Why does the North Melbourne football club own us?

[Bring-Back-Powell 14,344]

It's not as if they've been falling over the line. This mob have been smashing us by an average of 6 goals each match.

Any ideas?

- Is is their 3 ruckman combo?

- Is it Etihad?

- Do they raise an extra gear exclusively against Melbourne? (ala Hawthorn in round 1)

- Is it matchups?

Why does an average club have such a dominance over us? As I mentioned before we've put up better performances against Geelong, W Bulldogs and St Kilda over the last 18 months, than we have against North.

Edited May 1, 2010 by Bring-Back-Powell

[Jaded No More 67,627]

Because we can't play against mediocore teams that play defensive flooding rubbish.

May North continue on their journey to nowhere and may somebody burn down Etihad.

Crap team, crap stadium, crap game.

Moving onto next week now...

[Face Your Demons 175]

Bring your A game or lose. One quarter will never win a game.

[drdrake 3,118]

Every team has owned us over the past 3 years we just always play North twice. The tide will turn nothing to be concered about we will beat then in round 22 and then win against them 8 in a row

[JP_ 60]

Because we can't play against mediocore teams that play defensive flooding rubbish.

May North continue on their journey to nowhere and may somebody burn down Etihad.

Crap team, crap stadium, crap game.

Moving onto next week now...

Yeah, we're a team that needs space to run and North just suffocate us.

But that's how North are every week: great pressure and discipline, but they just suck the life out of every game they play in. Everyone's going on about how boring St. Kilda and Adelaide are, but I'd challenge anyone to watch the first half and say that North aren't every bit as bad. They were the same under Laidley, actually, and I can't think of a single memorable game they've played in since Pagan. All we can do is put that game behind us and focus on next week, where there might actually some prospect of watching a proper game of footy.

[wisedog 350]

Even when we were playing finals during 04 - 06 we could only ever seem to grind out a win against the Roos.

To be honest, I'm not all that disappointed. I was half expecting the result and was really glad to see the fight back in the third quarter.

[Jaded No More 67,627]

We have to learn to work around teams that don't allow us space. This was a good learning curve and hopefully we learn a lot from this.

Baby steps and all that.

[Pipefitter 2,133]

They are definitely our Bogey side. But credit to them, they didnt take us lightly. Did their homework tactically.

[JP_ 60]

We have to learn to work around teams that don't allow us space. This was a good learning curve and hopefully we learn a lot from this.

Baby steps and all that.

I think we really missed a key forward today. When you're being scragged and can't find any loose men to pass to, it's always handy to have a big guy to aim at as a kind of "get out" kick (like North did by just constantly aiming at Hale and McIntosh in the goal-square). Why didn't Jamar spend more time up there?

[heartbeatstrue 57]

Because we can't play against mediocore teams that play defensive flooding rubbish.

May North continue on their journey to nowhere and may somebody burn down Etihad.

Crap team, crap stadium, crap game.

Moving onto next week now...

Exactly. They're not that good.

We're going places and they're not.

[Rhino Richards 1,467]

It's not as if they've been falling over the line. This mob have been smashing us by an average of 6 goals each match.

Any ideas?

- Is is their 3 ruckman combo?

- Is it Etihad?

- Do they raise an extra gear exclusively against Melbourne? (ala Hawthorn in round 1)

- Is it matchups?

Why does an average club have such a dominance over us? As I mentioned before we've put up better performances against Geelong, W Bulldogs and St Kilda over the last 18 months, than we have against North.

FFS, we have been an ordinary club over the past 3 years. In that time North made the PF in 2007, 7th in 2008 and 13th in 2009..

They have hardly been an average side over the stretch.

BTW, we have put some putrid performances up against Geelong, Doggies and Saints.

Stop whipping it up to be something its not.

[Bring-Back-Powell 14,344]

Exactly. They're not that good.

We're going places and they're not.

What makes you say North aren't going places?

[Hardnut 327]

Stop whinging about our opposition. Face the fact that under pressure in the first half we reverted to a useless short handball game and turned the ball over. In the third quarter we showed what we really can do. We need to have a good look at our own game - see the stats, and Rhino take note!

[Sir Why You Little 36,605]

No excuses today, but at least there was a fight back in the 3rd Q.

Lots of work Bailey can work with.

We have to learn to win on enemy territory-Whats up with that disgraceful surface???

Shall always hate that stadium, but we must win games there.

[Rhino Richards 1,467]

What makes you say North aren't going places?

What make you say North are an average side??

[RalphiusMaximus 6,012]

North beat us today for several reasons.

1) The Ruck/Forward. Every time we play against them we see one of their ruck/forward types make our defenders look second rate.

2) Strength in numbers. They flood like mad and thus have two-3 players at contests where we have only 1.

3) Etihad. I hate that bloody stadium. Rotten surface, smaller playing area. I'm thrilled that we avoided the hammy curse.

4) We played like crap. Say what you like about North, the real difference was that we were rubbish. We were back to handballing in circles, missing targets and blind bombs into the 50. I don't know if this is the result of complacency in the playing group or some other factor, but if we'd played that way for the last three games we'd be 0-6 right now.

[Bring-Back-Powell 14,344]

What make you say North are an average side??

They have been an average side Rhino. They've made a habit of beating up on crap sides and then falling way short in September - that is a defintion of an average side. Plus a 2-3 record coming into this week suggests they're a middle of the road team.

