A Preseason Preview - Part 7 of 16 - Roos

[pahoffm]

Hi all,
Server problems have made me look tardy with this latest episode. But here I am, after a few glasses of wine and a tiny bit of computer skill, to bring you an analysis of the Roos in 2005.

Kangaroos - Seemingly Progressing Nicely.

There has been major change at North over the last couple of seasons. Dean Laidley is in his 3rd year as coach. Many of their premiership heroes have bitten the dust, yet the Roo boys were only marginally away from playing in the finals last year. Yes, Anthony Stevens won't be there to lead them this year, and King has also gone. So will the next generation come up? Although Laidley's performance so far has been good, and that there has been so much to draw from in Human Resources over the last decade, one has to question why his current assistants are so much on the football periphery. Donald McDonald, 2 VFL flags in a decade of coaching, didn't do much at Hawthorn. Darren Crocker, his performance at Richmond says enough. Darren Bewick, yes, finally a reasonable assistant coach. But why couldn't North retain any of its arguably most successful era as coaching assistants. I appreciate King's efforts sofar at Tigerland, but one must wonder why the f**k he isn't an assistant coach with North. Where is Anthony Stevens in 2005? But that's their problem.

The Roo list of 43 players is as follows:

McIntosh 203 101 20
Hale 200 101 20
Moran 200 88 19 New
McKernan 197 105 31
Petrie 197 101 22
Thompson 196 100 27
JonesCh 196 80 20
Rocca 195 108 31
Brown 193 101 23
Colbert 192 90 29
Baird 192 92 24
Watt 192 98 24
Perry 192 95 19
Shore 191 89 20
LeCras 189 92 23
Schwarze 189 82 22 New
Thewlis 189 80 20 Rookie
Perkins 188 NA 22 New
JonesCo 187 90 24
Gibson 187 92 21 Rookie
Smith 187 78 19 New
Firrito 186 93 21
Simpson 185 87 29
Pratt 185 88 22 New
McMahon 185 84 19 Rookie
Trotter 185 83 19
Motlop 184 86 23
Urch 184 87 20
Picioane 183 89 24 New
Archer 182 91 31
Rawlings 181 82 23
Sansbury 181 79 21
Watson 181 74 21
Makepeace 180 78 26
Sinclair 180 84 26
Harding 180 84 23
Harris 180 81 22
Grima 180 80 20
Wells 180 75 20
Stevens 179 79 24
Grant 178 85 27
HarveyS 176 74 22
HarveyB 172 76 26

Yes, 43 players, of which 6 are new and 3 are rookies. Maybe the Roos have more money than us, or they are paying them less. But take the 3 rookies out, makes 40, that's too many. Somethings wrong on the North list but I've already had 5 glasses of wine, so I'll let you figure it out. Ahh, the veteran's list, that must be the answer.

The spread of their list is as follows:

Twilight = 28+yo
Prime = 25-27yo
Development = 22-24yo
Junior = 18-21yo

Roos
<180 Small Runners
Twilight: 0
Prime: Grant 27, BHarvey 26
Development: MStevens 24, SHarvey 22
Junior: 0

Tigers
<180 Small Runners
Twilight: 0
Prime: 0
Development: Krakouer 22,
Junior: Rodan 21, Foley 20,

Roos
180-184 Smaller Mediums
Twilight: Archer 31
Prime: Makepeace 26, Sinclair 26
Development: Picioane 24, Motlop 23, Rawlings 23, Harding 23, Harris 23
Junior: Sansbury 21, Watson 21, Urch 20, Grima 20, Wells 20

Tigers
180-184 Smaller Mediums
Twilight: Chaffey 28
Prime: Brown 27,
Development: Pettifer 23, Newman 23, Hyde 22,
Junior: Hartigan 20, Gilmour 19, Roach 19, Meyer 18, Raines 18, Tambling 18,

Roos
185-189 Taller Mediums
Twilight: Simpson 29
Prime: 0
Development: CoJones 24, LeCras 23, Schwarze 22, Perkins 22, Pratt 22
Junior: Gibson 21, Firrito 21, Thewlis 20, Smith 19, McMahon 19, Trotter 19

Tigers
185-189 Taller Mediums
Twilight: Campbell 32
Prime: Bowden 27, Johnson 27, Hilton 26, Tivendale 26,
Development: Tuck 23, Coughlan 23,
Junior: Jackson 19, Deledio 18, Polo 18,

Roos 
190-194 Mobile Key Position
Twilight: Colbert 29
Prime: 0
Development: Baird 24, Watt 24, Brown 23
Junior: Shore 20, Perry 19

