North Melbourne and the 1990's

[The Joker]

Two words

Byron Pickett

I can't agree with that. The bump was very much a part of the game and Choppy was one of a small bunch that was prepared to let them know, it's a man's game!

Now if he was going around gut punching off the ball, breaking jaws, kneeing people, eye gouging, well then you could put that tag on him, but a shirtfront in the 90s, give me more!!!

 

[juss]

Yes North were amazing in the 90s.
IMO this is when they could have capitalized in converting supporters > members, and 20-30 years later now, you would expect stronger support.
I think they missed the marketing boat.

Football on the whole, was brilliant in the 90s. The players in that era were some of the best we've ever seen.

 

[juss]

Yep, won 1, lost 2. The 94 side was very good too.

But Adelaide. Far out. 97 benefited from Bulldogs choke in Prelim. 98 finished 5th and got smashed, but still in it because of finals set up. And then got North kicking a kajillion points in the big one. Two very lucky flags.

There is no way going back to back, is "lucky". It's only be done so many times in the history of the game, it's got nothing to do with luck. The Crows were the best team on the only day that matters, the Grand Final.

 

[Macpotata]

There is no way going back to back, is "lucky". It's only be done so many times in the history of the game, it's got nothing to do with luck. The Crows were the best team on the only day that matters, the Grand Final.

I agree. Might get lucky once, twice, it's more than luck.

You don't survive the regular season, finals, play in the gf and win it due to luck. Certainly not two years straight.

 

[boncer34]

Inability to perform when pressure was on. All teams had injuries. You choked two prelims. We did you easy in 98 finals.

Had to wait until 2000 when the genuine power teams of the decade in Noprth and West Coast were ageing to pinch a flag and then got rapidly found out by Port and Brissy.

Just not quite good enough.

Thanks Rory, already covered the choking bit

Good thing we were good at choking in Prelim's in the 90's.

Otherwise the decade would be remember very differently by North fans.

Just another example of how charitable Essendon and their supporters have been to North over the years.

 

[Thats Wright]

Two words

Byron Pickett

Ah yes. More of a free spirit than a directive from a short coach.

Forgot about him. Was barely in the top 5 toughest players during his time there.

Was a good time before the nanny rules.

 

[juss]

I agree. Might get lucky once, twice, it's more than luck.

You don't survive the regular season, finals, play in the gf and win it due to luck. Certainly not two years straight.

There's only one Grand Final moment in recent years where I can remember thinking one individual piece of luck (or badluck) could have changed the result, and that's the Stephen Milne bounce of the ball in the first Collingwood vs St Kilda GF. That one ball bounces a different way and I reckon the Saints are Premiers. Collingwood destroyed them the week after, but it may never have got to that if it weren't for that bounce.

 

[Macpotata]

There's only one Grand Final moment in recent years where I can remember thinking one individual piece of luck (or badluck) could have changed the result, and that's the Stephen Milne bounce of the ball in the first Collingwood vs St Kilda GF. That one ball bounces a different way and I reckon the Saints are Premiers. Collingwood destroyed them the week after, but it may never have got to that if it weren't for that bounce.

Yes I do agree. Considering especially that there were fine margins involved, and such a fine margin in deciding the outcome.

 

[Jesse Custer]

Great side unfortunately they didn't win a few more flags, not the only side to under achieve though my side being another one. Having said that a flag is bloody hard to win.

 

[MaddAdam]

Commercially they really squandered that decade.

Actually, it kept us alive - we were effectively dead with no coach and no sponsor after the first preseason game in 93, without that year we would have gone under I reckon - so in that regard, we did very well from the decade.

It also gave us a generation of kids who barracked for North who have in recent years become of age to become members. All through the 00s there were figures showing we had a relatively high number of junior supporters and members.

Are we ever going to be a "big 4 club"? No, but we're all but debt free, we make profits, and we have good solid supporter base.

