Flashback: Inside North Melbourne in 2009

It’s 2009, and North Melbourne coach Dean Laidley fills in his players on what to expect. Photo: SEBASTIAN COSTANZO

FIRST PUBLISHED IN “THE AGE” IN 2009

MONDAY

It’s 9.30am, Monday, the first game of North Melbourne’s new season is now just six sleeps away, and at Arden Street, the schedule is packed.

The Age is here to spend the week inside the Kangaroos’ inner sanctum, and there’s more than a little going on. Today, there’s a long, hard session on the track, weights, a team meeting, a match committee meeting. And for a smaller group of Roos, media training.

Media manager Heath O’Loughlin is in a meeting room with half-a-dozen of the Roos’ younger faces, going through the video interviews he’s recorded with all of them. Not just your ordinary TV grabs, mind you. O’Loughlin, a former Channel 9 sports reporter, has asked the pretend questions from hell.

A teammate on drink-driving charges, a report, a controversial umpiring decision, the coach’s contract, why didn’t the Roos recruit Ben Cousins … the only curly one O’Loughlin has left out is about global warming.

The players have handled it pretty well, too, save for some awkward body language, Scott McMahon even giving former Carlton president and dial-a-quote John Elliott one to go on with on the relocation matter.

It’s just as busy in the coaches’ offices as well. While Dean Laidley is preparing for the pre-training team meeting, assistants Darren Crocker, Anthony Rock, back at Arden Street after time spent at Hawthorn, Melbourne and St Kilda, Darren Bewick and Danny Daly are already going flat chat.

Daly, the Roos’ opposition strategist, is talking with Bewick (forwards) about the Demons, while Crocker (defence) and Rock (midfield) go through the video edits they’ll be showing their groups of players.

At midday, there’s the first team meeting of the week. Laidley, a host of other football department people, and most of the senior list, file into the meeting room.

After some housekeeping matters courtesy of chief of football Donald McDonald and property steward Greg Ryan, it’s strength and conditioning coach Paul Turk’s turn. Attention to detail is his theme. “Whatever preparation you need, plan it well in advance, and make sure you’re aware of your requirements,” he says.

Daly steps up to the front. He’s prepared video edits of Melbourne’s stoppage work and various zone set-ups for the players. Depending on which part of the ground each player is in, they’ll run between eight to 12 minutes. “It should give you a really good understanding of how Melbourne play,” he says. “Make sure you watch it, don’t come to the opposition meeting on Thursday and not have done your homework.”

Now it’s “Boris” Bewick’s turn. He’s not holding notes, but a rubber chicken, known affectionately as “Little Boris”, and, among much ceremony, awarded each week to the player (or anyone else) seen to have committed the week’s biggest blunder.

Star rookie Jack Ziebell, only recently turned 18, is today’s lucky “winner”, having failed his driving licence test. Well, at least there’s something the gifted kid struggles with.

The giggles over, Laidley then addresses the troops. The season’s here. How are you feeling, he asks various players in the group.

“Excited,” new skipper Brent Harvey shoots back. “Pretty keen to get it started,” says Daniel Wells. Daniel Pratt hopes everyone’s covered the bases they need to for Sunday’s opponent.

“And the Demons, how would they be feeling?” asks Laidley. Veteran Adam Simpson, notes the long pre-season Melbourne has been through, similar to the Roos two years ago, his point implicit. They’re just as ready, just as excited.

It’s an exciting time, but don’t get too caught up in it all too early, Laidley warns. The Carlton-Richmond blockbuster, Friday night’s grand final re-match between Hawthorn and Geelong. “Don’t get caught up watching the footy all weekend, get out and do something.”

“Yes, make sure your physical preparation is spot on, but sometimes you can get caught up in the physical stuff and don’t pay enough attention to the mental stuff.

“Sixteen clubs have been going at it for six months. How much difference between them in conditioning? F… all. The biggest area you can gain an edge this week is to be hard, tough and uncompromising when you run out on Sunday.”

Meeting over, it’s time for weights. Then, at 2pm, training. It’s a big session, too, about two hours worth, a long time on the track these days. And it’s highly competitive, particularly so after Laidley calls the Roos in after only 10 minutes, demanding a more “in your face” approach. “Put some f…… pressure on! Use your voice, use your voice!” And during end-to-end chains ending with shots on goal: “Finish off your work”

Rookie Cruize Garlett goes down early, and for a few minutes it looks like he may have broken his leg. He hasn’t. It’s an ankle injury, but one which will keep him out for a few weeks.

