Preview Rd17 2019: Changes/pre-match discussion vs the *Scum

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I reckon if we're winning the midfield battle, Curtis could find himself on the end of some easy goals.

Kid is quick and smart and gets in the right spots.
 

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MARK ROBINSON
There’s been a history of bad blood between Essendon and North Melbourne

The Shinboner spirit has returned under Rhyce Shaw, reviving the days when the Kangaroos were the toughest team in the comp and at a time when their rivalry against Essendon was at its most fierce, writes Mark Robinson.
Mark Robinson, Herald Sun
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an hour ago



It was a memorable for many reasons.
North Melbourne under coach Denis Pagan had beaten up Kevin Sheedy’s Essendon for several years, the most infamous moment coming when Micky Martyn dragged James Hird for 20m by the collar inside the Essendon forward line.

That was in Round 14, 1998, and an infuriated Sheedy declared post-match: “That will never happen again at this football club.”


They were a fearsome mob, these Kangaroos.
Former player Dean Laidley said this week the '96 Kangaroos premiership team was the toughest team he had played in.

“There was skill among each other, but gee it was tough,” he said.

Dustin Fletcher vividly recalls the Martyn-Hird incident.

“Sheeds made us watch it over and over,” Fletcher said.

“I remember that one as clear as day.”

Dean Wallis and Dustin Fletcher gang tackle Wayne Carey during a match in 1999.
Dean Wallis and Dustin Fletcher gang tackle Wayne Carey during a match in 1999.

If Essendon were ever going top the Kangas, they had to be tougher and more willing than their opponents.

The next year, in Round 17, 1999, Sheedy had a barbarous plan: “Let’s go after Wayne Carey like North Melbourne went after Hird.”

Legend has it Sheedy summonsed his attack dogs in Dean Wallis, Dean Solomon, Paul Barnard and Barry Young and told them to harass Carey.

To push and bump and get it in the face of the champ. It did and didn't work.

The Bombers won by 26 points. But Carey kicked 10.5.

Sheedy said post-match they wouldn’t be poking that bear again.

Fast forward 20 years and the Kangaroos can lay claim to be the toughest teams in the competition once more.

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Herald Sun colleague Mick McGuane asked if the Bombers could match that aggression — or at least deal with it — at Marvel Stadium on Saturday.
Dermott Brereton says it will be a hell of a task.

“They are incredibly tough, they play to their strengths, they are just brutal,” he said of Rhyce Shaw’s team.

“Jack Ziebell has gone back to playing real brutal footy.

“When he ran into Hunter Clark last week, he knew exactly what he was doing. He went over the line of the ball to take Clark with him. He did it legally, but his No.1 objective was to put punishment on the St Kilda body opposite him.

“He made a choice to play brutal footy.”

The Shinboner spirit has returned under Rhyce Shaw. Picture: Getty Images
The Shinboner spirit has returned under Rhyce Shaw. Picture: Getty Images

Like everyone, Brereton is impressed with Shaw. He says Shaw coaches an effective “simplistic style”.

“They play the narrow side of the ground predominantly, they’ll always kick to the loose man if they can, they will centre up and take it through the corridor if they can, but they are low-risk, high-intensity at the contest.

“To be blunt about it, their best players are those players who create trauma, Cunnington and Ziebell.”

Brereton listed Jed Anderson, Cameron Zurhaar, Trent Dumont, Marley Williams, Scotty Thompson and Luke McDonald as liking to “ping in”.

“Last week, even Mason Wood levelled a player in a tackle,” he said.

“That reminded me of Jarryd Roughead on Dan Hannebery in that Grand Final, same sort of tackle. Now, when has Mason Wood ever, ever decided to tackle like that?”

Essendon coach Kevin Sheedy hatched a plan to go after Wayne Carey.
Essendon coach Kevin Sheedy hatched a plan to go after Wayne Carey.

Essendon and North Melbourne don’t like each other.
So much so, there’s some people at North Melbourne who refuse to say the word Essendon?
They call them “the other team”.
The disdain from the working-class suburb of North Melbourne for the well-to-do who lived up Mount Alexander Rd has long resided in North Melbourne’s heritage.

