It is officially a crisis.

[rickety]

My only concern is mate that members are losing the will to watch our team, and therefore potentially the will the fight.

I'm probably not the only one who's so numb to our plight that I wasn't tempted to sign up this year.

I think if folk stop going, they'll still watch, but should we be threatened as a club once more, we'll push our socks down and remain steadfast.

 

[Hearts to hearts]

It's not us insane people that I worry about. How many stories have we read about supporters' kids telling them they don't want to go to games or even barrack for North at all? There's probably people on here dealing with that right now.

Those kids get on board the Richmond or Collingwood or Chocolate Frog trains and they rust on and they start coming on here saying "pardon the intrusion but my Dad goes for North so I have a soft spot for you guys, your kids are great"

I actually think it’s the other way around. The ones posting in here and social media are the relatively insane minority who react with high emotion. A lot of people just keep rolling up - then a sniff of good times and plenty come back fast.

 

[Ashley B]

 

[Ashley B]

I like the emotion , even if I don’t agree with all of it . It means these people actually give a shit imo. We would be in more trouble without it.
It’s what keeps footy clubs going in good and hard times.

 

[ferball]

I like the emotion , even if I don’t agree with all of it . It means these people actually give a shit imo. We would be in more trouble without it.
It’s what keeps footy clubs going in good and hard times.

100%

 

[Its a Process]

I am as frustrated as anyone but I will hold fire on calling for heads until at least the bye. Before the season had started I had us at 4 wins and 5 losses as a best case scenario and 3 and 6 was probably more likely. With matches against Essendon, Port and Richmond this is still a possibility although we will need to fix a few glaring issues in midfield and defense quickly.

Fascinated to see what he does at selection this week. Since our Melbourne game we have had bulk scores kicked in runs against us. I think our mix behind the ball is not working and with Port not being particularly tall in attack I'd like to see us go a bit smaller and quicker in defense this week, LMac can play as 3rd tall with Charlie and Corr.

 

[Masked Avenger]

Sorry but I think you have blinkers on and relying on blind faith. It’s the 76ers approach that the ‘process’ will just work because of the volume of talent being brought into the club.

I’ll just pick a few items to respond to but we might need to agree to disagree.

The performance certainly wasn’t out of character. It was atypical of our club over the last 5 years. Things got hard & we gave up. No leadership & our opponent cut us up like butter. I’ve seen this time & time again & half of us are conditioned to get smacked by 60 & force positives.

The thing that’s is unacceptable is that it was arguably the ‘best’ side we’ve put up against a shit undermanned opposition and we got absolutely pantsed. Not only that, the guy that everyone has been hanging on to resign has done so on massive years & coin, and put in one of the most gutless performances I’ve seen this year.

You reference the rebuild in he did with the Hawks in the mid 2000’s. The game of footy has changed remarkably since then, and Clarko showed for years he was able to adapt and genuinely drive the league in innovative strategies. I ask you to engage in conversation with any Hawks fan and enquire about Clarkos last few years at their club. He was stagnant, obsessed with a chip/mark approach that didn’t produce or winning footy. Unfortunately the same is happening here with over possession and shambolic structures that leave us wide open for counter attack. We’re signing our own death wish. He is stubborn and won’t change his ways.

The players you listed are just names on a page at the moment. I agree there is individual talent there but we’ve lacked any sort of cohesion to bring it all together for almost a decade. Without structure (absent) they’ll all just become stat padding, one way nomads who don’t know how to win.

Clarko has had two seasons with a winning percentage over 50% since 2017… since being appointed, he and his coaching staff (all appointed by him) have delivered 7 wins to date. And our next 5 are Port away, Bombers, Lions, Tigers and Pies.

On exposed form, we’re going to be 1-10 and that’s absolutely sackable.

TS has stumbled across something though with his take, particularly his comments about the talent on this list.

I was at the game Friday and I've not seen more frustration exhibited by a North crowd for yonks - and I'm not talking about the umpiring.

About 10 minutes into the last quarter more than half the supporters around me had left - again rare for a North crowd.

If you've spent more than 10 minutes on this Board since Friday you're probably in need of trauma counselling such has been the rage towards the Club and anyone that enters its building.

Even some of our usually calm elder statesmen, who witnessed firsthand the horrors of the 1960's, have been fired up.

Why suddenly now does it reach this level?

Is it because we all got fed up with crap performances over the last 5 years on the very same weekend?

What are the chances of that?

Nil.

The reason is, whether we're prepared to admit it or not, our expectations have risen following another summer of adding more Round 1 talent to our list.

For the first time, it's not that we believe we should be better - it's that we know we should be better - hence the eruptions.

People can play down this list - I'm not.

I wouldn't trade this list for any we've had over the last 6 years.

No way I'm giving up the likes of George, Harry and FOS.

With the likes of them and a few others, no wonder we expect results.

This is Clarko's job now - he needs to sort out our team, our structures and the game plan.

He can only do that if he's prepared to make real changes across the board.

