- Sep 11, 2014
- 10,910
- 20,907
- AFL Club
- North Melbourne
Apparently being managed due to OP
That’s not what we have heard from Noble in his pressers…..
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Apparently being managed due to OP
Everything has basically fallen off an already-close-to-sea-level cliff in the last month or so. I'm inclined to think the biggest concerns with where we're at are a string of blindly reckless list management decisions, and an administration who seem totally committed to a blind-faith "no low is too low, we'll come good eventually" mentality that's increasingly evident in every aspect of our collective demeanour as a club as this season wears on.
It's fair to say any head coach is going to have a tough time in that kind of environment, and is almost certainly not the core reason for our current troubles. Until the point of his supposed self-reflection and change in approach earlier this season, he seemed (from press conferences and the like) to work from a slightly more sound set of ideas on what's required for our development, recognising the steps forward without cowering from calling out the setbacks and stagnations, which I appreciated, and it's been disappointing to hear disproportionate emphasis on scant positives in the last month's pressers, ringing hollow.
But what the senior coach can definitely be held responsible for is the gameplan, and I simply don't buy that what Noble has us trying to execute is what's going to make us a successful club. Focusing near-totally on implementing our own attacking playing style is fundamentally flawed as a rebuild approach, since (particularly with the AFL's insistence on rule changes that facilitate attack) installing basic defensive capability ends up having to come later, slowing the rebuild further; in the meantime, we continue with a plan that leaves us more vulnerable to the turnover whilst being unable to consistently exploit any turnovers we force the opposition into, and which seems completely unsustainable.
Ben Amarfio specifically cited the Brisbane and Melbourne rebuilds on radio this week, as comparisons which apparently justified not being concerned about North's current ladder position - but it's no coincidence that both clubs began their much-discussed upward trend in ladder percentage when they introduced a new coach whose first successes weren't in increasing their own rate of scoring, but in cutting opposition scoring by ~25% across their first two seasons. Obviously that's a very simplistic statistic, and a very binary reduction of much more specific strategies, but the broader point stands - that rebuilds rooted in attack, like Bailey's at Melbourne was, don't tend to be so durable. Unfortunately, that seems to be shaping up to be the case with us as well, and so far there's been too little in our on-field approach to indicate we're taking the steps necessary to remedy that.
I would favour a thorough review of the entire football department at this point. Complacency about poor performance only pushes the necessary corrective action further down the line, and the most crucial thing with a rebuild is that we're continually making the right decisions to take us forward - so much can go wrong, set us back, protract our improvement, mire us for a decade or more... the view that everything's fine simply because it's normal to struggle during a rebuild is toxic. Whether such a review results in Noble sticking around or being replaced, whether it results in minor tweaks in approach or a complete overhaul, what matters is that the manifest issues with our current performance are identified and the department reshaped to address them, including whatever personnel changes may be necessary to get us on track to achieving success.
No current season stats available
but there’s young replacements languishing the in vfl
It's the lack of experience - we could use Higgins, Atley and Dumont at the moment. But right or wrong we wanted to promote the kids with ONE experienced player across each line. I seem remember most people supporting the delistings at the time. It was a high risk strategy and injuries haven't helped.We had four losses of 60+ points combined in both 2020 and 2021 and have now had five in seven weeks.
You can put some blame on the players, but the 2020 and 2021 lists weren't much better. There's clearly an issue here beyond the playing group. Go back and look at the Rhyce Shaw team that nearly took a game off Brisbane in 2020. You lose Higgins, Atley, and Dumont from that side and that's basically it. I'd argue that Noble has had some games this year with better sides.
I'd love to hear how the "it's the players, not Noble" brigade can explain that one.
Fair enough too. For all the shit he copped he's better, faster and made less mistakes than a half dozen players we're going with as of this round. Plus he didn't hurt himself putting his slippers on each day.We did offer Atley a rookie list spot but he turned it down .
We sacked then rebuilt the fitness department over the pre season. SO that is a start.I don’t rate Noble as he’s only 31 games into his coaching career.
Reason being is that last year the list had youth and some good senior players and we saw some good performances round 9 onwards.
Now that we’ve gutted the list further and lost Cunnington to illness it just shows how we are nowhere near AFL quality.
The list is f’ed but their fitness levels and general development shouldn’t be.
None of our draftees go on to resemble AFL level footballers. Why??
That’s Nobles first problem to unearth.
Well I think he's going ok tbh.
We've a very sub AFL standard side on the park currently. I don't believe he's lost the playing group well from what I've heard.
As much as it sucks to lose every week, it doesn't suck more than a fist pumping after another irrelevant victory over a side going nowhere. Thus having us finishing ninth and all as we had achieved was putting another year on one of our few decent footballers. That eventually bites you square on the arse- oh it has.
We're a grand chance of the wooden spoon again this year and a PP which we will receive. Curtis, CCJ, JHF is a bloody good development year. Wil Phillips will make it, I'm actually a little surprised by peeps view on him tbh. He'll be an accumulator which from memory is what we all want.
Perez getting game under his belt is also wonderful for us. He's played nine games of AFL, I sometimes think we forget that.
Let's hope Charlie is next cab of the rank, I think he'll make a huge difference. Not in the W/L column, well not until 2024 anyways.
