Gary Buckenara analyses North Melbourne’s list after the 2018 season
TWELVE months ago Gary Buckenara said North Melbourne was 10 years from a premiership with no A-graders on its list. Has that assessment changed after a surprise 12-win season?
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NORTH Melbourne was one of the surprise performers of 2018 and proved their many critics, including me, wrong.
While most tipped the Kangaroos to either win the wooden spoon or finish bottom four, coach Brad Scott and his team defied the odds to miss the eight by just one game and percentage. They defeated four finalists, including premier West Coast, in their 12-win season - a credit to everyone involved at the club.
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The Kangaroos benefited from having a healthy list to choose from for most of the season, outside of injuries to Jarrad Waite and Ben Jacobs, which meant their depth (which I still have concerns about) wasn’t tested. They were able to pick their best 22 players most weeks.
But credit where it’s due - North Melbourne get a massive tick for its 2018 season. The group played with spirit and with great effort week in and week out, which is all the coaches and supporters can ask.
My criticism of North Melbourne last year was that the list doesn’t have enough A-grade talent and I’ve still got concerns in this area despite standout seasons from Ben Brown, Shaun Higgins and Ben Cunnington.
Last year my breakdown of the list looked like this:
A-grade: None
A to B-grade: Higgins, Ziebell, Brown
B: Cunnington, Thompson, Wright (just when fit), Tarrant, Waite
C: McDonald, Dumont, McDonald, Goldstein (on form), M. Williams, Hrovat, Turner, Garner, Atley, Jacobs, Swallow, Thomas (on form), Macmillan
Developing: Simpkin, Clarke, Wood, Anderson, Ahern, Durdin, McKay, Nielson, Preuss, Daw, Vickers-Willis, Hibberd, Watson, J. Williams, Larkey, Mountford, Zurhaar, Junker.
After an improved season from most players, it looks like this:
A-grade: Higgins, Ziebell, Brown, Cunnington, Goldstein
B+: Tarrant, Thompson
B: Polec, Daw, Anderson, Jacobs, Simpkin, Atley, Wright, Wood, Tyson
C+: Hall
C: M. Williams, Pittard, Garner, Hrovat, McDonald, Dumont, Turner, Macmillan, Vickers-Willis
Developing: Davies-Uniacke, Ahern, Larkey, Durdin, McKay, Walker, Watson, Hayden, Xerri.
That’s a total of 14 A and B-grade players. Higgins played A-grade football consistently this season, Brown elevated himself to the A-grade level and was unlucky not to win the Coleman Medal, while Cunnington had another consistent season but still has his limitations. His effort is A-grade but unfortunately his disposal by foot isn’t, which holds him back from being one of the absolute gun midfielders in the competition.
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Jack Ziebell really led from the front and showed his class up forward, while Todd Goldstein recaptured a lot of the form that saw him become the premier ruckman of the competition. He is so important to this team and clearly, this season showed how important being fit is to his game.
I take my hat off to Majak Daw. I admit I wasn’t a Majak fan because I felt he didn’t have footy smarts and struggled to read the play but his improvement this year was incredible. Well done to Brad Scott and the coaches for recognising his athleticism would be suited to a defensive role and for all the work they’ve put in to teach him how to play as a defender. North Melbourne and Majak have persisted and had faith in each other and it’s finally paying off.
Jed Anderson played the best season of his career, finally, after getting a relatively good run with injuries. He’s got so much potential so hopefully he can stay fit and show the Kangaroos supporters why the club paid a high price to get him from Hawthorn.
Despite the impressive and improved season, my concerns over the depth at the club and where the next wave of potential stars will come from remains.
So much will depend on the development of players like Paul Ahern, who showed some star qualities when he finally earned his chance, Luke Davies-Uniacke, Anderson has to keep getting better, Mason Wood has to be the Waite replacement, Jy Simpkin, Jacobs, Shaun Atley, Luke McDonald, Kayne Turner, Ben McKay, Sam Durdin and Will Walker.
These players must develop into A/B-grade players if this club is going to push up into finals contention and eventually premiership contention in the near future.
The top-end experience is there with Ziebell, Higgins, Cunnington, Brown, Thompson, Tarrant, Goldstein, Wright and Macmillan but if injury strikes, are the young players ready to pick up the mantle? That’s the big question.
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North Melbourne missed out on its No.1 off-season target, Andrew Gaff, but was able to secure Jared Polec from Port Adelaide, which is a great get. The Kangaroos lack speed through the midfield and players who can create, and Polec brings both those things.
Aaron Hall, Jasper Pittard and Dom Tyson also joined the club during the trade period and I believe all three will join Polec in the best 22 if fit. All three players are good users of the ball, with Hall and Pittard in particular adding to the pace and creativity at the coach’s disposal. I think we can expect an exciting and quick brand of footy from this side in 2019.
NORTH MELBOURNE’S LIST NEEDS
North Melbourne’s biggest need is speed and class through the midfield and the club has gone a long way to solving one of those issues with the acquisitions of Polec, Hall and Pittard, but the class factor is still missing. Gaff would have been perfect, but it wasn’t to be.
Braydon Preuss’s departure to Melbourne leaves a hole in the ruck. The Kangaroos should look for an experienced back-up option for Goldstein in the draft from the state leagues around the country - a mature-age recruit who can play straight away if required.
The Kangaroos are also lacking a quick and classy small forward who can make things happen and hit the scoreboard. Taylor Garner will be a handy inclusion next year but I’d also be looking for one from another club or via the draft.
PLAYERS WHO NEED TO STEP UP IN 2019
Sam Wright finally got his body right and played some football this season after battling a number of issues with his ankles and feet and will need to use his 16 games as a springboard to launch into a full season next year. At 28 he is another senior body to help the young guys at the top level.
Due to injury and form, Wood managed only 13 games this year and will need to make that at least 20-22 next season following the retirement of Waite. This is Wood’s time to shine. We’ve heard for a couple of years that he is a star-in-the-making but needs opportunity. Well the time has come. Over to you, Mason.
Durdin has been around for a few years now but has had limited opportunities at senior level because Scott Thompson has been so durable and Robbie Tarrant has held down centre half-back. He is one that will need to be given senior exposure next year because the club needs to know whether he can play at the level or not. One thing is for sure, though - he won’t be gifted games, he’ll have to earn them.
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Ben McKay is another one who needs to step up. He’ll enter his fourth season on the list next year and should be pushing for senior selection. He can play at either end of the ground but has managed just one senior game since being drafted in 2015. I want to see him put in a big summer on the track and in the gym and bang the door down for senior selection with improved performances and development over the pre-season series and in the VFL. He must at the very least play some AFL games next year.
CRYSTAL BALL
North Melbourne has a competitive group of players who play with the famous “shinboner spirit”, but is that enough to play finals? The Kangaroos’ chances will depend on having a clear run with injury again as, like most sides in the bottom half of the ladder, they need their best players playing every week to compete.
The development of the young and emerging players will be critical – can they take another step forward or will they stagnate?
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