents' and then do some drafting only to trade out again with shortcuts. No, no, NO!!!

 

[amaz199]

The whole "we would have been punished" had we lost the last game against GC is a load of nonsense. We hadnt won since round 2, nobody would have batted an eye lid had we lost that game. Once we got a whiff of GC phoning it in we turned into flat track bullies and smashed them. We put more effort into that than the previous 5 months combined.

Also, it is worth pointing out that when a team is not having the best day to be able to sniff that out and punish them is what we should be doing.

Tanking just because of one player does not guarantee success. Reid played well against a depleted Richmond on life support in WA. I don't think it's that much of an achievement. Colby or Duursma would equally kill it if given the opportunity.

We gotta stop drowning ourselves in negativity about 'coulda, woulda, shoulda' and it makes us feel like we're worthless. Stop complaining and back in the boys that are showing something instead of being concerned about what other clubs are doing.

 

[amaz199]

If the club tanked the last game for Reid I would've cancelled my membership for next year there and then. I would've encouraged every single supporter on here to do the same as well.

We do not compromise the integrity of the club to get a player that might come good. Do we want the AFL to intervene like they did with Melbourne? That would be truly rock bottom.

 

[Cool Kangas]

I will never understand or respect tanking. It’s pathetic. Pathetic for club, culture and fans. I am so glad we got to see a win at the end of last year. I don’t give a shit what some people think we should have done instead. And by the way, tanking is cheating.

 

[amaz199]

I will never understand or respect tanking. It’s pathetic. Pathetic for club, culture and fans. I am so glad we got to see a win at the end of last year. I don’t give a s**t what some people think we should have done instead. And by the way, tanking is cheating.

...and when it starts, how does it stop?

It's not a switch that can be turned off and on. Once it is ingrained, it kills the fabric of the football club all the way from the top to the guys on the ground.

 

[ChairmanZia]

I don't understand why so many are losing their marbles and getting their knickers in a twist with the 2021 til now.

The fact of the matter is that we are on average 50 games less experienced than the top 4 sides and several kg lighter on average.

Get 60 games into the majority of the players we have right now, we are in the 8 if not knocking on the door of top 4.

If some of the top picks turn into stars, then we are in Top 4 if not contending and if we manage to get 1 or 2 into Greats, then we should be looking at a few flags.

It's that simple, blind freddy can see. But not every club has the luxury of doing this. In fact, no club outside of the top 4 other than us has the luxury of what we are doing, i want everyone to think about this. We are bottoming out on our term, we chose the time, date and location to purge the team and bottom out. Every other bottom 8 teams are there reactionarily where we are here proactively.

Think about that.

 

[RightWingRoo]

The whole "we would have been punished" had we lost the last game against GC is a load of nonsense. We hadnt won since round 2, nobody would have batted an eye lid had we lost that game. Once we got a whiff of GC phoning it in we turned into flat track bullies and smashed them. We put more effort into that than the previous 5 months combined.

We were trying last year, we were just shite.
It was generally senior players who cost us in tight games and we blew up several games we could've won.

GC didn't care at all. You either tell the boys to lie down and not try or turn it into a farce with ridiculous positional moves like 2009 Melbourne. It would've taken a tank so blatant, everyone would've seen it.

 

[Passmore]

We were trying last year, we were just shite.
It was generally senior players who cost us in tight games and we blew up several games we could've won.

GC didn't care at all. You either tell the boys to lie down and not try or turn it into a farce with ridiculous positional moves like 2009 Melbourne. It would've taken a tank so blatant, everyone would've seen it.

To expect players, some of whom are fighting for careers, to lay down for a draft pick is nonsensical. Not going to happen.


Sent from my SM-A908B using Tapatalk

 

[Engimal v3]

I don't understand why so many are losing their marbles and getting their knickers in a twist with the 2021 til now.

The fact of the matter is that we are on average 50 games less experienced than the top 4 sides and several kg lighter on average.

Get 60 games into the majority of the players we have right now, we are in the 8 if not knocking on the door of top 4.

If some of the top picks turn into stars, then we are in Top 4 if not contending and if we manage to get 1 or 2 into Greats, then we should be looking at a few flags.