The thing I'm [censored] off with is why we always bring our C- game against North. We have been respectable (under Bailey) at least once against every team except for North. Care to explain our pathetic 7 game loss streak to them?

As for the future, why do people automatically assume we have a brighter future than North?

Edited May 1, 2010 by Bring-Back-Powell

[Rhino Richards 1,467]

They have been an average side Rhino. They've made a habit of beating up on crap sides and then falling way short in September - that is a defintion of an average side.

The thing I'm [censored] off with is why we always bring our C- game against North. We have been respectable (under Bailey) at least once against every team except for North. Care to explain our pathetic 7 game loss streak to them?

As for the future, why do people automatically assume we have a brighter future than North?

They got to the PF in 2007 with Harvey being there only real star. They have been outstanding in getting as far as they have with their list. So they are not an average side even by your own cooked definition.

I have already explained the reason for the losing streak.Go back and read. Today was always a danger game after the high of last week. MFC became the hunted this week and they need to learn how to handle the week in week out pressure of AFL.

So even by your own standards you agree that North are a good side with a good future? So what does that tell you....Pssst they are not average.

[Suzanna 72]

I know we played a really awful game in the first half but...

I've been to three North games in a row where the umpire has awarded a free to North for falling over their own feet - once it cost us the game. I hope OPSM aren't paying much for their sponsorship, because the umpires are a really bad advertisement for the product.

Number 31 for North deserves a Logie for his performance today - he deliberately took a dive behind Jamar and played it up for a free. That's cheating and the AFL should take action, but as Demetriou used to play for North, that will never happen.

Umpire Number 6 deserves to be sacked. No matter what we did, he blew that damned whistle. Towards the end of the game the Kangas were deliberately staging and laughing as they got the ball - they understood what was happening and made the most of it.

If I thought it was worth the time I would request a refund from the AFL - if I wanted to see a fictional story I would go to Hoyts or Village. I go to the footy because I want to see a fair game. I pay my entrance fee on the understanding that I am going to see a game of football, not a movie.

Oh well, the rest of the season will show who is the better team - North won't get umpire Number 6 every week to help them make goals, but I believe we will keep going up up up the ladder!

[heartbeatstrue 57]

What makes you say North aren't going places?

I admit to some bias, but I think objectively it is plainly obvious that our young players have enormous talent and potential, hence significant room for improvement as they gain maturity, bigger bodies and experience.

I don't see that same potential in this North Melb side, they have probably exceeded expectations with the performances they've got from that team over the past few years and I can't see them taking the next step. But I may be wrong (I didn't see Hawthorn falling away as badly as they have).

(if I was a North supporter, I guess it's their young midfielders that I'd be excited about watching them develop)

Edited May 1, 2010 by heartbeatstrue

[dee-luded 2,959]

It's not as if they've been falling over the line. This mob have been smashing us by an average of 6 goals each match.

Any ideas?

- Is is their 3 ruckman combo?

- Is it Etihad?

- Do they raise an extra gear exclusively against Melbourne? (ala Hawthorn in round 1)

- Is it matchups?

Why does an average club have such a dominance over us? As I mentioned before we've put up better performances against Geelong, W Bulldogs and St Kilda over the last 18 months, than we have against North.

They don't, but Eddie's hat, is too narrow for our spacial running game. the other thing is Nth were physically bigger, more developed & shrugged us off many tackles.

The main thing is their junk yard dog tenacity. You have to match it.

[darkhorse72 1,850]

They don't, but Eddie's hat, is too narrow for our spacial running game. the other thing is Nth were physically bigger, more developed & shrugged us off many tackles.

The main thing is their junk yard dog tenacity. You have to match it.

My thought exactly, north has always had more mature bodies than our boys and more tanactiy. something special in their drink?

[Real Demon 232]

North is not that bad a side........they are as honest as the day is long.

They turned up ready to prove a point.........we've been getting all the kudos for being a young team on the up, yet the team they put out on the weekend was younger than ours.

The gameplan they adopted appeared negative, but all they did was employ a tactic aimed at nullifying our run......good coaching and a good tactic.....and they still scored over 100 points, so it wasn't that negative!

Our inability to break through what North was throwing at us was the problem.

They have some terrific young onballers who are hard at it, at their defenders, while not big, are quick and versatile.......they look like a team of no names because they get little press.

Credit where it's due.......they were harder at it, played the ground better than us, and outsmarted us on the day.

They deserved their win, and out blokes are going to have to learn from it, and be better next time.

[heartbeatstrue 57]

North is not that bad a side........they are as honest as the day is long.

They turned up ready to prove a point.........we've been getting all the kudos for being a young team on the up, yet the team they put out on the weekend was younger than ours.

The gameplan they adopted appeared negative, but all they did was employ a tactic aimed at nullifying our run......good coaching and a good tactic.....and they still scored over 100 points, so it wasn't that negative!

Our inability to break through what North was throwing at us was the problem.

They have some terrific young onballers who are hard at it, at their defenders, while not big, are quick and versatile.......they look like a team of no names because they get little press.

Credit where it's due.......they were harder at it, played the ground better than us, and outsmarted us on the day.

They deserved their win, and out blokes are going to have to learn from it, and be better next time.

Good post. Spot on. You can bet DB is extracting maximum lessons from it, so ultimately it's going to be very good for us, an experience like that.