Analysis North Melbourne

[PowerfulPies2023]

No. Just no.

 

[PowerfulPies2023]

North struggle to win a game today they probably would’ve won more comfortably at marvel on a cold Melbourne day against an eagles side that travels as well as Guinness

Credit to north to trying to make some money and improve their financial position as they did with TAS previously

Could be worse… could be st Kilda who make no effort at all to find a second market… just rely on the yearly handout from the afl to stay afloat

But a second market in WA?

Kangaroos knocked back the Ballarat opportunity before the dogs took it up.

Now they are ignoring a second market in rural vic like Bendigo or the Murray region

The dogs have done very well out of Ballarat… effectively paying nothing for stadium hire, have a good record at Ballarat and are attracting a new long term supporter base In Ballarat … their fans in Melbourne can easily drive up…it’s a win win for everyone.

The idea that the AFL is out to get north is ridiculous. The club has been mismanaged for a decade now

Remind me a bit of Sydney in the early to mid 90s… except swans had a huge market to eventually capture

The better comparison is Fitzroy. Similarly NM is wedged between other clubs in Bulldogs, Bombers, Carlton… no room to grow a supporter base

If a NT team becomes team 20 and the afl finds itself heavily funding a NT team… expect Melbourne based teams to have their funding capped

North (and st Kilda) need a strong, sustainable, long term second market or it will eventually end up relocating away from Melbourne through no other viable choice to a place like Cairns

What

 

[whiskeytown]

You do realise a part of the reason Marvel tenants get large $$ handouts is because of the historically bad Marvel stadium deal comparative to the MCG right?

As recently as last year we've asked to play more MCG games AND reduce the handout, but were declined.

St Kilda have pulled more fans into Docklands than any other club, I'd be interested to see what our balance sheet would be like if we had an arrangement to play at MCG for the last 20 years - I dare say our debt would probably look a whole lot healthier

We're not perfect, but acknowledge that stadium deals of the last 20 years are contributing to the massive financial inequities we're seeing amongst the 'have' and 'have not' Vic clubs.

St Kilda’s financial problems extend far, far beyond a poor stadium deal

Perpetually the highest to 2nd highest AFL funded Melbourne team

And whilst the stadium deal might be disadvantage… drawing 13,500 for a game vs the suns doesn’t help

Dogs were smart enough to realise they are better creating a 2nd market at a smaller boutique ground to play these low drawing teams

Other marvel tenants financially doing better

 

[WillHayward]

The truth is there is no possible bigger new club than North Melbourne, especially after Tasmania comes in.

Think about it, obviously a new Victorian club is never going to happen, but a third side in Perth or Adelaide, one in Sunshine Coast, Northern Queensland, NT, Canberra or even New Zealand would not be bigger than North Melbourne.

So having them competitive is in the league's best interest.

I genuinely think a side in Canberra could become significant

 

[Cmarsh]

I genuinely think a side in Canberra could become significant

The people of Canberra if they do actually want an AFL side would want their own club with their own identity rather than a relocated Melbourne side.

 

[whiskeytown]

The people of Canberra if they do actually want an AFL side would want their own club with their own identity rather than a relocated Melbourne side.

Could have said that about Sydney and Brisbane originally too.

In time the locals get on board

Having a team in Canberra that has an additional solid base of support in Melbourne helps the bottom line via interstate memberships

If NM and St Kilda have any nous and sense of long term vision… they will look at relocating to regional Victoria or Canberra or worse again Cairns

Canberra kangaroos has a nice ring to it like Sydney Swans

Canberra Saints is just outright funny given the grubs in parliament

Your mob GWS can embrace Newcastle as a second market

Too many Melbourne teams.

 

[Jim Prideaux]

North struggle to win a game today they probably would’ve won more comfortably at marvel on a cold Melbourne day against an eagles side that travels as well as Guinness

Credit to north to trying to make some money and improve their financial position as they did with TAS previously

Could be worse… could be st Kilda who make no effort at all to find a second market… just rely on the yearly handout from the afl to stay afloat

But a second market in WA?

Kangaroos knocked back the Ballarat opportunity before the dogs took it up.

Now they are ignoring a second market in rural vic like Bendigo or the Murray region

The dogs have done very well out of Ballarat… effectively paying nothing for stadium hire, have a good record at Ballarat and are attracting a new long term supporter base In Ballarat … their fans in Melbourne can easily drive up…it’s a win win for everyone.

The idea that the AFL is out to get north is ridiculous. The club has been mismanaged for a decade now

Remind me a bit of Sydney in the early to mid 90s… except swans had a huge market to eventually capture

The better comparison is Fitzroy. Similarly NM is wedged between other clubs in Bulldogs, Bombers, Carlton… no room to grow a supporter base

If a NT team becomes team 20 and the afl finds itself heavily funding a NT team… expect Melbourne based teams to have their funding capped

North (and st Kilda) need a strong, sustainable, long term second market or it will eventually end up relocating away from Melbourne through no other viable choice to a place like Cairns

Guinness travels just fine.

 

[Cleric]

So what did the AFL give Hawthorn and Adelaide that made them improve that they haven't given North?

 

[Jim Prideaux]

Guinness travels just fine.

whiskeytown why the lol

 

[Frank Thring]

AFL ordered them to fire Boomer did they?

As he started to receive the Pension he wasn't allowed to receive 2 incomes.

 

[Frank Thring]

So what did the AFL give Hawthorn and Adelaide that made them improve that they haven't given North?

Easy draws

 

[Cleric]

Easy draws

So why would an easy draw make Adelaide and Hawthorn flog North when they play?

 

[WesternSydneyHawk]

Scorched Earth rebuilds take a long time to start climbing back from. And that's if you do everything right.