Tigers
190-194 Mobile Key Position
Twilight: Graham 32, Gaspar 29, Kellaway 29
Prime: 0
Development: Morrison 24,
Junior: Moore 21, Schulz 20, Archibald 19, Thursfield 19, McGuane 18, Limbach 17

Roos
195-199 Key Position/ Ruck
Twilight: McKernan 31, Rocca 31
Prime: Thompson 27
Development: Petrie 22
Junior: ChJones 20

Tigers
195-199 Key Position/ Ruck
Twilight: Richardson 30
Prime: Simmonds 27,
Development: Hall 24,
Junior: Pattison 19

Roos
200+ Ruck
Twilight: 0
Prime: 0
Development: 0
Junior: McIntosh 20, Hale 20, Moran 19

Tigers
200+ Ruck
Twilight: Stafford 30
Prime: Knobel 25,
Development: 0
Junior: 0

So the North spread looks pretty good except for 3 minor areas, which could become headaches if not attended to next year.
1) They have good prime and development rovers, but no junior rovers. They should draft a couple at the end of the season.
2) They have no prime tall mediums nor prime mobile kpps. But they have 3 players in this area in development who will move into prime next season. So this is only a minor issue.
3) They have no mature ruckman. They have 3 juniors, but no mature ruckman. That's why they should have tried harder to get the doughnut king. But we might eye-off 1 of these junior ruckmen  come season's end.

Their positional depth is as follows:

B: Makepeace 26 Baird 24 Archer 31
Harding 23 Watt 24 LeCras 23
Stevens 24 Perry 19

HB: Sinclair 26 Colbert 29 Picioane 24
Perkins 22 Brown 23 Pratt 22
Urch 20

C: Motlop 23 Harris 22 Schwarze 22
Sansbury 21 Trotter 19 Firrito 21
Thewlis 20

HF: Grant 27 Thompson 27 Rawlings 23
Watson 21 Petrie 22 Gibson 21
                Ch Jones 20


F: McKernan 31 Rocca 31 S Harvey
                Co Jones 24
                Shore 20

R: McIntosh 20 Simpson 29 B Harvey 26
Hale 20 Smith 19 Wells 20
Moran 19 McMahon 19 Grima 20

It looks pretty good. It's just that their backup midfielders look a bit young, and they lack for a mature ruckman. But then again Mark Lee was only 21yo when he rucked Richmond to a premiership in 1980. Time will tell.

Conclusion
Things seem pretty good for North. They seem as if they should be playing finals this year. But there are 2 areas of concern.
1) The loss of leadership in its playing staff over the last year or two, and
2) The apparent weakness in its coaching staff by way of Laidley's assistants.
The Roos should very nearly be playing finals this year, BUT there just seems to be that gut feel that they are fragile and that Roo supporters may walk away disappointed at season's end.

Again, I welcome some of your comments. 

 

[Pomsta]

Unfortunately (or not ) I see only wooden stirring rods at the end of the season for the Roo boys. Apart from their midgets I see nothing to get enthused about. If all this team played to the best of their ability then their KPP/Rucks would be extremely good but McKernan plays 2 good games a year, Rocca is a week by week proposition and Petrie is not as good as everyone reckons. However Thompson can play when his minds right (pun intended).

The fact that they hired Crocker to be forward coach after he coached the Tiges to the lowest amount of points in the league, including 70-odd goals from Richo, sums up where this club is right now.

 

[Dallas]

Phanto, what are you drinking? (not a sledge on the report which is solid as ever, genuine question).

 

[pahoffm]

Phanto, what are you drinking? (not a sledge on the report which is solid as ever, genuine question).

Had BBQed fish for dinner, so accompanied it with a few glasses of Traminer Reisling. But it's getting fairly late now, since I've got a full day of cricket tomorrow, so I've just taken a large glass of milk with a dollop of Frangelico into it, and I'm about to go to bed with this morning's crosswords.

 

[Bentleigh]

Every team is years off becomming a good side aye?

 

[DragicevicFan]

3) They have no mature ruckman. They have 3 juniors, but no mature ruckman. That's why they should have tried harder to get the doughnut king. But we might eye-off 1 of these junior ruckmen come season's end.

Interesting comment. Is that a hunch of yours Phantom, or are you aware that Miller/Wallace are fans of one of the younger guys at North, presumably either McIntosh or Hale.

