North Melbourne news: Jack Ziebell on Roos’ current situation as coach David Noble decides to bring No.1 pick Jason Horne-Frances back through VFL
Geoff Walsh is a week into a full-scale review of North Melbourne’s football department. But the captain of the club still doesn’t know if - or when - he’ll be involved.
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North Melbourne captain Jack Ziebell says he is adamant the club is on the right path despite admitting to being as frustrated as anybody about the Kangaroos’ current plight.
Ziebell is the skipper, although he’s still yet to sit down with veteran administrator Geoff Walsh, who’s over a week into a month-long full-scale review of the football department.
He said he welcomed any opportunity to help improve the club, which is bottom of the ladder with a 1-14 record and a paltry percentage of 49.5.
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“It’s a challenging period because we know everyone is working so hard currently to change things and it doesn’t feel like the results are coming away at the moment, but I’ve got full belief in the direction we’re heading as a footy club,” Ziebell said.
“So I know that if we keep at this process, consistently doing the right things, rewarding the right behaviours, that things will turn and they have to turn and they will.
“I’ve got no doubt in that, so when we sit down with Walshy there’s no doubt there will be things discussed on what we’re doing, how we can do things better.
“I mean, we’re not accepting of the position we’re in, we need to get better, we have to get better and it’s on all of us to do that.”
When asked to clarify if he meant he’d be meeting Walsh with other members of the leadership group, Ziebell said he was not yet aware of how the process would work.
“I’m assuming he’s going to chat with quite a few players, staff members, everyone throughout the organisation,” he said.
“But again, it’s about how do we get our footy club better? How do we get it back up the ladder as quickly as we possibly can?
“If we can do that I’ll be rapt.”
Ziebell, who’ll return from injury to face Collingwood on Saturday, said he shared the frustration of all North Melbourne people at present.
“We’re not accepting where we’re at … but believe me when I say we’re working really hard to turn that around from the top down,” he said.
“We’re working our backside off and it starts again this weekend … we understand the road is not easy, and we’re not content with where we’re at.
“But we understand that there’s plenty of improvement to come as well, and we’re hellbent on getting that out of that group at the moment.”
The bad news kept coming on Thursday, with emerging ruck Tristan Xerri to undergo surgery on his right shoulder.
The club has not put a time frame on his return.
Roos’ reason Horne-Francis will return in the twos
- Glenn McFarlane
North Melbourne’s No.1 draft pick Jason Horne-Francis will return from his suspension via the club’s VFL side instead of the AFL clash with Collingwood this weekend to provide him with a better match conditioning base after 28 days on the sidelines.
While some eyebrows were raised by confirmation Horne-Francis will play in the early game at the AIA Centre on Saturday morning instead of the MCG a few hours later, the decision is based purely on providing him with the best preparation base for the remainder of the season.
It is understood Horne-Francis will play significant midfield minutes in the VFL game against the Magpies in an effort to build up his match-fitness base.
The 19-year-old hasn’t played a game since taking on Greater Western Sydney in Round 12 on June 12 when he was suspended for two games for striking Josh Kelly.
Horne-Francis’ match conditioning plight has been compounded by the fact that the Kangaroos had the bye during that period, effectively meaning he will have gone four weeks between games.
The club had been concerned that if they had chosen to automatically bring him straight back into the AFL side, it may not have been beneficial for his overall performance in the coming weeks.
The decision was made by the North Melbourne match committee, in consultation with the conditioning staff, with coach David Noble raising it as a possibility at the post-game press conference after last Saturday night’s 112-point loss to Geelong at GMHBA Stadium.
Horne-Francis was told of the match committee’s decision at Arden Street on Wednesday with the club detailing its rationale to him.
He has played 12 games in his debut season, averaging 17 disposals per game, and his form has been solid in a team under the pump.
But his entry into AFL football hasn’t been without some controversy.
His frustration at the club’s current situation – with 13 consecutive losses in a row as well as an unwanted AFL record of being the only club in history to record 11 straight losses of 47 points or more.
Horne-Francis is contracted until the end of next season, but his decision to put his contract extension talks on hold created some headlines.
The Kangaroos are eager to have him recommit for longer, but will have to wait until at least the end of the season before progressing talks further.
