North Melbourne Off-Season Discussion

[roo boys!]

Free agency period opening this morning, North have already signed Jarrad Waite on a 2 year deal.

Not sure what to think of this one. With Dal Santo and Waite signed in the last two years, I think it's clear how close the club thinks they are to a flag. If Waite can help North go one better next year and push them into premiership contention, then I think it's a great get considering he's not really costing them anything to get him to the club.

Is he a short term fix to the forward line though? I fear he may stunt the development of Brown, Black, Daw and Wood. Not to mention, I think this signing is very very bad news for the forgotten man, Robbie Tarrant. What do other fans see our forward line being next year?

Petrie, Waite and Brown? Where does this leave Black?

Can see this possibly being the end for one of Tarrant/Daw, although being 25 and 23 respectively does the club hold onto them to replace Petrie and Waite in a couple years time.

Also Higgins has been officially tabled an offer by North, with the next couple days waiting to see if the Dogs exercise their right to match it. Rumoured to be 4 years on 400k. Will comment more on this once it is confirmed he's at the club.

Does anyone know how much salary cap room North have? Would much prefer they lock in Greenwood first before they splash all the money he's asking for on bringing in guys like Higgins

[Vinny]

There you go. :(

[roo boys!]

Looks alright! I really do like that version of the North jumper on everyone though.

Re greenwood just saw a good point raised on the North Melbourne facebook page, perhaps with Greenwood in the running to take home the Syd Barker medal tonight, his manager Pickering could well be waiting to see the results of the medal tonight, a win would increase his contract leverage and up the coin

[Nige]

Looks alright! I really do like that version of the North jumper on everyone though.

Re greenwood just saw a good point raised on the North Melbourne facebook page, perhaps with Greenwood in the running to take home the Syd Barker medal tonight, his manager Pickering could well be waiting to see the results of the medal tonight, a win would increase his contract leverage and up the coin

He's been a revelation for you guys this year, even if he wins, trading him would be crazy.

That said, we'd love him.  ;)

[roo boys!]

Looks alright! I really do like that version of the North jumper on everyone though.

Re greenwood just saw a good point raised on the North Melbourne facebook page, perhaps with Greenwood in the running to take home the Syd Barker medal tonight, his manager Pickering could well be waiting to see the results of the medal tonight, a win would increase his contract leverage and up the coin

He's been a revelation for you guys this year, even if he wins, trading him would be crazy.

That said, we'd love him.  ;)

Yeah North would never entertain the idea of trading him, I think he/his manager are just looking for some extra $$ or maybe a longer contract from the club.

Keep your filthy mitts off him, Levi isn't going anywhere >:D

[Mat0369]

Screw you guys

[roo boys!]

Screw you guys

Sorry we were willing to commit that extra year!

What this lack of compo decision tells me is that for a 2 year deal not to be worth even a 4th/5th band compensation, it mustn't be too big of a deal money wise. Waite did mention it was about that second year and he's never been one to chase the big bucks..I mean what kind of player is going to openly admit that, however, all things are pointing to it not being too significant a deal as far as the $$$ are concerned.

The 1.6 mil set aside for Higgins though could be an issue though if he costs us Greenwood and his body goes ahead to break down.

[bottlemart]

Re your opening post RooBoys, I think with Waite and Higgins, this will give us incredible depth.  If you look at the team that played Sydney in the prelim, we can add Waite, Higgins, McMillan, Hansen, Tarrant and Adams as 6 players who could all make a case when fit to be in our best side. 

Wood, McKenzie and Garner are all still young and hoping they can break in to the team in the coming years.  Harper and Delaney have also played in past years, and are said to be over their injuries.  Then there's Daw and Currie as ruck/forwards but wont get a game unless Goldy and a big fwd get injured.  Joel Tippet as a key defender is another option.

I think Tarrant could play as a defender, given that Scott Thompson and Nathan Grima were monstered by buddy and tippet in the prelim.

