Talking Norf

All things North Melbourne 🦘

Also on YouTube, TikTok, Instagram

[Talking Norf @talkingnorf]

Some exciting contract news at Arden Street this morning.

Tom Blamires one-year extension

Luke McDonald one-year extension

Wil Dawson two-year extension

Great to see so many players committing to the club!

[Talking Norf @talkingnorf]

@betangelking It’s just a stat, I’m not insulating that we’d win every week with him, just putting it out. But I do believe we would have beaten at least one top 8 team of he’d played every game this year.

[Talking Norf @talkingnorf]

North Melbourne in season 2026:

With George Wardlaw:
7 wins, 6 losses

Without George Wardlaw:
1 win, 6 losses

That one win without him came in Round One against Port Adelaide.

Just shows how important of an inclusion he is for us this week.

[Talking Norf @talkingnorf]

Five players in the 22 under 22 squad, more than any other team in the league.

Colby McKercher, Finn O’Sullivan, Harry Sheezel, Cooper Trembath, and George Wardlaw.

The future is bright. 🌟

[Talking Norf @talkingnorf]

Riley Hardeman and George Wardlaw are both in. How good!

Goater managed off a 5-day break is sensible, and Bailey Scott omitted is the right choice.

Thoughts on the changes Roo fans?

[Talking Norf @talkingnorf]

George Wardlaw has been deemed available for our clash against the Bulldogs on Thursday night.

He has to play right? 👀

Here’s what I would do at selection:

In: Wardlaw, Hardeman, Griffin (Debut)
Out: Dawson, Logue, Scott

[Talking Norf @talkingnorf]

Wardlaw coming in means Parker can return to the backline. Hardeman can take Scotts role on the wing. Then finally Dawson isn’t needed because the Dogs only play one ruck. Griffin can slot up forward with Trembath as 2nd ruck.

[Talking Norf @talkingnorf]

Wardlaw coming in means Parker can return to the backline. Hardeman can take Scotts role on the wing. Then finally Dawson isn’t needed because the Dogs only play one ruck. Griffin can slot up forward with Trembath as 2nd ruck.

[Talking Norf @talkingnorf]

George Wardlaw has been deemed available for our clash against the Bulldogs on Thursday night.

He has to play right? 👀

Here’s what I would do at selection:

In: Wardlaw, Hardeman, Griffin (Debut)
Out: Dawson, Logue, Scott

[Talking Norf @talkingnorf]

@mitch23bates Fair enough. Definitely not a bad idea to be cautious with Goat.

[Talking Norf @talkingnorf]

@mitch23bates How come? Because we’re playing off a 5-day break?

[Sportsday @SENSportsday]

"...Start acknowledging what you got... not what you missed out on"

Who is the player that Gerard says should have Kangaroos fans up and about.

#FitnessOutcomes

[Talking Norf @talkingnorf]

Harry Sheezel only gets “cheapies” is a massive misconception.

Sheezel in season 2026:

#2 for disposals (31.2)
#7 for pressure acts (20.7)
#12 for tackles (5.0)
#13 for score involvements (7.1)
#23 for contested ball (9.9)

All-Australian incoming? 👀

[Talking Norf @talkingnorf]

Still hurts to this day.

Nick Watson vs North Melbourne all time rankings out of all 17 other clubs:

Score involvements: #1
Player Ratings: #1
Goals: #1

[Talking Norf @talkingnorf]

Where we got it wrong was playing three tall defenders (Comben, Corr, Logue), as Hawthorn were able to exploit this with Nick Watson (5 goals) being matched up on Logue.

Hardeman (23 disposals) and Oliver Griffin (3 goals) should come straight in next week for Scott and Logue.

[Talking Norf @talkingnorf]

I’ve been critical of Clarksons team selections this year, but I think he got it pretty much spot on this week.

Dawson was excellent as our second ruck and allowed Trembath to thrive forward (3 goals, 6 marks).

And Blamires brought some good run off the wing (15 disposals).

[Talking Norf @talkingnorf]

“West Coast are closer to a premiership than North Melbourne”

“North Melbourne should have lost R24 in 2023 so they could draft Reid”

West Coast Wins
2024: 5
2025: 1
2026: 4*

North Melbourne Wins
2024: 3
2025: 5.5
2026: 8*

I think I know who I’d rather be. 🦘

[Talking Norf @talkingnorf]

Full-Time

Hawthorn: 14.15 - 99
Kangaroos: 12.11 - 83

That one hurts, not because we played bad, but because we could’ve won that, and that is a positive in itself.

Hawks were better when it mattered, but still proud of how we competed throughout the game.

Onto the next. 🦘🐶

[Talking Norf @talkingnorf]

Three Quarter-Time

Hawthorn: 9.14 - 68
North Melbourne: 10.9 - 69

We are showing some fight here!

After getting dominated in territory for most of that quarter, two late goals from Trembath and Larkey give us the lead going into the break!

Bring it home boys. 🦘

[Talking Norf @talkingnorf]

Half-Time

Hawthorn: 6.10 - 46
Kangaroos: 7.4 - 46

Other than letting Watson do what he wanted at the start of that term, another solid quarter across the board for us.

Have to keep the intensity up because the Hawks could easily run away with it.

Big 2nd half ahead. 🦘