North Melbourne and coach David Noble part ways amid horror season

A series of missteps have made the Kangaroos a laughing stock, with some questionable list calls and trades that haven’t worked out as planned.

David Noble has coached his last game for North Melbourne. Picture: Getty Images

Brad Scott told North Melbourne he was giving the club some fresh air.

That was just over three years ago, and if the Environment Protection Authority took a reading around Arden St right now it would find a very thick toxic smog.

It has been one misstep after another by various administrations and executives which have suffocated the Roos and made them the laughing stock of the competition.

Pointing the finger in a specific direction is tough, but there are some high-profile figures who can’t escape having their hands dirty in the demise of the club.

The strange departure of Scott after 10 games of the 2019 season – and with another year to run on his contract – was the first misstep. Was his time at North done? Probably, but why had new chairman Ben Buckley given him a contract extension in the first place.

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As is often the case with a coach sacking, it coincided with an announcement of a club-wide review to be undertaken by Peter Nash, the former national chairman of KPMG, club great Glenn Archer and board member Brian Walsh.

While that was going on, assistant coach Rhyce Shaw took over the reins and had instant success, winning seven of 12 games. The players loved him and everyone at North was warm and fuzzy about what he’d done in a short amount of time.

Rather than search the country for Scott’s replacement, Buckley quickly went for Shaw, and it wasn’t the only changes he implemented.

Paul Roos was instrumental in bringing David Noble to North Melbourne. Picture: Michael Klein

Long-time chief executive Carl Dilena, who’d done an impressive job reducing the club’s debt, was punted in favour of former radio boss and Australian cricket executive Ben Amarfio.

And a rookie football manger was also installed with ex-player Brady Rawlings lured back from the West Coast Eagles, where he was the list manager.

Then Covid hit and the wheels quickly started to fall off.

When the results failed to come in 2020, life living in the hubs took its toll on many, including Shaw, who struggled mentally to deal with the pressure.

Interestingly, while the coach was battling Amarfio stayed away. Most club bosses around the league relocated up to Queensland at various stages, which made his decision even more peculiar.

At the end of the season in which the Roos won just three games and finished 17th, Shaw took indefinite leave and then a week later he was gone.

Another misstep.

Buckley again leant on former greats for advice, with Sydney Swans premiership coach Paul Roos, who the club hired as a consultant, joining Archer and Rawlings on the next coaching selection panel.

It was a phone call from Roos to his former Fitzroy teammate David Noble that started the process of him getting the job.

The Brisbane Lions football boss, who’d moved out of coaching after being an assistant in Adelaide, decided to put his hat in the ring, and by mid-November the job was his.

“We were very clear on what we wanted in our next coach and we have found that in David,” Buckley said. “He is a great fit for our club and will complement our strategic direction. We are very confident he will lead our young side back up the ladder in the coming years.”

Jaidyn Stephenson’s high-profile trade to North Melbourne hasn’t worked out. Picture: Michael Klein

Before the coach had been appointed, the Roos decided to gut their list, delisting 11 players and trading away full-forward Ben Brown (Melbourne) and veteran Shaun Higgins (Geelong).

They brought in Jaidyn Stephenson – on big money – and Atu Bosenavulagi from Collingwood. Lachie Young arrived from the Western Bulldogs with Hugh Greenwood a late addition from the Gold Coast.

Another misstep.

Four wins – three of them coming in a six-week block – and a draw saw Noble‘s team finish last in 2021.

It was enough for Archer, who stepped off the board and was replaced by his good mate Anthony Stevens, while Buckley also pulled up stumps after an inglorious five years at the helm.

Dr Sonja Hood became president and with the Roos bringing in the best young kid in the country, No.1 draft pick Jason Horne-Francis, there was optimism, dare we say it, of some new fresh air.

Sadly, it wasn’t to be with Noble departing after just 38 games in the job and only one win in 2022.

Fittingly, as he fronted the media for his departure press conference, the clouds were thick and the rain falling over Arden St.

Noble’s tenure ends after just 38 games

– Glenn McFarlane

North Melbourne has parted ways with its senior coach David Noble after a tumultuous season-and-a-half at the helm.

