North Melbourne

[Grantysghost]

North are really pushing to get a priority pick and while I know a lot of this is of their own doing I think they're likely to get one.

Hopefully after the end of the first round.

They've had plenty of high picks lately.
2015 - Traded 15 for Jed Anderson (with some other's chucked in)
2016 - Simpkin (12)
2017 - LDU (4)
2018 - Tarryn Thomas (8)
2019 - They traded out pick 8 to Melbourne who traded it to Freo who picked Caleb Serong. They got Melbourne's future first (2020), pick 26 and 50.
2020 - Philips (3), Powell (13 from Melbourne)
2021 - JHF (1)

Would an extra pick really help??

[GVGjr]

Hopefully after the end of the first round.

They've had plenty of high picks lately.

FWIW, I think they'll get an earlier one. They need some help now.
They can trade the pick for a very good player.

[hujsh]

FWIW, I think they'll get an earlier one. They need some help now.
They can trade the pick for a very good player.

That was he logic for the picks given to GWS. I doubt they'll trade it

[GVGjr]

That was he logic for the picks given to GWS. I doubt they'll trade it

I think it will be a condition of the PP, extract the best player for the pick.

[Grantysghost]

FWIW, I think they'll get an earlier one. They need some help now.
They can trade the pick for a very good player.

They've done that in the past (well for picks actually) - check my post I added more context.

I guess if they can lever that into a decent player it makes sense. But they've had their fair share.

[The Doctor]

There is no way North Melbourne should be given any priority picks in the National Draft. Certainly not while their Administration is in such poor state.

This club's football dept has been poorly run since Ben Buckley took on the presidency in 2016. Prior to his appointment the NMFC had played finals in the 3 preceding years including two top 4 finishes. Under his reign they have failed to make the finals. Last year they won the wooden spoon, narrowly avoided the spoon by % the previous year and will finished bottom 2 this year which he is entitled to add to his resume despite handing over the reigns to Dr Sonja Hood.

Buckley, to his credit, did navigate the Roos out of debt. He is a known corporate schmoozer but under his leadership he has left the football department in a catastrophic state. There has been one bungle after another. Poor decisions regarding coaches, recruits, draft picks, list management generally have been a feature of Buckley's tenure. Senior football dept have walked out and so on.

They now are being led by Dr Hood who has been on the board for the past 3 years and she has to take some of the responsibility. They have had to call in former CEO Geoff Walsh to run a review of the football dept. What has current CEO Ben Armafio been doing? It seems to me Walsh was employed to do a hit job on Noble and the senior administration of the club are trying to lay the blame with him rather than take genuine accountability for the mess they are in. Influential North supporters have been calling for the heads of Hood and Amarfio. It's not a happy place.

Before the AFL start throwing around priority picks they should first insist that the club gets it's leadership in order right throughout. The best way for the club to improve it's ladder position is to make the right decisions in recruiting key personnel to run their football department (the board probably needs a shake up as well). Do they have the right people at the club now to make those decisions? That is highly questionable. So what good would throwing priority picks to them be? They would probably trade it to Essendon for Dyson Heppell in order to get some on field leadership, lol!

It's best to build from the ground up and work with what they have and make clever and innovative decisions regarding key personnel and their list. It can turn quickly like it did with us in 2014. Or a bit longer like it did with Melbourne when they, with AFL assistance, had to clear the duds running the club and appoint people who knew what they were doing. Then AFL might to take over the admin at North as I don't think anyone there knows how to tie up their shoelaces let alone run the club .

[Mofra]

I wouldn't be surprised to see them get a 2nd rounder and/or priority access to state league talent.
They have no 2nd or 3rd rounder this year as well having traded them last year. We have their third rounder currently.

[GVGjr]

I wouldn't be surprised to see them get a 2nd rounder and/or priority access to state league talent.
They have no 2nd or 3rd rounder this year as well having traded them last year. We have their third rounder currently.

That sounds fair enough but the competition can't sit on their hands and just waiting it out.
Not sure if Scott Clayton calling the shots for them is the right decision though.
I still favor a mid first rounder for them but under the proviso they have to trade it for an established player.

[GVGjr]

Interim coach Leigh Adams and 4 players (not yet named) have had positive Covid tests.
Essendon should have a field day with them

[MrMahatma]

Interim coach Leigh Adams and 4 players (not yet named) have had positive Covid tests.
Essendon should have a field day with them

Gee… 3rd string coach gets the gig?

I mean, I’m pretty glad it’s not Richmond or the Saints playing them this week.

[mjp]

Interim coach Leigh Adams and 4 players (not yet named) have had positive Covid tests.
Essendon should have a field day with them

I guess I'm curious as to why you think changes to the team will make them worse?

Essendon should have a field day with them regardless...as reluctant as I am to admit it, they are playing well right now. You can make all the jokes you like about that being because the pressure is off or whatever but the Bombers are dangerous right now and given they play Richmond in the last week I am glad that they are.

We really need Brisbane to take care of business with Richmond this week and hope either Essendon or Hawthorn (or BOTH) at least make it interesting...our run home remains very challenging.

[GVGjr]

I guess I'm curious as to why you think changes to the team will make them worse?

Essendon should have a field day with them regardless...as reluctant as I am to admit it, they are playing well right now. You can make all the jokes you like about that being because the pressure is off or whatever but the Bombers are dangerous right now and given they play Richmond in the last week I am glad that they are.

We really need Brisbane to take care of business with Richmond this week and hope either Essendon or Hawthorn (or BOTH) at least make it interesting...our run home remains very challenging.

Depends on the players concerned but the last thing I would think North need to lose is 4 players and the thinning of the coaching ranks a bit further.

Essendon have under performed to their ability and I can see the likes of Merrett racking up a swag of possessions. North might have some problems countering Peter Wright as well.

[Mantis]

Essendon have under performed to their ability and I can see the likes of Merrett racking up a swag of possessions. North might have some problems countering Peter Wright as well.

In the last 3 weeks Merrett has had 31, 36 & 38 touches so regardless of who he is playing he is being allowed to get lots of the ball.

[Bulldog4life]

In the last 3 weeks Merrett has had 31, 36 & 38 touches so regardless of who he is playing he is being allowed to get lots of the ball.

Heard him say earlier in the year he was playing a more defensive role. Now they have taken the shackles off him he was much happier.

[Grantysghost]

Depends on the players concerned but the last thing I would think North need to lose is 4 players and the thinning of the coaching ranks a bit further.

Essendon have under performed to their ability and I can see the likes of Merrett racking up a swag of possessions. North might have some problems countering Peter Wright as well.

I reckon they're about right. I picked them to be bottom 4-6. Really overachieved last season. They've look like they've let the handbrake off when the season is done and dusted which may be not a true indication of where they're at.

Only game I've been surprised with is the Swans one.