Deep dive special: Inside look at North Melbourne for 2020
The time is now for the Kangaroos, who fought off rivals to re-sign veterans Shaun Higgins and Todd Goldstein. But can their list of talented youngsters take the leap and fuel a top four push?
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As far as North Melbourne is concerned, the window is open.
It is why the Kangaroos, with potential suitors circling, put so much time and effort into the retention of top-liners Shaun Higgins, Ben Cunnington and Todd Goldstein.
It is why out-of-contract spearhead Ben Brown is now the club’s most coveted signature.
It is why “Shinboner No. 872” and three-time club champion Brady Rawlings has returned to Arden Street after six years at West Coast to accept the role of football manager.
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He has since been joined by Shinboner No. 906 (Michael Firrito) and No. 937 (Leigh Adams) in separate developmental roles, while No. 853, Brent Harvey now spends three days at the club.
“If we thought we were a club that had to go back to square one then maybe (list management) decisions would’ve been different,” Rawlings said.
“But we don’t see ourselves in that situation.”
There has been no shortage of Kangaroo knockers in recent years, with barbs thrown around recruitment, skill sets and off-field leadership.
A single-season club record four AFL Rising Star nominations last year, coupled with the rise of Kangaroos coach Rhyce Shaw, has silenced a lot of noise and energised Arden Street.
“We see some real positives coming through and the blend of that with our experienced players,” Rawlings said.
“Obviously over the years we want to increase the talent on our list and we think we’re in a position at the moment we can look at all avenues to do that, through the draft, through trading and through free agency.
“The mindset really at this club needs to be that everyone here needs to get better, it doesn’t matter if you've played zero games or you’ve played 300, it should be you're always looking to get better.”
The thirst for improvement is player-led, predominantly.
“Ben Cunnington has won two best-and-fairests for us but he’s doing extra running each session to get better and take his game to a new level,” Rawlings said.
“Shaun Higgins trains the house down each and every session, so the examples are there from our older players and everyone else on the list has that same mindset.
“It doesn’t matter if you’re a regular player and get a regular game, let’s take our game to the next level and become a really good player for us.”
Shaw and Rawlings and Co need only pull the necessary levers.
Once upon a time North was lucky to have carpet.
Now, nothing is swept under it.
“(Rhyce) has got terrific relationships across the board but the behaviours he sets and expects from all involved, and especially the playing group, are right at the top end,” Rawlings said.
“He expects elite values and behaviours to be upheld, and if they’re not met he comes down hard.
“The strong relationships he’s got allows him to come down hard on those things and expectations to make sure it’s not swept under the carpet.”
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North has always had the culture and spirit to punch above its weight.
It still has both, but the current crop of Shinboners has no excuses in regards to facilities.
Arden Street is as good a hub for football and administrative success as any in the competition and ideally located, be it to get to the Melbourne CBD, Marvel Stadium or the airport.
The ingrained Shinboner DNA at the club has helped to connect the past with the present Kangaroos that get to call the flash gym, change rooms, wet areas, meeting rooms and theatre home.
For everything bell and whistle there is snapshot of yesteryear, to remind all and sundry of not where North Melbourne is, but how it got there.
A giant old painting of the late Ron Casey holding the gold 1996 premiership cup hangs above a staircase to the coaches’ boxes on the second level of the administration wing.
A separate “Team of the Century” artwork adorns another prominent wall nearby.
“I love it,” Rawlings said, of the old and new, while pointing at scratches on a huge black-and-white picture of premiership star Wayne Schimmelbusch between the gym and high performance area.
“I’m always talking about some sort of story that’s happened at Arden Street – there is so much culture here.
“Even though it is a new facility, the culture is not lost on us with so many North Melbourne people here that are part of the fabric.
“That culture hopefully is never lost because it is what makes us unique here at North Melbourne.”
MORE DEEP DIVE:
MELBOURNE: WILL ‘ASHAMED’ DEMONS BOUNCE BACK?
COLLINGWOOD: CAN DE GOEY OVERCOME CONTRACT SAGA TO DELIVER?
THE LIST
In: Aiden Bonar (North Melbourne), Charlie Comben (draft), Jack Mahoney (draft), Matt McGuinness (Academy), Flynn Perez (draft), Josh Walker (delisted free agent).
