The stats proving 2024 is the bleakest year of North Melbourne’s rebuild yet
Last season, the Roos were performing so badly they were handed priority picks. But look away, North fans, because the numbers show 2024 is even bleaker.
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The talk of North Melbourne in the pre-season was about how the side had bottomed out, and finally the club that had been battered and bruised for years was ready to start the climb up the ladder.
But nine rounds in, the situation at Arden Street seems more dire than usual.
From poor and unorganised to outright uncompetitive, the Kangas haven’t looked like securing a win yet.
It’s not just the losses that are the issue: it’s how they are losing.
North Melbourne has got within five goals of their opponent at the final siren just once this season, which came in round two against Fremantle.
While it’s easy to look at the final result and suggest it was a competitive performance, it was the only game this year they have been in a position to win.
Leading at quarter time, then winning the second term, the Roos had victory in their sight.
But a 40-point swing in the third term cost them a chance at the four points.
Outside of those two quarters against Fremantle, North Melbourne has won just one other quarter this season: the final term against Adelaide in round 7, when they were down by 59 points at three quarter time and lost by 57; a two-point quarter win.
Compared to last season, a year in which earned them more priority picks in the draft and saw their coach step aside for 11 matches, their margin of losing is worse.
The Kangaroos have lost on average by 52.7 points per game this season, with three losses by more than 11 goals.
Last season, North had endured three losses by more than 11 goals through their first nine games, however their average losing margin was 39.3 points and had even secured a win over the Dockers in round 2.
Five of the first nine games last season were decided by five goals or less, whereas this season there has just been one game that had a margin of less than six goals.
While had was heavily scrutinised at times last season, the loss of Ben McKay has been noticeable down back, with Bigoa Nyuon, Charlie Comben, Aidan Corr, Toby Pink, and Kallan Dawson barely household names.
North Melbourne conceded 35 scoring shots from 67 inside 50s against Gold Coast, with the Suns’ inaccuracy in front of goal helping the Roos avoid a complete blowout.
The Harry Sheezel midfield experiment has failed, with the star defender sorely missed down back.
He was the sure-footed rebounder that often got North Melbourne out of sticky situations, but in the past two weeks he has attended more centre bounces than any other game this season.
The numbers are glaring: his two lowest disposal counts came in the last two matches, same with his marks and ranking points.
His offensive stats don’t paint a more attractive picture either: Sheezel recorded three clearances against St Kilda and none against Gold Coast, is averaging more clangers the past two weeks than he did in the first seven games of the season, and his tackle numbers and inside 50s have barely shifted positively either.
In the long term, Sheezel will be an elite midfielder at AFL level, with many outsiders using Collingwood’s Nick Daicos as a blueprint.
But while North Melbourne continues to struggle, and with the ball living in their defence for much of the game, Sheezel would be best served down back, providing their inexperienced defence with a composed head.
But even then, the data shows he can’t fix all of the Kangaroos’ problems in 2024.
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