Imagine if we had Cunners, Hall, Polec yes he'd get a game currently if fit, then of course currently no McKay, JHF, Simpkin, Bonar, Phillips and Greenwood.
I honestly believe all nine of those would get a game if fit. Shit there's only 18 on the field at any one stage.
Anyways, maybe Noble will cop it in the neck but I am sure at some point peeps will look back nod and appreciate what he did for the team.
Oh at it was 100% the correct decision to get rid of everyone we did, we're now going somewhere. Maybe it is in reverse, but yeah sometimes you need a 3 point turn to get back on track.
It's the lack of experience - we could use Higgins, Atley and Dumont at the moment. But right or wrong we wanted to promote the kids with ONE experienced player across each line. I seem remember most people supporting the delistings at the time. It was a high risk strategy and injuries haven't helped.
He is focusing on defence. He focuses on putting every shit disposer of the footy we have into this part of the ground.He really needs to focus more on defence as its a shambles ar present.
What you are ignoring is that having players like Dumont, Atley and Higgins means you are not playing Atu, Young and Mahoney. That instantly improves the team and those around them.Look I'm sorry but the leadership of Shaun Atley, Shaun Higgins and Trent Dumont isn't contributing to a 107 point turnaround when you compare that one-point loss to Brisbane to the 108 point loss that we had this year.
It's also ignoring veterans like Hall, Corr, Greenwood, and our captain Jack Ziebell who played in the 108 point loss, but not the 1 point loss.
Rounds 1, 2 and 4 were acceptable. The end of last year was acceptable. That stretch was more or less with the exact same list. Something has happened to cause the wheels to fall off and I can't understand this board's compulsion to brush it off in defence of David Noble.
Pretty much exactly as I see itWell I think he's going ok tbh.
We've a very sub AFL standard side on the park currently. I don't believe he's lost the playing group well from what I've heard.
As much as it sucks to lose every week, it doesn't suck more than a fist pumping after another irrelevant victory over a side going nowhere. Thus having us finishing ninth and all as we had achieved was putting another year on one of our few decent footballers. That eventually bites you square on the arse- oh it has.
We're a grand chance of the wooden spoon again this year and a PP which we will receive. Curtis, CCJ, JHF is a bloody good development year. Wil Phillips will make it, I'm actually a little surprised by peeps view on him tbh. He'll be an accumulator which from memory is what we all want.
Perez getting game under his belt is also wonderful for us. He's played nine games of AFL, I sometimes think we forget that.
Let's hope Charlie is next cab of the rank, I think he'll make a huge difference. Not in the W/L column, well not until 2024 anyways.
Imagine if we had Cunners, Hall, Polec yes he'd get a game currently if fit, then of course currently no McKay, JHF, Simpkin, Bonar, Phillips and Greenwood.
I honestly believe all nine of those would get a game if fit. Shit there's only 18 on the field at any one stage.
Anyways, maybe Noble will cop it in the neck but I am sure at some point peeps will look back nod and appreciate what he did for the team.
Oh at it was 100% the correct decision to get rid of everyone we did, we're now going somewhere. Maybe it is in reverse, but yeah sometimes you need a 3 point turn to get back on track.
What you are ignoring is that having players like Dumont, Atley and Higgins means you are not playing Atu, Young and Mahoney. That instantly improves the team and those around them.
There is no point gutting a list and replacing with players of the calibre of Young, Atu and Mahoney. That’s not rebuilding, it’s just throwing more turds on the pile.
As much as it sucks to lose every week, it doesn't suck more than a fist pumping after another irrelevant victory over a side going nowhere. Thus having us finishing ninth and all as we had achieved was putting another year on one of our few decent footballers. That eventually bites you square on the arse- oh it has.
Mahony, Perez, CCJ & CT may not be future AA’s, but they’re certainly part of the clubs future, and will be at North in 2-3 years.My issue is this, what benefit are we getting for the future at present.
Being destroyed every week at near record levels offers nothing for the future. We’ve shown we are completely incapable of implementing what noble wants the players to do. Ok, change it up for the short term until we are in a position to implement something more fancy.
From yesterday
Walker - not part of future
Turner - not part of future
Ziebell- not part of future
Anderson - not part of future
McDonald - given how far off it we are not part of future
Corr - given how far off it we are not part of future
Goldy - not part of future
That’s a third of the team there. Then add
Atu - likely delisted at end of year
Mahoney - unlikely to become an afl footballer
Young - unlikely to become an afl footballer
Perez - plenty of time on side but jury still out
CCJ - plenty of time on side but jury still out
Taylor - plenty of time on side but jury still out
So now we are 13 of 22 players from yesterday that are either not part of the future team in 5 years due to age, or have not shown that they are good enough to be. You could argue there are a few more in this category.
So therefore, why use a game plan that we can’t do, emphasises our truly terrible skill level, and isn’t even helping us score anyway, all the while 13 of the 22 players “learning” this inappropriate game plan probably won’t be at north in 2-3 years?
An alternative game plan, park the bus, make it as hard as possible for the opposition to score, and teach the players how to defend at the very least.
Right now, it appears no one is learning anything that will help us in the future.
IMO