By Marc McGowan
The Kangaroos’ defeat to Essendon on Sunday means they have won only 11 of 73 games since the start of the 2020 season, which makes for hideous reading.
They have won the past two wooden spoons, finished second-from-bottom the year before that and are in that spot again this season.
First-year sensation Harry Sheezel is North Melbourne’s biggest positive in season 2023.Credit: Getty Images / Steve Kiprillis
North have lost 10 straight matches since a surprise 2-0 start that sparked optimism among the club’s fans, especially on the back of Alastair Clarkson’s appointment, but reality soon sank in.
At the same time, the tide might be turning, if the past three weeks are any guide. There were narrow, and admirable, defeats to the Swans and Bombers, a pretty competitive effort against Collingwood, and the kids are a real cause for excitement. Tarryn Thomas also played his first senior game for 2023 this past weekend after his off-field troubles.
George Wardlaw gives North fans reason for optimism.Credit: Getty Images
The benefit of the extended struggles is the increased access to the country’s best teenage talent, and the Roos are not lacking for promise.
George Wardlaw made his belated (and impressive) debut three weeks ago and looks a brilliant prospect, while the young gun taken one pick before him in last year’s draft – Harry Sheezel – is in a two-man race with No.2 pick Will Ashcroft for the Rising Star award.
Will Phillips has produced back-to-back career-best games, and Luke Davies-Uniacke is already a competition star. There is also plenty to like about Bailey Scott, Tom Powell, Paul Curtis, Eddie Ford and the injured Charlie Comben.
But there is still no certainty about who will be star spearhead Nick Larkey’s long-term partner in attack. Comben certainly has the ability to be that player but is on the sidelines again, and ex-Tiger Callum Coleman-Jones continues to struggle at AFL level.
Free agent-to-be Ben McKay is gobbling up intercept marks down back but not having the influence he or the coaches would like, and the defence as a whole has struggled to contain the league’s best forwards. Usual suspects Jy Simpkin, Todd Goldstein and Luke McDonald have led from the front, and Jaidyn Stephenson is playing his most consistent football in years as a forward again.
Who’s hot?
Luke Davies-Uniacke has had a strong start to the year.Credit: AFL Photos
A hamstring injury has sidelined Luke Davies-Uniacke, but his start to the season was scintillating and, perhaps, was topped by only Collingwood’s Brownlow Medal favourite Nick Daicos. The soon-to-be 24-year-old is arguably the Kangaroos’ best player, such is his line-breaking run and match-winning ability. The knock on Davies-Uniacke early in his career was he was not fit enough and did not find enough of the Sherrin, but he began the year with three consecutive games of 30 disposals or more. He also racked up seven or more clearances – with a season-best of 11 – in four of his seven matches.
Harry Sheezel is one of six North Melbourne footballers to play every match this year, and has dipped below 21 disposals just once while having 30-plus touches six times already. He has been stationed in defence for much of the season, including being trusted with kick-in duty, but is increasingly being used forward of centre in recent rounds. Sheezel’s competitiveness is obvious and that combined with his skill and innate feel for the game suggests he will be a star for the next decade and beyond.
What more can be said about Nick Larkey? Continues to play effectively a lone hand in attack and is on pace to shatter his personal best for goals in a season with 32 through 12 matches, including five bags of at least three. That follows him kicking 80 majors across the past two years. Making Larkey even deadlier is his incredible strike rate in front of goal, where he boasts the fourth-best efficiency since 1963, according to AFL Tables. He is a free agent at the end of next season, and the Kangaroos will need to pay him handsomely because rival clubs will come knocking.
Who needs to lift
We are almost certainly witnessing the final games of a North Melbourne champion. Ben Cunnington is one of the game’s and club’s most respected players for his contested ball prowess and no-nonsense approach. Cunnington triumphantly made it back for the last two games of 2022 after beating testicular cancer, in an effort far more important than football. However, nearing 32 years of age, the midfielder is stuck in the VFL – winning 17 clearances in one such match – despite the Roos’ battles at senior level. Cunnington has twice been subbed out this season, and North are clearly prioritising their on-ball brigade of the future. He will return at some stage, but seems likely to retire at season’s end after a great career complete with two Syd Barker Medals.
Free agency can go two very different ways for players garnering mass attention. They either thrive and play at career-best levels, or struggle to maintain their best. Ben McKay sits in the latter category, although he was a strong contributor against Essendon with 14 intercept possessions. McKay is still hauling in almost three intercept marks a match but is losing a whopping 42 per cent of his defensive one-on-ones, which is not sustainable. None of McKay, recruit Griffin Logue or Aidan Corr is having a great time of it, especially given they are under constant pressure.
Ben McKay has been a cornerstone of the North Melbourne defence, but will be a free agent at season’s end. Credit: AFL Photos
Callum Coleman-Jones arrived at Arden Street in a pick swap with Richmond at the end of 2021, with Robbie Tarrant also becoming a Tiger, and there was great hope he could excel as a ruckman, key forward or both. The truth is he has not been able to deliver on the promise he showed at Tigerland. Coleman-Jones has kicked two goals just twice in 14 games in royal blue and white – and just once reached 20 hit-outs in that period. The opportunity is there for him, but Tristan Xerri and Comben have outperformed him.
Coach’s box
Alastair Clarkson’s decision to step away from football indefinitely to focus on his mental health – amid the AFL investigation into allegations from his time at Hawthorn – is one of the biggest stories of the season.
He was lauded as a beacon of hope for North Melbourne when he accepted the job, but the historical allegations directed at him, Chris Fagan and Jason Burt from ex-Hawks Indigenous players, which they all strenuously deny, landed shortly afterwards.
Brett Ratten stepped up as caretaker for the past three weeks and will for however long Clarkson remains away. Clarkson’s early season exuberance coaching from the boundary, when the Roos started 2-0, gradually faded as the losses added up and the investigation took a personal toll.
One area North have improved under Clarkson is their forward-half pressure, even if their lack of offensive weapons – sans Larkey, Jaidyn Stephenson and Cam Zurhaar – meant it has not quite translated to the scoreboard.
The road ahead
Round 13 v GWS Giants at Blundstone Arena
Round 14 v Western Bulldogs at Marvel Stadium
Round 15 Bye
Round 16 v Adelaide at Adelaide Oval
Round 17 v Geelong at GMHBA Stadium
Round 18 v Hawthorn at Marvel Stadium
Round 19 v St Kilda at Marvel Stadium
Round 20 v West Coast at Optus Stadium
Round 21 v Melbourne at Blundstone Arena
Round 22 v Essendon at Marvel Stadium
Round 23 v Richmond at MCG
Round 24 v Gold Coast at Blundstone Arena
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