Brad Scott’s contract extension has given senior North Melbourne players confidence in direction of the club
NORTH Melbourne’s Jamie Macmillan says Brad Scott’s contract extension has given senior players confidence in the club’s direction and he expects the Kangaroos to get back in the finals mix this year.
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JAMIE Macmillan says Brad Scott’s new long-term contract at North Melbourne has given the club’s senior players a sense of purpose about the club’s future.
And while the leadership group member on Sunday urged patience about No.4 draft pick Luke Davies-Uniacke, he says there is no reason he won’t make a Round 1 debut.
The Roos finished 15th on the ladder with only six wins last year but then extended Scott’s deal until 2020 after conjecture he might depart.
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Macmillan, 26, is part of the senior core aware the Roos will attempt to fast-track the huge core of younger players without giving away finals aspirations.
Ahead of Saturday’s JLT kick-off against Melbourne, he said the immense trust placed in Scott by the club’s bosses meant North Melbourne’s players could also set course for the future.
“From my view (the contract extension is) paramount. You look at guys like Robbie Tarrant, Jack Ziebell, Shaun Higgins and for them to know where we are and have that stability in place, we can knuckle down and work towards a plan,’’ he said.
“Rather than say we are playing out the year not knowing and uncertain.
“Particularly the older guys, they are saying what is my footy like in the next couple of years.
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“For the club to say, ‘This is the plan’, it gives you a sense of purpose playing this year. We are helping these young kids improve and I am rapt he’s signed on.
“I signed on as well to 2020 and we might go out together in style.”
Macmillan has not ruled out a return to finals this year but says whatever the result in 2018 the Roos can make a quick bounce back up the ladder.
“We were playing prelims two or three years ago and last year we missed the finals for the first time in years.
“If we aren’t playing finals this year we will be pretty disappointed and shattered but we have some good kids who are keen as mustard to play on that big stage.
“I am most excited about the guys who have been here for three or four years. Guys like Ben Brown and Luke McDonald haven’t been here forever, and Mason Wood.
“Those guys can go up another five or 10 per cent, then we have got guys like Jy Simpkin who had a ripping year and third-year players like Ryan Clark and Mitch Hibberd.
“They are the ones I would be keeping an eye on.”
“It started as LDU and it quickly turned into UDL in a matter of minutes,” he joked.
“He’s your modern day footballer. Without putting too much pressure on him he’s a big-bodied midfielder who is good overhead, can mark the footy and play mid, play forward, play on a wing.
“He is the kind of player everyone grow up dreaming of having that mould. His stuff in tight and his spatial awareness is elite and he has strength over the footy.
“He had a minor back spasm at training (last week) but I dare say he will play next week and the week after and have a good crack at (Round 1).”
Macmillan also backed in Majak Daw to have an influence as a key defender after some bright signs from the former ruckman in the AFLX clashes on Friday night.
“‘Maj’ has strengths which anyone can see. On the lead he will close anyone down even if he gives them five or 10m.
“He has the height and reach and jump and it’s just the game sense stuff. It’s surprised me how well he’s fitting in. He will surprise a few down there this year which would be great.”
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