My MAIN concern re NMFC

[chubbspeterson]

I honestly don't think we need to go trade crazy. I'd only look at that 18-24 age bracket for a trade like Melbourne did for Tyson, because that's the next group coming through. The concern for me is not having enough elite young players. I'm not sure when players usually hit their peak, but I would hazard a guess that its around 24-26 years old.

I'm hoping we can add the speed of Mullett, Atley, LMac, Harper and Turner to that midfield mix of Ziebell, Swallow, Basti, Cunners, BMac and Dumont group in the next few years. Hawks picked up Brad Hill late in the draft, so there's no reason we can't find some talent there.

Our key position stocks and outside pace need to be addressed. We don't have a gorilla defender.

 

[tazaa]

although engaging your rhetoric is pointless, i would prefer the focus be on NMFC becoming a club of choice because it presents the best avenue of professional development and success. If they are all mates and are having a whale of a time, that's great, but it should be a byproduct of something bigger.

And how do you know that it's not the place to be for those very reasons? Look at the facilities, the coaching staff, the medical team. The players are staying because they buy into what the club is trying to do and they want to get there.

The players have been given everything they need to become successful. What more could they possibly want?
New facility at Arden Street. Tick.
Trips to Utah. Tick.
Bringing in Steve Saunders and other highly accredited staff. Tick.
Ensuring none of their mates are poached by the expansion clubs. Tick.
Bringing in Leigh Tudor and Cameron Ling to deal with the issues of 2013. Tick.
Bringing in Nick Dal Santo to alleviate the pressure on the younger mids. Tick.

There is nothing more nor is there one thing the players need or have asked for that the club hasnt actively set out and got. The club has delivered everything it can.

So why the **** are they now not able to be mentally switched on for a game, let along be switched on each week?
Why is it so hard to add a defensive edge to your game by following Tudors instructions yet completely forget their attacking instincts they were coached for 4 ****ing straight years.
As a supporter of this club you defend the boys who represent the jumper, even defend the undefendable but **** me its hard to now. What excuse do we have left?

 

[LB2Snake]

The players have been given everything they need to become successful. What more could they possibly want?
New facility at Arden Street. Tick.
Trips to Utah. Tick.
Bringing in Steve Saunders and other highly accredited staff. Tick.
Ensuring none of their mates are poached by the expansion clubs. Tick.
Bringing in Leigh Tudor and Cameron Ling to deal with the issues of 2013. Tick.
Bringing in Nick Dal Santo to alleviate the pressure on the younger mids. Tick.

There is nothing more nor is there one thing the players need or have asked for that the club hasnt actively set out and got. The club has delivered everything it can.

So why the **** are they now not able to be mentally switched on for a game, let along be switched on each week?
Why is it so hard to add a defensive edge to your game by following Tudors instructions yet completely forget their attacking instincts they were coached for 4 ******* straight years.
As a supporter of this club you defend the boys who represent the jumper, even defend the undefendable but **** me its hard to now. What excuse do we have left?

Great post tazaa :insertcrowdapplaudinggif:

 

[Event Horizon]

The players have been given everything they need to become successful. What more could they possibly want?
New facility at Arden Street. Tick.
Trips to Utah. Tick.
Bringing in Steve Saunders and other highly accredited staff. Tick.
Ensuring none of their mates are poached by the expansion clubs. Tick.
Bringing in Leigh Tudor and Cameron Ling to deal with the issues of 2013. Tick.
Bringing in Nick Dal Santo to alleviate the pressure on the younger mids. Tick.

There is nothing more nor is there one thing the players need or have asked for that the club hasnt actively set out and got. The club has delivered everything it can.

So why the **** are they now not able to be mentally switched on for a game, let along be switched on each week?
Why is it so hard to add a defensive edge to your game by following Tudors instructions yet completely forget their attacking instincts they were coached for 4 ******* straight years.
As a supporter of this club you defend the boys who represent the jumper, even defend the undefendable but **** me its hard to now. What excuse do we have left?

I certainly can't see any legitimate excuses left. The one I feel will be used by our coaches this year may be injuries, but I won't buy it. Yes it's true that some important players have missed numerous games this season, but is it enough to justify our first quarters against Geelong and Gold Coast? I wouldn't have thought so. Is it enough to justify the showings against Essendon and Collingwood? Again, no.

 

[Black2Blue]

Two big things for me...the bloody game plan is being tinkered with so much that they don't know if they are Artha or Martha most of the time. A bunch of players are actually down on their 2013 form, which is the bigger concern than whether we have enough future A-graders. Can we find some sought of half-way house between the run and gun style of 2013 and the fortress style of 2014? Buggered if I know.

Second thing is that our injuries have been an absolute bitch this year. There have been several games where we have struggled to put a balanced side on the park, this week included. Look at the Hawks without their guns last week and the Swans in the first few rounds. This is hurting us more than we imagined. If we can get close to a best side on the park towards the latter part of the season we might get a better picture.