 

[johnson2richo2003]

IMO.North will join the Blues and Bombers as the sliders this year

 

[pahoffm]

3) They have no mature ruckman. They have 3 juniors, but no mature ruckman. That's why they should have tried harder to get the doughnut king. But we might eye-off 1 of these junior ruckmen  come season's end.

Interesting comment. Is that a hunch of yours Phantom, or are you aware that Miller/Wallace are fans of one of the younger guys at North, presumably either McIntosh or Hale.

Couldn't help myself, had to have a last peak for the night before going to bed with another special glass of milk. If you recall Greg came very very close to doing a deal with North on the Tuesday of trade week involving Ottens, Hale & 1 or 2 of North's draft choices. Ottens may have gone to Geelong in the end, but I know that Greg is still aware of North's excess of junior ruckmen. But hey as I said in the Adelaide preview, they've got an excess of junior ruckmen as well. So let's wait then see what happens at the end of the 2005 season.

 

[mb64]

North are a bit of a mystery.Saw them thump Port & also beaten by bulldogs.Could finish anywhere from 10th to 16th.

 

[an_oxford_man]

Tigers
190-194 Mobile Key Position
Twilight: Graham 32, Gaspar 29, Kellaway 29
Prime: 0
Development: Morrison 24,
Junior: Moore 21, Schulz 20, Archibald 19, Thursfield 19, McGuane 18, Limbach 17

As Dean Limbach's president I feel I must step in here.

Phantom,

Dean is 18 not 17.

 

[Bentleigh]

Tigers
190-194 Mobile Key Position
Twilight: Graham 32, Gaspar 29, Kellaway 29
Prime: 0
Development: Morrison 24,
Junior: Moore 21, Schulz 20, Archibald 19, Thursfield 19, McGuane 18, Limbach 17

As Dean Limbach's president I feel I must step in here.

Phantom,

Dean is 18 not 17.

19 before years end

 

[FightingFury]

As far as opposition sides go,I probably admire North more than any other.They won flags and played as a tough hard unit with little $ or support,and you won't see that too often in the future.
However,I believe they are gonna fall on hard times in 2005.
I believe their list is fairly poor,and they lack quality rucks and KP forwards.
They will probably still win games through their tenacious nature(I love Archer) but they are 10-14th this year for mine.

 

[jb03]

No chance. Downward spiral Laidley will be unable to arrest.

Fitst coach gone in 2006 after a poor start following their spoon of 2005.

 

[johnson2richo2003]

No chance. Downward spiral Laidley will be unable to arrest.

Fitst coach gone in 2006 after a poor start following their spoon of 2005.

I tend to agree JBhifi.
The impression of laidley is he,s a Malthouse wannabe.Which is understandable i guess considering he was under malthouse for awhile at the pies.
he just comes across as not the right person for North.

 

[Tubytiger]

Could not see North getting any higher than around 10th this coming year. IMO they were average in their recruiting at best and have a pretty average playing list. Tough side that plays on going hard at it but that can only take you so far...I actually dont mind their attitude and how they go about it and that is why I'm glad we got Kingy over to instil a bit of aggro and attitude into some of the guys down at punt road.

 

[Tigers of Old]

I appreciate King's efforts sofar at Tigerland, but one must wonder why the f**k he isn't an assistant coach with North. Where is Anthony Stevens in 2005? But that's their problem.

Hey Phanto
King & Stevens may have coaching aspirations of their own. Probably a good idea for them both to gain experience at other clubs. North IMO opinion are on the slide and Laidley may not be there when or if they return.
Also Laidley may not want recently retired players in charge of former teammates either(straight away anyway). He's trying to carve out his own coaching career at the Roos and both King and Stevo would have been fairly heavily influenced by Pagan's coaching style I would've thought.
PS Enjoy your reports

As far as opposition sides go,I probably admire North more than any other.They won flags and played as a tough hard unit with little $ or support,and you won't see that too often in the future.
However,I believe they are gonna fall on hard times in 2005.
I believe their list is fairly poor,and they lack quality rucks and KP forwards.
They will probably still win games through their tenacious nature(I love Archer) but they are 10-14th this year for mine.

Totally agree Strugs.
That Shinboners spirit has been irresistable for a long time. After the Tiges I admire the Roos more than any other side. If King can instill some of that spirit into our troops it will have been a very wise appointment indeed.

 

[Rosy]

After the Tiges I admire the Roos more than any other side. If King can instill some of that spirit into our troops it will have been a very wise appointment indeed.

Same here. The Roos remind me of Lleyton Hewitt. They've been a team that always gives their best and survives against the odds. They don't know how to lie down. Tough and super committed with a real in the trenches kind of comeraderie.