Do it Al.

It is a crisis - but it's not all doom and gloom imo.

 

[Supa_Nova]

So, talk about we ****ed up trading our pick. Maybe but seriously not that badly. We're all crying out to recruit a tall, Whitlock is that. He looks a beauty to. Plus we get him a year earlier and another round 2 pick. Tick tick tick, with the cross being our pick traded out. But it's a fallacy to keep worrying about that. This trade also allowed us to get FOS without worrying as he looked a beauty.

Clearly we traded for Daniel as we didn't think Whitlock would be there (or a comparable tall). Hindsight is wonderful, but for all the crap Daniels getting he hasn't been HORRIBLE. He highlights that we don't work hard enough though. Which isn't a horrible thing.

 

[Epictetus]

The forward line is disjointed, the midfield is small and slow and the back half is a laughable.

But mostly, we are so ****ing soft. That hardest bit for me to watch. Completely soft football side in every possible way.

 

[Supa_Nova]

The forward line is disjointed, the midfield is small and slow and the back half is a laughable.

But mostly, we are so ****ing soft. That hardest bit for me to watch. Completely soft football side in every possible way.

Which can be changed. Dylan Stephens even looks harder this year.

 

[Passmore]

Sadly that doesn’t pay the bills.

But the Shinboner Spirit they play with surely can be replicated with this lot now?

3 of the 4 teams exhibit "Shinboner Spirit " to varying degrees. They at the least compete.

 

[giantroo]

 

[Waynesworld]

Here’s some sobering thoughts based on Round 6 results to date;

All of the ignorant discussions here pre season were that we would be ahead of Richmond, West Coast, St Kilda and probably Essendon.

But based on results to date with Richmond beating GC, WC should have beaten Essendon, St Kilda despite getting belted by WB at the moment are clearly ahead of us, and everyone else, well we’re not even close.

Let’s be honest we’ll end up last again this season and have already traded out next years first round draft pick.

And based on the number of first round draft picks we already have on our list, and our ability to ruin all of them, our progress is simply deplorable.

The only light at the end of the tunnel that I see is an oncoming train…

 

[TennisPlayerAndy]

Isn’t this the bloke who had to be given an allowance out of his wage because he blew his dosh on crazy investments?

 

[koshari]

Isn’t this the bloke who had to be given an allowance out of his wage because he blew his dosh on crazy investments?

Probably wasnt the most "physical" of players either. Maybe thats how he can tell that needs some attention?

 

[DrZaius]

I’m not going anywhere , I won’t be doing a JHF when the going gets tough . I will be here when we have our second win later in the yr, and won’t I celebrate.
Love the pain not the odds
Go The Mighty Roos

Get off your high horse.
We are all nuffie enough about our club to spend countless hours on a dumb internet forum arguing about it, nothing about being relentlessly optimistic gives you any more right to be a fan than those who are dismayed with the direction we are headed.

I will tell you right now though the goodwill is running thin across the board, and while the club probably doesn't have too much to worry about with the couple hundred of us they should be getting extremely worried about everyone else.
The casual fans who don't really watch us but buy a 3 game membership for old times sake, the kids of rusted on supporters who have rarely ever seen a win, the oldies living off the glory days of the 70's & 90's, like it or not they are the ones that make up the bulk of the supporter base and what reason is there for them to support what they are continuing to see? We lose them and we are in deep deep shit.

 

[rickety]

Probably wasnt the most "physical" of players either. Maybe thats how he can tell rhat needs some attention?

He's been reading his old report cards

 

[Chewy Chewman]

Just curious with the exception of Mick Malthouse. How often does a coach, coach a premiership at another club.

 

[rickety]

Just curious with the exception of Mick Malthouse. How often does a coach, coach a premiership at another club.

Ronald Dale?

 

[Samsquanch]

Ronald Dale?

Leigh Matthews.

 

[apollo_creed]

I am as frustrated as anyone but I will hold fire on calling for heads until at least the bye. Before the season had started I had us at 4 wins and 5 losses as a best case scenario and 3 and 6 was probably more likely. With matches against Essendon, Port and Richmond this is still a possibility although we will need to fix a few glaring issues in midfield and defense quickly.

Fascinated to see what he does at selection this week. Since our Melbourne game we have had bulk scores kicked in runs against us. I think our mix behind the ball is not working and with Port not being particularly tall in attack I'd like to see us go a bit smaller and quicker in defense this week, LMac can play as 3rd tall with Charlie and Corr.

I’m sorry what?

Beat us by what 12 goals last year in Tassie. Playing fairly well and in Adelaide.

On what planet is a win against them a possibility?

We’re terrible.

 

[HTPunter]

Isn’t this the bloke who had to be given an allowance out of his wage because he blew his dosh on crazy investments?

Probably wasnt the most "physical" of players either. Maybe thats how he can tell that needs some attention?

lol, not sure why the pushback on a past player offering to help, unless you are both 2 of the blind that think “Daniel hasn’t been horrible” and really we have a tip top club

 

[HTPunter]

Put it this way

With our record of 16 wins 1 draw since the beginning of 2020

That would be good for 2nd place on the home & away ladder for 2024 alone.