I agree that we need to keep Greenwood.  Not sure why North wouldn't give him 3 years.  I think they will.  It appears they are close to a deal.  Hopefully that's the case, because as Nige says, he's been a revelation this year, and he's still only 25.  Great contested ball player, I really like him.  The one part of his game he may need to work on is his kicking though.  Generally not bad and is a goal kicker, but in the game against Geelong Jack Ziebell kicked his 2 last quarter set shots and they were never really in doubt.  Jack Ziebell is a bit like Jack Reiwoldt when lining up.  You are pretty confident he will kick the goal.  When Boomer kicked the ball to Levi late in that game rather than have the shot, I was a bit nervous about Levi lining up to kick the sealer.  it was a helicopter and it hit the post and it left Geelong in the game, and they almost pinched it.  That's the only part of Levi's game that has held him back in the past, otherwise I think he has great upside, and I really hope he stays at North.  I don't think he will leave.  Players don't normally leave a club that are on the cusp of a potential premiership.  It tends to be the other way around where players are flocking to join the club because they can see success just around the corner.  hopefully Levi puts pen to paper with North very soon.           

[Ricochet]

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2014-10-08/no-squeeze-on-levi?utm_medium=RSS

THE ADDITIONS of free agents Shaun Higgins and Jarrad Waite did not "squeeze out" North Melbourne midfielder Levi Greenwood, according to the club's football boss Geoff Walsh.

After signing Higgins and Waite last week as the free agency window opened, the Roos' buoyant mood was offset by the likely departure of Greenwood to Collingwood.

Greenwood informed the club on Tuesday of his intention to join the Magpies, on what is understood to be a four-year deal worth up to $1.8 million.

But Walsh said the arrivals of Higgins and Waite had not meant there was a lack of salary cap space to keep Greenwood. 

"At the end of the day, despite what some people may think, your TPP (total player payments) and salary cap projections aren't done on the back of a scrap bit of paper the night before trade week starts," Walsh told NAB AFL Trade Radio.

"These are projections that are done 12-24 months out. No one's been squeezed out because of the people who have arrived at North Melbourne.

"The commerciality of the AFL world says that players out of contract have the opportunity to field offers.

"The currency that Levi was provided by his form this year says that there were a number of clubs interested in him, and the demand for his services were such that he was able to take an offer at the top of the tree."

Walsh said the Roos and Collingwood had started discussions over a deal to send Greenwood to the Pies, but that he didn't expect negotiations to drag on. 

"We've only had a brief chat with the Pies," Walsh said.

"Obviously the fact they consider he's going to be a strong part of their midfield by the offer suggests I don't think it will be taking a hell of a lot of time to do this deal.

"They've indicated how strong how they want him. We certainly expect them to come back with something that's fair and reasonable to ourselves and themselves."

"I think it may rely on a few other things they have in the melting pot to see where it actually ends up."

Out-of-contract North midfielder Liam Anthony had attracted some interest from clubs on the opening day of trades, Walsh added.

[WCarey18]

Would like to see North look at finding a suitable replacement for Greenwood in the trading period. Bit of a loss, considering his good year.

Any suggestions? Is Ben Howlett worth considering? Do rate him.

[Ricochet]

Reckon your mid depth is pretty good tbh man. Like you get back Swallow for a full year, a fit Wells is like a new import after so few games this year, Bastinac to bounce back to last years form, then you still have Ziebell, Dal Santo, Gibson, Cunnington and maybe someone like Atley getting more mid time?

[kilbluff1985]

Dumont ?

[WCarey18]

Reckon your mid depth is pretty good tbh man. Like you get back Swallow for a full year, a fit Wells is like a new import after so few games this year, Bastinac to bounce back to last years form, then you still have Ziebell, Dal Santo, Gibson, Cunnington and maybe someone like Atley getting more mid time?

As by my other thread, our mid depth currently is:

Locks: Andrew Swallow, Daniel Wells, Nick Dal Santo, Jack Ziebell, Ben Cunnington, Sam Gibson
Fringe: Ryan Bastinac, Liam Anthony, Kayne Turner, Jamie MacMillan, Ben Jacobs, Trent Dumont
Depth: Brad McKenzie, Timothy McGuiness,

It's deep, but a couple of injuries...it's dicey. Still would like North to look at getting someone of Greenwood's calibre in.

Dumont ?

Will definitely be given options next year, had a great debut season in the VFL.

[Holz]

Basti isn't depth he fits in as a lock fine, Dont need Greenwood

Higgins and Waite are much more important than Greenwood.

[WCarey18]

Higgins and Waite are much more important than Greenwood.

Structurally, yes. I'd agree. But Greenwood is still in our best 22.