It’s a wonder there’s not more casualties during the “six-point handball” drill, a high-intensity number in which three Roos from each side and two “opponents” clad in orange vests charge flat-out at each other.

It’s pretty willing in there as the Roos go again and again, and even the coach gets caught up in it, giving young Lachie Hansen a fair bump to go on with. “Good pressure Lindsay (Thomas), that’s why you’re in the team,” he yells after a fine smother by the nippy forward.

It doesn’t end till 4pm, and for Laidley and his coaching panel, it’s straight into a match committee meeting. One which runs just as long, and is just as intense as what the training track served up.

After a brief discussion about who needs to sit where in the coach’s box on Sunday, it’s down to business for Laidley, Crocker, Rock, Bewick, Daly, McDonald and list manager Cameron Joyce.

The side’s almost there, but there’s still perhaps a couple of spots up for grabs, and one very big debate looming.

Daly runs through his analysis of Melbourne’s style, and how it’s changed from last season to this, then the Demons’ likely line-up, and their probable rotations, the white magnets with the Melbourne names already up in position on the board.

“All right Boris,” Laidley tells Bewick, “pick a team.” Bewick starts putting the Roos’ blue name tags in spots. There’s a few points of interest. Michael Firrito, outstanding last year in defence, is earmarked for midfield. So might be Josh Gibson, if midfield coach Rock gets his way.

But the crux of the debate soon becomes clear. There’s an interchange/midfield spot to fill, and it looks like coming down to the seasoned Daniel Harris, the 40-gamer Andrew Swallow, and the classy kid Ziebell, who’d be making his AFL debut.

Ziebell’s exciting, but hasn’t shown a lot since his eye-catching NAB Cup game against Carlton. With another first-gamer in Liam Anthony, and forward Josh Smith having played just two, will the Roos have enough hardened bodies? Laidley has his doubts.

The room is fairly evenly split on the question. It goes back and forth as various on-ball alternatives are examined, and contingency plans hatched should the likes of the Demons’ Brad Green and Cameron Bruce get off the chain.

And continues as the candidates keep getting thrown up. “I think we’re getting off the point,” says a frustrated Laidley at one point. “We can’t play with 21, and we can’t play with 23!”

It’s getting warm in here, too. Laidley turns the air conditioning on. “Better get your overcoats ready. It goes from the Sahara to Antarctica in here in about a minute!”

There’s yet more debate, a quick discussion about Melbourne’s kick-ins, and then, with heads about to explode from information overload, a halt is called. It’s past 6.30pm. And that spot? “OK. The kid’s in,” Laidley smiles.

TUESDAY

The $15 million redevelopment of Arden Street is underway, signs of construction everywhere. There will be new training and administration facilities, a community gymnasium, sports hall and a life and learning centre for migrants. Work is due to finish by the end of the year.

Until then, the Roos will put up with the same pokey, cramped rooms they’ve known their whole footballing lives. To call them crowded would be something of an understatement.

But it doesn’t stop the sorts of activities footballers love to pursue while they’re getting prepared. Like games of indoor cricket and soccer which endanger the life and limb of anyone in the vicinity.

This Tuesday morning, there’s a casualty. It’s “Digger”, the model solider, who’d been presented to Sam Power, and rests on top of the lockers. Well, did. Michael “Spud” Firrito lets one fly and manages to separate Digger’s head from his body. Undeterred, Power grabs the head, and respectfully puts it back on top of the lockers.

There’s an open media session at 10am, before which O’Loughlin goes through the drill. Be respectful of Melbourne. Bring the talk around the Roos’ youth. Play the straight bat to any curly questions about Laidley’s coaching contract. And don’t forget to wear your sponsor’s caps.

Both major newspapers are here. Radio and television crews. Harvey is their No. 1 target. But they also want to speak to Western Australian mature-age draftee Liam Anthony, who, along with Ziebell, is also scheduled to debut on Sunday.

At least a dozen Roos stand up on the benches behind to watch Anthony strut his media stuff. He does so with aplomb. “He’s good, just about the best there is” says one, admiringly. When it’s done, the players burst into applause.

Now, another meeting. AFL umpires’ coach Rowan Sawers has come by armed with a DVD to run through the two new rules which come into effect for round one, the rushed behind rule, and the free kick and 50-metre penalty for players taken out of play after disposal.

There’s only a handful of questions to Sawers about the interpretations from players, but one example leaves Laidley perplexed. “I’m glad you blokes are playing and not me,” he quips. Sawers leaves, and there’s a quick chat to discuss the stoppage and set-ups North is about to run through out on the track.

