2020 Player movement

[comrade]

Well - then you have a massive problem...cos the coupe lost 30% of it's value the second you drove it off the show-room floor...so don't buy stuff that doesn't suit your needs.

(Of course, I am assuming you are talking about Polec and not about Josh Bruce!)

Haha I am referring to Polec (though about a month ago, I was having similar thoughts about Bruce).

They definitely have a massive problem, overestimating where the list was at when they brought Polec in. They may as well cut their losses, he doesn't really present as a leader or standards setter so I can't really see the point in keeping him.

[Rocco Jones]

So, last year he finished 7th in North's B&F.
The year before he finished 5th in Port's B&F.

Who votes for the B&F? Match committee...so please don't say that what he has been doing on the field has been against the wishes of the coaching panel since the only evidence we have says that simply isn't true.

Something has changed. And given that, is there any wonder that when his game style was 'suddenly' challenged - and yes, I mean suddenly since he was top 10 B&F just last season - that an experienced player with a history of success playing a 'certain' way pushed back on the messenger.

This is a relationship based decision. North have done a poor job managing this player and now are looking to exit him from the club?

Very good point re: Best and Fairests.

I think even if you can't change Polec, he can still bring value depending on what you want/how you use him. He has always been strength/weakness type, the change is the relationship/rebuild.

[Grantysghost]

Well - then you have a massive problem...cos the coupe lost 30% of it's value the second you drove it off the show-room floor...so don't buy stuff that doesn't suit your needs.

(Of course, I am assuming you are talking about Polec and not about Josh Bruce!)

I guess Shaw couldn't have done anything major in those weeks as caretaker, so now with the main gig confirmed he's trying to mould the club in his vision.
It's a fair point to say, well what do you expect from him that's how he plays. Appears he tried to teach him by following around one of best inside guys and he hasnt read the room well at all. Whether that's because the coached pulled the wrong lever, or the player is too rigid no idea.
Fair to say it's not gone the way they'd planned it.

[Twodogs]

a couple I think. Not sure why he went there when Gawn was there and he wouldn't be number 1. He left NOrth because Goldy was number 1

I can remember a lot of people making exactly the same point at the time he signed with Melbourne. In fact given the stages of their careers that Goldstein and Gwen were at posters were saying that Prides had effectively gone back a few rungs. Maybe he likes being on an AFL list but doesn't want the responsibility of being The Man?

I cannot see any possible way that Bevo would play Preuss in anything other than an extreme emergency.

He certainly doesn't appear to have the aerobic capacity to be the extra midfielder that Bevo requires and as a second ruck, where could we hide him. Bevo would prefer Dunkley.

That emergency would involve only having 21 fit players. Plus Brayden Pruess.

Might be Coopers little brother.

Or Bens

Essendon could have had 2 early first rounders for him last year. Now they'll end up with a pick in the late teens at best.

Isn't he a free agent?

But...

Shaw coached North for a nice block of games last year. He *SHOULD* have done something then if it was important to him but (projecting here) was more interested in positive results that led to his senior coaching appointment than whether or not each of his players were toeing the party line. Is it any wonder that this has gone wrong?

I'm quite obviously in the minority here but to me North got EXACTLY the player they recruited. And now they don't like it? Well, that's just dumb.

You could argue that we didn't get the player we recruited this year in Josh Bruce but our MC has done everything within their power to support him and give him opportunity - too far at times if you ask me - but to me that is the fundamental difference between where we are at and where North (a traditional battler like us) is at right now...everyone on the boat at least SEEMS to be pulling in the same direction. Whether or not that results in a win on Saturday against a Saints team that seems equally unified remains to be seen.

I don't know. With Polec I just don't understand the criticism of the player - he is what he always has been and THAT is the player they went out and targeted. You can't start crying about a car only having two doors if that is the car you inquired about, test drove and purchased...

