NMFC.com.au highlights five key talking points ahead of Saturday night's NAB Challenge clash against Hawthorn.
1. The pre-season specialist
Brent Harvey will break another record on Saturday night when he runs out for his 46th pre-season game. The 37-year-old will overtake his good mate and former teammate John Blakey who finished with 45 pre-season games to his name. Glenn Archer and Wayne Carey are the next highest on the list from North with 36.
Harvey during a pre-season match in 2001.
2. The depth chart
North Melbourne sits equal first with the Bulldogs for the amount of players used so far in the NAB Challenge. Both sides have rotated game time between 40 players, highlighting the great amount of depth and talent on their respective lists. Ben McKay, Sam Durdin, Ed Vickers-Willis and Daniel Neilson are the only inactive Roos.
Adelaide: 31 (2 games)
Brisbane: 26 (1 game)
Carlton: 32 (2 games)
Collingwood: 33 (2 games)
Essendon: 33 (2 games)
Fremantle: 31 (2 games)
Geelong: 30 (2 games)
Gold Coast: 35 (2 games)
GWS: 35 (2 games)
Hawthorn: 33 (2 games)
Melbourne: 29 (2 games)
Port Adelaide: 38 (3 games)
Richmond: 39 (3 games)
St Kilda: 26 (1 game)
Sydney: 30 (2 games)
West Coast: 37 (2 games)
Western Bulldogs: 40 (2 games)
3. Pulling the pin
After last night’s farce between Richmond and Port Adelaide with the Tigers trying to stop the game early, memories of a recent pre-season match against Hawthorn were raised. In pelting rain at Craigieburn in 2013, Brad Scott and Alastair Clarkson mutually called the game off just ten minutes into the fourth quarter with the conditions compromising player safety. The Hawks won by 81.
Brad Scott walks through the rain at Craigieburn in 2013.
4. Birds of prey
With the Hawks being one of the most dominant teams in the modern era, not too many players can boast a winning record against them. Of all the current North representatives only Brad Scott (10-8 player+coach), Alex Ishchenko (6-4) and Brent Harvey (16-14) have more wins than losses. On the other end of the scale Brad Green (5-14), Gavin Brown (7-14), Jarrad Waite (2-9), Jack Ziebell (1-6) and Darren Crocker (5-1-12) have the worst records. Former player, now staff member, Donald McDonald (2-1-13), didn’t fare too well either in his playing days.
5. Where it all began
Brad Scott was originally drafted by Hawthorn with pick 60 in 1994 while Alastair Clarkson was recruited from Kavina to North Melbourne in 1986. The coaches will lead the AFL’s two most successful teams in pre-season competitions. North has won 75 from 129 games and Hawthorn has won 80 from 130.
Alastair Clarkson in the royal blue and white.