It comes just days after the club’s 14th successive loss this year - albeit their best showing of the season against Collingwood - and amid a comprehensive review into the club’s football operations from former club executive Geoff Walsh.

Noble is believed to have told friends and colleagues of the decision late on Monday.

His departure as coach comes just a few weeks into Walsh’s review of the club which has included interviews with senior players, football department staff and club officials.

The Herald Sun understands some of those interviews have not been favourable for the outgoing coach.

Noble will depart the club immediately with club’s development/VFL coach Leigh Adams set to step in as interim coach for the remainder of the season as the Roos begin a nationwide search for a long-term replacement.

Asked if 38 games was an appropriate amount of time to judge a coach, Noble said: “Probably not. Not in my experience.”

David Noble faced the media after parting ways with the club. Picture: Darrian Traynor/Getty Images

Noble indicated that he was intent to see the season out as coach but said he had a “really mature conversation” on Monday evening with president Sonja Hood where it was agreed continuing as coach was untenable.

“It wasn’t a surprise,” he said. “At the end of the day the buck stops with me.

“I gave my absolute heart and soul to the job and I think I leave the place in a strong position for success in the not too distant future.

“We are both comfortable that this is the right call for the club, my family and myself.

“I would have liked to bring more success to the club ... but it wasn’t to be.

“I’m confident that I gave my all to the players and staff at the football club, but ultimately the scoreboard doesn’t make for great reading.”

Noble said breaking the news to the Kangaroos players on Tuesday morning was “one of the hardest things I’ve ever done”.

“I see the hard work you’re putting in, and it will turn.”

“(The players) were shattered. There was a lot of tears, there was a lot of emotion.”

Hood said the club entered this season optimistic after a strong finish to 2021 and recruiting over the off-season.

“The pre-season sentiment internally was overwhelmingly positive.

“Put simply we have failed to live up to these expectations and that is why we have agreed to end David’s tenure as coach.”

Questioned on the motivation for the decision to move on Noble, she said “it’s just not working”.

Hood declared she isn’t interested in wholesale changes and said chief executive Ben Amarfio would be at the club next year.

She said that the club instead needed time to turn their fortunes around.

“We have really good people in this club,” she said.

“I am not interested in wholesale change.

“We need time, the one thing you can’t fast-track is time.”

The timing of the decision gives the Kangaroos a chance to get into the coaching market which already includes Greater Western Sydney, who parted ways with Leon Cameron in May.

Former Hawthorn coach and North Melbourne player Alastair Clarkson is available and will head up the Kangaroos’ wish-list of replacements, but it is unclear whether the four-time premiership mentor is interested in coaching his former club.

Current West Coast coach Adam Simpson has also been linked to North Melbourne but he has denied reports he could move back to Victoria.

Former Magpie coach Nathan Buckley has ruled out an immediate return to coaching while highly-rated Swans assistant coach Don Pyke was reluctant to go through the process at Collingwood last year as he was understood to be keen to stay in Sydney.

The Roos had their best performance of the season against Collingwood. Picture: Getty Images

The Kangaroos are expected to be chasing an experienced senior coach after their past few experiences, but impressive assistant candidates such as Ashley Hansen, Adem Yze and Adam Kingsley could also be canvased.

Noble took over from Rhyce Shaw in November of 2020 after Shaw departed due to personal reasons.

He has won only five of his 38 games at the helm, including only one this season, with his coaching style, the game plan and his relationship with players and staff heavily scrutinised.

Noble said after the club’s seven-point loss to Collingwood last Saturday that he still believed he was the right man to lead the Kangaroos into the future. But he is believed to have been resigned to his fate for a number of weeks.

Chief executive Ben Amarfio has also been under fire in recent months with pressure coming from a number of different sources, including wealthy businessman and Shinboner Club coterie member Adrian Kinderis, who called on Amarfio and president Sonja Hood to resign.

The Herald Sun understands the change of coach won’t quell some of the unrest that exists with several high-profile club identities still being sounded out for potential board roles.

The Kangaroos have had a massive change in personnel across the past 12 to 18 months with more than 60 staff members.

Originally published as North Melbourne and coach David Noble part ways amid horror season