North VFL 2020

[Firestarter]

Saw the boys training the other night. I'd gone for a swim after work, these blokes were out training after work.

Thing that stood out was just how good Nathan Hrovat still is, skills and positioning and fitness wise.

Its like that Simpsons episode where they cast for Fallout Boy.

"Nathan Hrovat, you're a starting centre square midfielder for any team in the comp ... that's what I'd be saying if you were four inches taller and two yards quicker".

The what episode where they what now?
............ ohhhhhhhhh. Thought it was another modern celebrity reference. **** I'm jaded. Jiminy jillickers.

 

[The Nostradamus]

Hrovat I’m assuming will captain the side next year with whitecross moving into coaching only

Box hill just signed lids, there are plenty of recently retired or delisted players we should be trying to add especially with the exodous of vfl experience

 

[giantroo]

 

[giantroo]

Anyone recognise some of the vfl players?

 

[giantroo]

North Melbourne VFL coach David Loader says 2020 will provide a perfect opportunity for some emerging youngsters to take the next step in their development.

With a number of experienced heads departing the VFL list, the onus will be on youth next season.

“The younger group that have been with us for a couple of years now get the opportunity to show they’re good enough to play at this level,” Loader told North Media.

“There’s an opportunity for guys who have been middle-of-the-road players at state level to step up and become really good players in their own right.”

With players such as Cameron Zurhaar, Nick Larkey and Sam Durdin graduating to the AFL from the VFL last season, Loader is excited about the prospects of the next crop of youngsters coming through.

“We’re trying to align really well with the AFL boys and have a collaborative approach, trying to achieve everything we can in both teams,” he said.

“Rhyce (Shaw) wants us to be super-aligned. It assists our AFL boys, and our VFL guys as well, as they know exactly what they need to fit in.”

2020 will be North Melbourne’s third season as a standalone team in the VFL, and Loader believes there are plenty of lessons to be learned.

“Setting up a new team has been a really big learning curve for us,” he said.

“We’ll change it a little bit from what we’ve done in previous years, but hopefully we take some positives from what we’ve done already.”

Consistency in performance and on-field success has proven a challenge over the past two seasons, with the Roos finishing 10th in 2018, and 13th in 2019.

But Loader is confident that as players begin to develop, winning will take care of itself.

“Everyone likes to win. The players want to win, the coaches want to win,” he said.

“But that’s almost a by-product of what we’re trying to do, and that’s developing guys that we think can play AFL football.

“You want to create a winning culture, there’s no doubt about it, but our focus is on how many guys we can get from the state level to AFL football.”

Loader himself has taken on a bigger role so far in the pre-season, as a part of the recent coaching re-structure.

“There’s been a bit of change this year so it’s all hands on deck trying to improve the group,” he added.

“At VFL level, we now have our (AFL) development coaches coaching, and the part-time structure we had has changed.

“On game day they will now have AFL line coaches there, and we hope to get a spike out of that.”

 

[Kimbo]

The guy sends me to sleep.

 

[Gorman2Geister]

Just thinking that the impact of the various contract pay outs has been felt most by our VFL salary budget given the departures of Holmes, Jansen, Rippon et al.

 

[Pykie]

Anyone recognise some of the vfl players?

One almost looked like Will Fordham.

 

[rickety]

Anyone recognise some of the vfl players?

Ty Leonardis is still there, Dan Robinson I think, Hodge too

 

[Snake_Baker]

“We’re trying to align really well with the AFL boys and have a collaborative approach, trying to achieve everything we can in both teams,” he said.

Translation: We'll be treating the VFL as training drills again this year.

 

[Horizons_00]

The guy sends me to sleep.

he is so boring

 

[roos_fanatic08]

Just thinking that the impact of the various contract pay outs has been felt most by our VFL salary budget given the departures of Holmes, Jansen, Rippon et al.

more to do with Loader from what I’m lead to believe.

 

[TennisPlayerAndy]

he is so boring

He’s as captivating as a five kilogram bag of fertilizer.

 

[roos_fanatic08]

If we are going to go into the season with our b side and a whole heap of young developing kids. Expect us to finish bottom 2, especially if we don’t got out and actively recruit a few decent talls and a couple decent VFL standard midfielders

 

[Horizons_00]

If we are going to go into the season with our b side and a whole heap of young developing kids. Expect us to finish bottom 2, especially if we don’t got out and actively recruit a few decent talls and a couple decent VFL standard midfielders

As I’ve said before, without having depth in the VFL who are winning games and becoming successful we are going to struggle as a whole

We have to cater for potential injuries or out of form players

 

[Pykie]

If we are going to go into the season with our b side and a whole heap of young developing kids. Expect us to finish bottom 2, especially if we don’t got out and actively recruit a few decent talls and a couple decent VFL standard midfielders

I don't think it will be as bad as last year.