With the video going, Rock runs through runs through some throw-in, ball-up and kick-in scenarios. In the forward 50. Midfield. And in defence. Daniel Pratt pipes up with some encouragement for teammates about the kick-in drill. “We did this against Hawthorn (last year) and got it past the centre every time.”

It’s complex stuff, the dots representing the players with abbreviations like QB (quarterback), TF (tall forward), MF (medium forward).

The players need to remember where to run and where to stand for more than half-a-dozen different stop plays. It’s all a far cry from the simple message “Long bombs to ‘Snake’ (Baker)” that a previous North Melbourne coach, Ron Barassi, had scribbled on the board before the 1977 grand final.

The key Demons are reinforced, as is the single fundamental principle which the coaching brains trust believe will win them this game. Ignore it, and as Laidley chips in, “they’ll cut you up”.

Just before the group heads out to the track to work on all the theory, former skipper Simpson speaks. “Boys, this is the type of thing that wins games of footy, not the skill, just the mental application. Do it well. Make sure it’s automatic. I can tell you, the first thing that drops off with us is our structured stuff, and that f…. us.”

The session lasts just under an hour, then the players head off in groups for boxing and pilates. In the weights room, Drew Petrie is doing some serious bench-pressing. The loads these days, however, he notes, are 20 to 30 kilograms lighter than a few years ago, when the Roos were a lot bulkier.

Too bulky, it eventually became clear. “We looked great on the beach. We just couldn’t run,” the amiable vice-captain chuckles. For the coaches, meanwhile, there’s another match committee meeting to be had.

“Do we need to do some ‘what ifs’?” asks Crocker. The names go up on the board. There’s a different look about this North line-up, some new faces midfield, some young guns forward and back, a couple of debutants. Laidley looks happy with it. “If you go with the same old, same old, you cop the same thing,” he says.

The focus is again on match-ups and rotations. Who needs a breather, and when? Who can be swung on to Melbourne’s danger men if they get out of control? The options seem obvious and plentiful.

About the only pieces of the jigsaw left to fit are the three emergencies. They’re injury cover only. “But it’s important to them,” says Laidley, recognising that those named will at least know their within touching distance of the senior 22. Five or six candidates are thrown up, their merits discussed, but there’s no consensus.

By now, it’s getting late again. Laidley calls the three names. “Come on, it’s a democracy, but someone’s got to make a decision,” he laughs.

WEDNESDAY

Come Wednesday morning, club psychologist Greg Buck has a meeting with North Melbourne’s “performance unit leaders”, a system the club has now had in place for several months.

Michael Firrito, Corey Jones, David Hale, Daniel Wells, Sam Power and Leigh Harding are the half-dozen senior players working under skipper Brent Harvey and vice-captain Drew Petrie, each entrusted with nurturing a group of players.

Buck has photocopies of two newspaper articles he’s given the group about the Sydney Swans, famous for their on-field leadership, and Carlton captain Chris Judd. The contents are discussed, then each of the half-dozen gives a brief summary about how their work with their group is progressing.

Harding says he finds it difficult at times to keep an eye on what his players are doing on the track. “How do we find a way of monitoring it,” Buck asks. There’s a balance to be struck between mentoring the junior Roos and being able to concentrate on your own game. Firrito has rookie Garlett, injured in Monday’s training session. “We’ve got to give Cruize a bit of love, because he’ll be out for a few weeks,” he says.

There’s a discussion about the state the rooms are being left in by the players. It’s a recurring cause of complaint from the staff. “Yesterday, it was a pig sty, like a bomb had hit it,” says Buck.

“One of the great myths is that when the new set-up is ready, everything will be OK. Unless we change the behaviour, it will happen over there, too, because the novelty will soon wear off. I reckon over the next couple of weeks, we need a strategy to address it.

“We might have to foot the bill for a cleaner,” says Jones, seriously. Well, it wouldn’t be the first time the Kangaroos’ players had had to dip into their own pockets to fund something the richer clubs take for granted.

Out on the ground, meanwhile, there’s goalkicking practice for selected players. They’re going through their kicking routines with earphones plugged in. A bit of Coldplay, some early ‘Chisel’? No, just ear-splitting background crowd noise, the idea to replicate match conditions as closely as possible.

