Analysis Rick's Analysis (The Shinboner)

[Roadrunner]

The season is almost over. Rick with your intuition, how can this team significant improve in 2026?

 

[Rick18]

The season is almost over. Rick with your intuition, how can this team significant improve in 2026?

I think it's one of those situations that's simple in theory, hard to solve in practice.

For the Geelong post, I kind of laid out how the last two seasons have gone in a similar cycle: start expansively on offence but defence looks no good, wind back the offence to very basic stuff to improve the defence and that brings relative improvement, then try to open the offence up to something more fruitful long term and the defence breaks down deluxe again.

(All the words in proper format here: https://theshinboner.com/2025/07/27...v-geelong-structure-style-game-plan-clarkson/)

Fix it by actually figuring out what's stopping the offensive and defensive play looking merely AFL standard at the same time (is it players, is it coaching, is it more one than the other, is it both) and honestly I think things improve really quickly.

It's just easier said than done, that's all.

 

[Rick18]

Righto, Richmond post is up:

Records and handballs: Round 23, 2025 v Richmond

Thankfully, North Melbourne’s last game in Hobart for 2025 went much better than their last game in Hobart for 2024.

theshinboner.com

Pretty simple one: when there's a 48-point win and a 54-disposal game, the two topics are how North were able to win by 48 points and how Harry Sheezel was able to get 54 disposals. Nice and straight forward.

 

[ferball]

Excellent use of the word egregious.

 

[Rick18]

We made it, the last match review piece of the season is up:

One last game: Round 24, 2025 v Adelaide

Today’s post will juggle between three different tasks, covering small and big picture items.

theshinboner.com

It's a long one, so here's the summary in picture form to save some words.

 

[Hearts to hearts]

We made it, the last match review piece of the season is up:

One last game: Round 24, 2025 v Adelaide

Today’s post will juggle between three different tasks, covering small and big picture items.

theshinboner.com

It's a long one, so here's the summary in picture form to save some words.

View attachment 2405051

Thanks so much for all these reviews, Rick - you’ve provided perspective so many weeks when it was hard for most of us to find.

 

[Merlin007]

We made it, the last match review piece of the season is up:

One last game: Round 24, 2025 v Adelaide

Today’s post will juggle between three different tasks, covering small and big picture items.

theshinboner.com

It's a long one, so here's the summary in picture form to save some words.

View attachment 2405051

thanks for your work Rick. I'm only a base rate contributor, but very much enjoy reading your blog after a game - a dispassionate, non-hysterical analysis is a relief. I agree the season only deserves a bare pass mark - hopefully the progress of a young list makes for bigger strides next year

 

[Gasometer]

We made it, the last match review piece of the season is up:

One last game: Round 24, 2025 v Adelaide

Today’s post will juggle between three different tasks, covering small and big picture items.

theshinboner.com

It's a long one, so here's the summary in picture form to save some words.

View attachment 2405051

As always great read.

The question is do the Coaches see the need for retooling of the Game Plan?

Only time will tell

Thanks for all the posts Rick!

 

[Whippet1]

Thanks for the excellent analyses this season Rick. From a traumatised supporter perspective, it’s about the only game review I can bring myself to read after yet another predictable loss.

 

[shimaburnsgrieg]

We made it, the last match review piece of the season is up:

One last game: Round 24, 2025 v Adelaide

Today’s post will juggle between three different tasks, covering small and big picture items.

theshinboner.com

It's a long one, so here's the summary in picture form to save some words.

View attachment 2405051

That is a very good review of the year and set's the areas where we need to work on to see any meaningful improvement in 2026.

 

[Onihr]

Thanks for your insights again this year Rick18 .

Always articulate and on the money.

This last piece hits a chord directly with me, biggest problem we have in my book. We have the talent, and sometimes the hunger. But collective dumbness through the mid field when defending is the biggest thing we need to correct (IMO). Not just when the ball is in dispute, but just being switched on to position smartly in readiness when we have it in our forward line.

Every team seams to be able to cut us up through the middle at stages. A year or two ago I would say we couldn't stop quality players at clearances (like Bont) mainly due to size, and I just couldn't see anything we could do to change it. But we seems to be able to address that now if we are switched on with better positioning (and with growing bodies). Right now we can't stop the overlap run through the square from the opposition and I don't know how we will address it without a heavy overhaul of our strategies - smarter heads than mine are there to figure that out I suppose.

