North Melbourne - 1996

[LuvtheKangas]

I find it hilarious when opposition supporters don't think Mick Martyn was an elite defender.

But it's downright sacrilege for a North supporter to say it. What games were you watching?

Oh, come on. Mick was well above average, probably the best FB in the game for a couple of years. But when I think of 'elite', I just can't put Mick in that category. He made numerous mistakes, his kicking skills sometimes let him down, and the 'elite' full forwards typically got the better of him. Ablett in particular kicked bags on him, so did Plugger. Of course, he more than held his own against the softer full forwards (I recall that a young Paul Salmon stopped leading as he was scared).

As a North supporter who has personally attended each of our four grand final wins (f*cking brilliant!!!!!!!!), along with all of the losing ones bar 1950 (more than a decade before my time), I have watched plenty of NMFC games and am absolutely comfortable with my assessment of Mick. Having said this, he remains one of my all time favourites and I miss his presence.

 

[Cyclops]

Cyclops, I must begrudgingly admit that you are almost spot on. Very hard to reasonably refute most of what you have said here.

I think the only bit you got wrong is to call it a "pretty B-grade list". I won't dispute your assessment of Fairley, Martyn or even Stevo, but whilst not elite these players were far from B-grade. There were some exceptional footballers in that side, many just short of elite.

Yep you're right, on reflection I'm off the ball there. North was the best team in the league, and one of the best lists. I would say though that there were some average blokes coached to play well, and plenty of good ones coached to play excellently. Aside from McKernan,there's not really any examples of a player Pagan ruined or couldn't find a use fror that some other coach could.

Also, some might want to shout you down in stating Archer was not a champion. I think he was close, but in the end it gets down to your definition of the word. If you set a very high standard in defining "champion" then your statement is probably accurate. I would suggest under that definition, there is only one champion in the game today - Judd. Next closest to him would be Jonathan Brown, and even one-eyed Kanga supporters would admit that Archer was never what these two players are.

Though Arch is an absolute legend and deservedly Shinboner of the Century! And Stevo was a God in my eyes, too.

Oh no doubt, if it was about heart those two are all-timers. Both very good players at their best, and bleed royal blue and white.

I am very harsh about who I call a champion. Lets draw a line with Buckley Hird and Voss: Carey's in (better than any of those) but not Archer in my mind. Brown isn't even close yet, and Judd needs a little more icing on his cake.

Archer is more than just a top player though, he's a tremendous exemplar and a legend of North Melbourne. As important to your lot as say Tony Shaw was to us (and he's Collingwood Royalty, despite his irritating coaching and commenting career).

 

[jacko57]

Yep you're right, on reflection I'm off the ball there. North was the best team in the league, and one of the best lists. I would say though that there were some average blokes coached to play well, and plenty of good ones coached to play excellently. Aside from McKernan,there's not really any examples of a player Pagan ruined or couldn't find a use fror that some other coach could.



Oh no doubt, if it was about heart those two are all-timers. Both very good players at their best, and bleed royal blue and white.

I am very harsh about who I call a champion. Lets draw a line with Buckley Hird and Voss: Carey's in (better than any of those) but not Archer in my mind. Brown isn't even close yet, and Judd needs a little more icing on his cake.

Archer is more than just a top player though, he's a tremendous exemplar and a legend of North Melbourne. As important to your lot as say Tony Shaw was to us (and he's Collingwood Royalty, despite his irritating coaching and commenting career).

Fair enough. I am sick of commentators & fans labelling any player who has one good season 'a champion'.

 

[jacko57]

I think you are selling Pagan a bit short as well. He was a good coach when in charge of something above a rabble.

Well let's see, he coached North U19s, won a few flags..........Essendon reserves, won a flag IIRC...........North seniors, won a couple of flags.........Carlton........ah yes! point taken!!

 

[Z_K]

Martyn was ugly, he had no ball skills and he couldn't kick. But in a career spent playing against Ablett, Dunstall, Lynch, Lockett etc etc, he was ****ing massive at his job. Crucial to the structure of our side.

Stevens was top 2 in our B+F 6 times, winning 4 and losing to Carey twice. He is first rover in our TOC. Barry Cable is on a flank, FFS!! Gun for Victoria. Still the most underrated player I have seen.

McKernan was ridiculous in '96, and it killed him for his career. Between 96 and 2001 he kicked under 30 goals once in a year and played every year as a starting ruckman. Outstanding footballer, excellent in finals.

Schwass was dynamic, King was damaging, Blakey just didn't get beaten.

Laidley Martyn Archer
King Fairley Blakey

Has to be up there with the toughest backlines of all time. 3 out and out lunatics on the full back line.

North of '96 was a great side. North of '99 was not as hard edged but a little classier around the ball.

North of '98 was better than both.

 

[windyhill]

no shit they would have wiped the floor with us, do you rmember the bombers had a 3 goal lead in that game and sydney had to claw ther way back to win that game after the bell, it would have taken alot out of them dont you think and remember sydney beat north in round 10 by 12 goals at optus oval during that year and with the best on ground it could have went to anyone like stevens, schwass, laideley and mckernan, but i went with freeborn because he turned what looked like a diar situation into a winning position, ok

Tell me what Norf did to us in the home and away game of `96..." no shit".......Norf would have smashed us if we had got through.