 

[Better Loosen Up]

My MAIN concern is that I can't remember EVER following a North Melbourne team where you didn't know if they were going to turn up and have a crack or not every week. Even under Laidley, we may not have been the most talented side on paper but even opposition supporters knew that whenever they came up against us, they were going to get a contest.

Our current playing group seem mentally weak, lack leadership and say a lot but don't deliver. The fact that they have the talent and the fact that we have a pretty solid team in all areas of the field (when we are on our game) makes it even more frustrating.

I still cringe when I think back to when Scott said he was doing away with the Shinboner Spirit. That's all fine and well, but what has he replaced it with???

I'm not a Scott basher... yet... but this season and the direction we seem to be heading is wearing me thin.

 

[Fart Cummings]

Speed speed and more speed! I mean genuine line breaking midfield speed!

 

[Moti]

Speed speed and more speed! I mean genuine line breaking midfield speed!

Number 1 assets required, even if we jump 10 spots in our rankings.

 

[Mr. Blonde]

Yeh, nah.

Having lived in Geelong in the Norties it was more;

2. Get married, realise Mrs has not got the bank balance you thought she had...in actual fact she is up to the eye balls in credit card debt...you are broke, go with hand out to the in laws, in laws give no strings attached loan to build bigger house, father in law becomes your Personal Finance Manager, adopt some great kids and then never waver.

Sounds more like it Gaso. I was just summarizing in my post.

 

[winalotroos]

How about Rohan for Harper in a straight swap? I'd do it without a second thought.

Your kidding right !

Just as Harper is starting to come good you what to give him up.

This year has not been what we hoped for back in Feb, but I still have faith in the boys.

 

[Roo-Boy]

The glory days of the '90's seem like a life-time ago and I desperately want us to be one of the BIG BOYS again.

Its shits me that Port Adelaide just 10 years later are premiership contenders again and South Melbourne haven't missed many final series since 1999. Are we ever going to be up there again in our lifetime or never see that again in our lifetime like Footscray, St.Kilda and Melbourne that's why I'm sticking with that avatar and signature.

 

[Forever North]

The giant leap forward we were hoping and expecting this year hasn't yet eventuated and in all likelihood probably won't. We are a million miles away from the big guns. Scott took over a team on the fringes of the 8 that at least had a bit respect and fear from opponents and after 4 and half years of rebuilding and talk we are still on the fringes of the 8. The difference now is that we have developed a reputation of being downhill skiers and softish when the heat is on. The only players to have really come on in Scott's time are probably Thompson and Cunnington. Ziebel, Bastinac, Atley, McMillan, Goldy, Adams, Harper, Black, Wright, Anthony, Tarrant have shown some glimpses at times but for various reasons have generally just been average. After 4-5 years together these guys especially Black, Ziebel and Atley should have been making a greater impact on the competition.
I hope I'm proven wrong but unless the players develop a killer instinct, some nastiness and a hatred of losing we are just gonna be a mid range team for the next few years.

 

[Passmore]

My MAIN concern is that I can't remember EVER following a North Melbourne team where you didn't know if they were going to turn up and have a crack or not every week. Even under Laidley, we may not have been the most talented side on paper but even opposition supporters knew that whenever they came up against us, they were going to get a contest.

Our current playing group seem mentally weak, lack leadership and say a lot but don't deliver. The fact that they have the talent and the fact that we have a pretty solid team in all areas of the field (when we are on our game) makes it even more frustrating.

I still cringe when I think back to when Scott said he was doing away with the Shinboner Spirit. That's all fine and well, but what has he replaced it with???

I'm not a Scott basher... yet... but this season and the direction we seem to be heading is wearing me thin.

I saw plenty of floggings while Dean was coach.

 

[DarwinRoo]

The players have been given everything they need to become successful. What more could they possibly want?
New facility at Arden Street. Tick.
Trips to Utah. Tick.
Bringing in Steve Saunders and other highly accredited staff. Tick.
Ensuring none of their mates are poached by the expansion clubs. Tick.
Bringing in Leigh Tudor and Cameron Ling to deal with the issues of 2013. Tick.
Bringing in Nick Dal Santo to alleviate the pressure on the younger mids. Tick.

There is nothing more nor is there one thing the players need or have asked for that the club hasnt actively set out and got. The club has delivered everything it can.

So why the **** are they now not able to be mentally switched on for a game, let along be switched on each week?
Why is it so hard to add a defensive edge to your game by following Tudors instructions yet completely forget their attacking instincts they were coached for 4 ******* straight years.
As a supporter of this club you defend the boys who represent the jumper, even defend the undefendable but **** me its hard to now. What excuse do we have left?

We haven't just got that for the players. We have got that for the organisation to be successful.

We have been inconsistent no doubt about that but we are 5-4 and have had some pretty big scalps in venues where we haven't won in Donkey's years. There seems to be a massive overreaction to what has been the best start the club has had in quite a while.

