North Melbourne reconsidering its reliance on veteran stars amid late-season tailspin
NORTH Melbourne’s dramatic tailspin has seen the Roos postpone Brent Harvey’s contract talks as his over-30s teammates fight for their football futures.
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NORTH Melbourne’s dramatic tailspin has seen the Roos postpone Brent Harvey’s contract talks as his over-30s teammates fight for their football futures.
Harvey will later this year sign another one-year deal but his management and the Roos agreed to push talks back to concentrate on ending the club’s form slump.
The 38-year-old will next week break Michael Tuck’s AFL games record amid a week of celebration, festivities and official functions.
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He is in elite form after 29 possessions and two goals against Port Adelaide, but only Scott Thompson of the club’s nine plus-30s is contracted.
Drew Petrie, Nick Dal Santo and Michael Firrito would all need to close the season in strong form to be guaranteed one-year deals.
Sam Gibson is in early contract talks and has put together another consistent season, while Wells and Waite would seem certain to play on.
Harvey’s manager Shane Casley told the Herald Sun his client’s new deal was about timing rather than breaking down any impediments to him playing on.
“We have had a couple of initial chats and we probably all agreed with the way North are going at the moment it’s best for them and Boomer to concentrate on footy,’’ he said.
“We will catch up in the last couple of rounds of the year and have another chat then.
“We have all agreed it is far more important for North to win a few games at the moment.”
He said Harvey had signed a similar deal in the past few years with little haggling about finances.
“The last couple of years it has been pretty much that Boomer goes on next year and he plays for pretty much the same money,’’ he said.
“It’s not about the money, he plays for the club and he loves footy.”
Harvey could easily hit the 450-game mark and will potentially keep the record for decades or more.
Matthew Pavlich (349 games) will retire this year and Corey Enright (324) might play one more year, with Nick Dal Santo (315), Nick Riewoldt (313), Shaun Burgoyne (311) and Drew Petrie (309) in his wake.
North Melbourne’s reliance on its senior players is also highlighted by the number of games played by the over-30s Kangaroos.
NORTH MELBOURNE’S OVER-30 BRIGADE
Petrie, Thompson, Gibson and Harvey have played every game, Firrito and Dal Santo have missed just one and Waite has missed only three.
Harvey has averaged an exceptional 20 possessions a game (elite), and is also elite for score involvements and score assists and has kicked 27.16.
Petrie acknowledges his own form slump but hopes to bounce back this week given he ranks below average in disposals, marks inside 50, contested marks and goals (19.10).
Roos coach Brad Scott has backed in Petrie to turn around his quiet patch of form.
“It’s about the unit itself and the unit hasn’t functioned very well and Drew’s the most experienced part of that,’’ Scott said on Wednesday.
“Drew knows that a lot falls to him, but the first half of the year when we’re scoring a lot, when he contributes everything’s fine.
“Even when he wasn’t contributing on the scoreboard in the first half of the year, I can’t recall there being a great level of criticism.
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