The clubs that maintain a core of veterans generally tend to bounce back quicker from a rebuild. Look at Adelaide, Hawthorn, and probably Richmond and Melbourne.

That's because young players who play alongside veterans tend to develop faster.

The older players act as leaders on the field. They stick up for the young kids after a rough bump or contest. Show them where to run. Set standards and expectations. Demonstrate the level of training and fitness that's needed for a long career at AFL level.

That experience and culture takes a long time for a team to build if there aren't older veterans around to set the standard.

A lot of players don't even fully grow into their bodies until they're about 22 or 23. That's five years in the AFL system.

It's why Brisbane, before Chris Fagan, struggled for years. It's why Carlton, after the salary cap saga, struggled for years. It's why Melbourne struggled for years. It's why Gold Coast were a basket case for nearly a decade.

And it's why North have had such a slog since 2016.

So scorched Earth rebuilds are tough at the best of times, even if you do everything right.

And when other things that go wrong, it amplifies them.

A coach who doesn't work out, like a David Noble, would be a setback for any club. Having a young list amplifies the impact.

A prized early draft pick like Jason Horne-Francis wanting to go home would be a setback for most clubs. Having a young list amplifies the impact.

Having too many mids and not enough talls is not great for any list. Having a young list amplifies the impact.

The good news for North is they have a lot of talented players. They are working on making the list more balanced, in terms if talls and experience.

And I think they probably will begin climbing back sooner than some people think.

But cutting too much experience too quickly is still having reverberations 10 years later.

 

[Supercoach Bargain]

The AFL did not make North recruit potatoes or Sleevo spit the dummy and walk.
The AFL did not injure Wardlaw and McKercher.
The AFL does not employ Brady Rawlings

Brady Rawlings

Age

44

Ht

184cm

Wt

82kg

Pos.

Def

Career

Season

Last 5

D

17.7

4star

K

8.7

3star

HB

9.0

5star

M

3.6

4star

T

2.3

4star

No current season stats available

D

8.6

3star

K

4.6

2star

HB

4.0

3star

M

1.0

1star

T

0.8

3star

.

Stop making excuses for mediocrity.

 

[whiskeytown]

9-10 losses by 100 points plus now?

With TAS coming on board it is only going to get harder for the mid to small size Melbourne clubs

Carlton and Essendon can endure 25 years of mediocrity…

demons, saints, dogs and kangaroos they won’t be able… especially if team 20 gets added by early 2030s.

That just spells resources spread more thinly in terms of draft picks, FA/trade talent, coaches, sponsors, prime fixtures etc

Eventually interstate relocation (and all the incentives and benefits of that) looks a more palatable idea

 

[CharlieMortdecai]

Getting rid of Scott! In Scott's last year, they were losing many close games but at least they were still hugely competitive!

It's a shame, that the shinboners spirit has all but gone...

Ironically, one of Scott's first stated objectives on becoming coach was to get rid of the "Shinboner spirit crap".

 

[Golumless]

Sports need their perennial punching bags, and North are a good 'un.

 

[Meteoric Rise]

Failed to kick more than half the opponent's score in 2025....

8x Richmond
5x Eagles
4x North, Port Adelaide
3x Essendon
2x St Kilda, Fremantle
1x Carlton, Sydney, Gold Coast, Brisbane, Collingwood

0 x Hawthorn, Adelaide, Geelong, Bulldogs, Melbourne, GWS

North fans should stop complaining. There are those of us worse off on the all important failed to kick over half your opponents score ladder, a lot worse off.

Essendon will overtake the Roos as well as they desperately search for something to offer Eagles for Harley Reid.

 

[PowerfulPies2023]

Will win the world cup

 

[aussierulesrules]

North only exist because of the AFL. Be happy that they're able to keep you afloat, because your club would fold within months without them.

The AFL wouldn’t own the billion dollar asset that is Marvel Stadium if it wasn’t for the tenant clubs like North who have played their home games there for a pittance for 25 years.

You’re welcome.

 

[aussierulesrules]

The AFL certainly look like they’ve screwed North over with their draw this year.

Despite making finals for the last two years, Carlton have now played 6 games against the bottom 4 teams, while North after 19 games have played just 3- despite finishing 2nd-last last year!- and Carlton have played 7 against the bottom 5, with North still just the 3.

A team like North who are trying to get off the canvas need plenty of games against the weaker teams, and just 3 against the bottom 5 teams from 19 games isn’t exactly giving them much chance of doing so.

And only 1 of those 3 was at one of their home grounds.

1 game against a bottom 5 team on their home ground/s from 19 games.

If they’d had Carlton’s draw so far they’d probably be with 2 points of Carlton’s win tally.

 

[PerthBoy86]

Until the mid 2010s North were always a competitive middle of the road side.. they won their first 9 games in 2016 after making 2 prelims in a row.

I guess they changed strategy after that from being a workman like team to rebuilding and hopefully swing up and get a flag... that upswing just hasn't happened in the last 10 years

Four sides that were successful in the 90s - Essendon, North, Carlton, Adelaide - have languished since the early 2000s for the most part.

 

[largebus]

Four sides that were successful in the 90s - Essendon, North, Carlton, Adelaide - have languished since the early 2000s for the most part.

Crows have only been bad for an extended period since the camp.
They made the finals 8 times from 2001 to 2010 but never got it done in September

 

[PerthBoy86]

Crows have only been bad for an extended period since the camp.
They made the finals 8 times from 2001 to 2010 but never got it done in September

True, both SA teams have been fairly competitive without winning a flag in 21-27 years.

 

[Jane Doe]

Clarkson was struggling in his last few years at Hawthorn, add the racism saga over the last few years and the fire in him has gone completely out