AFL Round 10, 2018

[Twodogs]

Melbourne are going to destroy us next week.

I'd usually argue but you're right, it's going to be *!*!*!*!ing ugly.

[bornadog]

I know there is a lot of the game to play out over in the West at the moment but I wonder why North has turned their fortunes around?
Many had them bottom 3 for this year

North have surprised everyone, and looking like they can make the 8

[GVGjr]

North have surprised everyone, and looking like they can make the 8

So why have they bounced into contention?

[Twodogs]

So why have they bounced into contention?

At training they work on their skills and it shows.

I don't know when as a sport we decided that shuttle running and standing in certain parts of the ground watching the opposition kick the ball to one another was more important than kicking, marking and handballing but North are proving that we have had a tendency to overthink the game. It seems the more professional we think our players are the further they are getting away from playing actual footy.

[Sedat]

So why have they bounced into contention?

They lost 6 games by less than 10 points last year, so their drop into the lower rungs was overstated. And this season they have one of the smallest injury lists. They have their best players in top form too, which is important.

They are almost morals for the top 8 with their cushy draw over the next few weeks. I'd almost draw the line at the current top 9 for finals. Hawks are 10th and have been very unimpressive the last few weeks. Forget the rest.

[Twodogs]

Don't forget that a couple of years ago that North won their first 11 games straight and mucked that up majorly. While they do look a lot more solid and the work is distributed a lot more evenly I wouldn't be setting them a finals spot just yet.

Like Sedat says they don't have many injuries.

[Ozza]

They lost 6 games by less than 10 points last year, so their drop into the lower rungs was overstated. And this season they have one of the smallest injury lists. They have their best players in top form too, which is important.

They are almost morals for the top 8 with their cushy draw over the next few weeks. I'd almost draw the line at the current top 9 for finals. Hawks are 10th and have been very unimpressive the last few weeks. Forget the rest.

Hawks have the two Adelaide sides the next two weeks. Both Hawks home games - but lose those two - and they are out of contention I think.

[LostDoggy]

So why have they bounced into contention?

Given they had a lot of close games and injuries last year and had made finals the 3 previous years, including 2 Prelims, the question should be more about why they were written off so quickly?

[Twodogs]

Given they had a lot of close games and injuries last year and had made finals the 3 previous years, including 2 Prelims, the question should be more about why they were written off so quickly?

Because they failed to get past the prelim twice in a row. Not too many sides that check out in consecutive prelim finals go on to acheive a premiership.

[LostDoggy]

Because they failed to get past the prelim twice in a row. Not too many sides that check out in consecutive prelim finals go on to acheive a premiership.

We're not talking about winning premierships though, just saying it shouldn't be a major surprise that they are still finals competitive a couple of years later with a fairly similar list.

[bornadog]

We're not talking about winning premierships though, just saying it shouldn't be a major surprise that they are still finals competitive a couple of years later with a fairly similar list.

They lost a lot of experience a couple of seasons ago, so people thought they may struggle (me included), however, they are still fielding a side with an average game experience of over 100, in fact 7 players have played more than 150 games.

[Twodogs]

We're not talking about winning premierships though, just saying it shouldn't be a major surprise that they are still finals competitive a couple of years later with a fairly similar list.

That's true.

The fact that I just don't care for them as people is the source of my antipathy. I don't mind mind admitting it. I've got no time for them at all.

[LostDoggy]

That's true.

The fact that I just don't care for them as people is the source of my antipathy. I don't mind mind admitting it. I've got no time for them at all.

Can't disagree....

[Ozza]

Seems simplistic - but North have implemented a playing style that matches the strengths of their core playing list.

They've moved away from a 'sameness' in their midfield - where they had Cunnington and Ziebell as their primary mids - and now have Ziebell forward. Have added some pace. And Brown and Waite both in great form and staying on the park - and they actually move the ball quickly to their targets (who know how to play forward, and how to work together).

[Greystache]

Given they had a lot of close games and injuries last year and had made finals the 3 previous years, including 2 Prelims, the question should be more about why they were written off so quickly?

Well the lost 11 of their last 14 games in 2016 and won 6 games in 2017 and finished bottom 4. So they'd won 9 out of their previous 36 games and were coming off a bottom 4 finish coming into this season.