It's that simple, blind freddy can see. But not every club has the luxury of doing this. In fact, no club outside of the top 4 other than us has the luxury of what we are doing, i want everyone to think about this. We are bottoming out on our term, we chose the time, date and location to purge the team and bottom out. Every other bottom 8 teams are there reactionarily where we are here proactively.

Think about that.

It's because we lose every game

 

[scottywiper]

...and when it starts, how does it stop?

It's not a switch that can be turned off and on. Once it is ingrained, it kills the fabric of the football club all the way from the top to the guys on the ground.

We'd be in real strife if that happened! Lol

 

[scottywiper]

And thats where the stress comes from.

I got a feeling most here did not fully understand why we did the 'purge' back in 2020. If we didn't, we would be continuing the 02 to 2019 cycle of huffing and puffing only to fall short followed by a fall and then huff and puff back to 8th again only to get belted (see st kilda and essendon).

Do supporters want us to be like them or do they want to see a possibility of perhaps one day vying for the top prize?

If it's the latter then the only path, the GOLDEN PATH is to do what we are doing. Many will fall before we get back to the top, many will jump ship before we come good and many fake supporters will give up before it's our time. I think the club sees this and continued despite this because they would rather get all those losses than languishing at the middle of the table and that is the sign of a proper leadership.

For me to abandon ship would be when we start to flipflop by trading out picks for some 'good free agents' and then do some drafting only to trade out again with shortcuts. No, no, NO!!!

With all due respect, being historically bad is not the ONLY way to improve. That's a cop out for bad decisions.

 

[ChairmanZia]

With all due respect, being historically bad is not the ONLY way to improve. That's a cop out for bad decisions.

I guess this is where we might differ, us purging the list at the end of 2020 is probably one of the best decisions the club has made...

 

[ChairmanZia]

It's because we lose every game

And that is a problem because? How did we fare in the 02 to 2019 period? Did we achieve anything in those 17 years?

 

[Engimal v3]

And that is a problem because? How did we fare in the 02 to 2019 period? Did we achieve anything in those 17 years?

We won a lot more games

 

[Masked Avenger]

Beating GC in round 24 last year meant we got Duursma instead of Reid - that's the reality of it?...... It could end up being the straw that breaks the camels back.
So far Duursma has taken one nice mark. He looks like he has talent. Definitely no guarantees at this stage he will be an A Grade player though - we all HOPE he will be. And did we actually need another half-forward flanker???? I hope for all of our mental health that Duursma becomes an A Grade AFL footballer.
Reid is a generational talent - big-bodied mid with grunt & spunk. He is EXACTLY what we needed. It's going to hurt so much watching him for the next decade. On top of watching JHF have a stellar career at Port. I mean seriously, how much are we as NM fans, expected to tolerate? It has gotten beyond a joke. It really has.

I sincerely hope that the Board is fully aware of how close the supporter base is to breaking. "Be patient. It will turn" is a cop out. Will it turn? Who the **** knows? It might. Maybe. One day. But when - not before 2030. You can take that to the bank.

She ain't been roses last few years granted but the straw that breaks the Camel's back? A touch dramatic? Like the fate of a Club's that's been around for 155 years is going to come down to picking one 18 year old kid with pimples over another 18 year old kid with pimples? How about we give it a bit more than 5 weeks before going for the chicken switch?

 

[Freomaniac]

I don't understand why so many are losing their marbles and getting their knickers in a twist with the 2021 til now.

The fact of the matter is that we are on average 50 games less experienced than the top 4 sides and several kg lighter on average.

Get 60 games into the majority of the players we have right now, we are in the 8 if not knocking on the door of top 4.

If some of the top picks turn into stars, then we are in Top 4 if not contending and if we manage to get 1 or 2 into Greats, then we should be looking at a few flags.

It's that simple, blind freddy can see. But not every club has the luxury of doing this. In fact, no club outside of the top 4 other than us has the luxury of what we are doing, i want everyone to think about this. We are bottoming out on our term, we chose the time, date and location to purge the team and bottom out. Every other bottom 8 teams are there reactionarily where we are here proactively.

Think about that.

even though North Melbourne are struggling, you can tell North Melbourne has a solid and promising midfield. That midfield was solid vs Freo in round 2. Sheezel and Powell will be vital.