In 1896, the Bombers had North Melbourne excluded from the new competition, the VFL, successfully arguing two teams weren’t needed from the inner north-west corridor.

The Kangas were eventually admitted in 1925.
As neighbours, it wasn’t very neighbourly from the Bombers.
Ben Cunnington grabs Jake Stringer’s jumper in Round 5 at Marvel Stadium, a match which the Bombers won by 58 points. Picture: Getty Images
Ben Cunnington grabs Jake Stringer’s jumper in Round 5 at Marvel Stadium, a match which the Bombers won by 58 points. Picture: Getty Images

People outside of North Melbourne probably don't care about the club’s hatred of Essendon, and that’s because they’re not North Melbourne people.

The same people probably don't care about the “Shinboner” spirit either, and that’s because they don’t understand it.

In the brief period under Shaw, the Shinboner attitude is very much alive and flourishing.

He’s unlocked the spirit underpinning performance and it’s why, when John Longmire rejects North’s overtures to coach the team in 2020, which is widely anticipated, Shaw will be installed as the full-time senior coach.

He gets it Rhyce, or has one insider said this week, has the Shinboner spirit got him?

Whatever the case, it's becoming increasingly likely there won't be a “process” to look a for new coach.
Because the new coach is already there.

“They have all grown a leg under Rhyce Shaw,” Brereton said.

“He's done nothing wrong.”
He says there’s style, strategy and toughness in football.

“You need toughness,” he said.

“Ability is king, your ability to play the game is king, but when there’s two players with the same ability, which one wins the contest? The tougher, the harder, the nastier, the one who creates more carnage for his team.

“There are very few premiership teams ever that you look at and say, they were softish.”

There’s always been a fierce rivalry between North Melbourne and Essendon. Roos coach Ron Barassi and Bombers coach Des Tuddenham clash at Arden St in 1973.
There’s always been a fierce rivalry between North Melbourne and Essendon. Roos coach Ron Barassi and Bombers coach Des Tuddenham clash at Arden St in 1973.

Ahead of Saturday’s game, Essendon is ninth on the ladder with 32 points and North Melbourne is 10th with 28 points.

The Bombers have won the past three matches against the Kangaroos by 58, 17 and 27 points, their speed a telling factor.

Operation Wayne Carey 20 years ago might be supplanted by Operation Half-back, with North sure to put energy into Adam Saad and Conor McKenna, and bodies into Zach Merrett, Andy McGrath and Dylan Shiel.

Essendon's confidence has grown after two gritty wins over Greater Western Sydney and Sydney in their past two matches.

“You’d have to say North are favourites today,” Fletcher said.

“Essendon has been winning, they haven't been great games, but they have been great wins. They’ve been tight and they've been reasonably tough.

“There's no doubt this is a big one for the Bombers.”
 

McGuane: Is Essendon tough enough to handle North Melbourne?

It’s been a long time since a meek North Melbourne was smashed by Essendon on Good Friday. With a new coach and newfound toughness, the Roos will throw everything at the Bombers. Can they handle it?
Mick McGuane, Herald Sun
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July 12, 2019 9:53am



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Saturday’s clash between Essendon and North Melbourne will be anything but a “marshmallow” game.

Twenty one years since Kangaroos supporters threw the chewy confectionary at Bombers coach Kevin Sheedy — after he labelled the Kangaroos soft — we’re going to see a hard, tough contest that means so much to both teams.

If you had have said that after Essendon obliterated North Melbourne on Good Friday, you might have been labelled mad.

But the Kangaroos have resurrected their season, thanks to caretaker coach Rhyce Shaw, who has won four of his five games at the helm, including victories over Richmond and Collingwood.
Can David Zaharakis and the Bombers handle the heat against the Roos? Picture: Getty Images
Can David Zaharakis and the Bombers handle the heat against the Roos? Picture: Getty Images

Shaw referenced the 58-point Good Friday drubbing a few times in his press conference this week, so he has gone to school on what the Bombers did, and will demand his team maintains their pressure.

If they can win on Saturday, the Kangaroos will keep their finals hopes alive.
If I were in charge, I'd be appointing Shaw as the long-term coach of the North Melbourne Football Club.

