It’s not a new phenomenon and we’ve all been there. Poet Robert Burns described it artfully in his epic poem ‘To A Mouse’ with the line The best laid plans of mice and men oft go awry, or if I paraphrase the entire poem, “sometimes things will turn to shit despite your best efforts mate.”
For North Melbourne this (Sunday) morning as an organisation, they may reflect on this as they ponder a mere 16-point loss to the Doggies.
A still and muggy evening greeted players and the 25000ish fans for Round One at Marvel last night. It was a crazy hot night to be chasing round the footy, yet perfect to be sitting in the stands with a cold beverage of your choice.
Those of you who are time poor can read the next sentence and tune out. North were clearly better than last year, the Dogs did what was required to get past them. North will likely be even better next week. Not much to read into the win by the Dogs.
A calm and measured Clarkson in Friday’s pre-match presser should be giving North fans great heart. Clarkson is a disarmingly good speaker; it’s hard not to listen. Here is a man with a clear plan. No showmanship or fancy stuff. Simply get more competitive, get better, show the competition we are on the up.
Adding to the puzzle this year are three senior players, yes past their peak, but all filling gaps, the least of which are experience, leadership and first-hand knowledge of what success looks and feels like. Maybe North is a slow train coming, but Clarkson does make you feel you should get on board.
For the Dogs, some well-worn whiteboard magnets (Bontempelli, Ugle-Hagan, Treloar, Johannisen amongst others) being unavailable meant it’s hard not to consider them well under strength.
The first quarter, and indeed most of the game, North (through Tristan Xerri efforts in the ruck), had the upper hand in the centre clearances. But it was transitional running, that getting the ball from one end of the ground to the other, kicking to a marking target, that was the difference. The Dogs are very good at both the transition part (Liberatore, Richards, and Harmes stood out) and the marking part, with Aaron Naughton and Sam Darcy being hard to out-point. That forward mix will be truly scary when Ugle-Hagan becomes available for selection again (soon, hopefully). The 5.3 to 1.4 scoreline at the end of the first was about right in terms of who did what, and I guess there were sighs amongst North fans that another flogging was imminent.
But it was not to be that kind of night at all. What followed in the second and third quarters was competitive and entertaining football. Yes seriously. Shouting at the TV kind of stuff.
In the second, Simpkin and Sheezel were everywhere, Larkey kicked two and was joined by Darling, Simpkin and Zurhaar. By half-time North had kicked five to the Dogs’ three, and trailed by only 10 points. And this wasn’t through luck or the Dogs having a nap; it was both teams having a crack. North ARE different this year!
An enthralling game continued in the third, with North whittling the Dogs lead back to just seven. Pretty sure there was some consternation on the face of Dogs’ coach, Luke Beveridge, at the final break and he possibly passed the message to the troops that ‘we could lose this’ if we don’t pull the finger out. Seems strange, but North were right in the game at this point. Last yea,r they’d be getting further behind, this year they are closing the gap.
So it was in the fourth that the Dogs put on three quick goals at the start of the quarter, to go a healthy four goals in front, exerting some authority, a paw on the throat of North, and this is where the game was effectively over. The Dogs finished with five in the final quarter to Norths four (three of which were from Curtis) to finish with a 16 point win.
To be fair, that 16 points did flatter North at the end. Yes, North kept coming, but it was the Dogs’ quick-fire three goals (at will, almost) that was the reality check and was the undoing of North in the end.
North has too many disposals missed the target. Goal scoring opportunities fluffed. Out pressured/muscled. The execution of things let them down. Cue the ‘best laid plans’ thing.
So, the ‘we did enough to get the four-points’ Western Bulldogs move on unscathed, though they will be thinking that game was not as easy as expected. A good result for them considering the stars absent from the lineup. North fans with any kinds of wits will be smiling, I hope. Although a loss, it wasn’t a bath, they did some good stuff, they have talent and leadership, and unlimited scope to grow. Different to last year.
So what has changed.
Well, maybe there is some Moneyball alignment, wherein a senior player in his twilight is brought into to up the professionalism, mentor the young, do his stuff. Hard not to think that despite some public derision, Clarkson and cohort, since it is not their first rodeo, have made very some astute acquisitions in Darling, Parker and Daniel.
In this game, I thought Darling was the standout.
His mission would have been (I think) as follows.
Do the following within 30m of goals. Be a very large man; a gimme. Participate. Get to contests. Make the ball touch the ground (for him, it should be a primary stat). Be a creator of opportunities for those in my immediate vicinity. Maybe take a mark. Maybe kick a goal. Long leads deep in the pocket; not required. Long range shots at goal; not required. Fall over; hardly ever. Be Angry; seems to be a mild-mannered ripper of a bloke. Well, that might be great to have a beer and a laugh with, but I would like to see near-deranged, snot-from-flaring-nostrils type Jack. Taker of great personal affront to anyone in an opposition jumper. North Melbourne do not need the heyday Jack Darling, galloping noble stallion partnered with WCE great Josh Kennedy. They need Jack Darling, large capable angry obstacle, and likely to kick a goal from 30m out unless attended by a suitable defender. I smite thee and shaketh the earth: smalls be thy ready! The return on probably relatively small investment for North is Larkey, Zurhaar, and others carry less of a load.
Well, last night, Darling did most of the above and added some onfield leadership. He occupied the talents of Rory Lobb most of the night, and am positive Mr Lobb will be very sore this morning. Larkey ended up with five and at least some of that was because Darling was on the field. Likewise, Zurhaar had a similar number of opportunities but finished with just one goal, and missed the other four. A couple of which were I’d think regulation goals for a player of his calibre. Still, the important part for North was the opportunities came, and they will continue to come.
Luke Parker had a 21 possession game, which for him is about standard. Didn’t seem he had a giant impact on the game, but his value is both on and off the field, particularly the guidance and example he will supply the likes of Sheezel and the other young guns.
Caleb Daniel, too, had a pretty good night against his former team, picking up 24 possessions without setting the game alight.
Standout players for the Dogs. I liked Laitham Vandermeer. He kicked three, gave plenty of feedback, and had a general bad attitude. Sam Darcy seems to always make the big mark and goal look very easy. There is not much you can do to defend against this type of weapon. Tom Liberatore, a ball getting machine from the deck. Bailey Dale’s use of the footy from half-back was a standout, as well. And two goals from him would have North line coaches fuming that he was permitted to get forward so easily – twice! And Joel Freijah continues his rise amongst the defensive fraternity, as he also spent time as backup ruck.
For North, Tristan Xerri gave it everything, dare I say he’s underrated. Jy Simpkin busted a valve, got a lot of the ball and used it well. Nick Larkey, Coleman bound one day, keeps kicking goals. Special mention Jack Darling, outstanding debut for North.
This game was under the control of umpires Leigh Fisher, Harrison Birch, and Nicholas McGinness. Not once did I swear at the umpiring during this contest, which on the face of it means they did a good job. Well done chaps.
Finally, a quick shout out to Luke Cleary, who was involved in a huge collision with Jackson Archer late in the game. Luke Beveridge actually leapt to his feet and barged out of the coaches’ box to get down to ground level and check on his player, who fell forward into a contest with Archer, and got collected by his knee as the North defender went tumbling over the top of him. In the modern game, it’s about as big a hit to the head as you’ll see, and I wish Luke all the best, and a speedy recovery.
