The key challenge facing rebuilding Roos after grim season compounded by ‘significant loss’
The Aussie 
If there’s any club that’s fully aware of where it stands at the moment, it’s North Melbourne.
A seven-point win over Hawthorn in Round 8 after seven straight losses to start the 2021 season was admirable, as were the three other wins that came after the bye, but the reality is the Roos finished with the wooden spoon for the first time in club history.
Heading into 2022 under second-year coach David Noble, one could argue it’s not about if the Roos lose a lot in 2022 but rather how they lose.
For former Saints and Roos star Nick Dal Santo, however, there’s at least some sort of bar the side will need to clear to avoid heavy criticism.https://5c56d9db1c8f2e850c3cb52b879db246.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-38/html/container.html?n=0
“I think they need to win more games than last season,” he told foxfooty.com.au.
“I don’t care if it’s five, but they need to win more games. The kicker on that is that the losing margin needs to be less.
“They’re not at the stage like some of those other teams that have a massive jump. I can’t see them going from four wins to eight or 10.”
FACING FACTS
If you want any indication of how far back North Melbourne is coming from in its quest to rebuild, consider the words of two-time premiership player David King.
Unpacking the Roos this pre-season, King and former St Kilda star Leigh Montagna assessed the club in the ‘core four’ areas: With the footy, without the footy, clearances and post-clearance contests.
In order, those four areas saw the Roos ranked 17th, 18th, 18th and 18th.
“It’s no surprise the Kangaroos won the wooden spoon with that profile – that’s as bad as I’ve ever seen,” King said on Fox Footy.
“What it does do, it gives David Noble an opportunity to put his stamp on this team; which of these four facets is he going to identify as the identity for the Kangaroos going forward?
“If it reads like that at the end of 2022, they won’t worry about ball movement, they’ll look at coach movement.”
MIDFIELD-MINDED
North Melbourne’s stunning acquisition of Hugh Greenwood over the off-season isn’t one that will likely determine when the Kangaroos’ next premiership comes, but it is most certainly a masterstroke in terms of immediate need.
Ben Cunnington, enormous for the Roos throughout his career, remains sidelined as he continues his health battle, with his return date undetermined.
Greenwood will fill a Cunnington-type role this season and it is desperately needed in a side that is still looking for its up-and-coming talent to fully emerge.
“When you look at North Melbourne, you instantly go to the clearance part of the ground,” Dal Santo said.
“Jack Ziebell has moved out, Ben Cunnington is dealing with health issues, so what’s next? What does that look like? You’ve got Davies-Uniacke, Simpkin, Thomas.
“They’ve got these players that can actually break it open a little bit.”
While his role is yet to be fully fleshed out, Dal Santo is also expecting more from Jaidyn Stephenson, with the former Pie still struggling to consistently put together the standout performances he has put in every so often.
“I‘d say just consistency for Jaidyn. He’s up and down and he has been for the majority of his career,” he said.
“He has some games where he’s best on ground and then he has other games where he’s well below his very best. Sometimes that takes time, but I think it is the time. He’s capable of being more consistent.
“Luke Davies-Uniacke is in that category as well.”
ROOS’ KEY POSITION LOSS
Much has been made of Robbie Tarrant’s move to Richmond in terms of how it will aid the side in its latest push for a premiership, but perhaps overlooked has been the impact his loss will have at Arden Street.
For much of his 14-year career at North Melbourne, Tarrant was a stalwart in defence, winning the club’s best and fairest in 2016 as part of his 174-game stint there.
Dal Santo, who played alongside Tarrant for a large part of that career, warned the key defender’s loss could create an almighty headache for Noble and the coaching staff.
“Tarrant, he’s a reliable, dependable, hard-nosed, well organised defender,” he said.
“That’s hard to replace and that’s outside of him actually just doing his job and beating his opponent – he is a fantastic person around the football club.
“So that’s a significant loss and therefore the domino effect is that someone else has to pick up all that responsibility … that’s a huge void that I don’t think the average person fully appreciates.
“He’s the sort of guy you could say, ‘Hey, you’re playing on the opposition’s best key forward’ and you almost don’t have to worry about it, he’ll just go out and do it.
“And you almost don’t have to worry about it. You know he’ll just go out and do it.”
Selwood named captain at Cats again
GETTING THE MOST OUT OF GOLDY
Another interesting prospect is the use of Todd Goldstein, whose role looks set for a slight change in 2022.
One of the best ruckmen in the competition, Noble appears willing to have the 33-year-old spend more time up forward, which in theory can bolster the Roos’ scoring power and allow for more opportunity in the ruck for Tristan Xerri and new recruit Callum Coleman-Jones.
There is, however, concern that the Roos could be robbing Peter to pay Paul, moving someone who averaged 29.6 hit-outs and 14.3 disposals in 2021 out of their best position.
“If they feel like that is to their advantage, then I understand it, but you don’t want to sacrifice or compromise one area to try and bolster another,” Dal Santo said.
The ball starts in the middle. I’ve said for a long time, I think Goldy is still one of the best ruckmen in the competition … you play your best players in their best positions, so it’s an interesting choice.”
How effective Goldstein’s move is will likely prove key to how North Melbourne fares in 2022.
THE VERDICT
North Melbourne fans should be under no illusions as to what to expect from their side in 2022 and it’s a credit to the club that it hasn’t really sugar-coated the pain that lies ahead in the short-term.
As Mike Tyson once said, however, “Everybody has a plan until they get punched in the mouth”.
In a season that’s likely to be full of punches, the Roos must put everything into reducing the damage while continuing to improve.
Editor
admin 
Guest Author