Hoping you get a bit of a break post September.

 

[Harvey Manfrenjensenden]

No rush Rick but hurry up.

 

[Rick18]

At a time where I'm sure nearly everyone is asleep, we are live:

Away we go again: Round 1, 2026 v Port Adelaide

Right, another year. A year with different expectations than the last few, to be sure.

theshinboner.com

A lot of it is setting the scene using yesterday, but the two most important things:

• A couple notes of caution on Sunday's process (mainly because of Port's level)
• A couple notes of optimism on Sunday's process

 

[Luke72]

At a time where I'm sure nearly everyone is asleep, we are live:

Away we go again: Round 1, 2026 v Port Adelaide

Right, another year. A year with different expectations than the last few, to be sure.

theshinboner.com

A lot of it is setting the scene using yesterday, but the two most important things:

• A couple notes of caution on Sunday's process (mainly because of Port's level)
• A couple notes of optimism on Sunday's process

Great work as always Rick. I loved Trembath’s game, also how seamlessly Blamires has slotted into the mix.

 

[ferball]

Cheers Rick. Great work. (As usual.)

 

[MrBlueandWhite]

As a general feeling I got from watching the game, it seemed like we got burnt less with turnover. Last year I would often wonder why some teams can make mistakes and it wouldn't cost them, but with North any mistake would often lead to opposition goal.

Do you believe this is due to an improved overall defensive structure or improvements in personnel or did this come down to Port not pressing up high? I'm wondering if this will be an anomaly or something to look forward to this year

 

[ferball]

As a general feeling I got from watching the game, it seemed like we got burnt less with turnover. Last year I would often wonder why some teams can make mistakes and it wouldn't cost them, but with North any mistake would often lead to opposition goal.

Do you believe this is due to an improved overall defensive structure or improvements in personnel or did this come down to Port not pressing up high? I'm wondering if this will be an anomaly or something to look forward to this year

We made a few less mistakes I think.

 

[Rick18]

Today's post is very long, and it's very late, and I have a full day of work tomorrow (today):

Playing on the opposition’s terms: Round 2, 2026 v West Coast

There are an ungodly number of topics to get to today. Let’s try our best to hit all of them.

theshinboner.com

If I have more time during the week I'll get more granular with a few things but the top line summary of what to read in the link:

 

[ferball]

Yeo, the new guy and Devon Robertson ripped us apart with ground ball gets.

Just wanted it more.

 

[Moti]

Good write up. No idea what Port were thinking last week, but my fears for that game came true for this one.

 

[Only Forwards]

I fear that what west coast showed was how easily we can be beaten should the opposition choose to set up in a similar way.

I know in the article you say this may not be a huge issue for three out of four weeks but we’re up against a sides and coaches who will desperately want wins.
One of the things we know about Brad because we watched him for a decade is he occasionally hits a game with a pretty specific plan to defeat the other side. I can think of multiple instances where he did this with us. I expect to face exactly that this week and West Coast have given them a clear blueprint.

 

[PokerRoo]

I fear that what west coast showed was how easily we can be beaten should the opposition choose to set up in a similar way.

I know in the article you say this may not be a huge issue for three out of four weeks but we’re up against a sides and coaches who will desperately want wins.
One of the things we know about Brad because we watched him for a decade is he occasionally hits a game with a pretty specific plan to defeat the other side. I can think of multiple instances where he did this with us. I expect to face exactly that this week and West Coast have given them a clear blueprint.

Our saving grace is that to play that way requires you to work your arse off and have total buy in to the coaches message. Not sure Bard has that at the moment. In fact, if the Essendon players really want him gone, they will turn up their toes this week. If we beat them easily then Bard is gorn.

 

[Luke72]

Yeo, the new guy and Devon Robertson ripped us apart with ground ball gets.

Just wanted it more.

Harley Reid acted like a jerk and intimidated our guys. He lifted their whole team.

 

[Cool Kangas]

Our saving grace is that to play that way requires you to work your arse off and have total buy in to the coaches message. Not sure Bard has that at the moment. In fact, if the Essendon players really want him gone, they will turn up their toes this week. If we beat them easily then Bard is gorn.

Oh they’ll show up all right because they’re playing us.

 

[zoomba23]

Nate7 retrospective Rising Star nom multiplier?