 

[MaddAdam]

Thanks Rory, already covered the choking bit

But then you blamed it on injuries?

By the way, what is your name? NTTIAWWTKOT but I bet it is one of those names that works equally well for a boy as a girl, like Robin, Frances or Dyson.

 

[boncer34]

But then you blamed it on injuries?

By the way, what is your name? NTTIAWWTKOT but I bet it is one of those names that works equally well for a boy as a girl, like Robin, Frances or Dyson.

I was explaining our decade was unfortunately depleted due to 2 reasons. Injuries and choking. I didn't think it was that hard to understand, sorry if it went above your head.

By all means call me Francis.

 

[Kangaroos4eva]

I can't agree with that. The bump was very much a part of the game and Choppy was one of a small bunch that was prepared to let them know, it's a man's game!

Now if he was going around gut punching off the ball, breaking jaws, kneeing people, eye gouging, well then you could put that tag on him, but a shirtfront in the 90s, give me more!!!

They still haven't found Brendan Krummel's body, word is, he still buried at Waverley Park.

 

[The Joker]

They still haven't found Brendan Krummel's body, word is, he still buried at Waverley Park.

Wow, it still gives me shivers!!!

 

[MaddAdam]

I was explaining our decade was unfortunately depleted due to 2 reasons. Injuries and choking. I didn't think it was that hard to understand, sorry if it went above your head.

By all means call me Francis.

Like Aaron Francis? Now there's a shittruck for the ages.

 

[boncer34]

Like Aaron Francis? Now there's a shittruck for the ages.

Yeah look I'd be lying if I said I'm not disappointed with the early reports of how his pre-season is tracking.

 

[Le Grille]

Yeah look I'd be lying if I said I'm not disappointed with the early reports of how his pre-season is tracking.

Really, I thought there was a statement of how invested he was in the club when he decided to stay at the dons last trade period

 

[boncer34]

Really, I thought there was a statement of how invested he was in the club when he decided to stay at the dons last trade period

Well yeah what'd you expect them to say at the time?

"Yeah Aaron's staying but he hates the place and still wants to go home?"

 

[MaddAdam]

Back on topic, Sheedy once baked the Essence players by pointing out how North were playing out of portables and Essendon had everything but we still pushed them around and beat them with ease.

Lloyd wrote about how the North players would intimidate Essendon physically and psychologically onfield, and how North was their measuring stick.

I was at the qualifying final in 2000 when they flogged us, and it was so obvious how much it meant to the Essendon fans to do that.

Funny isn't it how poor old irrelevant North were their bete noire, what guy defined themselves by, for so long.

 

[Le Grille]

Well yeah what'd you expect them to say at the time?

"Yeah Aaron's staying but he hates the place and still wants to go home?"

Yeah good point but surely you’d find some way to move him if he didn’t want to stay

 

[boncer34]

Yeah good point but surely you’d find some way to move him if he didn’t want to stay

Not if noone wanted him.

 

[Jesse Custer]

Yeah good point but surely you’d find some way to move him if he didn’t want to stay

True but no one wanted him either. And rightly so, the bloke has done nothing so far.

 

[Jesse Custer]

Back on topic, Sheedy once baked the Essence players by pointing out how North were playing out of portables and Essendon had everything but we still pushed them around and beat them with ease.

Lloyd wrote about how the North players would intimidate Essendon physically and psychologically onfield, and how North was their measuring stick.

I was at the qualifying final in 2000 when they flogged us, and it was so obvious how much it meant to the Essendon fans to do that.

Funny isn't it how poor old irrelevant North were their bete noire, what guy defined themselves by, for so long.

I'm glad you witnessed that live. Great day.

 

[Le Grille]

True but no one wanted him either. And rightly so, the bloke has done nothing so far.

Surely he could have been steak knives in some deal

 

[Jesse Custer]

Surely he could have been steak knives in some deal

Not sure. Obviously not though.