Round 3, 2012. North are playing the reigning premier on a Sunday twilight. North came back from Hobart thumping GWS by 129 points and Geelong pulled off a bruising victory against the flag favourite Hawthorn on Easter Monday. North are ranked 13th for average age and 13th for experience compared to Geelong's ranking of 4th for avg. age and 5th for experience. Should be a bloodbath right? Not quite. North were up by 6 goals at 3QT and got out to 42 points before Geelong put in a couple of efforts to trim the margin down. The sealer was kicked by Kieran Harper after some Daniel Wells magic. Bastinac and Ziebell kicked 4 and Harvey was at his absolute best. Wright blanketed Stevie J. Mutltude of winners on every line. Something that is a fantasy nowadays.
Now lets look at the lineup:
It's hard to believe that Geelong got done considering the quality of the team that went out that night. But it speaks volumes that the mix of senior experience with the emerging young talent meant North could steady the ship or perhaps put their opposition to the sword with quick play and heavy scoring. Something we've tried to do multiple times this year but it has been largely the opposite. Firrito, Thommo, Goldstein, Campbell, Petrie, Harvey, McIntosh, Adams, Edwards, Wells, Swallow and McMahon is a very solid senior core. It has its limitations, but there are a few players opposition teams will need to put work into and stop their influence.
Now, let's look at the 22 that went up against Port.
Who, in this lineup, is going to make oppositon put work into them? Other than perhaps Sheezel, LDU, X and maybe Larkey. The rest are either too inexperienced, inconsistent or don't have the required offensive capability that means coaches have to be defensively minded about them. When the game hasn't even started but already we are on the back foot, it's already a pretty dire predicament. The difference in senior quality is astronomical. It's not even close to the 2012 team. This is the importance of the mix. If we just took Boomer and Wells from that 2012 lineup and chucked them into today's team, I think we become a 6-7 goal better side. Heck, chuck in Petrie and that's our KPF issues sorted. Chuck in LT as well for that small forward goodness? See where this is going? If we can't command defensive accountability, prepare to defend all day because they are not going to hold back when it's their turn to go.
We are the least experienced and yougest team in the comp with very little quality left in the players with senior experience. Even considering the best 22 of 2024 vs. best 22 of 2012, today's team would get spanked by 10 goals. Maybe more.
It's crucial to understand that we don't have what Brad himself started with and he didn't win a final until 4 years after he was appointed. Clarko has 5 years to do it.
Now lets look at the lineup:
It's hard to believe that Geelong got done considering the quality of the team that went out that night. But it speaks volumes that the mix of senior experience with the emerging young talent meant North could steady the ship or perhaps put their opposition to the sword with quick play and heavy scoring. Something we've tried to do multiple times this year but it has been largely the opposite. Firrito, Thommo, Goldstein, Campbell, Petrie, Harvey, McIntosh, Adams, Edwards, Wells, Swallow and McMahon is a very solid senior core. It has its limitations, but there are a few players opposition teams will need to put work into and stop their influence.
Now, let's look at the 22 that went up against Port.
Who, in this lineup, is going to make oppositon put work into them? Other than perhaps Sheezel, LDU, X and maybe Larkey. The rest are either too inexperienced, inconsistent or don't have the required offensive capability that means coaches have to be defensively minded about them. When the game hasn't even started but already we are on the back foot, it's already a pretty dire predicament. The difference in senior quality is astronomical. It's not even close to the 2012 team. This is the importance of the mix. If we just took Boomer and Wells from that 2012 lineup and chucked them into today's team, I think we become a 6-7 goal better side. Heck, chuck in Petrie and that's our KPF issues sorted. Chuck in LT as well for that small forward goodness? See where this is going? If we can't command defensive accountability, prepare to defend all day because they are not going to hold back when it's their turn to go.
We are the least experienced and yougest team in the comp with very little quality left in the players with senior experience. Even considering the best 22 of 2024 vs. best 22 of 2012, today's team would get spanked by 10 goals. Maybe more.
It's crucial to understand that we don't have what Brad himself started with and he didn't win a final until 4 years after he was appointed. Clarko has 5 years to do it.
