An adult thread about the North Adelaide Football Club

[sus]

Wedgie you still havent convinced me that the midfield has the DEPTH or talent to compete with the best midfields in the league. These days you need to be able to rotate 6-7 good midfielders. Recognise Wintle, Ladhams is a talent but will he flourish in a non-AFL environment? (Ive heard he's lazy by nature). Krieg's OK and adds a bit, but please..... Gatto, Kurzel?? Common Wedgie?? North will have to do better than that to compete against Centrals (who I admit have lost abit thru the middle), Eagles, Port, etc. Bringing up players like them I think you just add weight to my argument.

Ohara's a good player but wont be as effective without a Lindsay type helping him. I know he's a lazy track worker and would have to be twice as fit as he was at the Eagles to carry your rucks for a season - so I reckon your in a bit of trouble in the ruck department too.[/quote]

[Jimmy]

Our "gun" on ballers are Darryl Wintle and Chris Ladhams. Captain Wintle tends to fly under the radar a bit but anyone who saw his performance in the 1st semi final against the Eagles will know what I'm talking about.
Matt Krieg plays on the ball quite a bit and usually racks up at least 20 possies per game when he's there but one of the standout players last year who played a lot on the ball was Shaun Gatto, one of my fav players.
I'd expect Nick Kurzel to take the next step in 2006 and will be a good on baller and it wouldn't suprise me if B&F winner Lukey Ivens gets a run in the midfield in 2006.
No disrespect to Wakelin but I think our biggest gap was in ruck and we've addressed that in O'Hara, Ladhams and Wintle are used to feeding off the opposition ruckmen and will get even more of it in 2006.
I'm actually more concerned about Full Back and this was exposed in our last game of 2005 when Watts kicked 10, we also only contain Schell when he doesn't kick straight. Luckily for us the quality of full forwards except for Schell is down so we might be able to get away with it but I would have been a lot happier if Roe, Hunt or Gilham hadn't got drafted.

I admit, Gatto surprised me when he got a good run at north but he will only ever be fringe at best...kurzel, all the best to him but he is in the same category as gatto...are there any recruits gained to help out the midfield for north?

[drebin]

Well the biggest issue for the Senior coach is finding a settled back 6 - this has been identified as potentially trouble for us so that is getting priority and the trials will sort out some options re full back - hopefully Shane Schubert fills that spot . I would say apart from a nuggety in and under rover type (like a Marco Bello for example) we recruited fairly well and our on ball div is looking okay. I know we went hard a couple of players re rover/on baller but fell short for various reasons.

This year we will have Ladhams, Krieg and Matt Campbell (who is still learning but is quick and skilled) rotating as rovers over the course of the year. Then you have Wintle, Howard, Younie and Ivens to use as followers. I think the key is a hard at it player like Dean Howrd in the middle playing a similar role to that of the Gowans. Throw in Kurzel who is very skilled (cue Jimmy - when did you see him play last year so I don't think you can comment - unless he played in New York!). He is only "fringe" because he needs to apply himself a little better re fitness but I can tell you he is rated highly by Jars. Add to the mix the unknowns like Delvins, Tim Martin and Shane Edwards as developing players then I don't think we are travelling too badly.

Add O'Hara to the mix getting first use of the ball to our midfielders then I really don't see the on ball div as our weak link. Only time will tell though?

Re Shaun Gatto - he is more likely to to struggle this year because of depth plus he haas some reasonable injury issues which may force him out of Football altogether.

[Wedgie]

I admit, Gatto surprised me when he got a good run at north but he will only ever be fringe at best...kurzel, all the best to him but he is in the same category as gatto...are there any recruits gained to help out the midfield for north?

Gatto was far from a fringe player in 2005 Jimmy in fact he was regularly in our best 5 players with a couple of BOGs in my opinion, he took a huge step in 2005.
I'm expecting the same from Kurzel in 2006.

[Jimmy]

Well the biggest issue for the Senior coach is finding a settled back 6 - this has been identified as potentially trouble for us so that is getting priority and the trials will sort out some options re full back - hopefully Shane Schubert fills that spot . I would say apart from a nuggety in and under rover type (like a Marco Bello for example) we recruited fairly well and our on ball div is looking okay. I know we went hard a couple of players re rover/on baller but fell short for various reasons.

This year we will have Ladhams, Krieg and Matt Campbell (who is still learning but is quick and skilled) rotating as rovers over the course of the year. Then you have Wintle, Howard, Younie and Ivens to use as followers. I think the key is a hard at it player like Dean Howrd in the middle playing a similar role to that of the Gowans. Throw in Kurzel who is very skilled (cue Jimmy - when did you see him play last year so I don't think you can comment - unless he played in New York!). He is only "fringe" because he needs to apply himself a little better re fitness but I can tell you he is rated highly by Jars. Add to the mix the unknowns like Delvins, Tim Martin and Shane Edwards as developing players then I don't think we are travelling too badly.

Add O'Hara to the mix getting first use of the ball to our midfielders then I really don't see the on ball div as our weak link. Only time will tell though?

Re Shaun Gatto - he is more likely to to struggle this year because of depth plus he haas some reasonable injury issues which may force him out of Football altogether.

Nick and I played cricket together and i was his coach at prossie a few years back. Had some injury issues with a bad knee back then but is probably over that. I wish him all the best but it may be a few years until he becomes an influential player in the midfield, just my opinion, but seeing as its about anything north, it obviously doesnt count.

wedgie, why will gatto go from hardly a fringe player in 05 to being squeezed out as drebin says in 06, direagrding injury??

'Little' (well, little when i last saw him) Timmy Delvins has alot of potential, both in cricket and footy. Very powerful kid who i look forward to seeing his name in the paper in norths 1's. Bit of a space cadet like his bro...sorry Nick

[drebin]

Fair call Jimmy but he is a different player these days although he has been told to get his attitude 100 percent right. Very skilled but a little lazy at times. Delvins goes well - just needs his chance - but that will depend on injuires or form of others this year.

[Wedgie]

wedgie, why will gatto go from hardly a fringe player in 05 to being squeezed out as drebin says in 06, direagrding injury??

Dunno mate, you'll have to ask drebin as I completely disagree with that assessment.
It probably depends on injury issues.
I think drebin's just annoyed because Gatt's jumped well in front of "his lad" Kurzel last year.

[drebin]

Have to back my sponsored player . Re Gatto - there is a chance with his long term injuries that he may not even get on the park this year and may have to call it quits - he was close once before. Re him being a fringe player, that was probably wrongly worded on my behalf. Fully fit and after his great year in 2005 he would be right in the mix but he will be battling against a couple of players for the type of role he plays spots given our improved depth. That is an assessment I was privy to on Tuesday by those in the know I might add.

[Jimmy]

fair call wedgie...bit of bad luck to gatto if he is sidelined with injury...he is the kinda guy you need around the club whether or not he is playing 1's or 2's, adds depth and is always putting pressure on the guys above him, similar to Paul Jarvis at Sturt the last few years.

[Wedgie]

fair call wedgie...bit of bad luck to gatto if he is sidelined with injury...he is the kinda guy you need around the club whether or not he is playing 1's or 2's, adds depth and is always putting pressure on the guys above him, similar to Paul Jarvis at Sturt the last few years.

Gatts is an interesting one, I've never come across a footballer that was so shy. At the B&F pressos he had to get Jars to do a speech for him.

[TigerBoss]

Be like going from one extreme to another that one...