 

[evo]

The Roos are the hardest to place in 2005 IMO.They could finish anywhere from 9th to stone motherless IMO.

There backline is a real problem.Watt is a dud IMO.Leroy Brown is a little better but still inconsistent.Plays a bit messy but is hard at it.I suspect our Archibald, if he makes it, will be like this guy.
Colbert has been a great servant,but it's his last year.Along with Archer they could still be anything from very good to attrocious.In 2006 the Roos will severly miss both these guys.

Petrie is the most over-rated player in football and I love stirring my mates about him.Thompson is a very good addittion and he might suprise with how many goals he kicks in 2005.Rocca has pretty much had it and anything they get from him will be a bonus.

Their midfield is still pretty good.Simpson is a great player in the Ling type mould.Just seems to be able to get the pill.Harvey is a big question mark.At his best he's very dammaging.A few of my north friends think he was suffering OP in 2004 but played regardless,a little like our Cogs situation.If he's shaken it could re emerge in 2005.Harris will have a big year in the centre and could becme there Cogs.Wells is class and i tihnk North can rightfully expect him to really step up now.If they can take pressure off Grant I think he could become a very damaging Hff.

Motlop and Corey are both talented but lazy.Fringe and young players like Firritto,Baird,Le Cras, Mcintosh, Sansbury,Harding, Piccione (lol),Watson,Michael Stevens and Shane Harvey.Are one of the poorest groups in the league .I fear for them post 2005.

Laidley is one of the poorest coaches in the league IMO , he panics too much, and seems incapable of calmly assessing the situation.I hear some of the players don't like him.I see he as a good chance to be gone by the end of the year depending on the Roos performance.

 

[jb03]

After the Tiges I admire the Roos more than any other side. If King can instill some of that spirit into our troops it will have been a very wise appointment indeed.

Same here. The Roos remind me of Lleyton Hewitt. They've been a team that always gives their best and survives against the odds. They don't know how to lie down. Tough and super committed with a real in the trenches kind of comeraderie.

Those days are gone Rosy. Look at their results towrd the end of 2005. I reckon now they are just crap. I stand to be corrected of course. :clap

 

[Dyer'ere]

evo, that's about the size of it IMO. I think the only players I don't agree pretty much exactly with you are Rocca, Thompson and Simpson. BTW I love the Shinboner style too. Hope they can get it together again.

Petrie's not the only problem. I've seen Leigh Brown point blank run away from the football in 2004. I've seen him duck under marks and refuse to lower his head. What the hell has happened to him? As a junior he had some ticker. Is he scarred for life by playing at the Dockees? He's young but the signs are worrying for him and Petrie.

Adam Simpson spent far too much time picking up cheap kicks in the back pocket in 2004. The cheap kicks that were reserved for Harvey in 2003. Harvey won, IIRC, 15 contested balls for 2003. Funny how that and no cheap back pocket leather translated into a *smile* 2004. Simpson's nowhere near as bad but it's the same path. That said I expect both to improve in 2005. On Harvey, he is the best small forward in the land. Too good to play there. Until now.

Brady Rawlings is an odd one. He plays that Pagan style tagging role where you're always within 5m of your opponent but you don't seem to pay him any close attention. The aim is to be running and intercept the ball on the way to him. Brady used to be the loosest tagger in the history of the game but he is improving (unlike the brother, a lost cause).

Harris, Simpson, Rawlings, Grant not a bad quartet.

Jones and Motlop could improve too. I like em both.

If you've ever wondered why Nathan Thompson spills so many marks I think it's because he takes his eyes off it mid air, not just because he's got butter fingers. He could be very valuable along side the only large male in the side, The Big Saveloy. But I prefer NT in the ruck. It would enable him to get used to winning the ball again, take the pressure off his poor marking and give him a chance to run through some smalls, you know, for confidence.

Wells is still very light. If he struggles a bit in 2005 I won't be surprised. Nor if he wins the Brownlow. Talk about a bob each way. ;D

2005 offers youth- Wells, Trotter, maybe McItosh, Moran, Urch, Chad Jones. Any wraps for the other kids?

Not a Laidley fan.

Archer is one of the most surprising footballers I've ever heard. He never resorts to a cliche, has a thoughtful and fresh response to the most banal questions and seems... intelligent. Everyone asks where the next coach is. Is it Cresswell? Harvey? I think it might be Archer.

Roos- 2005 9th to 16th. 2006- 15th to 16th?