 

[Disco Dew]

Put it this way

With our record of 16 wins 1 draw since the beginning of 2020

That would be good for 2nd place on the home & away ladder for 2024 alone.

 

[RightWingRoo]

I know I come across as Ultra Negative on here but I've had my reasons. One or two good games doesn't get me excited. We'll know it's "turning" when we play at least 6-8 weeks of decent football. Until then, we are just pissing into the wind.

Importantly, just because the club keeps telling us it's gonna turn, doesn't mean we have to blindly believe it. Those in charge have now proven themselves to be nothing short of imbecilic, and yet we want to take comfort from their blind faith. And unfortunately, I think the players now believe it's gonna magically turn because that's what those in charge keep preaching. But sorry to break the bad news, the severe lack of talent on our list, despite 5 years of top end picks, means that even if these guys turn themselves inside out, they just don't have the tools to make it "turn" in this elite professional competition. EVERY single player on our list has significant deficiencies. Every single one. And that includes, Larkey, Sheezel, LDU, Xerri etc.

Clarko is now AFL's Joe Biden. A bumbling mess. And I think he genuinely believes, wrongly, that things are gonna magically turn like they did at Hawthorn. But where's our Buddy, Roughead, Burgoyne, Cyril, Lewis, Hodge.........That's why things turned at Hawthorn. Not because they just pumped 50 games into 12 average kids.

The last 5 years have been so so BAD, it is actually hard to comprehend that paid professionals have made some of these decisions:
1. MSD - we take Jacob Edwards ahead of Jai Newcombe.
2. Pick 25 for C Daniel who was barely getting a game at WB. And that has in turn cost us a 1st round pick next year because of the Matt Whitlock pick. We're gonna finish bottom 3 for Gods sake & won't have a pick to show for it!!!
3. 2nd round pick for CCJ. Total bust. We paid way overs for him. And that was clear at the time but as Rawlings said, "It's a good deal. Everybody got what they wanted." Come on man. Richmond got more than what they wanted.
4. Not playing hardball with JHF. We could've gotten so much from Port but we buckled.
5. Unable to identify a single decent small forward. The drafting of Mahony and Spicer made my head spin. When B McCreery was there for the taking!!!!
6. Obsession with 6ft and under mid paced, mid skilled, mids. Phillips a perfect example.
7. Ridiculous 4 year deals for very average footballers like D Stephens & Fisher.
8. Darling - 3 years!!!! Come on man. He's done.
9. Searched the country far and wide for a KPD & came up with Biggy & Pink. And then had trigger clauses in Pinks contract!!!
10. Drafting Duursma with pick 4 when we had 6 half forward flankers on our list. Watson, Caddy or Curtin would've made much more sense. Duursma may end up being a player but he's not what we need.
11. Tarryn Thomas issue - could we have handled that better? He was a prized asset but because we're such a nice club, we washed our hands of him. I don't know enough about it, but if it was Collingwood, & Eddie was in charge, my gut says TT is still playing at Collingwood.
12. Cooper Harvey, River Stevens, Joel Crocker, Baily Scott.......Do these guys get drafted if they had a different surname???
13. Beating GC Suns last game of 2023 to cost us a generational player in Harley Reid. Powerful, line-breaking, goal-kicking mid. We simply had to orchestrate a loss that day. We couldn't even do that. And there's no way the AFL could've accused us of tanking. We were crap. That's why we were in that position. And to those here who climaxed that they got to sing the song & that win would set up a winning culture...... I won't ask how you're feeling now. Instead of Reid, we got Duursma...........And spare me the "I'm happy with who we've got" nonsense which was rife at the time.

That's 13 monumental blunders just straight off the top of my head without even thinking about it. There's probably another dozen.

And yet these same people, are responsible for resurrecting this once great club. I would suggest they are just digging a bigger hole for us to climb out of. One that we may never be able to.

I find it interesting that all of a sudden the supporter base is up in arms. We've been a mess for years. But because these guys wear a NM jumper, so many of us whack the rose coloured glasses on and fall in love with them, ignoring the players glaring deficiencies.

A win or 2 over the next month & suddenly a lot of fans will be thrilled & convinced we're on the "right track". They are just sugar hits because this current list has more holes in it than a piece of swiss cheese. The sooner one comes to realise that, the sooner one can let go of the false hope being sold by the club & see the club for what it is - from top to bottom - a CIRCUS.

Can't argue with most of that, but I will with 13.

Harley ain't all that. Watch him plodding around, largely disinterested and planning his exit with the one club in a similar situation to us.
He's more JHF looking for a way out to a stronger club, than a Harry up for the fight to turn things around.

He wouldn’t move the needle for us at all. And would likely be requesting a trade this year or next.

The bigger question in that draft is Watson vs Duursma, rather than bemoaning one of our few wins in recent times.