North Melbourne season preview: The six most important people at the Roos in 2021

He’s the kid with the footy IQ which belies his birth certificate and this week one captain picked him to win the Rising Star. Have the bookies made a big mistake?

North Melbourne imploded in hub life almost as soon as it unpacked its bags on the Gold Coast last year. The Kangaroos lost 14 out of their last 15 games and then sacked 11 players before any of the other 17 clubs had finished their seasons. Then, the split with Rhyce Shaw came and they went searching for a new coach.

But David Noble has arrived as one of football’s most respected and level-headed figures and he has granted a licence to thrill in what will be an improvement year for his team of teens.

SAM LANDSBERGER reveals the six key people for North Melbourne heading into the new season:

BEN CUNNINGTON

There are worries over this warrior. Cunnington (concussion) has not completed a main training session since copping an elbow to the head in an intra-club match on February 12. The word is that mild symptoms keep persisting and Cunnington won’t play Round 1, and possibly not in Round 2 either. Complicating matters is that a crippling back injury restricted Cunnington to three games last year, wrecking the midfield heartbeat’s unbreakable reputation. The Roos know that pulling the trigger early could flare that injury, particularly given the heightened physical demands this season, and so a VFL return must be considered. The flow-on effect is where it grates because player development relies so heavily on Cunnington. A midfield of, say, Jy Simpkin and Luke Davies-Uniacke or Kyron Hayden walks so much taller with Cunnington muscling in. But without ‘Cunners’ opposition taggers will hone in on Simpkin and this exciting, fresh and quick midfield will also be one in desperate need of some punch.

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North Melbourne’s midfield has lost its punch, with Jack Ziebell (left) moving to halfback and Ben Cunnington sidelined with concussion.

DAVID NOBLE

The survivors are in for a heavy reprogramming phase because the stable, process-driven Noble is wildly different to predecessor Rhyce Shaw, who was far more scattergun, emotional and often controlled by his raw passion. Shaw was the rookie coach who wanted to try everything in the hope some ideas would stick, whereas Noble is the measured 53-year-old brainbox who comes coated in reassurance that this rebuild will work so long as they don’t deviate. Their gameplans are similarly black and white – Shaw promoted slow and safe ball movement and forcing a contest down the line, whereas Noble is all about ballistic run-and-gun ball movement and goal frenzies. How long will it take to unwind the message Shaw ingrained for Noble’s lightning style? The sight of Noble coaching from the boundary and screaming: “Go! Go! Run!” will soon become symbolic.

GAVIN BROWN (Head of development)

Prized draftees Jy Simpkin (No. 12 in 2016), Luke Davies-Uniacke (No. 4 in 2017), Jaidyn Stephenson (No. 6 in 2017), Tarryn Thomas (No. 8 in 2018), Will Phillips (No. 3 in 2020) and Tom Powell (No. 13 in 2020) are the club’s most important assets, and Brown – flanked by Brent Harvey and Leigh Adams – is charged with unlocking their potential. Fans will flock to Phillips because he was the jewel in last year’s draft crown, but instead it is fellow inside midfielder Powell – the kid with footy IQ which belies his birth certificate – who arrived ready to rock, and one the Roos ranked far higher than No. 13. Bizarrely, the bookies have Phillips a $15 Rising Star chance and Powell a $41 outsider, although one AFL captain picked Powell to become North’s first Rising Star winner this century. The penny has dropped for LDU, who looks to have grasped the speed after 30 games where he often seemed to attract trouble by holding on to the Sherrin for a split second too long. Stephenson put his hand up to get fitter and now has the engine to light up the midfield as an evasive link man who can also helped balance North’s overload of stoppage grunt and born ball winners. Stephenson’s impact hurts because he makes snap decisions and always keeps the ball moving forward, while Charlie Lazzaro – the boy North turned Shaun Higgins into – could sneak his way to a Round 1 debut. Handball receive specialist Lachie Young is a 70m jet – he can dash 25m and then kick it 45m – and will roll back from a wing, while Aidan Corr’s voice and direction in defence will almost be as valuable as his reliable right foot. Throw in Atu Bosenavulagi’s closing speed, which has morphed the wrecking ball into a defender, and Phoenix Spicer’s electric speed as the fastest man on what is suddenly a fast list and it is largely a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it breed blessed with vitality.

