Paul Roos reveals why he backed David Noble for North Melbourne coaching job

Paul Roos was part of the committee formed to appoint a new coach at North Melbourne. He explains how David Noble won them over.

David Noble arrives at North Melbourne with 27 years in the system.

Premiership coach Paul Roos has declared new North Melbourne coach David Noble as “ready as anyone I’ve seen” to take on the senior coaching role at an AFL club.

As Noble officially kicked off the Kangaroos’ pre-season training block earlier this week, Roos said his former Fitzroy teammate had the credentials to “walk to the walk” rather than “just talk the talk”.

A member of the North Melbourne subcommittee formed to appoint a new senior coach, Roos was credited with playing a key role in approaching Noble and encouraging him to pursue the vacant position, according to Kangaroos chief executive Ben Amarfio.

The former Sydney and Melbourne coach said the readiness of Noble, who arrived at Arden St after four years as general manager of football at the Brisbane Lions, and his vision to revive the Kangaroos after a tumultuous year had stood out.

“As he presented and as we heard from him and he articulated what he believed was his football philosophies and how he could get the Kangaroos back up the ladder, it became obvious that his experience definitely matched his ability to walk the walk rather than just talk the talk,” Roos said.

“A lot of coaches can talk the talk, there is no question about that because they are all very skilled at the game itself, stoppages and kick-ins. But it is difficult, there is no question, for an assistant coach to understand the enormity of the role.

Paul Roos says Noble “in terms of his readiness, is as ready as anyone I’ve seen”.

“I think the process showed us that (his) experience wasn’t just experience, it was learned experience and understanding exactly what needed to be done at the North Melbourne footy club.

“The things he has seen are really helpful … if you haven’t seen something you just don’t know how to react and as a leader of a footy club everyone is looking to you at every time, every single minute of the day really.

“So I think the fact that he has coached at the Rams, coached at the Bulldogs, he has coached at Adelaide, he has then gone into list management, general manager, worked with Chris (Fagan), there are some real similarities with what Brisbane went through and the Kangas are going through as well, a real change of list, change of guard, getting some real stability in your footy club and things like that.

“All I can say is he is extremely well-credentialed for the job … in terms of his readiness, he is as ready as anyone I’ve seen.”

The experienced Noble will develop a young list at Arden Street

Noble beat Collingwood assistant coach Robert Harvey and new Essendon assistant Daniel Giansiracusa to the North Melbourne role following the departure of Rhyce Shaw.

Roos said Noble was already part of a “broad” list of potential candidates before he initially approached him, revealing he first inquired about his level of interest in coaching through Lions champion and another former teammate, Alastair Lynch.

“It just so happened I knew David, obviously, and he was clearly on the list and it was just a case of ‘Look, let me contact him’,” Roos said.

“I did it through Lynchy at the start because you have always got to be respectful of other clubs … I basically said to Lynchy, ‘Do you know whether David’s lost the desire (to coach) or if he wants to coach?’. So that was the start of the process and David and I had a conversation and it really stemmed from there.

“He appreciated me reaching out, and appreciated the conversation. I pretty much left it with him ‘Is it something you would be interested in?’. Then we had another conversation and through that process he thought ‘Yeah, it’s really an itch I haven’t scratched and something that I would really like to do’ and he was really content to put his hat in the ring and go through the interview process, which was great.”

After his role on the coaching subcommittee, Roos will now act in an advisory role at North Melbourne working with the football department and the club’s executive.

Noble beat Collingwood assistant coach Robert Harvey and new Essendon assistant Daniel Giansiracusa for the job.

Roos hoped he could provide support for the club “in all areas”.

“It’s certainly something I am looking forward to, sitting down with David and (talking about) exactly what he needs,” Roos said.

“I have talked to Ben Amarfio and (football general manager) Brady (Rawlings) about helping them as well.

“The thing that impressed me with the Kangas is, when I spoke to (chairman) Benny Buckley, they understood where they are at as a footy club and I can see my role as helping in all areas, with the board, the CEO, with the football manager and certainly with David.

“They are all really receptive and that will evolve itself over the next month or so exactly what it will look like moving forward … at the moment (they are) using me as a sounding board around all areas of the footy club.”

“I just love where North Melbourne wants to take their footy club.”

Roos will now act in an advisory role at North Melbourne working with the football department and the club’s executive.

Four years after his three-year coaching tenure at Melbourne came to an end when he handed the reins to Simon Goodwin, Roos said he was finished as an AFL coach.

“I’m definitely done,” Roos said.

“It’s funny because I think through this process it has allowed me to think about it all … and that’s why I’m really pleased for David because it’s not my time anymore.

“It’s someone else’s time and if I can help start a coaching career, that can be pretty exciting as well.

“I’m a little bit excited about what I’m going to do in 2021, maybe sit in the coaches box again … without the pressure of the main role and just helping out where I can.”

Roos said the appointment of the well-travelled Noble at the age of 53, following from the success of Brisbane coach Chris Fagan later in his career, showed the industry was “starting to widen its vision”.

“The Chris Fagan thing has been fantastic and then you have also got Brett Ratten having another opportunity at St Kilda and I love that” Roos said.

“There are a number of great stories that have opened up (in the AFL) … you have had Fagan, you’ve had David Noble, you’ve had Brett Ratten.

“So I’ve loved what’s happening in footy over the last couple of years because we are really starting to broaden our vision and look at different areas and different people and it’s pretty exciting for the industry I think.”