Mick McGuane says Rhyce Shaw has shown he should be the long-term coach of North Melbourne. Picture: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images.
Mick McGuane says Rhyce Shaw has shown he should be the long-term coach of North Melbourne. Picture: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images.

PRESSURE POINTS
Watching Essendon train at the Hangar on Wednesday, it was evident its players were instructed to bring pressure and intensity at the contest.

It was interesting seeing one team act as “Essendon” and another as “North”, as they tried to incorporate what the Kangaroos have added to their game style under Shaw.

Clearly North's new-found pressure gauge hasn't been lost on John Worsfold. He wants his team to know what is coming their way.

Coaches can illustrate what the opposition is doing in whiteboard sessions and through vision, but players fast-track their development and retain information better when they see it in operation.
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LINE BALL
At training, the Bombers were trying to replicate the long, kicking down-the-line game Shaw has introduced.
The Roos are playing a direct brand with a heavy influence of pressure, contest and gaining territory.
From Round 11 to now, the Roos are kicking longer than any other team.
They are prepared to kick long down the line and trust their three “tall” forwards — Ben Brown, Mason Wood and Nick Larkey.
In the past, they have been too reliant on Brown.
Being predictable breeds belief. The team knows that whatever happens, there will at least be a strong contest.
North can win the ball down the line, but if they don't, their mids know they must get to the fall of the ball in full knowledge of where it is going.
North Melbourne has been prepared to kick long to its key targets Ben Brown and Nick Larkey. Picture: Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images.
North Melbourne has been prepared to kick long to its key targets Ben Brown and Nick Larkey. Picture: Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images.

SHAW SCORE
North Melbourne is scoring heavily under Shaw's coaching, averaging 92 points — third in the competition since he took over.
But there is still room for improvement.
The Kangaroos are gaining good territory — their inside-50s are high at 58, which is third since Round 11 — but only rank ninth (42.8 per cent) for scoring efficiency once the ball is in attack.
But if they can narrow their focus and become a more efficient team, they will be even harder to beat.
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TURNOVER GAME

North’s turnover game is built on immense pressure.
They are scoring a competition-high 58.6 points from turnovers.
Under Shaw, the points differential from turnovers is 28.6, which means the average points against them from turnovers is 30.
Not only are they creating turnovers, they are also generating scores from turnovers.
They are also hard to score against.
Their forward half game is good — ranked third for inside 50s — meaning they give their forwards a chance.
But they are also drying up opposition inside 50s, conceding 44.8 per game, ranked first in the AFL.
The Bombers have been developing their territory game.
Essendon has to beat North at the source tomorrow through its midfield group — taking on the likes of Ben Cunnington, Jack Ziebell, Jed Anderson and Jy Simpkin — to win the territory battle.
This will give the Bombers a chance to get their forward-half scoring going.
Zac Clarke faces a huge task this week to stop in-form North Melbourne ruckman Todd Goldstein. Picture: Justin Benson-Cooper.
Zac Clarke faces a huge task this week to stop in-form North Melbourne ruckman Todd Goldstein. Picture: Justin Benson-Cooper.

CAPTAIN SPEAKING
There have been a number of spikes in performance since Shaw took over — think Simpkin, Tarryn Thomas and Cameron Zurhaar — but none more so than Ziebell.

He has gone from a SuperCoach ranking of 82 in the first 10 rounds, to 114 in past five games.
He has been reinvigorated by spending more time on the ball.

In recent matches, North’s four-man leadership group has been reduced to two on game day, with Ziebell and Robbie Tarrant doing great work.

This has also helped develop the youngsters.
The Roos have had four Rising Star nominations — Bailey Scott (now injured), Zurhaar, Thomas and Larkey.

Simpkin has taken the new responsibility and run with it, while Sam Durdin has helped out in the key defensive post. The list profile is looking good.


BACK ZAC
Bomber tall Zac Clarke has a massive task this week against Todd Goldstein, and it might be his last chance to keep his AFL career alive.

With Tom Bellchambers out injured, Worsfold has pinned his faith in the former Docker, who has struggled in four games this year.

