Vipercrunch

BenKen came back after just one VFL game last time he was dropped and didn't show too much consistency after that. Needs to build a good run of form this time I think. His height is irrelevant. From what I saw of the VFL game, I'd have Grimes and Oliver at the front of the list of possible recalls. Garland maybe required if OMac doesn't get up or is rested. I support him developing in the seniors however. I would love to see Huelett soon, perhaps for Dawes. As to who might get dropped, I'd chose anyone who is consistently wasteful and/or a poor decision maker when heading inside F50. That's the poorest part of our game at the moment and frustrates me no end. To wide. To low when the F50 is crowded. Kicks that don't favor our forwards. Is it really that hard....

Thought Brayshaw might have gone too far there but nice result.

So many long kicks into F50 going so wide. Not sure why. Hit the hot spot!

Plenty to improve but ball movement when away from contest is good and the forward line is very dangerous.

Not so strange recently. Been quite scrappy recently. Good start, although probably should have a few more on the board.

Adelaide move the ball really well and are enjoyable to watch really. Going to be very tough to beat. Love watching North lose

3 or 4 wins out of the 9 I think would be a acceptable return. If it's less than that, I'd be disappointed. I think we need to continue resting and rotating players for the rest of the season and hopefully avoid any long term injuries so 90%+ of the list is fit and ready for the start of preseason.

Most of our losses have come from losing in the middle. When we lose in the middle, our defensive structure and inexperienced young defenders are badly exposed. Once our gun young midfielders (Oliver, Brayshaw and Petracca in particular) are fit, experienced and seasoned, that will happen less and less often. I think the best example of how we are possibly sacrificing a little bit of immediate success for future success is the continued selection of some of the younger players in the backline. Wagner I think was very early on identified as exactly the type of player they want in the backline, and his selection throughout the NAB and then an early debut indicated that despite perhaps not seeming to be fully ready for AFL, they wanted to fast track him. Credit to him, he's performed more than admirably imo. OMac is in the same boat I think. But when we loss the contest around the middle, guys like those two are somewhat exposed. In two years form now, we won't lose as often in the middle AND the backline (which will look very similar to what it does now personnel wise) will be far stronger one on one and more experience playing to the coaches structures and each other. The results will come.

Pretty good post except that I have to disagree with this paragraph. I thought Matt Jones was very handy before getting injured. Won his own ball and used his pace out of congestion. Avergaged about 20 touches a game. I'd prefer him over Stretch at this stage.

190cm is not "tall" in this era of AFL. 195cm plus, perhaps even 200cm plus. Patrick Cripps is listed on the AFL website as 193cm.

So good to see Max back in top form. Kicks another. 55 points up.

The body work on Mason Cox has been very good by our smal defence. A bit of body contact and he is knocked off the ball and is then useless.

Put Trenners in the middle for the song and give him a Gatorade shower to properly welcome him back.

Unlucky bounce there. Really unlucky.

Why the hell wasn't that a 50 to Watts. Opponent just ignored the mark and so did the umpire....

Kent burnt a few there.

Winning the quarter. Up by 30 points.

Players are getting tired....

Our first quarter was made to look bad mainly because we butchered the ball forward of centre. Opened it up out the back and they capitalised. We improved that part of the game, tidied up some possession in close and they started to crack.

Maxy!!!! Love it.

His idea on the kick cross ground was great, just didn't have the leg to make the distance. Would have really opened it up. Varcoe has been good for them.

Tmac has been very good the last 5-10 minutes. BenKen too.

Now keep it up!!! Starting around the ball.

Tackling and pressure much better. Nice passage of play from Dawes there.

Delivery into forward line sucks (again!!!) and causes the goals out the back to them. Ho hum....