Out: Nathan Hrovat (delisted), Tom McKenzie (delisted), Red Og Murphy (delisted), Scott Thompson (retired), Declan Watson (delisted), Tom Wilkinson (delisted), Sam Wright (retired)
Forget Ben Cunnington, Shaun Higgins, Ben Brown and Todd Goldstein, the improvement will come from Jy Simpkin, Nick Larkey, Cam Zurhaar and Tarryn Thomas.
If Shaw can get the best out of the young crop consistently then anything is possible.
Interested to see what impact pre-season injuries to Robbie Tarrant, Jared Polec, Kayne Turner and Luke Davies-Uniacke has on the group.
Goldstein’s durability and resilience has been immense, but should he go down it will be up to Tom Campbell and Tristan Xerri to step up.
OFF-CONTRACT
Several Kangaroos enter the 2020 season at the career crossroads, including Paul Ahern, Sam Durdin, Taylor Garner, Kayne Turner, Ed Vickers-Willis, Mason Wood and Ben Jacobs.
Ben Brown
No. 1 priority. North has already put the wheels in motion to get a contract extension signed.
Jed Anderson
“He’s a player that hopefully gets some continuity this year,” Rawlings said.
“He’s very much a crash and bash type and with that comes some setbacks as well, hopefully he can put together a good season and if he can do that he’ll be here for many years to come.”
THE BURNING QUESTIONS
Is North too reliant on too few? ie Cunnington/Higgins
“We feel like we've got enough players and talent to be able to get a really good mix through the midfield rather than just be reliant on Goldstein, Higgins and Cunnington,” Rawlings said.
“We think we’ve got a bit more in our arsenal than those three.
How good could Tarryn Thomas really be?
“To project what he’s going to become one day we think is unbelievably exciting,” Rawlings said.
“His ability to win his own ball, his ability in the air, his running has really come on over the last two years as well … the excitement that he can bring to the game at such a young age is pretty special.
“The thing about Tarryn is it’s not just about what he delivers on-field it is his engagement with the club, everyone wants to be around him … he’s a player that’s going to play here for a very long time.”
Where is Luke Davies-Uniacke at in his career?
“Luke is an enormous talent and we saw some real signs last year with glimpses through the midfield but with a pretty strong midfield he has to play a fair bit forward as well,” Rawlings said.
“I think the expectation on some of the inside midfielders, in particular when they come in as young players, is really high and they come in against 28-30 year-old men in the centre square.
“We saw Ben Cunnington take four years to become a regular AFL player.
“I remember watching him at Sandringham in the VFL and it was ‘hopefully Ben comes on’ … we see what type of player Ben is now, he's an absolute star of the competition.”
IT’S A BIG YEAR FOR …
Jed Anderson: Goes without question in a contract year for Anderson but nobody goes harder than the inside bull.
Anderson has enjoyed a cleaner run at it the past two seasons, playing 21 and 17 games respectively, after managing just the 15 appearances in his first two years at North Melbourne.
“Jed is fearless,” Rawlings said.
“His attack on the player and the ball is always 100 per cent effort.
“He'll play like that every game he plays.
“Since coming to the club I’ve seen how valuable some of the players are internally, the way Jed goes about his training and how he represents our club is something we’re really proud of.
“The way he works in with the midfield is probably at a level I didn’t realise until I came here.”
PRE-SEASON HERO
Josh Walker and Aiden Bonar: The delisted free agent from Brisbane has emerged as a “reliable” option in the back six.
“He’s really putting his hand up to play,” Rawlings said.
Bonar also has arrived at Arden Street prepared to train “really hard”.
“He’s still in that under-21 age group but we think he’s doing everything he can to be selected.”
THE BEST PLAYER YOU’VE NEVER HEARD OF
Jack Mahoney: Small midfield/forward taken with pick no. 35 in the draft has footy smarts to burn.
Showed glimpses in Marsh Series and with Kayne Turner sidelined in the mix for Round 1.
STATS THAT MATTER
(From Round 11 onwards)
When the Kangaroos had the ball in hand, they kicked long 44 per cent of the time – the highest percentage of any side.
North scored 32 points per game (No. 1) from forward half turnovers.
North won six of seven matches when they broke even or outscored their opponent from stoppages.
(Source: Champion Data)
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This story is part of Deep Dive, a new series taking fans into the inner sanctum and exploring the issues and opportunities of every AFL club ahead of season 2020. Our team of AFL journalists cast their expert eye over all teams, players and prospects to give you a deeper picture. A new club is explored each day until the first bounce on Thursday, March 19.
Originally published as Deep dive special: Inside look at North Melbourne for 2020