Game Day North vs Bulldogs. Preseason game 1. Welcome back Maj.

Higgins, Brown, Tarrant, Ziebell and Wood will be a good start.


On iPhone using BigFooty.com mobile app

B7ZtS5B.jpg


Although he meant Polec and not Wood.
 
Jul 11, 2017
3,992
14,313
AFL Club
North Melbourne
This is last year's ladder, which shows that these games don't really matter.

ClubWinsLossesPercentage
Richmond20265.26
Gold Coast20188.73
Sydney20159.46
Melbourne20148.17
Carlton20116.46
GWS11141.53
Fremantle11140.0
Port Adelaide11118.75
Western Bulldogs1194.24
Adelaide1191.06
Collingwood1162.44
Essendon1161.29
West Coast1161.29
Hawthorn0286.63
St Kilda0276.92
Geelong0267.74
Brisbane0256.94
North Melbourne0251.19

That doesn't look right to me, Collingwood went 2-0, Suns went 1-1 and a few other differences in 2019
 
This is last year's ladder, which shows that these games don't really matter.

ClubWinsLossesPercentage
Richmond20265.26
Gold Coast20188.73
Sydney20159.46
Melbourne20148.17
Carlton20116.46
GWS11141.53
Fremantle11140.0
Port Adelaide11118.75
Western Bulldogs1194.24
Adelaide1191.06
Collingwood1162.44
Essendon1161.29
West Coast1161.29
Hawthorn0286.63
St Kilda0276.92
Geelong0267.74
Brisbane0256.94
North Melbourne0251.19

Hmmm so it seems that there were no winners in that First Practice Match we played against the Saints last season. :stern look
 

Johnny99

Club Legend
Sep 15, 2011
1,432
3,087
In a house.
AFL Club
North Melbourne
This is last year's ladder, which shows that these games don't really matter.

ClubWinsLossesPercentage
Richmond20265.26
Gold Coast20188.73
Sydney20159.46
Melbourne20148.17
Carlton20116.46
GWS11141.53
Fremantle11140.0
Port Adelaide11118.75
Western Bulldogs1194.24
Adelaide1191.06
Collingwood1162.44
Essendon1161.29
West Coast1161.29
Hawthorn0286.63
St Kilda0276.92
Geelong0267.74
Brisbane0256.94
North Melbourne0251.19

But after 10 games, we were on the bottom of the ladder and our coach got sacked.
 
Oct 7, 2009
1,191
2,028
The Y Bar
AFL Club
North Melbourne
McDonald seemed to be one player cracking in and having a go. Sure he made some mistakes but I reckon there’s a few others that could learn from his efforts. Dumont and Atley were unsighted for large parts.
And herein lies the problem in my eyes....putrid when cracking in and putrid when not, are still....putrid either way
 
Oct 7, 2009
1,191
2,028
The Y Bar
AFL Club
North Melbourne
Ahern looked fat slow and unfit last night. And to think he has just finished a preseason ?????
And yet he still managed to get 17 touches from the 2nd least minutes on the ground. Our side needs 2 things ATM, speed and skill, he at least provides the skill, we have so many on our list that provide neither.
 

Nutjob

Premiership Player
Oct 23, 2014
3,075
5,258
AFL Club
North Melbourne
I think we might be writing us off after 2 hours plus the previous 10 years

That same 10 years we had the same inadequate coach? (And still made 2 prelims)

Did you watch the second half of last year?

New coach, new regime, clean slate.

Anyone judging a complete reformed coaching and football department off 2 hours of footy should be checked in for an evaluation.


Sent from my iPhone using BigFooty.com
 
Agree with those that have said that it's difficult to know exactly how much to take away from this game, despite the fact that 'hand wringing' seems to be the default position that many have taken. As is so often the case, I'd say the truth lies somewhere between the 'we're screwed' and the 'she'll be right, mate' camps.

For starters, IMO the promising showing from the noobs in the side should be right up front in any discussion of last night's game. Great exposure and, for the most part, they performed well and took advantage of the opportunity presented to them. Big plus.

Game time into Maj - tick.

Of all the stuff that sucked about last night's game, obviously it's important to identify which of those things fit into the 'expect improvement in the short term' category, and the things that will take a little longer to sort out. Just in the interests of tempering one's angst and setting realistic expectations for the season ahead.

We were missing key players. Guys that are integral to our structure and overall success as a footy side. That made a significant difference. Structure-wise we were a dog's breakfast. So in the short-term you'd expect to see a much better balanced and better structured side on the park, and the significant improvement that will come with that.

A degree of experimentation being employed in the coaches box that you wouldn't normally see in the real stuff....the fact that we're not about to show all our cards game plan-wise prior to the season proper....these things likewise present as mitigating factors. Western fielded a side that was much closer to their 'best 22' make-up. There's more stuff I could add but no-one will read this post if I crap on for too long. Needless to say, this is not the sort of game to be taken purely at face value.

Also just on a side note, while it's one thing to have some concerns about the team's prospects, writing off individual players after the first pre-season game is a little on the unhinged side. Just saying.

By the same token, I'm not suggesting it's all roses down at Arden Street. The skills are my big concern. I'm fully appreciative of the fact that, after many years of poor skills, things aren't going to change overnight in that respect. However, coming fresh off a pre-season where apparently skill work was something of a focus, I don't think it's unreasonable to expect a better level of execution than the amateurish dross we were served up in last night's game. The players and the team in general may have been keeping their powder dry on certain fronts, but they sure as s**t weren't missing targets on purpose. As a few people have said, the challenge for Shawry - in the short term - is to work out a gameplan that addresses and dilutes these shortcomings.

But yeah, generally speaking I wouldn't be getting too overwrought just yet.

Tl;dr?
Don't be so goddamn lazy. (Double meaning alert.)
 
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