North Melbourne coach Brad Scott must axe a big name to make a statement

NORTH Melbourne was as pathetic as it was embarrassing in Round 1. And a big name has to pay the price, writes Mark Robinson.

North Melbourne training at Aegis Park, Andrew Swallow after training . Melbourne. 8th April 2015. Picture: Colleen Petch.

FOOTBALL is about trust.

Players need to trust the coach. The coach needs to trust the players. And fans will largely trust them both no matter what happens.

But you suspect North Melbourne fans might’ve lost some trust at the weekend. Everyone else did, even the great Wayne Carey.

Carey gives his share of hits to his former club, but this was warranted, for they were pathetic.

When the club is poised to unveil a boxing-kangaroo theme as its marketing campaign this weekend, and when key members of the club, past and present, speak proudly of a rejuvenated Shinboner attitude, as they did in the Herald Sun last week, Sunday's loss was pathetic as it was embarrassing.

The response, to date, has been all talk and there's little else they can do. Coach Brad Scott spoke after the game and said there was no point being angry, but he was boiling inside. He used words such as indictment and slaughtered and insipid and horrific.

Skipper Andrew Swallow spoke on Sunday at a press conference, and then later on radio. He said virtually the same thing, in virtually the same tone, which invited one shattered Kangas fan to call in and express dissatisfaction at Swallow’s lack of anger and hurt.

Why didn’t he say sorry? Why wasn’t he angry? Why wasn’t he hurting like all of us?

Swallow’s not the extroverted type — who is at the Kangas outside of the coach? — and neither is Nick Dal Santo, who spoke on Wednesday. Dal Santo talked about confessional boxes and honesty sessions and the embarrassment to themselves and their fans in a very apologetic delivery.

Daniel Wells is tackled by Braydon Preuss at North Melbourne training. Picture: Colleen Petch.

If this was another time, and a bloke like Glenn Archer had to front the cameras, he'd probably have bitten off the microphones. The Kangaroos’ main training sessions is Thursday and you'd expect it to be willing. They’ll get to officially respond on Sunday against Brisbane.

On paper, the Kangaroos are premiership contenders. They added Jarrad Waite and Shaun Higgins to a line-up which has talent and maturity.

Did they drink their own bath water over summer? Do they think they are untouchable at selection?

Andrew Swallow and Nick Dal Santo listen to assistant coach Darren Crocker. Picture: Colleen Petch

The Kangaroos lost eight home-and-away games last year and responded with victories after seven of them. The only back-to-back loss was Carlton and Geelong in Rounds 18 and 19.

Scott clearly is a coach who places trust in his players, for he rarely if ever makes an example at selection of the senior or big-name players. His changes after each loss last year were McMahon and Wright (Round 1), Currie and Jacobs (Round 5), Mullett, Firrito and McKenzie (Round 7), Wright (Round 10), Anthony (Round 13), Warren, Mullet, McKenzie (Round 15), McMahon (Round 18) and Hansen, Greenwood and Daw (Round 19). Greenwood's omission was bold, for he ended up being the best-and-fairest runner-up.

This is the perfect situation for Scott to send a season-long message that unacceptable effort is no longer acceptable.

So instead of dumping Joel Tippett, who belted by Tex Walker, or Ben Jacobs, why doesn't Scott axe a seemingly disinterested Daniel Wells or Dal Santo, who coasted, especially when he ran parallel to Rory Sloane as he bounced through the midfield before goaling from the arc. Or what about Ryan Bastinac? You know, sacrifice one to educate 30?

It might even help build trust.

Originally published as North Melbourne coach Brad Scott must axe a big name to make a statement