The underbelly of our experienced backup was out for most of the last 2 years. Most of them have been engine room types as well.

Not what they were recruited for, but Hall, and Tyson are probably the key's to our VFL side next year. Even if they are playing AFL it pushes back an experienced mid into that side.

You can add Jacobs to that list as well. Because it means probably one of Anderson/Jacobs play in the VFL each week.


Jacobs, Hall and Tyson should absolutely murder the league.

If Jacobs comes back into the AFL fold after a few matches, the same can be said for Anderson/LDU

I think you will find Bailey Scott will be in the same boat, he's going to be a 25+ accumulator at VFL level when there. The same with Walker if played through the middle. If Scott is in the AFL side, it just means that Simpkin, LDU or Dumont is there, there same is relevant for them.


Hall, Tyson, Jacobs/Anderson, Walker, Bonar, Scott, EVW probably makes us a 10 goal better side. You probably can't play all of Williams, Pittard, McDonald, EVW and MacMillan in the AFL. At least 2 of those will be in the VFL each week. Which makes our backline a lot more formidable at that level. At least 2 of those players were injured for all of last year, so we lost that opportunity.


The key to the Bulldogs and Richmond isn't their VFL players, it's the likes of Townsend, Coleman-Jones, Naish, Menadue & Wallis, Williams, Young, West being consistently on the park and consistent at that level.


We've been too reliant on development types and rookie list players (Zurhaar, McKay, Morgan, Hayden, Murphy, Xerri) carrying the load because of all the injuries to those more senior types that should be carrying the VFL side if available (Garner, Jacobs, Anderson, EVW, Tyson etc).

Hosie will win the Frosty Miller if he doesn't displace Wood next year, he's too good for the level and that was with the worst midfield supply in the league at times. Campbell is arguably the best player in that comp. We have the ammunition if we can get the support crew around them fit and healthy.

Hrovat is a great player to retain at the level, better than Morgan as an example and we will be adding 4 new AFL listed players to that side with potentially one of them being a mature age type (Walker/JJ).


I expect a big improvement next year with a better injury list.

 

[the flying ham]

I don't think it will be as bad as last year.

The underbelly of our experienced backup was out for most of the last 2 years. Most of them have been engine room types as well.

Not what they were recruited for, but Hall, and Tyson are probably the key's to our VFL side next year. Even if they are playing AFL it pushes back an experienced mid into that side.

You can add Jacobs to that list as well. Because it means probably one of Anderson/Jacobs play in the VFL each week.


Jacobs, Hall and Tyson should absolutely murder the league.

If Jacobs comes back into the AFL fold after a few matches, the same can be said for Anderson/LDU

I think you will find Bailey Scott will be in the same boat, he's going to be a 25+ accumulator at VFL level when there. The same with Walker if played through the middle. If Scott is in the AFL side, it just means that Simpkin, LDU or Dumont is there, there same is relevant for them.


Hall, Tyson, Jacobs/Anderson, Walker, Bonar, Scott, EVW probably makes us a 10 goal better side. You probably can't play all of Williams, Pittard, McDonald, EVW and MacMillan in the AFL. At least 2 of those will be in the VFL each week. Which makes our backline a lot more formidable at that level. At least 2 of those players were injured for all of last year, so we lost that opportunity.


The key to the Bulldogs and Richmond isn't their VFL players, it's the likes of Townsend, Coleman-Jones, Naish, Menadue & Wallis, Williams, Young, West being consistently on the park and consistent at that level.


We've been too reliant on development types and rookie list players (Zurhaar, McKay, Morgan, Hayden, Murphy, Xerri) carrying the load because of all the injuries to those more senior types that should be carrying the VFL side if available (Garner, Jacobs, Anderson, EVW, Tyson etc).

Hosie will win the Frosty Miller if he doesn't displace Wood next year, he's too good for the level and that was with the worst midfield supply in the league at times. Campbell is arguably the best player in that comp. We have the ammunition if we can get the support crew around them fit and healthy.

Hrovat is a great player to retain at the level, better than Morgan as an example and we will be adding 4 new AFL listed players to that side with potentially one of them being a mature age type (Walker/JJ).


I expect a big improvement next year with a better injury list.

Well bloody said pykie

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[Pykie]

The following are mids/half forwards/half backs on the AFL list (discounting anyone we draft in 2 weeks):

Based on our last few games, you can fit around 15 of these types in the side. I've split them up into locks and then next likely, below the line are leftovers for VFL selection in a full health scenario.

