Two massive losses have put North Melbourne under the pump but players still believe

North Melbourne won just eight games in the past three seasons and two massive losses have some questioning whether they can get better.

LYNDOCH, AUSTRALIA - APRIL 12: Zac Fisher of the Kangaroos looks dejected after a loss during the 2025 AFL Round 05 match between the North Melbourne Kangaroos and the Gold Coast Suns at Barossa Park on April 12, 2025 in Lyndoch, Australia. (Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

North Melbourne players are sticking fat to the club ideal that progress is “never linear” amid concerns of stalled progression on the back of consecutive big losses which have the Kangaroos once again hovering around the lower reaches of the AFL ladder.

Coming off a three-win season in 2024 the Kangaroos are 1-4 and 15th through the opening five rounds of 2025 after a 52-point Gather Round shellacking by the Gold Coast Suns.

It followed an ugly 61-point loss to Sydney with pressure now on coach Alastair Clarkson to take more advantage of the abundant young talent on his list which was boosted by the addition of key veterans Luke Parker, Caleb Daniel and Jack Darling.

Rising star winner Harry Sheezel was adamant there was loss of confidence or belief and consistency was the only thing lacking.

“We always say internally, it’s never linear,” Sheezel said on Monday.

“We can’t just expect one game to turn everything around.

Jy Simpkin of the Kangaroos looks dejected leading his team off the ground. (Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

“It’s not going to be after one win that you’re up and away, and then you’re just winning games of football consistently.

“We’ll keep working, and hopefully just put together some consistent performances, which we haven’t been able to do recently.

“We made some massive strides over the off-season, especially in different facets of our game that I think as the year goes on will come out, and I think we’ve shown it already.

“We definitely have more belief in our game plan now, and we just haven’t been able to execute the fundamentals over a course of a game bar that Melbourne game.”

Kangaroos star Luke Davies-Uniacke showed his confidence in the club’s future by knocking back huge offers from other clubs to commit on a long-term deal and Sheezel said the players were all in on the journey.

“I never had any doubt, I think he was just weighing up his options, but I think he just couldn’t leave the club,” Sheezel said of Davies-Uniacke’s decision to stay.

“He just loves it too much and has a lot of belief in us, playing group and the coaching staff.

Harry Sheezel of the Kangaroos (Photo by Morgan Hancock/Getty Images)

“Our culture is just great.

“We know the journey we’re on hasn’t been easy, which can be hard on the weekend, but I think we do such a great job of staying united.”

North Melbourne will back on the bog stage on Good Friday against Carlton, the Blues fresh off a first win for the season against West Coast.

“We don’t play in too many big games, and it is our home game that the club have done an amazing job of building,” Sheezel said.

“It is big for us and hopefully we can respond well, play well, because we want to be in more games like this.”