I would be saying to him: “Zac, what do you stand for? We need you to be aggressive, strong at stoppages to give us first look at the footy because if we can’t nullify Goldstein’s ruck connection to his midfielders, it puts us on the backfoot.”
It's time to stand and deliver.

Clarke will have help on Saturday from Shaun McKernan and Cale Hooker, but sometimes you have got to help yourself.
 
Apr 24, 2013
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"Watching Essendon train at the Hangar on Wednesday, it was evident its players were instructed to bring pressure and intensity at the contest.

It was interesting seeing one team act as “Essendon” and another as “North”, as they tried to incorporate what the Kangaroos have added to their game style under Shaw.

Clearly North's new-found pressure gauge hasn't been lost on John Worsfold. He wants his team to know what is coming their way."


:D

Worsfold is basically conceding that his team is soft.
 
"Watching Essendon train at the Hangar on Wednesday, it was evident its players were instructed to bring pressure and intensity at the contest.

It was interesting seeing one team act as “Essendon” and another as “North”, as they tried to incorporate what the Kangaroos have added to their game style under Shaw.

Clearly North's new-found pressure gauge hasn't been lost on John Worsfold. He wants his team to know what is coming their way."


:D

Worsfold is basically conceding that his team is soft.
Smells like fear.
 
Apr 24, 2013
81,024
153,170
Arden Street Hill
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North Melbourne
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Essendon Lawn Bowls Club
"People outside of North Melbourne probably don't care about the club’s hatred of Essendon, and that’s because they’re not North Melbourne people."

He got that right, there is no "rivalry".

The word rivalry engenders some level of mutual respect.

We despise these pricks. Always have, always will.
 

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Does it give anyone else chills when the media and other teams talk about our toughness.

The thing is I think the players love it more. ;)
 
Does it give anyone else chills when the media and other teams talk about our toughness.

The thing is I think the players love it more. ;)
Yes.

But it needs to be sustained lest we be found out as frauds.
 
"Watching Essendon train at the Hangar on Wednesday, it was evident its players were instructed to bring pressure and intensity at the contest.

It was interesting seeing one team act as “Essendon” and another as “North”, as they tried to incorporate what the Kangaroos have added to their game style under Shaw.

Clearly North's new-found pressure gauge hasn't been lost on John Worsfold. He wants his team to know what is coming their way."


:D

Worsfold is basically conceding that his team is soft.

Essendon players literally trying their hardest to be us.
 
I can't wait until our biggest mongrel comes back in Garner. A forward line of Garner, Zurhaar, Turner Thomas and now Wood with added physicality, it's going to be good to watch.
 
Yes.

But it needs to be sustained lest we be found out as frauds.

That is true but im loving it right here and right nowafter the tripe we've had to watch. This unemotional approach to the game and playing your part is for the tip. You need some emotion in this game. It galvanises groups.
 
That is true but im loving it right here and right nowafter the tripe we've had to watch. This unemotional approach to the game and playing your part is for the tip. You need some emotion in this game. It galvanises groups.
Agree completely.

In my view the season was pretty f***ed from the first quarter of the first game.

I'm not even fussed that finals are a faint hope. If they happen it'll be a hell of a ride. If they don't we've shifted and there is a reawakening.

Honestly I just want to see us smash in every game. Win, lose, whatever, make them earn it always.
 

WayneShimmiesTheBush

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Oct 17, 2018
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i know there has been some heated discussion in this thread regarding the inclusion of jmac, but for me the most frightening thing about this weeks selections is how the %#&$ did hrovat sneak onto the emergencies?
 

Passmore

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Does it give anyone else chills when the media and other teams talk about our toughness.

The thing is I think the players love it more. ;)

It makes ya genuinely excited about footy again. I can’t wait to get to the game tomorrow. It’s been a while since I’ve been this keen. Probably the 2015 finals.
 

Passmore

Brownlow Medallist
May 22, 2001
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The Gasometer Wing
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Norf
i know there has been some heated discussion in this thread regarding the inclusion of jmac, but for me the most frightening thing about this weeks selections is how the %#&$ did hrovat sneak onto the emergencies?

We’re running out of numbers. You could put McKay there, but then you’d have him, Durdin and Campbell as emergencies.
 
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