Inside, they’re doing it hard, too. It’s a merchandise signing session, and groups of North players are walking around tables spread with about 200-odd jumpers, armed with permanent markers. Todd Goldstein has worked up a healthy sweat. He reckons it’s from doing weights, but this is taking a toll as well.

“Your signature looks pretty different by the end of it,” he jokes. Which makes you wonder how former Roo champion Wayne Schimmelbusch must have felt by the end of one of these things!

THURSDAY

Thursday’s another big day at Arden Street, with training on, and the rooms packed with the volunteer staff that have always made this club tick. There’s tributes to several on the Roos’ “Wall of Fame”, like Aub Devlyn, Judy Francis, John Castle and Ron McIntosh, the latter three all now having passed on.

George Cormack’s here, too, having made his customary trip up from Bairnsdale to help distribute the water bottles, the lollies, anything that needs doing. George loves it here. He’d need to after having been inadvertently locked in for a whole day once a few years back.

Right at home in the players’ lounge with Foxtel going, George was quite content until the alarm system was set off and property steward Greg Ryan received a late-night call from the local constabulary about a Mr Cormack they had in their custody down at the cells.

At 9.30, there’s another team meeting, specifically focussed on the opposition. It’s Danny Daly’s territory, and the former Balwyn player and bank manager turned scout turned AFL assistant coach is in his element as he runs once more through Melbourne’s style, its key playmakers, significant statistics about the Demons.

Daly, highly respected around AFL circles, first met Laidley when he was scouting for Collingwood while Laidley was an assistant coach there, and was one of the first people he brought on board with him when he won the North senior job for the 2003 season.

Daly might not have the elite playing background of most of his peers, but none can top his knowledge of what makes different teams tick, noted last year when Port Adelaide premiership coach Mark Williams got him on board to help coach the “Dream Team” against Victoria.

Daly makes sure the Roos are switched on to their opponents, shooting quick questions at them. “Who’s their third man up? Who is their quarterback? Who are their first possession players?” There’s a sense of satisfaction on his face when the queries are answered promptly and correctly.

With the last training session before the game about to start, you can sense the spring in everyone’s step. Laidley’s particularly.

He has some specific words of encouragement for Lachie Hansen, who after two years developing, looks ready to hold down centre-half back. Laidley has compared Hansen, with only 13 AFL games under his belt, to Hawthorn star Jarryd Roughead, at the same stage. Hansen’s stats measure up well.

“We believe you’re on the right track,” he tells Hansen in front on the playing group. As, he believes, is his team.

“We’ve got new focuses, new goals,” Laidley says to the meeting. “If you do the same, you stay the same. Well, we’ve done nothing the same. We’ve changed the way we play, we’ve tried new things, we’ve got new people, and I think that mix has had a really positive effect on this footy club.”

With the players out on the track, Laidley does a quick media conference. He talks about the debutants, about the season ahead, about the annual critical “writing off” of his team. Finally, he’s asked how he’s feeling on the eve of a new journey for his team. “I’m excited,” he shouts, to much laughter, before bounding off towards the centre square and his charges.

FRIDAY

Friday is a day off for the players, and, ostensibly, the coaches, too. It’s also Laidley’s birthday. He’s turning 42, and looks forward to spending some time with his family. But there’s one last problem to tackle, and it’s not trifling.

Liam Anthony has pulled up sore after training, and scans have revealed he has stress fractures to his foot. It looks like a six-week layoff. That AFL debut will be put on ice, and the Roos have some recasting of the line-up to do.

Anthony would have provided an important midfield presence despite his novice status. That’s down to Andrew Swallow now, the young Western Australian’s replacement in the selected side.

The matter settled, the coach grabs what time off he can before Saturday’s final team meeting and light skills session. In his job, in a purely physical sense, that’s very little time. In a psychological sense, it’s zero. Football weighs heavily upon the minds of everyone involved all the time.

Laidley will have pondered the match-ups and moves for Sunday even whilst he was blowing out the candles on his birthday cake. So will the rest of his coaching crew, not to mention the 22 players who will kick off the club’s season against Melbourne.

For the likes of Ziebell, it’s the beginning of hopefully a long and prosperous ride in the AFL. But even for Simpson, about to enter his 15th season of senior football, there’s those extra little butterflies that come when six months of hard pre-season slog are about to be put to the test.

It all starts again for North Melbourne at 1.10pm on Sunday. The wait has been lengthy, as The Age has seen first-hand this week, the planning enormously detailed. Now, there’s just the small matter of its execution.

TOMORROW: We spend the first game of North Melbourne’s 2009 campaign inside the coaches’ box.