Jaidyn Stephenson is ready to step into the spotlight as a 22-year-old weapon who should sparkle in this rebuild.

BEN BUCKLEY (Chairman)

A section of the footy world seems obsessed with talking about the long-term viability of North Melbourne at Arden St. But the facts are the Kangaroos are on track to become debt-free for the first time in club history. They currently owe just $450,000, an amount which is expected to be wiped in 2021, and for that Buckley’s administration should take a bow. The James Brayshaw regime saved the club from relocating to Gold Coast, and now Buckley’s has almost relocated it out of the red. Much of the credit should go to former chief executive Carl Dilena, with successor Ben Amarfio the man to drive the momentum forward.

HEATH O’LOUGHLIN (Media, marketing and communications manager)

How do you sell hope for a club which won three games last year, dropped under 40,000 members and then turfed 14 players? Well, pioneering open media access in an AFL world which to its detriment is far too guarded is a fair start, and for the past 13 years O’Loughlin has helped opened the doors at Arden St. The next generation should quickly become the face of this club because fans know Nick Larkey, Jy Simpkin, Luke Davies-Uniacke, Jaidyn Stephenson, Tarryn Thomas and 2020 draftees Will Phillips, Tom Powell and Charlie Lazzaro are the future. It is a nucleus that list manager Glenn Luff and Scott Clayton can build around when they top up for a tilt at the club’s fifth premiership. Last year the 17th-placed Kangaroos had the most 26-29-year-olds with their ladder and birth certificates alarmingly misaligned. Now they have the second-most players under 22 and the AFL’s third-youngest list. Move over Todd Goldstein, Robbie Tarrant and everyone else born last century … the spotlight is shining on teen time.

Tom Powell is the super draftee from Sturt who is ready to make a splash.

PAUL ROOS (Consultant)

Roos won’t shape this year’s fortunes — but he will help shape the human pillars who will. The M.O for Roos is simple — make sure the bigwigs stay focused on what they are employed for so nobody steps on toes. For example, ensuring chief executive Ben Amarfio stays out of the football department or that coach David Noble understands his role and therefore doesn’t stray from those parameters. That clarity could be priceless because blurred lines are often to blame when football clubs become destabilise. Roos has some leadership presentations with the club’s executive booked in his diary and as a full club consultant who is available to all departments the 2005 premiership coach can also be hands-on with the players.

Paul Roos, the man hired to deliver honest feedback to the big wigs at North Melbourne, takes a look at training.

FIRST SIX GAMES

R1 v Port Adelaide (Marvel Stadium) L

R2 v Gold Coast (Metricon Stadium) L

R3 v Western Bulldogs (Marvel Stadium) L

R4 v Adelaide (Marvel Stadium) W

R5 v Geelong (GMHBA Stadium) L

R6 v Fremantle (Perth Stadium) L

SAM LANDSBERGER SAYS: Dealt back-to-back six-day breaks to start the season, which includes a trip to Queensland, making for a taxing lead-in to Good Friday (Round 3) that is magnified for a baby team adjusting to just 75 interchange rotations and the restoration of 20-minute quarters. Nobody will say it publicly, but you suspect some would be circling that home clash against the Crows — the only team North has beaten since Round 2 last year — as one they would want to be primed for.

EXPECTED FINISH – 15th-18th (3-6 wins)

SAM LANDSBERGER SAYS: The last of North Melbourne’s 13 wooden spoons came in 1972, three years before its first premiership. It wouldn’t shock if the Roos collected their first spoon in 49 years this season, but it also wouldn’t really bother anyone. Instead they will look beyond wins and losses for improvements, with the No. 1 aim on learning to kick big scores before they try to pull down the ‘scores against’ column. Attacking midfielders Jed Anderson, Jy Simpkin, Aaron Hall and Dom Tyson are expected to pinch-hit forward alongside goalkicking pillars Nick Larkey and Cam Zurhaar before the defensive layers are eventually built into the gameplan. That approach will have rival spearheads licking their lips before playing North Melbourne with some mega scores against are expected. But it is more about the gains within games for Noble, who pointed out after the 39-point pre-season loss to Hawthorn that it was simplistic to dismiss the game as a heavy defeat because the Kangas won two quarters.

