North Geelong end the Eagles’ eight-game winning run in 17-point victory

Transforming his side from a bottom rung battler to a premiership contender in less than two years, a GDFNL coach has revealed some of the secrets behind his man management success.

North Geelong coach Peter Riccardi have turned the Magpies into a bottom run team into a contender in less than two seasons. Picture: Mark Wilson

Right now, second year North Geelong coach Peter Riccardi feels like he’s got the balance right between the old school and the new when it comes to player management.

The Cats champ, who took on one of the toughest gigs in the GDFNL as Magpies mentor just weeks after a disastrous 1-17 2023 season, has turned the club around in just 12 months with a sixth place last year — only missing out on finals by a very small percentage.

However, the Pies are now equal second after turning a 20-point, first term deficit into a 17-point victory at Richmond Oval on Saturday against a white-hot East Geelong.

The Eagles, who were without leading forward Zac Smith with a calf complaint, had won their past eight in a row.

Back in September, 2023, not long after walking into Osborne Park to meet players, staff and supporters, Riccardi had spoken of improved standards after 12 wins from 48 matches since the pandemic wiped out the 2020 season.

However, a higher bar has been complemented by the arrival of more than 20 new faces, including Jasper George, Ben O’Brien and his son Osca in 2025.

North Geelong players wait for the umpire’s call for a shot on goal. Picture: Mark Wilson

“You can play footy and just go through the motions,” Riccardi said on Sunday morning when asked if he found the time to look back on what he had achieved so far at Osborne Park.

“But these guys, they’re like sponges.

“They obviously didn’t have the direction the previous two or three years.”

Riccardi said his strategy was to get to know the players away from the game, understand what they did for work and a little more about their social and private lives.

“You’ve got to be firm but you’ve got to understand them as well,” he said.

“Invest in the person they are, not just the footballer, you get a bit of respect back (that way).

“I’m one of the hardest blokes ... but I also give them a cuddle as well.

“You’ve got to have that nice balance ... when to whack them between the eyes and when to give them a pat on the bum and say: ‘well done’.”

North Geelong’s Damian Fazio celebrates with Osca Riccardi. Picture: Mark Wilson

Riccardi would have been doing exactly that on Saturday night after the Magpies booted 5.3 to just one behind in a pivotal second term.

And it came after the Magpies had dropped three of their past four coming into Round 13.

Riccardi said there were signs his side was getting back to its best – a 102-point smashing of Werribee being the obvious example – but the bye had come at a good time.

“We could reset and go through a few things and get back to how we were playing earlier in the year,” he said.

“So it was a good mental reset for all of us.”

Down by 20 points at the first break, Riccardi said he was “rapt” with that result considering they had been kicking into a five to six goal breeze at Richmond Oval, while putting two majors on the scoreboard themselves.

“I was very positive at quarter time,” he said.

“We knew they were going to throw one behind the footy but we had a plan for that as well.

“I said to (captain) Zac (Schwennesen) before the game: ‘you’ve got one job, call heads or tails right’. And he didn’t (laughs).”

Riccardi believes the Magpie’s ability to kick three goals to one into the breeze was perhaps the difference in the game.

The result leaves both teams deadlocked behind the Belmont Lions on 40 points each with five rounds to play: “I still think East are probably the best side in it, I’ve said that since day dot.”

North Geelong captain Zac Schwennesen. Picture: Mark Wilson

Meanwhile, on the injury front, ruckman Tom Davis could return next week following a groin issue, with Cooper Pasque impressing in the big man’s stead.

Charlie Farrell, who had a delayed start to the season with a hamstring, is a week or two away with a thigh strain, Dylan Fisher (currently overseas) is expected to be back just before the finals while Jorden Bertucci, who arrived at Osborne Park with a background in soccer, will be overseas for the next five weeks.

Originally published as North Geelong end the Eagles’ eight-game winning run in 17-point victory