Opinion Negative Aura

[Dan]

I can't tell you if this is real or even when it started.

Maybe it started on NYE 1999 when the era of the 90's finished or perhaps when Carey left the club the way he did.

Regardless...it's apparent to me in my opinion for 2 decades at least that our club has a Negative Aura about it. It's not made up on one thing or even a few things but lots of things that contribute to us having this negative aura about our club.

Examples -

Selling home games & more traveling.
Having small supporter/membership base.
Having small crowds at our games.
Media pile on/criticism on all facets of the club.
AFL trying to relocate us.
Best players of the competition not wanting to join our club despite big money offers.
Lack of North players used in marketing/advertising of our game from broadcasters & AFL.
Lack of Primetime slots on weekend.
Debt (when it was an issue) & lack of money to spend in our football department compared to other clubs.
Everything on field & off field that is deemed a win is always hard fought......never easy.
And the overall condescending view of our existence from all sectors in the AFL community.

(There's other things I could have listed but I can't be bothered arguing with misandry types around here)

So what does all ^that^ mean?

I think the players are well aware of those things and I think it weighs them down psychologically. I don't think they believe in their heart of hearts that they can do great things as a team at NMFC. Really you don't need me stating this.....if you watch the games you can see it in their performances.

ie- We get a lead and not only do we not increase the lead or maintain it.....the opposition run us down and win by a big margin. Almost like the players collectively have a little 'uh oh' voice in their heads and shit themselves.

The way AFL is run teams go through good and bad periods.......bad periods mean that they get to restock their list with the draft's best talent. It doesn't guarantee premiership success but it'll get em out of the current rut they have themselves in.

That can't be said about our club. We haven't looked like a good, respected team since the 90's.

Like most posters around here with an option on our current situation whether the criticism be aimed at our Coach, President, Board, Players or maybe a combination of those entities. More often than not no one has a solution to our problems.

And I'm no different...I don't have a solution.

Instead I have more morbid view and that's simply....our situation can't be fixed.

No matter how many different Presidents, Coaches, 1st round picks we throw at our problems.....nothing changes.

I don't question the players commitment.....I believe they turn up to pre-season/training and they do as they're told to the best of their ability. But they carry that mental burden.


I'll leave you with this - Chris Judd years ago in an interview (I forgot what media it was) said that he and the team at West Coast felt invincible. He just knew on game day that he'd most likely play a well and the team would most likely win.

Imagine that for a second, imagine having that bullet proof mentality.

That is a way of thinking no North team will ever have and hasn't had since the 90's.

 

[Gasometer]

 

[marklovesbeer]

 

[north_lad]

I can't tell you if this is real or even when it started.

Maybe it started on NYE 1999 when the era of the 90's finished or perhaps when Carey left the club the way he did.

Regardless...it's apparent to me in my opinion for 2 decades at least that our club has a Negative Aura about it. It's not made up on one thing or even a few things but lots of things that contribute to us having this negative aura about our club.

Examples -

Selling home games & more traveling.
Having small supporter/membership base.
Having small crowds at our games.
Media pile on/criticism on all facets of the club.
AFL trying to relocate us.
Best players of the competition not wanting to join our club despite big money offers.
Lack of North players used in marketing/advertising of our game from broadcasters & AFL.
Lack of Primetime slots on weekend.
Debt (when it was an issue) & lack of money to spend in our football department compared to other clubs.
Everything on field & off field that is deemed a win is always hard fought......never easy.
And the overall condescending view of our existence from all sectors in the AFL community.

(There's other things I could have listed but I can't be bothered arguing with misandry types around here)

So what does all ^that^ mean?

I think the players are well aware of those things and I think it weighs them down psychologically. I don't think they believe in their heart of hearts that they can do great things as a team at NMFC. Really you don't need me stating this.....if you watch the games you can see it in their performances.

ie- We get a lead and not only do we not increase the lead or maintain it.....the opposition run us down and win by a big margin. Almost like the players collectively have a little 'uh oh' voice in their heads and shit themselves.

The way AFL is run teams go through good and bad periods.......bad periods mean that they get to restock their list with the draft's best talent. It doesn't guarantee premiership success but it'll get em out of the current rut they have themselves in.

That can't be said about our club. We haven't looked like a good, respected team since the 90's.

Like most posters around here with an option on our current situation whether the criticism be aimed at our Coach, President, Board, Players or maybe a combination of those entities. More often than not no one has a solution to our problems.

