North Melbourne 2014

[Spargo]

After numerous fade outs/chokes last season which not only cost them a spot in the 8, but possibly the top 4 - it will be interesting to see how the Roos mental toughness is. Having had the toughest draw last season, North have been handed a softer draw this year with Friday night exposure on five occasions.
Coaching additions include Gavin Brown, Leigh Tudor and Cameron Ling.
Nick Dal Santo & Robin Nahas join the playing squad from other clubs.
Apart from captain Andrew Swallow, North should enter round 1 v Essendon at full strength.
Players to hopefully take the next step include Black, Atley, Cunnington, Bastinac & Gibson.
Wells, Goldstein & Thomas need to have another season like last year with Jack Ziebell being the stand out.
Finals in 2014 should be an absolute minimum, with top 4 being the aim.
No September action will put Brad Scott in the gun for sure.

[helicopterking]

Really enjoy watching North when they are on fire. My concerns are that they Must minimise the margin between your Good, which is really good, and your poor, which is really poor. Also must improve playing outdoors. Very good at Etihad.
If that can happen, top 6 easily.

[daysofourlives]

It all comes down to Petrie and wether he can get a kick against the top sides

[JK]

I agree the Roos are one of the most entertaining teams to watch.

Don't think they need to change too much in a playing sense, but the critical element for them, is they must have found or developed better onfield leaders to stop the bleeding in bursts that happened a few too many times last season.

[Booney]

Midfield and forward looks solid, game style is attacking and entertaining without doubt.

I'd imagine a lot of summer was spent on defensive pressure after turnovers.

Who are the key backmen to take on the competitions best forwards?

A lot rests on Petrie and Goldstein's shoulders.

[dee man]

would not worry to much about where we stand at this point after two losses
would never go into a game with four giants up forward
good to see them trying a few things but they need to put the actual team together soon so they can start to gel
still think we will finish between 6 and 10 which is where we are at the moment

[stan]

would not worry to much about where we stand at this point after two losses
would never go into a game with four giants up forward
good to see them trying a few things but they need to put the actual team together soon so they can start to gel
still think we will finish between 6 and 10 which is where we are at the moment

I think on your day you could top 4. Look solid around the ground and look to have good depth. Been a slow preseasn but lets see what round 1 brings.

[Dutchy]

Who are the key backmen to take on the competitions best forwards?

Well maybe start with the All Australian Full back from last year?

Hoping for a good year, no more excuses, won't win the flag but expect a very competitive year finishing 5th/6th.

Aaron Black will kick more goals than Petrie this year and will become our No. 1 forward.

[Booney]

Who are the key backmen to take on the competitions best forwards?

Well maybe start with the All Australian Full back from last year?

Hoping for a good year, no more excuses, won't win the flag but expect a very competitive year finishing 5th/6th.

Aaron Black will kick more goals than Petrie this year and will become our No. 1 forward.

Sorry, should have read other than Thompson...who are the key backmen etc

[Spargo]

Sorry, should have read other than Thompson...who are the key backmen etc

I never rated Lachie Hansen at all. They moved him to half back midway through last season and he never looked back, probably in our best 5-6 players in that time.
I think our back line holds up pretty well. When we were getting scored against so quickly late in games last year, the ball was coming in so fast it wouldn't matter who was playing down there. The forwards still need to hold it in more and our midfielders need to keep getting clearances throughout the final qtr.
The biggest knock I have on our back line is our kick ins after the opposition score a point. We didn't seem to have any plan or system and too often just bombed away or passed it sideways 10m to the pocket which limits your options even more.

[dee man]

good result against geelong
not worried about the score because that is meaningless
the commitment and effort was the best thing and maybe the fact scotty stopped experimenting with the oversized foward line and went in with a better structure,especially in the second half

[Panther Pack]

If North missed the 8 would Brad Scott's position be looked at?

[dee man]

personally i think he might be in trouble if they did not make it but i believe they will still look at staying with him till his contract is over
north normally dont make major changes to coaches

[dee man]

good win by the lads today over a very disappointing port
they looked very tired and disorganised but credit where credit is due,it was a good effort
loved cunningtons game,really improving week after week
and finially they give greenwood a fair go and he gets 13 stats for one quarter last week and the most on the ground today
never plays a bad game so i wonder what the hell these coaches on huge dollars look at sometimes

[Ted E Bear]

Good win with Ziebel out who I rate your best midfielder.

Should Greenwood be in the side everyweek?

[dee man]

Good win with Ziebel out who I rate your best midfielder.

Should Greenwood be in the side everyweek?

yes he should
he reminds me of ling in that not only can he shut a player down but also win his own ball
scott does not tag and this is one of the reasons we have trouble with good midfields

[valleys07]

good win by the lads today over a very disappointing port
they looked very tired and disorganised but credit where credit is due,it was a good effort
loved cunningtons game,really improving week after week
and finially they give greenwood a fair go and he gets 13 stats for one quarter last week and the most on the ground today
never plays a bad game so i wonder what the hell these coaches on huge dollars look at sometimes

Cant say I wholeheartedly agree with that D. 15 minutes into the first term and it looked like the roos were in for a long day, but credit where credit is due, they stuck at it and wore us down.

Im not usually one to make excuses, but Gus doing his hammy was the turning point for me concerning port. An open goal and a bit of momentum turned into a disappointing end for a lad who was to that stage, ports best and most dangerous player. Along with Wingard, perhaps left us short on rotations, and for that little bit of luck, the Roos cashed in big time- and full credit to them.

Pittard shouldnt have been sub, he is either in the side or out, Not influential enough on the contest to be considered for that role in the future.

When the game was in the balance in the last, their stars stood up and ours didnt influence the contest.

2-1, back to the drawing board for port, big game this week against the lions. The roos, could 3-1 be a possibility? I think so if they play anything like round 3. Consistency is the key.

[Spargo]

Great win against a bogey team for us. A full four quarter effort in horrible conditions where we ran the game right out (6 goal last qtr).
Thompson, Grima, Hansen & Spud were fantastic in the backline, although the swans had little system going forward. Wells, Adams, Gibson & Cunnington racked up the possies and Dal Santo looks at home now in the royal blue & white stripes.
The most pleasing aspect was we totally out worked Sydney, were harder at the contest and moved the ball on at every opportunity, any way we could in the wet conditions.
One of the best wins in the Brad Scott era.
Collingwood next week at the G in front of 60,000+ is another big test.
Ziebs & Spitter will both be a chance to come back in.

[Spargo]

Penthouse to shithouse in six days.
Never ever in it yesterday. The 35 point margin was flattering.
Second to the football most of the day, bumped off the contest too easily and constantly ignored the first option resulting in turnover after turnover. Is this really the same mob that played with so much heart and discipline last week in Sydney???
Totally gutted with the performance, we need to be beating teams I consider middle of the road like Collingwood.
One of the toughest gigs in footy next week travelling to Freo, who themselves are up & down.
Whilst only round 6, this game looms as a massive one for both clubs.

[dee man]

great win by the lads today against freo
must admit that last week they were gutless from the coaching box down
great way to come back but i have a feeling they are going to be the most frustrating team in the league to follow as a supporter
one week they are great and then they turn to cream puffs
that seperates hawks and cats from the rest
anyway,i will live in the moment and love the great win
well done boomer,great game and good to see your mates help this year
well done drew on 250