Where to for North Adelaide.

Last nights dismal thrashing of the North Adelaide FC by Norwood broadcast on C7 would have been a pretty bitter pill for a number of the North Adelaide faithful to swallow. North Adelaide supporters and members would have every right to be incensed at the position that they now find themselves in.

For my observation, what we saw last night was the culmination of a number of poor decisions by the leadership of the club over several years that have dragged this club down to its knees after the efforts of members to rally around it and save it from being lost from the SANFL in what seems to be a number of years ago now.  It is my not so humble view that the decisions taken for this season in isolation are not the cause of where the club now finds itself.

Personally I think the problems began when individuals within the SANFL came to the realization that they would not be successful in pushing my own club - South Adelaide out of the SANFL and began to look for a new target to squeeze out for an eight team competition and for various reasons placed North Adelaide in the gun. It can be denied and argued, yet its my view that North Adelaide have been made to suffer the most in terms of the loss of traditional territory in boundary readjustments in favour of the clubs located in the western suburbs. It is my view that this intially was calculated and deliberate, as was the closed door from the SANFL for advocacy when the Poker Machines fiasco nearly sent them through the hoops. Its noted that the door was never closed to Port Adelaide in the same manner.

Still the admin of the club have not helped themselves either, the way that previous coaches tenures have been dealt with are an example of poor decision making for which there have been few if any consequences. Statements by an individual within the club that he would like to see North Adelaide be the Reserves team for the Adelaide Crows simply heap fuel on that argument for my mind. Why this kind of behaviour is tolerated as it is, is anyones guess.

My mail is that AGM's at the club routinley run around a diatribe of why things cannot be done and people are often left with the impression that the leadership are stuck in some type of time warp in response to embracing change. Night home games being one such example, the refusal of the club to allow members to have imput into the decision to admit the Crows to the SANFL another along with future plans for the clubs venues yet another.

Currently the discussion at North Adelaide appears to centre around what needs to be done to get Brenton Phillips to coach the club. For my view that simply reinforces the view that the closed group that run the club needs to be broken down in favour of change. For North Adelaide to be successful it is time to embrace change and bring new people in with new ideas to run the club.

I dont make criticisms without offering answers however, anyone can criticize a club, yet the place people need to get to is to provide solutions for the problems at hand. Its my view that members of the NAFC would be justified in calling for an independant review of the club in all areas undertaken by independant people from AFL/SANFL level that have no connection with the club and no bias, who can provide a review to members. In the days of Robert Pyman at South Adelaide such a review was taken led by Kevin Morris. The club was presented with a number of things that they did not want to hear and there was a massive argument over how much of it was to be revealed to members, but as hard as it was it set the club on the pathway to trying to change some of the issues addressed. I would argue that the time has come for North Adelaide to undertake the same process and for the members to be given that information as names are put forward for election at the AGM next time around.

The other suggestion is the Senior Coaching position, few would argue that Brad Gotch was not a pretty good get for the SAFC. He was surplus to Hinkleys requirements at Port and chosen over a favourite son of the club Darren Trevena as the club made the decision this time with the head, not the heart. Hinkley has made no secret that he is again going to shake up the coaching staff at the club, its my view that if that does happen that would be the first place North should look for a coach. If it doesnt then again at some of the other AFL clubs that are repointing their lists. There is merit in having a coach from that system that is current in it. North could do worse than have a look into it.

Well said Ben. An outsiders view is always valuable. Where we are now has been a culmination of decisions made by those at the top who don't feel that they should listen to the members.

On more than one occasion they have been asked hard questions, but were not prepared to answer in an honest manner, only tried to deflect.

Let's hope change is in the wind.

Thanks for your insightful post.

Really good post, Ben.

I do disagree about the boundaries. North's zone consistently produces good juniors and their junior sides are very strong usually.

Also not sure about some actions being deliberate, but I think you're post is very thought provoking.

From the outside -

- North seem to in fight and bicker off field like few other clubs. The disdain the members feel for the power brokers, the power brokers refusing to listen to the members. It's a recipe for disaster.
- Injuries have smashed them this year, if Scott could offer the total players used and average changes made per week I think we'd see unheard of numbers

Again from the outside - I don't think their issues of late 90's/early 2000's, as bad as they were, pose any problems now. The club is strong financially. They've been in need of a cultural overhaul for a while and that can only be driven from the top. So that's precisely where I see their issues. They have plenty of kids with talent, they need a more disciplined football programme and it's their board's responsibility to ensure everything beneath them is overhauled.

Heard that Amato may be playing for Norwood next year

MichaelScott wrote:Heard that Amato may be playing for Norwood next year

I'll be surprised if he is still at North Adelaide next year. A change in scenery may result in a change of attitude.

To be honest with everyone i don care about north
After all the crap that thier so called supporters have put on my club over the years
All i can say is suffer

blacky wrote:To be honest with  everyone i don care about north
After all the crap that thier so called supporters have put on my club over the years
All i can say is suffer

Absolutely !!! Ditto here Blacky with our club too.

Personally I could not care less.

Lets just say "Karma is a bitch" !!!

A good pre-season with fit players can make things change very quickly - Take Westies. Injuries galore in 2014 to start Rd 1 and we never recovered. North had the same start this year and never recovered. You will need a very organised coach over the off-season however to make sure you start 2016 in top shape. Like I said, North have the talent to turn things around, they just need to make sure the coaching department is sorted sooner rather than later

MichaelScott wrote:Heard that Amato may be playing for Norwood next year

Nope

Apparently North Adelaide CEO Greg Edwards may be currently leading a review of himself and the rest of the staff to report back with to the club...

North are losing a lot of players, they will have a lot of room in their salary cap and they are probably the strongest financially of the SANFL clubs. You'd have to think they'll go berserk on the recruiting front.

Flag No.9 wrote:North are losing a lot of players, they will have a lot of room in their salary cap and they are probably the strongest financially of the SANFL clubs. You'd have to think they'll go berserk on the recruiting front.

You would like to think so, but playing for North wouldn't be the most appealing thing to do at the moment.

I wonder if they'd approach Andy Collins to coach them.

Flag No.9 wrote:I wonder if they'd approach Andy Collins to coach them.

Not a bad question !