Nick Larkey is 25 years old and is about to play his 100th game. Some neturals say he will be 30 when North Plays finals again. Say if that was true. I dont think that is the issue. Matty Pavlich was 30 in 2012 and played a vital part in Freos finals era of 2012-15.

Saying that, North will spend this season and next season in the bottom 6 before moving up. I am only worried about the backline.

Nick Larkey playing for a Victorian Side like North Melbourne, he wont travel outside of victoria every 2nd week. A guy like him can play until he is 34 or 35 years old.

 

[Freomaniac]

We won a lot more games

And won more finals than Essendon between 2005-2019. 5 finals to be exact.

Crazy to think North last time they legit finished in the top 4 ladder wise was 2007. 4th spot too, Lost to Cats then won a semi final vs Hawks, made the prelim final vs Port.

the only other times North Made a prelim was 2014 and 2015. In 2014, North Melbourne finished 6th, Beat essendon then cats but lost to swans.

2015, North finished 8th beat the tigers and then the swans.

I looked at some of the players left from Norths last finals win vs the swans in 2015. Luke McDonald is the only guy left still on the list. Kayne Turner and Ben Cunnington were on Norths list until the end of last season.

 

[ChairmanZia]

even though North Melbourne are struggling, you can tell North Melbourne has a solid and promising midfield. That midfield was solid vs Freo in round 2. Sheezel and Powell will be vital.

Nick Larkey is 25 years old and is about to play his 100th game. Some neturals say he will be 30 when North Plays finals again. Say if that was true. I dont think that is the issue. Matty Pavlich was 30 in 2012 and played a vital part in Freos finals era of 2012-15.

Saying that, North will spend this season and next season in the bottom 6 before moving up. I am only worried about the backline.

Nick Larkey playing for a Victorian Side like North Melbourne, he wont travel outside of victoria every 2nd week. A guy like him can play until he is 34 or 35 years old.

Yes, i totally agree, that's why this doom gloom stuff i just laugh and give a pissy reply.

In terms of the backline, we won't have one if we don't put the proper players there.

When we have the right mix in the back, the lack of experience won't be as big of a problem.

Comben and Bignoa are spot on the type of players we need, they have the right size and attribute. And because the cupboard is bare, we need to persist with them and this might turn out to be a blessing.

I use steve waugh for instance, he played for aus when aus had no one, if he started his career in the 2000s, he would be no more than an ian harvey type bit part hitter and medium pacer but because aus had no one, they persisted with steve waugh and the high pressure turned him from glass into diamond.

The only player we are missing is a genuine CHF but that's a problem for most clubs. Perhaps in a few years, we could throw bags of money to an established player or trade 2026 top picks for a proven key fwd. Free agency for key fwd might work as well and they will require huge dustin martin like pay packet.

 

[Val Keating]

*en hope so.

Errrr. I still hope so

 

[ChairmanZia]

And won more finals than Essendon between 2005-2019. 5 finals to be exact.

Crazy to think North last time they legit finished in the top 4 ladder wise was 2007. 4th spot too, Lost to Cats then won a semi final vs Hawks, made the prelim final vs Port.

the only other times North Made a prelim was 2014 and 2015. In 2014, North Melbourne finished 6th, Beat essendon then cats but lost to swans.

2015, North finished 8th beat the tigers and then the swans.

I looked at some of the players left from Norths last finals win vs the swans in 2015. Luke McDonald is the only guy left still on the list. Kayne Turner and Ben Cunnington were on Norths list until the end of last season.

While that was impressive for us, ultimately we were that far off the top sides that we had no chance.

We were never in the hunt, not in 07, 14 or 15.

We are finally in a position to build a team that can eventually take us all the way or at the very least stay in top 4 for a while.

 

[Elite Master]

While that was impressive for us, ultimately we were that far off the top sides that we had no chance.

We were never in the hunt, not in 07, 14 or 15.

We are finally in a position to build a team that can eventually take us all the way or at the very least stay in top 4 for a while.

I remember trying to convince and delude myself so hard about how much different 14 & 15 was compared to 07 & 08, (we really should have finished top 4 again in 08 if it weren't for that round 22 choke), but the reality is that we were battlers punching above our weight in 07/08, and we were battlers punching above our weight in 14/15.