North Melbourne must choose between Jarrad Waite, Drew Petrie and Majak Daw for elimination final

BRAD Scott has a mighty conundrum on his hands. And his job isn’t made any easier by North Melbourne already announcing the end for Drew Petrie, writes Jon Ralph.

Drew Petrie goals against Essendon.

LIKE his Old School inspiration a decade before him, Drew Petrie can transform into Frank the Tank without a moment’s notice.

In that 2003 classic comedy, Will Ferrell was planning a “pretty nice little Saturday” at Home Depot before one beer bong turned him into a raving, frothing lunatic.

Petrie’s 2014 elimination finals performance was just as eye-catching, as he reprised Frank the Tank’s strutting manoeuvres after a key goal in front of the MCG crowd.

In that final he kicked two stunning goals in seconds to extinguish Essendon’s hopes, the right-foot snap then a 45m checkside goal to push the margin to 11 points.

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The point is this: Petrie has been such a regular finals competitor that no matter how poor his form you never count him out from a matchwinning cameo.

Except if you are a North Melbourne coach who has already ended his career as the club declares it cannot win this year’s premiership.

If Jarrad Waite is declared fit for North Melbourne’s final against Adelaide, Brad Scott has a mighty conundrum on his hands.

Does he play out-of-contract 25-year-old Majak Daw as an investment in the club’s future or back in Petrie despite eight goals in eight weeks and a statless first half last time out.

The decision would be so much easier if the Roos hadn’t brought forward the retirement announcement of Petrie and Brent Harvey.

Drew Petrie in Frank the Tank mode after his matchwinning goal against Essendon in the 2014 elimination final.

Scott could point to Petrie’s recent finals record, including nine goals in the 2014 finals series, and back his veteran to push the Roos deep into September.

He could state that with North Melbourne’s only aim a premiership victory, Petrie’s experience in 13 finals contests made his selection a no-brainer.

But Scott and the Roos have already publicly conceded they won’t win this year’s flag, president James Brayshaw open about the rebuild.

“We have overachieved. You’ve got to plan for the future. We need to set up the next five years and give your club a chance of winning a grand final,” he said after the club’s bombshell announcement.

Against GWS it was Daw climbing high to haul in three contested marks, just a fortnight after he took six contested marks against Hawthorn.

He is an excitement machine rather than a goalkicker — he has five goals in eight games this year — but then Petrie only has 15 in his past 14 games.

Drew Petrie kicks the goal to put North Melbourne in front. Picture: Colleen Petch

What better way to see what Daw is capable of, and perhaps solidify his ongoing status at North Melbourne given he wants opportunities and rivals are sure to circle this off-season?

What message does the club send Daw by not selecting him ahead of perhaps years of rebuilding, with Mason Wood some chance to take his spot next year.

Perhaps the club will make it a moot point and decide against risking Waite given he has pulled up sore in both of his games since Round 12.

Petrie is one of football’s great gentlemen, a survivor who deserves to go out on a high after 315 games of selfless, reliable football.

On Sunday at a press conference he was peppered with relentless questions about whether he felt he deserved to be in the side.

Brad Scott is brave, but is he brave enough to drop a 315-gamer for an elimination final?

Surely not, but the fact we are asking the question shows why the club just had to postpone its list management decisions until after this clash.

Originally published as North Melbourne must choose between Jarrad Waite, Drew Petrie and Majak Daw for elimination final