Jack Ziebell hopes North supporters will focus their energies into cheering for their team on Saturday night, rather than following the lead of opposition supporters who have booed Swans’ star Adam Goodes in recent weeks.
“I’d hope the North Melbourne fans respect Adam Goodes. He’s a champion of our game and I’d like to think our supporters would have a bit more class than booing him,” Ziebell told Fox Sports News.
“Hopefully the North fans appreciate that he’s a good player and go about supporting our own footy club when we’re playing well.”
Ziebell said Goodes, a two-time premiership player and Brownlow Medalist deserved better.
“He’s being booed for no apparent reason and I don’t like to see that in our game.
“He should be well respected throughout the community – which I think he is – so therefore I don’t see why people should boo him.”
On Tuesday, Swans’ captain Kieran Jack said the booing in recent weeks had spurred Goodes and his teammates.
“I don’t think he gets too worried or distracted about what’s going on out there or what people are saying,” Jack said.
“It’s a lesson and experience he’s learnt through his whole career and that’s driving his playing attributes at the moment to be playing at a high standard, which he’s doing.”
The Roos will have a huge task ahead to defeat the reigning Grand Finalists.
Pressure will be a huge focus as it was against West Coast. The Kangaroos laid a season-high 91 tackles in Sunday’s win.
“It’s a super important part of the game, the intent to tackle and making sure you put lots of pressure on the opposition,” Ziebell added.
“We want to be a consistent football team, so that means we bring it again this week and that’s what we’re putting all our energy into doing.”
Stringing together a consistent few weeks of performances has been a challenge for North in 2015, with only one set of back-to-back wins next to its name.
Ziebell admitted it can be a tougher proposition to back up after a win than a loss.
“At the same time, it shouldn’t matter. We’re pretty keen to give Sydney a red hot crack, who are a really good football side,” he said.
“We’re pretty excited about the opportunity to become a consistent football side, because we haven’t been that up until this stage.”
Saturday will be the first chance North has had to avenge its preliminary final loss to the Swans las year.
“They pulled our pants down…although the sides on paper are a lot different, it’s still Sydney v North Melbourne.”
