North Melbourne draws inspiration from past feats to snap its losing streak

New Kangaroo Jasper Pittard has revealed North Melbourne turned to itself for inspiration to end its winless start to 2019, using the club’s past feats as a springboard to its first points of the season.

Jasper Pittard earned a Gatorade shower after his first win in North Melbourne colours. Picture: Getty Images

North Melbourne turned to itself for inspiration to spur its first win of the season, new Roo Jasper Pittard has revealed.

The former Power defender said the lead-up to the win over Adelaide included a screen session of great Kangaroos moments of recent years.

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The 0-3 start to the season didn’t result in anything “untoward” in the way of soul-searching, Pittard said, but the team was reminded “what as a club what our identity is and what it has been for a long time”.

“Last week (against Hawthorn in Round 3), although we did play some good footy, there were patches where as a team we couldn’t say that we were bodylining the ball all the time, and just doing the really tough one-percenter things that North Melbourne players have done for a number of years,” he said.

Jasper Pittard earned a Gatorade shower after his first win in North Melbourne colours. Picture: Getty Images

“That was a big focus and usually off the back of that really tough contested stuff, the rest comes.

“It wasn’t necessarily bringing up names from the past, but pre-game we had a little look at some footage (of things) that we’ve been doing good this year and over the last couple of years before I was here — just footage just to remind us that at our best, we’re a very hard team to beat.

“That was good to go into a game like ‘we’re not that far off it’. And then to put it into an actual win was really good.”

Pittard, who was traded from Port Adelaide to Arden Street with Jared Polec at the end of last season, said he had needed a fresh start in football and said the “clean slate” in Melbourne had provided exactly that.

“I probably wasn’t enjoying my footy too much over the last couple of years, and I just feel that even though it’s been a tough start for the club, I’ve been really enjoying my role,” he said.

Pittard says he needed a “fresh start”. Picture: AAP Image

“I feel like I’ve come in with a purpose and I’ve gained respect over the first couple of weeks … that feels good. All I want to do is just show them that I’m willing to mould into what this club’s about.”

The 28-year-old played junior football in Melbourne’s inner-north, with skipper Jack Ziebell joking on the weekend that his current haircut suits the Brunswick resident “to a tee”.

But he is, according to Ziebell, “one of the nicest guys”, and said he was relishing life back in Victoria.

“It’s a very footy-centric place, Adelaide, especially through the winter,” Pittard said.

“Melbourne, with the 10 teams and just obviously such a big city, there’s plenty of people around who don’t take an interest in footy. So you can blend in a bit better, which complements me really well.

“I really enjoy that side — being closer to family and friends, you probably don’t realise how much you value seeing them all the time until you get back close to them.

“Since I’ve been back, I’ve really realised how good it is to be back among everyone and all that stuff is helping me feel pretty happy.”