Below the line is a fairly handy group if we can just get the majority of the list on the park! that's excluding the key types like Campbell, McKay, Xerri, Hosie.


Cunnington
Higgins
Ziebell
Polec
Dumont
Atley
Zurhaar
Thomas
Simpkin

Ahern
Williams
Pittard
MacMillan
LDU
Garner

-----------------------------------------------
Anderson
McDonald
Hall
Tyson
Bonar
Scott
Walker
EVW
Hayden
Jacobs
Murphy
Taylor
Crocker

 

[King Corey]

Weird video. "Everyone wants to win" then lists every caveat about not winning.

 

[Firestarter]

Loader by name, Load by nature. Developing players to win at VFL level should be instrumental to developing to win at AFL level, shouldn't it?

 

[the flying ham]

Loader by name, Load by nature. Developing players to win at VFL level should be instrumental to developing to win at AFL level, shouldn't it?

If the bulk of the list is injured, you won't win. At any level.

Further to that, Larkey & Zurhaar both come through the VFL, didn't win a heap of games. Seem to have developed still.

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[Snake_Baker]

Loader by name, Load by nature. Developing players to win at VFL level should be instrumental to developing to win at AFL level, shouldn't it?

Yep, I am not doubting Loader has ability.

I'm just resigned to the VFL being a training group, as it really should be, even though that probably makes for a less interesting spectacle.

I'd REALLY like to see retiring players pressed in to the VFL to assist the juniors in development.

 

[King Corey]

Loader by name, Load by nature. Developing players to win at VFL level should be instrumental to developing to win at AFL level, shouldn't it?

VFL-AFL correlation over 5 seasons after VFL flag.

2007 Geelong -> 3x AFL flags within next 5 seasons inclusive
2008-10 North Ballarat -> 2x AFL prelim finals for North Melbourne within next 5 seasons
2011 - Port Melbourne - standalone
2012 - Geelong - top 4 appearances within next 5 seasons
2013 Box Hill -> 3x AFL flags within next 5 seasons inclusive
2014 Footscray - 1x AFL flag within next 5 seasons inclusive
2015 Williamstown - standalone
2016 - Footscray - 1x AFL flag within next 5 seasons inclusive
2017 - Port Melbourne - standalone
2018 - Box Hill - top 4 appearance same season, next 5 seasons yet to play out
2019 - Richmond - AFL flag in same season

Every Victorian AFL flag winner this decade (excepting Collingwood -) has had 1+ VFL flags in the same decade. Pretty strong correlation.

Conclusion: blow me Loader

 

[the flying ham]

VFL-AFL correlation over 5 seasons after VFL flag.

2007 Geelong -> 3x AFL flags within next 5 seasons inclusive
2008-10 North Ballarat -> 2x AFL prelim finals for North Melbourne within next 5 seasons
2011 - Port Melbourne - standalone
2012 - Geelong - top 4 appearances within next 5 seasons
2013 Box Hill -> 3x AFL flags within next 5 seasons inclusive
2014 Footscray - 1x AFL flag within next 5 seasons inclusive
2015 Williamstown - standalone
2016 - Footscray - 1x AFL flag within next 5 seasons inclusive
2017 - Port Melbourne - standalone
2018 - Box Hill - top 4 appearance same season, next 5 seasons yet to play out
2019 - Richmond - AFL flag in same season

Every Victorian AFL flag winner this decade (excepting Collingwood -) has had 1+ VFL flags in the same decade. Pretty strong correlation.

Conclusion: blow me Loader

Probably an equally strong correlation to injuries or lack thereof in those premiership years. Probably stronger.

 

[Horizons_00]

VFL-AFL correlation over 5 seasons after VFL flag.

2007 Geelong -> 3x AFL flags within next 5 seasons inclusive
2008-10 North Ballarat -> 2x AFL prelim finals for North Melbourne within next 5 seasons
2011 - Port Melbourne - standalone
2012 - Geelong - top 4 appearances within next 5 seasons
2013 Box Hill -> 3x AFL flags within next 5 seasons inclusive
2014 Footscray - 1x AFL flag within next 5 seasons inclusive
2015 Williamstown - standalone
2016 - Footscray - 1x AFL flag within next 5 seasons inclusive
2017 - Port Melbourne - standalone
2018 - Box Hill - top 4 appearance same season, next 5 seasons yet to play out
2019 - Richmond - AFL flag in same season

Every Victorian AFL flag winner this decade (excepting Collingwood -) has had 1+ VFL flags in the same decade. Pretty strong correlation.

Conclusion: blow me Loader

This is exactly what i have been banging on about! I hated hearing that wins werent the main focus for Loader

Winning culture is crucial for North, PERIOD