And I'm no different...I don't have a solution.

Instead I have more morbid view and that's simply....our situation can't be fixed.

No matter how many different Presidents, Coaches, 1st round picks we throw at our problems.....nothing changes.

I don't question the players commitment.....I believe they turn up to pre-season/training and they do as they're told to the best of their ability. But they carry that mental burden.


I'll leave you with this - Chris Judd years ago in an interview (I forgot what media it was) said that he and the team at West Coast felt invincible. He just knew on game day that he'd most likely play a well and the team would most likely win.

Imagine that for a second, imagine having that bullet proof mentality.

That is a way of thinking no North team will ever have and hasn't had since the 90's.

If that's how the team feel they're ****ing gutless. This club is about staring adversity down and not caring that we are less resourced, less supported, less popular, less fashionable - whatever. Wear it like a ****ing badge of honour. Prove everyone wrong, prove that it doesn't matter if nobody thinks you can do it - KNOW you can do it. I refuse to accept that there is no way out for us, I just refuse to believe that after all the club has been through and conquered, that an extended period of being shit on the field (quite shit, I'll grant you that) is what's going to do us in. No ****ing way. Like others I don't have any answers to our problems right now but deep down this club matters to me and it should matter to everyone that walks through the door, pulls on the jumper and represents us.

 

[Liam Boy]

a north team has that mentality right now lmao. the women's team that just won the flag in an undefeated season and looks ready to back it up.

 

[Dan]

a north team has that mentality right now lmao. the women's team that just won the flag in an undefeated season and looks ready to back it up.

The women’s program has nothing to do with the men’s and vice versa.

 

[ferball]

The women’s program has nothing to do with the men’s and vice versa.

Maybe that's why the men play like such a bunch of sooks.

 

[Dan]

Maybe that's why the men play like such a bunch of sooks.

You’re being facetious.

Even you have posted on the mental barriers the players have to deal with.

 

[Colby2Sheez]

 

[Themanbun]

Need to start aura farming. Konstanty tried.

 

[Skarrz]

Aura farm time, take some tips from solo levelling

Jokes aside we used to have some players with aura - Sheezel, Parker, Zurhaar, LDU, Xerri

Now PC is the only person I trust anywhere near the ball to do anything

 

[Liam Boy]

The women’s program has nothing to do with the men’s and vice versa.

I really want to encourage people around here to try to get into the women's if you're not already. I suspect that the most miserable among us are the ones who deprive themselves of the "women in blue and white embarrass every other football club in the country" show that starts every august.

 

[ferball]

You’re being facetious.

Even you have posted on the mental barriers the players have to deal with.

There's only one way thru those mental barriers and that's to get angry and fight.

(And then breathe, be zen and channel your anger ... otherwise its just a tantrum.)

 

[Hatchy1992]

Maybe that's why the men play like such a bunch of sooks.

The women did it with everyone absolutely against their success too. Right from our inception.

If they need inspiration they need not look externally.

 

[Dan]

There's only one way thru those mental barriers and that's to get angry and fight.

(And then breathe, be zen and channel your anger ... otherwise its just a tantrum.)

Don’t hold your breath.

 

[ferball]

Don’t hold your breath.

Exactly!!!

 

[Passmore]

It's the Feng Shui in the clubrooms.

 

[krakouers]

Where’s the John Safran witch doctor?

 

[disco_cowboy]

I've been thinking on this rough theme since Saturday and what i come back to is changing the way we frame ourselves, internally and externally.
We have plenty of weaknesses and instead of using those to our advantage I feel like we allow them to control us.
We are the smallest victorian club, and the smallest of all clubs outside of expansion clubs.
We have to fight hard for every single thing we get.
We have a terrible deal at Marvel.
Big name players don't want to join us.
etc etc

We need to start using these perceived deficits as differentiators in our favour.
Being the smallest club can be strength, we need to know how to use it.
If we can't generate the same amount of cash through ticket sales, we need to find new revenue streams to help generate cash flow.
Our team's mindset should always have a back-against-the-wall attitude.
We need to change the conversation around North.
In spite of our perceived short comings, we are a more genuine club, who can succeed without hand outs.
The north way is real football.

 

[Dan]

Hello

 

[barnrokn]

We need a ceremonial burning of a pair of Kellie’s panties in the middle of Arden St