r/NorthMelbourneFC

The full squad is to be confirmed at 5pm

Zac Banch

North Melbourne 11.10 76

Melbourne 13.14 92

https://preview.redd.it/cnv6vnm3a6eh1.png?width=1000&format=png&auto=webp&s=51d4594cd1970427a42dd3baa7ed7c6db3243330

There's still a finals chance - after Essendon beat GWS, we are still on equal points to 10th place for the playin.

But it's going to be very tough, with our run I'd say near impossible, especially with such a bad percentage.

Looking at this it would be REALLY nice to have won one of our three vs collingwood, port or the dees and have a points buffer going into the last five games.

Does anyone think we could take that tenth place spot? Any opportunities we do have hinge on beating the saints next week.

We have improved. Just not quite enough collective calmness and belief to get over the line more regularly.

We do have list, structure and game-style deficiencies we need to address. We continue to suffer from poor decision-making by talent acquisition, selectors, coaches & players. Too often key moments in games we go too cautious and cannot stem momentum swings quickly enough.

The elephant in the room?

North had a ruck strength become a glaring weakness by AFL diktat. The AFL gelded X not that long after North had committed to a big, long-term deal. That is a bitter pill for a bottom of ladder team to swallow. Without the rule change North might be 2 or 3 wins better. Instead X is now can anchor on progress going forward that North will have to work around, possibly for years.

Hopefully North can find at least one more win before season end just to life self-belief. The team has starting 18 slots available for younger free agents who need games but are blocked by stars at their current clubs. As a minimum North can offer a clear path to the 18 for a contest/1:1 KPD, two-way running big bodied midfielder who can kick goals and a fast, goal-scoring wing/half forward. We can’t attract established stars but we can be smarter recruiters and raise the floor!

Let us see what we can do but I choose to be glass half-full 🤞🏻

Our mids have no defensive accountability, all front runners who want to chain fancy handballs through the middle when we have the footy. Overuse the ball and hold it way too long instead of giving our forwards a chance to compete one-on-one. Then when they do get caught they cough it up in the most dangerous part of the ground and have no intent to push back hard to chop out our defenders who are caught off guard. The mids let Kozzy do whatever he wanted last night and we did the same with Daicos last week. They need to be more accountable yet everyone on here says how great they played… footy is more than just when we have the ball and we can’t let teams walk it out of our forward line have two kicks down the guts then hit up a forward for an uncontested mark, we are way too soft through the middle of the ground with our defence and the mids are to blame. Don get me wrong when they get it they’re alright but running both ways needs to improve if we want to stop the transition of other teams. What are your guys thoughts?

How many times have we kicked it into a Melbourne player?? Why are our basic skills so bad?

Note: This doesn’t change anything for the immediate future or the past.

After the Frampton decision last night, as a club we need to make our position clear to the AFL and do it publicly as well. They set a precedent with PC and then literally the next 2 incidents of it happening have let the players off. I can actually live with the crisp one, but the Frampton one is a joke. Either they’re both free to play or they’re both a suspension.

The purpose of this is more towards future MRO/tribunal decisions. Make our utter confusion and disappointment with the inconsistent ruling known. The big clubs make their feelings and positions well known and can posture the AFL, we have a rare chance to do so here as the majority of the fans and media would back our stance. Time to pounce on it and take some control.

An added bonus is players seeing the club back them and potential recruits seeing the club back its own.

Live overseas, going to my first Roos game in 10 years on Saturday. Extremely excited!

What's available at the shop at gate 7 that I might not have already seen at an AFL store? Are prices generally a bit better, or largely the same. Was hoping to pick up a few items to take home!

Anyone else confused why Zac banch went out and goater went in, yes he is good but why not give griffin a debut I think he proved himself in the VFL.

Might not go to today’s game. Have $35 parking pass which I’ll DM to first person who wants it. Will send at 2pm if we’re not going.