North a meaningless club?

[hilly]

Dan, I actually think you have come up with some good ideas on this board (namely greater reward for finishing 1st, although the perfect scenario would be 30 H & A games, which is probably not likely. Anyway where did you come up with the notion that North are a meaningless club? Is this residual gloating from winning the premiership? Do you have something against North? In the last 7 years our success on-field has been great, and whilst attendences are low, membership was at an all-time high in 2000 (25,000), sponsorship was of a good standard and we still finished 4th, despite everything that went wrong. We have won more premierships than St Kilda and the Western Bulldogs, so don't use the premiership theory, as I'm not comparing us to Essendon. So what's the story?

 

[Groucho]

Hilly why did you have to start him up again? I'll give a synopsis of his meaning on this subject and it won't take long. For a start he's not interested in passionate defences of the club in relation to history,performances,premierships or anything else for that matter. His contention is that if North were to disappear off the face of the earth then the competition wouldn't miss a beat. As this will never happen then his theory cannot be proven or disproven empirically,very strange for someone who prides himself on factual evidence to support his opinions. Best leave this to disappear into the ether,where I thought it had gone already.

 

[Frodo]

Unless things have changed there is no longer a team called North. They changed to Kangaroos. IMO they had a geographic identity when called North Melbourne but now seem to be a ship without a harbour. I suspect the name change is a forerunner to relocation and we will in time see the Tassie Kangaroos or Darwin kangaroos or even Sydney Kangaroos. (No disrespect to Norths history)


I also note that on the AFL site Fremantle is no longer Fremantle Dockers. Is this an official change? I hope so, then they only need to get rid of that stupid anchor IMO

[This message has been edited by Frodo (edited 18 January 2001).]

 

[35eye]

To alleviate any confusion, our club is known as THE KANGAROOS but still trading as NORTH MELBOURNE FOOTBALL CLUB LTD.

We still affectionately refer to them as *North,* *Roos,* *Kangas,* or even *Shinboners* in certain circles.

The club administration can keep correcting the media until their faces turn blue, but the mere fact that some fans still use the *Shinboners* moniker suggests that we will still be referring to them as *North* for many years to come.

 

[Frodo]

You have the chance to educate me further.

Where did 'shinboners' come from?

 

[35eye]

Geeze Frodo, thanks for the opportunity.

The Kangaroo name came about in 1950 but they were branded the Shinboners a long time earlier.

There are a few theories as to how the it stuck, but one such theory documented by our club historian is that a former *North* president worked at the Metropolitan Meatworks. In his position, he found employment for a lot of the footy players. Accordingly, the crowds dubbed them "Shinboners" & it eventually gained momentum.

Stayput, relocate or fold - hopefully in the distant future there will be no question as to why old timers refer to the club as "North."

 

[Richmondfan#1]

Sorry, I am dumb when it comes to the roos. Why do people call them Shinboners? How is that in relation to the Kangaroos?

 

[Peter]

Re the "Shinboners" In the good old days the boys from North Melbourne used to kick a few of them too, which only added to the legend.

 

[Frodo]

Thanks 35eye.

Peter, I think some of them still do

 

[Rob]

Frodo,
Fremantle has not dropped their nickname, however there has been a bit of a spat with Levis about the use of the term 'Dockers'. Apparently 'Dockers' are a brand of pants as well, and it is alleged that there would be some confusion between the 2. I would expect Port Adelaide to receive a writ from every single electricity company in the near future on similar grounds.

35eye,
You'll find it's the other way around, it's North Melbourne Football Club Ltd trading as the Kangaroos. A bit like Footscray Football club trading as the Western Bulldogs, or Brisbane-Fitzroy Football Club trading as the Brisbane Lions.

 

[Danni]

Didn't they change from North Melbourne to North Kangaroos? or did they drop the 'North' altogether?

Seems to have been a fizzle whatever the name change was anyway.

Port Power?? but they are always called Port Adelaide.

North/or-just-plain Kangaroos?? still always referred to as North Melbourne.