 

[damochandler]

Tell me what Norf did to us in the home and away game of `96..." no shit".......Norf would have smashed us if we had got through.

i think they played them twice and got beaten, but they were both close games, i know they would have smashed us in the gf if we made it ffs,

 

[Dan26]

i think they played them twice and got beaten, but they were both close games, i know they would have smashed us in the gf if we made it ffs,

We played North once. Mid-season at the MCG in a downpour. Probably the wettest game Essendon has played in, in recent times. North won a surprisingly high scoring match by a couple of goals. It was one of the best wet weather matches you will see.

Grand Final day, though would have been different. They would have smashed us. We were pretenders in '96. Just a so-so team. Plus we had injuries to boot. 10 goal loss minimum would have bene the result in the '96 Granny, maybe 15 goals.

 

[Cyclops]

...North of '96 was a great side. North of '99 was not as hard edged but a little classier around the ball.

North of '98 was better than both.

I hear that.

We had a team in 1970 better than most of our premierships sides (27-30 aside), actually better than most everyone's premierships sides. 1992 was a fair side, probably better than 1990 on quality (but not form).

Its a funny game, not so much funny ha-ha, as funny-I-just-got-kicked.

 

[Z_K]

I hear that.

We had a team in 1970 better than most of our premierships sides (27-30 aside), actually better than most everyone's premierships sides. 1992 was a fair side, probably better than 1990 on quality (but not form).

Its a funny game, not so much funny ha-ha, as funny-I-just-got-kicked.

It also gives a good indication into the luck that is required. For all the pre-season work and the regular season form, you still have to perform in cut-throat finals. We didn't in '98 and we fell behind in '96. Destiny means stuff all if you kick 2 goals 11 in a quarter.

Stupid game, aint it?

 

[Hearts to hearts]

North of '96 was a great side. North of '99 was not as hard edged but a little classier around the ball.

North of '98 was better than both.

Perfectly put. And in the context of this thread, that "hard edged" side of 1996 performed outstandingly when it counted in a way "classier" sides at the time as well as North's later team just didn't. A similar team unfortunately just lost to the class of Geelong in 1994 - not a "coodabeen" like 1998, but the only one of the long run of top-four finishes where I'd even consider saying we were very close without even making the last week.

And while we're talking "what ifs", anyone who thinks Brisbane were way off the pace in 96 and 99 might remember that, while they were well beaten by North in two PFs, they were missing Voss in both games, and in 1999 lost Black early as well.

 

[Longy413]

Er, 1999 would've been a good contest, although given you couldn't get over Carlton I'm not sure how you would've beaten a team you matched up even worse against. And 1996? Are you serious? Essendon were spent when they made the preliminary final and North were primed to win the lot. Trust me, if Essendon had've gotten over Sydney that year, the GF result would've been similar to 2007.

Why did you ignore his comment the Brisbane game?

 

[KingyOrTheKing]

In fact, I rate the 98 North side as the best in the clubs history.

That one freak occurrence is the only thing standing in the way of North being universally acclaimed as the team of the 90's.

But who says we would have taken the cup in 99 had we won in 98?

Oh, and no side coming 3rd (Essendon 99) can make a claim that they were the best team for that year and deserved the premiership.

 

[Smokin_Joe]

96 we had no chance.

In 99 we choked hard and should of won the granny.
We done north by 5 goals in round 17? and not even 10 goals from Carey could help them.

Thems the breaks though....

 

[tribey]

It also gives a good indication into the luck that is required. For all the pre-season work and the regular season form, you still have to perform in cut-throat finals. We didn't in '98 and we fell behind in '96. Destiny means stuff all if you kick 2 goals 11 in a quarter.

Stupid game, aint it?

4.18 after quarter time.

Even Wayne was well off kilter. If you could concoct and bottle anti-yips elixir you'd be a billionaire.

 

[Syd]

What are your thoughts?

What do you think they'd be.

 

[Z_K]

4.18 after quarter time.

Even Wayne was well off kilter. If you could concoct and bottle anti-yips elixir you'd be a billionaire.

I'd settle for a slightly less haunted North supporter. Billionare would be ok too, I guess. I know we won in '99, but something happened to me that day watching Jarman, the ****, waltzing around desperate defenders like he was playing footy with his ******** brother in the park near whatever Bogan slum spawned them.

I still can't go to a Crows game and not get twitchy.

 

[Father Jack]

I'd settle for a slightly less haunted North supporter. Billionare would be ok too, I guess. I know we won in '99, but something happened to me that day watching Jarman, the ****, waltzing around desperate defenders like he was playing footy with his ******** brother in the park near whatever Bogan slum spawned them.

I still can't go to a Crows game and not get twitchy.

Added to that was the footage of the Crows players all singing their team song to the tune of "Join In The Chorus" later on that evening. What is it with SA teams and rubbing the Kanga's collective noses in it? Maybe that's why they choke in finals so often. Karma's a bitch.

 

[jacko57]

Added to that was the footage of the Crows players all singing their team song to the tune of "Join In The Chorus" later on that evening. What is it with SA teams and rubbing the Kanga's collective noses in it? Maybe that's why they choke in finals so often. Karma's a bitch.

And McLeod giggling in a tv interview after the game about how they knew North would succumb to their pressure........not that it changes who won the flag, but North certainly didn't succumb when we played them in Adelaide in round 21.......nor in the next match in 99 at the G, when we hit 'em like a ton of bricks.