 

[TwentyNine]

I see list management as being like a marriage. These are some of the scenarios you may have and how they compare to AFL teams:

1. Get married, stick it out through thick and thin but always wonder if there was someone better out there. (North)

2. Get married, have a great life and never waver. (Geelong)

3. Divorce wife, meet another and realize it was the best thing that could have happened. (Fremantle)

4. Divorce wife, re-marry, divorce, re-marry, divorce, etc. (Melbourne)

5. Get married, keep improving wife through surgical enhancements, live a very happy life. (Hawthorn, Sydney)

6. Get married, try to improve wife through surgical enhancements, makes things worse, realize she was pretty good to begin with. (Richmond)

Up there with the best posts I've seen.

 

[Tas]

I think we progress slowly because the support structure hasn't been there.

We have 14 players over 25 years of age:
Harvey 36 371 games
Petrie 31 253 games
Firrito 30 215 games
Dal Santo 30 269 games
Wells 29 217 games
Grima 28 79 games
Thompson 28 120 games
Gibson 28 44 games
McMahon 27 119 games
Swallow 26 148 games
Anthony 26 54 games
Nahas 26 87 games
Thomas 26 139 games
Adams 26 91 games

Half the guys are in and out of the side, are hurt, out of form, inconsistent. It is not like the older players on Hawthorn's list or Geelong's or Sydney's. We have had a really atrocious decade or so post Pagan, outside of Harvey, Wells and Petrie we were pretty much devoid of talent or leadership.

It is a tough environment for kids under 100 games to excel at when many of the older and more experienced guys are not leading the way or providing on-field leadership.

 

[koshari]

Your kidding right !

Just as Harper is starting to come good you what to give him up.

I think hes talking about kieren harper. And woulnt be giving him up if it were a trade for rohen.

 

[shinboner magic]

Some concrete would be handy

Sign bunnings as a sponsor

 

[Heaps of fun]

Some concrete would be handy

Sign bunnings as a sponsor

Could extract some from Robbie's hands hur hur hur hur hur.

 

[Ischenko]

The only players to have really come on in Scott's time are probably Thompson and Cunnington.

This doesn't give Scott enough credit - he is far from perfect obviously but Wells is a better player under Scott.
Swallow (pre-injury) has become one of the most consistent mids in the comp. Look at the development/improvement of Thomas, Gibson, MacMillan and Hansen. You could even argue Boomer has only gone from strength to strength under Scott.

Not excusing our current malaise, but we haven't got a whole list of individuals regressing or stagnating. We have a team that is as flaky as dandruff in a snow storm.

 

[DarwinRoo]

The giant leap forward we were hoping and expecting this year hasn't yet eventuated and in all likelihood probably won't. We are a million miles away from the big guns. Scott took over a team on the fringes of the 8 that at least had a bit respect and fear from opponents and after 4 and half years of rebuilding and talk we are still on the fringes of the 8. The difference now is that we have developed a reputation of being downhill skiers and softish when the heat is on. The only players to have really come on in Scott's time are probably Thompson and Cunnington. Ziebel, Bastinac, Atley, McMillan, Goldy, Adams, Harper, Black, Wright, Anthony, Tarrant have shown some glimpses at times but for various reasons have generally just been average. After 4-5 years together these guys especially Black, Ziebel and Atley should have been making a greater impact on the competition.
I hope I'm proven wrong but unless the players develop a killer instinct, some nastiness and a hatred of losing we are just gonna be a mid range team for the next few years.

WTF!

 

[tazaa]

We haven't just got that for the players. We have got that for the organisation to be successful.

We have been inconsistent no doubt about that but we are 5-4 and have had some pretty big scalps in venues where we haven't won in Donkey's years. There seems to be a massive overreaction to what has been the best start the club has had in quite a while.

Last year we were competitive in all our games DR. This year we have been shut out of 4 games by quarter time. This is the frustration. Have we really improved? We beat the Pies and Bombers last year yet didnt give a yelp this time round. There always seems to be an excuse for a team that should be challenging.

 

[Only Forwards]

What excuse do we have left?

There are none.

In the back half of this season we need to hit a major stretch where we hit form. Like in 2012 post the 13,13 debarcle.

the next month of football will tell us where we are at.

We are either middle of the f***ing road again, or we are going to deliver on some of the potential and we will see a significant move forward.

The scary part is who has confidence that its coming? its been hard to watch for such a long period of time. 18 months of football where you don't know if we will rock up and close out a game or we will rock up and melt.

I want to back us in and say we are going to turn a corner, but its based on nothing more than my faith in the team I love and my desire to see them succeed. I now need to see it in reality.

 

[roosmad]

stay the course...the penny will drop soon enough....the cats and bomber Thompson took 7 years to deliver, the year before their flag they looked horrible fact....
they kept their football department/administration together and stayed the course...it will happen just needs time...

oh and trust me I'm in the desert in arizona its easy to get frustrated....

 

[Elite Master]

Constant middle of the road finishes have hurt us so much in previous years, another middle of the road finish would be the worst possible result to come out of the year. A 9th, 10th and even 8th place position would just be awful.