He was also in the news after a communication mix-up which the club spoke to him about following a return home to Adelaide for Mother’s Day earlier this year.
The Kangaroos are hopeful that a full game of VFL – without the fast tempo of an AFL clash – will be enough to see Horne-Francis return to the senior team sooner rather than later.
Noble sees no need for a mentor amid Geoff Walsh review
—Lauren Wood
North Melbourne coach David Noble doesn’t believe the club requires a senior football mentor to support him in a full-time capacity, but concedes Geoff Walsh’s review could determine as such.
Noble said he had not sought further assurance of his job security as Arden Street remains under siege with a priority pick to potentially come “onto its radar” in coming weeks.
He revealed veteran football administrator Geoff Walsh was “not very” involved in the football department some 10 days into his intense review of the club.
Asked if Noble needed a full-time senior supporting figure Noble said: “I don’t believe so. (Dan McPherson) is new into it, but very experienced in football. I haven’t coached for very long - (but) I’ve coached a lot and been around for a long period of time. I’ve got some really experienced coaches on board as well. So I feel we’re in a pretty good position. Now whether or not the review determines that I guess will be after the discussion that Geoff might have with the board,” Noble said.
Walsh attended the club on four days last week and has returned to Arden Street as he works through the internal review process, but Noble said his interactions with the football department had so far been limited.
“Not very (involved with football),” Noble said.
“The limited conversation (that we’ve had) … I’ve caught up with him. Geoff’s going about his business as he needs to and is trying to stay as innocuous as he can. And I’m just bumping in, saying g’day and just getting on with things.
“(I) don’t know (if he will become more involved in football).
“I’m not privy to Geoff’s overall requirement. I say g’day and try and get on with what we’re doing.”
As club president Sonja Hood hit back at the fan she described as “gutless” on Tuesday night, Noble said he remained “open to feedback” but had not sought assurance from the board or club administrators regarding his position.
“No. I’m certainly very reflective and open to feedback that will make us better and certainly make me coach better,” Noble said.
“Whether that’s through some external mentors that I have or whether that’s some feedback internally.
“I’m certainly open and embracing that feedback that will make me a better coach. But as far as my position no, I haven’t sought clarity on that at all.”
Noble was adamant that he remains “positive about the future” and that energy remains high in the playing group despite the dire on-field results, saying the team had to “sustain the effort” in games in coming weeks.
He said the club had been reticent to explore the prospect of a priority pick in recent times but that could change.
“There’s a mechanism there,” he said.
“We were really strong and still are that we wouldn’t require that because we like to have our wins stand up and be enough to show that that’s where we’re at. That hasn’t transpired.
“I can only go back to my experience with Brisbane. The conversations that I had with the AFL over a couple of years – so it wasn’t just one year – was just keeping them in the loop and informed as to where your progress was, how you were trying to build your way through where you were in the circumstances.
“So we had some unofficial conversations with the AFL last year.
“I don’t know whether or not the club started that or has had any of that at the moment. But that may well come onto our radar in the next couple of weeks, for sure.”
North president hits back at ‘gutless’ benefactor
– Jackie Epstein
North Melbourne president Dr Sonja Hood has hit out at the club’s detractors, saying she’s in for the long haul and club boss Ben Amarfio has her full support.
In the wake of North Melbourne supporter Adrian Kinderis calling for her and Amarfio to resign, she told the Herald Sun: “He’s gutless, he called for my sacking but hasn’t had the guts to call me directly.”
It comes after long-time club benefactor Kinderis sent a scathing group email to about 60 past and present staff, board members, and to Amarfio – in emails obtained by the Herald Sun.
“We’ve had a lot of change,” Dr Hood said.
“I want the guys who are on our list to love coming to work every day. We need strong leadership and that’ what I’m here to provide.”
When asked if she backs under fire CEO Amarfio she said: “Absolutely 100 per cent.”
She said she would await the findings of Geoff Walsh who has been brought to the club in an advisory role.
“It’s been way more than I ever thought it would be on every level,” Hood said of the job she took on at the start of the season.
“It’s way more challenging but also rewarding.
“I’ll wait for Geoff Walsh to tell me his findings.”
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