Snake_Baker
The one true King of the North
- Apr 24, 2013
- 81,024
- 153,169
- AFL Club
- North Melbourne
- Other Teams
- Essendon Lawn Bowls Club
- Banned
- #1
As we know, a terrible run of injuries in 2016 brought our momentum to a halt and ushered in a radical list change in order to revitalize our push for the next premiership.
The club went out and had a crack at some top line players (Martin, De Goey, Gaff etc.), but fell short, and while this is disappointing I am not critical with the club because of those outcomes. They gave it all, but at the end of the day if a player decides to stay, then there's nothing more we can do about it. Now 3 seasons have passed and it's time to look at what has occurred in the intervening period and where we stand in regards to the next push by focusing on the players still present on the list.
Where are we going to be in ANOTHER 2 years time in regards to the changes made in 2016?
2016
Trades: Marley Williams, Paul Ahern
Draft: Jy Simpkin, Nick Larkey, Cam Zurhaar
Williams has been a brilliant trade and looks set to be a quality small defender for at least another 100+ games.
Larkey has had an extremely promising start to his KPF career (200+ games left).
Zurhaar has surprised many with his rapid climb to be amongst the best mid sized forward prospects in the AFL (200+ games left).
2017
Trades: Nil
Draft: Luke Davies-Uniake, Will Walker, Kyron Hayden, Tristan Xerri
2018
Trades: Jarred Polec, Jasper Pittard, Dom Tyson, Aaron Hall
Draft: Tarryn Thomas, Curtis Taylor, Bailey Scott, Joel Crocker
Polec delivered what was expected, and finished out his 1st season at the club in close to career best form. A BIG plus (120+ games left).
Pittard defied all of the (many) skeptics as a mid sized defender and played close to career best footy (~ 100 games left)
2019
Trades: Aiden Bonar
Draft: Lachlan Hosie, ???????
THE WASHUP
Whilst we can be pleased with the progression of Williams, Larkey, Zurhaar, Polec and Pittard, the damning statistic that jumps off the page is that only one of them is classified as a midfielder.
The MIDFIELDERS are the crucial factor.
Cunnington has been a warrior but gets isolated by taggers at the moment due to a lack of alternatives in the midfield who can take focus away from opposition strategists. Higgins has been magnificent but is approaching 2020 as a 32 year old, and Ziebell is primarily a utility that takes away from the teams strengths around the ground when he gets thrust in to the middle to halt the bleeding. Of course, our situation has been further compounded with the ongoing injury to Jacobs.
I have highlighted the one midfielder who has stepped up (blue) since our rebuild of 2016 was undertaken, and the midfielder/quasi-midfielders which haven't stepped up yet due to age/development or injury (red), and it is this group who I believe are absolutely crucial for the club going forward from this point.
2020 expectations
Simpkin: Just has to step up and show consistency, no more excuses from now on. Hot & cold. Must deliver in 2020. No more teasing Jy.
Ahern: Had his initial injury setbacks, but has had some reasonable continuity since debuting for North. Pace & endurance are real issues and he needs to find more defensive intensity. Must deliver in 2020. No more teasing Paul.
Davies-Uniake: Is a type that was always going to take some time in my opinion. Showing enough to suggest he will be a magnificent long term return. I expect 14 games, 15 disposals, 2.4 clearances and 2.1 tackles in 2019, to lift to 22+ games, 20+ disposals, 4 clearances, 4 tackles, and 1 goal in 2020.
Walker: I have him in my "quasi" mids category, as a winger/high half forward. All going well I would like to see 10+ AFL games @ ~15 disposals, 2-3 tackles and 1.5 goals in 2020.
Hayden: How unlucky is this bloke? Worked his guts out to get a crack, has a very promising start on debut, and then does an achilles. Ben Jacobs heir apparent. If he can get back to the AFL by round 12-15, keep his spot and shut down an opponent, then that will be a satisfactory 2020 outcome.
Tyson: I rate Dom as a bloke who can definitely hold a spot in the midfield rotations and allow Cunnington, LDU & JZ to slip forward. If he can get a good run with injury, I would set the 2020 bar for him at 22-25 disposals, 4-5 clearances and 4-5 tackles.
Hall: Actually the type of player we need to step up the most. Just has to get on the park and get us some meterage. I'd want 22+ games @ 25 disposals, 5-6 inside 50's and 500+ metres a game from Aaron.
Thomas: Another of my quasi-mid bracket, I would expect TT to have more midfield minutes in 2020. If he can raise his stat output to 18+ disposals, ~4 marks, 4-5 tackles, 2.5 clearances and return 25+ goals, then he will have had a satisfactory season.
Scott: Like Hall, Bailey is also the type we need to step up the most going forward, but he has a lack of age and size on his side. His 2019 DE% of 85% is EXACTLY what the doctor ordered for the North midfield. If he can play 22+ games @ ~20 disposals, 3 tackles, 3 inside 50's and 350+ metres whilst maintaining that DE%, then he will have had an excellent 2020.
Bonar: Has had an uninterrupted injury run for a while and showed glimpses at AFL level despite not being able to break in to the elite GWS midfield. I see no reason why we should not expect a similiar output from Aiden as we expect for another class draftee form his same year in LDU (22+ games, 20+ disposals, 4 clearances, 4 tackles, and 1 goal in 2020).