I'm in it with you. Maybe all 3 coaches (or 2 of them) reacted the wrong way, or the same way, when the shit hit the fan? It's not always the players fault.

Having said that I'm not really interested in him. I'd rather we developed similar players we have to Polec that are already on our list and targeted actual weaknesses we have.

[hujsh]

Isn't he a free agent?

Restricted so Essendon can match the deal and force a trade if they think they can get better compensation (which of course they will think that they're Essendon)

[Mofra]

Cam McCarthy will be an interesting player to watch. I'd be surprised if he isn't given a chance somewhere. Just seems too talented to be on the scrapheap already given he can be listed as a DFA.

[Bulldog Joe]

Interesting situation at North with Polec, Brown and others.

Clearly there is an issue and the coach is at the centre of it.

Do you coach to suit your list or do you build a list to suit the coach.

My observation is that Shaw has clearly decided he wants a list to suit him. Problem is he will probably be gone before he can build it.

I then reflect on us and how Bevo initially coached to suit what he had and we got the 2016 flag.

Since then we have changed direction and rebuilt the list. Among others I have been critical of Bevo and his unorthodox approach since the flag, but it was and is infinitely superior to the destruction Rhys Shaw has brought to wreck the spirit of the North faithful.

[Twodogs]

Does anyone else think that Rhys Shaw looks more like a derro who has wandered out onto the ground than a professional AFL coach?

[ratsmac]

Does anyone else think that Rhys Shaw looks more like a derro who has wandered out onto the ground than a professional AFL coach?

Haha I reckon he looks like a kebab food truck guy out the front of the ground

[Happy Days]

I've definitely seen worse coaches than Shaw, but I don't think I've ever seen one that looks so out of ideas when things go poorly.

[The Bulldogs Bite]

I've definitely seen worse coaches than Shaw, but I don't think I've ever seen one that looks so out of ideas when things go poorly.

Let's not go down that Rhode.

[SquirrelGrip]

Let's not go down that Rhode.

Shaw our Mastermind banner coming soon?

[Mofra]

I've definitely seen worse coaches than Shaw, but I don't think I've ever seen one that looks so out of ideas when things go poorly.

He did seem out of things to say in his post-match conferences late in the season.
It did seem like he was coaching a certain way, and some players were playing a different way.

From the outside looking in, the talk of their "meat grinder" midfield and being tough over the ball was predicated on Ziebull and Zurhaar being bulls up forward, and Anderson and Cunnington being tough over the ball.
Cunnington is their heart and soul and when he went down, the whole show fell apart.

Brown had an injury affected year and never got going - how that translates into him being pushed out the door for what will eventually be a Stringer-like trade (few suitors, value dropping) could hurt them long term, especially with Mason Wood being delisted. Xerri is promising as a ruck/forward but isn't your main guy.

Their acquisitions that they've shased for so long aren't the solution. Polec will find a forth club, Pittard (who once looked really promising) is delisted, Higgins who has been good for them is likely on the move.
Corr is a good get but I suspect they are hideously overpaying.

[comrade]

The salary cap is a blessing and a curse for a club like North right now. They have to use it (to an agreed minimum) but their best players are still kids in their first 3-5 years (LDU, Simpkin, Larkey, Taylor etc) which means spending it on players like Polec, Pittard, Corr etc. Of course, they can bank the surplus and use it in the future, but it feels like they should be years away from trying to spend up big on trade targets and the longer they wallow at the bottom end of the draft, the less likely they will attract quality talent from other clubs (unless they absolutely nail the draft in the next 2-3 years).

They're in a very tough spot.

[josie]

Theoretical for you-if we could swap Pies’ Josh Daicos for Ed Richards would we do it?

I’ve really like what I’ve seen from Daicos. Internet says he is a small midfielder/ forward. I swear I have seen him play on wing and I thought he looked good. Very quick thinking player. I know he is in negotiations now and will likely re-sign.

I like Ed too. Just musing......