SAM LANDSBERGER’S BEST 22

B: Aidan Corr (new), Ben McKay, Luke McDonald

HB: Jack Ziebell, Robbie Tarrant, Lachie Young (new)

C: Jaidyn Stephenson (new), Jy Simpkin, Tarryn Thomas

HF: Curtis Taylor, Josh Walker, Dom Tyson

F: Kayne Turner, Nick Larkey, Cameron Zurhaar

FOLL: Todd Goldstein, Luke Davies-Uniacke, Tom Powell (debut)

I/C: Bailey Scott, Shaun Atley, Kyron Hayden, Charlie Lazzaro (debut)

** Ben Cunnington (concussion) looks set to miss Round 1 while Jed Anderson (calf) and Jared Polec (hamstring) will need to pass fitness tests. Aaron Hall and Robbie Tarrant (adductor) are both touch and go.

David Noble talks to his players during the pre-season. Picture: Getty Images

ROBBO’S LIKES AND DISLIKES FOR THE ROOS

Likes

It’s such a cliche but a new coach brings renewed hope, optimism and game styles, and David Noble was not the only significant change. The other, of course, was the harvest of the playing list. It had to happen. And even Roos fans knew that. It means youth is on the rampage, which Noble will continue to build on the momentum that Rhyce Shaw set rolling in his brief time at the club. Kangas fans know the kids, so we don’t have to list them here, and the fans also know they can’t expect immediate results. A fit Ben Cunnington will be enormous, but so, too, will be a less arduous game style. This mob under Noble needs to gain respect, competitiveness and, with it, the joy of young players making their mark. And Jy Simpkin is an AA smoky.

Dislikes

The Kangas must find the passion, leadership and competitiveness that deserted the club about Round 14 last year. It ended a truly unremarkable, if not distressing season. Of course, they have problem areas, which they have tried to alleviate: running players, such as draftee Will Phillips, are exhibit A. A major problem is finding a game plan to aid personnel to kick goals. Cam Zurhaar (18) and Nick Larkey (14) were the only two players to kick 11 or more last year. Defence, too, is going through a rebuild.

VERDICT

Bottom four

Aidan Corr joined the Roos as a free agent in the off-season. Picture: Getty Images

EXPERT ROUNDTABLE ON THE ROOS

Herald Sun chief football writer Mark Robinson joins Fox Footy experts Nick Riewoldt, David King, Leigh Montagna and Jordan Lewis to give their predictions for 2021 on

NORTH MELBOURNE

ROBBO: I feel that North Melbourne shed some players from their list that needed to go. They’ve got a reasonable batch of young kids. Jordie, where do you see them in 2021?

JORDAN: I see them in a similar position as last year, which is bottom four. I think what we got from North in 2020, if you’re a supporter you’d be pleased to watch your under talented side, I suppose, go out on the park and just try hard. I just think they’re going through a period now that won’t be fruitful for a couple of years.

ROBBO: Joey, what do you know about David Noble?

JOEY: He’s really big at building relationships and culture and developing people and developing the club. That is the foundation in terms of what we’re going to get from him. In regards to his game style, I’m not sure what it’s going to look like yet.

KINGY: I’m not even convinced North Melbourne needs a great game style. They just need to get players back performing their role, living the football program and the lifestyle. I thought at times last year Robbie Tarrant was disinterested, Ben Cunnington was not fit and then got injured. And I think they need to almost take the captaincy off Jack Ziebell and let him go and concentrate on regathering himself as a frontline AFL performer because right now that’s not the case.

ROBBO: Well, who’s the next captain? I like Jy Simpkin but is he too young for that role?

KINGY: I think you’ve got to challenge that next person. Is it too young? I think he’s a pretty mature kid and the decision should be made. They’re talking about Luke McDonald maybe getting that opportunity, so there’s another name. Could they have co-captains? I think it’s time to restore a bit of pride in the footy club. Last year was so disappointing on so many fronts on and off field. I know the critical discussion now is about recruiting and they did really well to get Jaidyn Stephenson and Atu Bosenavulagi and Aidan Corr, but they made a big error 18 months ago when they swapped first round picks with Melbourne. That pick ended up being Caleb Serong, who’s just won the Rising Star, for Tom Powell. That’s a big cross already on the rebuild, so you can’t afford too many of them from here forward.

ROBBO: Verdict, Jordan?

JORDAN: Bottom four for me.