If this group can step up in 2020 then we WILL be playing finals.
If they tread water, then we won't.
If they're still treading water at the end of 2021, then we are in a world of s**t.
BIG year coming up for North in 2020.
The club went out and had a crack at some top line players (Martin, De Goey, Gaff etc.), but fell short, and while this is disappointing I am not critical with the club because of those outcomes. They gave it all, but at the end of the day if a player decides to stay, then there's nothing more we can do about it. Now 3 seasons have passed and it's time to look at what has occurred in the intervening period and where we stand in regards to the next push by focusing on the players still present on the list.
Where are we going to be in ANOTHER 2 years time in regards to the changes made in 2016?
2016
Trades: Marley Williams, Paul Ahern
Draft: Jy Simpkin, Nick Larkey, Cam Zurhaar
Williams has been a brilliant trade and looks set to be a quality small defender for at least another 100+ games.
Larkey has had an extremely promising start to his KPF career (200+ games left).
Zurhaar has surprised many with his rapid climb to be amongst the best mid sized forward prospects in the AFL (200+ games left).
2017
Trades: Nil
Draft: Luke Davies-Uniake, Will Walker, Kyron Hayden, Tristan Xerri
2018
Trades: Jarred Polec, Jasper Pittard, Dom Tyson, Aaron Hall
Draft: Tarryn Thomas, Curtis Taylor, Bailey Scott, Joel Crocker
Polec delivered what was expected, and finished out his 1st season at the club in close to career best form. A BIG plus (120+ games left).
Pittard defied all of the (many) skeptics as a mid sized defender and played close to career best footy (~ 100 games left)
2019
Trades: Aiden Bonar
Draft: Lachlan Hosie, ???????
THE WASHUP
Whilst we can be pleased with the progression of Williams, Larkey, Zurhaar, Polec and Pittard, the damning statistic that jumps off the page is that only one of them is classified as a midfielder.
The MIDFIELDERS are the crucial factor.
Cunnington has been a warrior but gets isolated by taggers at the moment due to a lack of alternatives in the midfield who can take focus away from opposition strategists. Higgins has been magnificent but is approaching 2020 as a 32 year old, and Ziebell is primarily a utility that takes away from the teams strengths around the ground when he gets thrust in to the middle to halt the bleeding. Of course, our situation has been further compounded with the ongoing injury to Jacobs.
I have highlighted the one midfielder who has stepped up (blue) since our rebuild of 2016 was undertaken, and the midfielder/quasi-midfielders which haven't stepped up yet due to age/development or injury (red), and it is this group who I believe are absolutely crucial for the club going forward from this point.
2020 expectations
Simpkin: Just has to step up and show consistency, no more excuses from now on. Hot & cold. Must deliver in 2020. No more teasing Jy.
Ahern: Had his initial injury setbacks, but has had some reasonable continuity since debuting for North. Pace & endurance are real issues and he needs to find more defensive intensity. Must deliver in 2020. No more teasing Paul.
Davies-Uniake: Is a type that was always going to take some time in my opinion. Showing enough to suggest he will be a magnificent long term return. I expect 14 games, 15 disposals, 2.4 clearances and 2.1 tackles in 2019, to lift to 22+ games, 20+ disposals, 4 clearances, 4 tackles, and 1 goal in 2020.
Walker: I have him in my "quasi" mids category, as a winger/high half forward. All going well I would like to see 10+ AFL games @ ~15 disposals, 2-3 tackles and 1.5 goals in 2020.
Hayden: How unlucky is this bloke? Worked his guts out to get a crack, has a very promising start on debut, and then does an achilles. Ben Jacobs heir apparent. If he can get back to the AFL by round 12-15, keep his spot and shut down an opponent, then that will be a satisfactory 2020 outcome.
Tyson: I rate Dom as a bloke who can definitely hold a spot in the midfield rotations and allow Cunnington, LDU & JZ to slip forward. If he can get a good run with injury, I would set the 2020 bar for him at 22-25 disposals, 4-5 clearances and 4-5 tackles.
Hall: Actually the type of player we need to step up the most. Just has to get on the park and get us some meterage. I'd want 22+ games @ 25 disposals, 5-6 inside 50's and 500+ metres a game from Aaron.
Thomas: Another of my quasi-mid bracket, I would expect TT to have more midfield minutes in 2020. If he can raise his stat output to 18+ disposals, ~4 marks, 4-5 tackles, 2.5 clearances and return 25+ goals, then he will have had a satisfactory season.
Scott: Like Hall, Bailey is also the type we need to step up the most going forward, but he has a lack of age and size on his side. His 2019 DE% of 85% is EXACTLY what the doctor ordered for the North midfield. If he can play 22+ games @ ~20 disposals, 3 tackles, 3 inside 50's and 350+ metres whilst maintaining that DE%, then he will have had an excellent 2020.
Bonar: Has had an uninterrupted injury run for a while and showed glimpses at AFL level despite not being able to break in to the elite GWS midfield. I see no reason why we should not expect a similiar output from Aiden as we expect for another class draftee form his same year in LDU (22+ games, 20+ disposals, 4 clearances, 4 tackles, and 1 goal in 2020).
If this group can step up in 2020 then we WILL be playing finals.
If they tread water, then we won't.
If they're still treading water at the end of 2021, then we are in a world of s**t.
BIG year coming up for North in 2020.
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