2022 Team Preview – North Melbourne

Could this be the most buoyant a club has ever been after finishing bottom? There is so much positivity around this group at the moment it’s infectious. Noble seems to have them well drilled and the signs were incredibly good from the round 7 Melbourne game onward. Expect improvement from this list and as a member, I’m seriously excited about heading to the footy and seeing this team further develop. The young midfield group looks like they will be elite, Larkey’s back end of the season puts him in contention for the Coleman this year if he can maintain that form and consistency. Add to that the additions of Greenwood and CCJ through the trade period. Cunners and Anderson have giant question marks next to their name and they’re incredibly valuable to our team. I’d expect us to climb up a few spots this year with next year being the year we leap up the ladder but I love Noble’s messaging to the players and fans that they’re not really putting a cap on their expectations for the season ahead.

Defenders

Lock and Load: Aaron Hall ($572,900) seems a more viable option than Ziebell as the distributor through the back half setting up many forays forward. Eventually North will want to develop someone else in this role (Hayden maybe? see below) but for now I think it’s Hall’s role. I’d back Hall in more to keep a 95+ avg than I do for Ziebell. With an emerging midfield I can’t see teams sending a tagger to Hall. Personally, I think there’s better options at other teams, but I totally understand why many will tip into Hall.

Feeling Lucky: In many ways Jack Ziebell ($585 000) was the SC player of the season last year as a forward line premo scoring huge points down back at a super cheap starting point. That was last year and this is this year. Do you really think that North’s ageing veteran is going to maintain that scoring output? Only 1 ton in his last 5 games of 2021 is a potential red flag for anyone considering him. Look elsewhere.

I was surprised when I saw how cheap Kyron Hayden ($199 600) is. Only played 12 games across three years at the club so nothing to write home about there but a look into his 2020 scores makes for intriguing reading. He played 8 games in a row before a knee injury sidelined him. 4 scores of 60+ including a round 8 ton against Carlton show that he has some talent. Was pretty quiet in his only 3 games of last season but they were early doors when we were an uncompetitive basket case. Hayden could be a good one to keep in your pocket in case there are few defensive rookies named league wide for round 1.

Midfielders

Feeling Lucky: Anyone feeling Jy Simpkin ($529 000)? From round 7 onwards he scored a healthy, but underwhelming, 102.4 average. Has shown that he has a high ceiling but also has some quieter games. Picking him would be a gamble that he’s going to find the consistency that he needs to be an elite midfielder. As a North supporter I hope it happens but for SC I don’t think he’s got the consistency I’m looking for.

Luke Davies-Uniacke ($426 100) comes $100K cheaper than Simpkin and if you’re prepared to roll the dice on Simpkin you’d have to seriously consider LDU for that same spot in your line up. He’s got breakout contender written all over him. Most of us won’t select him and I’m not planning on selecting him myself BUT he’s definitely one that could go wooshka.

Money Maker: Jason Horne-Francis ($207,300). Just pick him. Don’t get caught out trying to be the smartest person in the room. Just pick him. In fact, he’s such an obvious pick he should’ve been your first pick. For those that need data to convince them, he played senior footy in the SANFL last season and in the Prelim he had 24 touches, 11 clearances and kicked 3 goals. JUST. PICK. HIM!!!

Josh Goater ($117,300) will also be worth consideration if he’s named Round 1. Goater’s name has been bobbing up a little in North communiqué. Feel there’s probably better options at other clubs though.

Rucks

Goldy is my favourite North player and one of my all time faves. Been incredible over the years and still a top ruckman but I feel his SC days are behind him.

Money Maker: Charlie Comben ($123 900, R/F) and Jacob Edwards ($123 900, R/F). I think you simply MUST have one of these two in your team (or quite possibly both at R3 and F8). Noble virtually guaranteed Comben a best 22 spot during the week saying that North would have Larkey and Comben as the two tall forwards plus a resting ruck. North picked up Edwards in the mid year draft and he might come into consideration later in the season but for now he’ll play in the North VFL team. I like my R3 to be a non-scorer so that brings Edwards into the equation for my team.

Forwards

It seriously feels like half the North team has DPP.

Feeling Lucky: Up to the plate Tarryn Thomas ($459 300, M/F) and Jaidyn Stephenson ($423,700). It’d take a brave person to select one of these two but the potential in these two is through the roof. Fit the bill perfectly of a SC forward who plays a lot of mid time. Thomas in particular finished the back end of last season really well with two 130+ scores in the last four rounds when he was unleashed through the midfield. Consider Thomas and probably pass on Stephenson.

We’ve also got Callum Coleman-Jones ($361,300, R/F). There is genuine excitement at North about this absolute steal of a trade. Is he SC relevant? Hmmm… Maybe? There’s been a lot of recent talk from North about CCJ and North’s big man set up. For those that missed it all, the wash up is that David Noble confirmed that 2 of Goldy, CCJ and Xerri will play in the team as a ruck/3^rd tall combo. CCJ came to North with the promise of more game time and more ruck time so you’d think he’ll play round 1 and share the ruck duties with Goldy. The super awkward price point means you only pick him if you think he’s going to be a keeper (which I think he isn’t quite at yet) but his DPP is enticing, especially when you pair him with one of North’s ruck rookies. Every likelihood that his ruck minutes, and therefore his scoring, will pick up as the season progresses.

Money Maker: Will Phillips ($260,900, M/F) looked out of his depth at times in his first season and didn’t look a number three draft selection but recent word out of North is that he’s f.l.y.i.n.g. He missed most of his top age NAB year in 2020 due to the pandemic and he’s formed a close bond with Powell and JHF, looming as someone that will vastly improve this year. He’s started the ‘Phillips and Powell Handballing Masterclass’ down at the club. Very over priced for a rookie BUT has the potential to net you 100-150K and looks a lock for best 22 action. You probably haven’t considered him but maybe you should.

There’s also Charlie Lazzaro ($201,400, M/F), who looked good last season but playing a pure wing role in a bottom placed team meant SC scoring was down. His scoring should improve but you probably don’t want multiple $200,000+ North rookies. Phoenix Spicer ($123 900) is unlikely to feature in the Round 1 team but one that will enter the 22 at some stage of the season.

POSSIBLE BEST TEAM ** Anderson and Cunnington left out due to unknown return dates

FB: Ziebell, McKay, McDonald

HB: Hayden, Corr, Hall

C: Lazarro, Davies-Uniacke, Thomas

HF: Horne-Francis, Coleman-Jones, Stephenson

F: Comben, Larkey, Zurhaar

R: Goldy, Greenwood, Simpkin

INT: Powell, Phillips, Turner, Scott

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