North Melbourne’s season as a stand-alone side has produced many memorable moments.

North Media spoke with head coach David Loader to recap the season so far.

What’s been your biggest learning curve?

“I think it’s about getting over fairly little hurdles, like the timing of things with the VFL and the AFL.

“Nothing has really stood in our way, which has been really positive. Once you go through things the first time, we’ll be better at it the second time. It’s been really good, I’m loving my job.”

What are your thoughts on our run home?

“It’s really interesting. The VFL is such a fluid competition, we can go back a week and look at the Geelong game.

“Geelong had five or six really good AFL quality players back in their team and we lost three or four that week, whether it be injuries or AFL level carry-overs. You come up against a team and there can be a 10-player turnaround from the week before.

“Those things can be massive. We could play them in two or three weeks and look completely different. That’s just the nature of the competition, our run home will be no different to our start of the season.

“Our main focus is on developing our players. The winning part is secondary to what we’re doing.”

How have you found balancing a list that contains AFL and VFL-listed players?

“We really targeted quality VFL-listed players.

“When I say quality, I don’t just mean quality players as in footballers, I mean people too. It’s been really important that they understand the system.

“We’ve been really transparent with everything we do and they’re a fantastic group of young men. Our AFL list, driven by our leadership group, has been more than accommodating. They’re really happy to play alongside all of these guys and it’s pretty seamless.

“We get to a game and the AFL boys feel like they’re the exact same as the VFL boys. We all wear the one jumper and that’s all apart of the positives of having your own side.”

How have the emerging youngsters found playing on the big stage?

“That’s why some players want to come along and join our club.

“They want to be exposed to those things and it’s always great to see players who crave playing on big stages. That’s what a finals campaign is and that’s what playing AFL football every week is.

“While we’re driven to that sort of stuff, I think everyone has handled it really well.”

Looking back at the season so far, has there been a moment that stands out?

“We’ve had a lot of little wins along the way this season with players, I’ll miss someone if I individualise.

“But if you look at Paul Ahern, Mason Wood, Majak Daw, Cam Zurhaar, having had time in the VFL and going into the AFL, for them to slot in and do a really good job, that’s what we’re here for.

“Probably the big moment has been more being really challenged in a couple of games. The Essendon and Richmond games where we were just soundly beaten. Only for us to then come up against really good opposition in Port Melbourne and win a game that we were probably a hundred-to-one to win.

“Nothing had changed from my point of view, but we stuck to what we’ve been doing and all of a sudden we started to get it right on that day. We then had a really good four weeks of footy. We’re just riding the wave.”

Can you think of a moment during the season that embodied our club values?

“There have been numerous occasions over the course of the year.

“Certainly, the Port Melbourne game, where they came at us late and we saw individual efforts from Sam Durdin and Nick Hogan. Especially when you look back at that run-down tackle from Sam.

“It would’ve been so easy for them to give up the chase. Those little moments in games are poignant because they stand out at crucial times.

“Even the game against the Northern Blues, which was our first win of the season. We trailed all day and even by five or six goals.  We were able to fly over them late in the game, which was massive for the club.”

If you could describe our season in one word, what would it be?

“Beneficial.”

Fans are invited to attend Saturday’s VFL match against Footscray at Etihad Stadium, with the first bounce at 3.20pm.