It’s widely thought the chief contenders for the 2015 AFL premiership are Hawthorn, Sydney and Port Adelaide.
But what of North Melbourne, the other preliminary finalists from last September?
Brad Scott’s team were the bolters in the 2014 finals series, memorably ousting Essendon and Geelong in contrasting styles.
The Kangaroos’ run ended brutally at the hands of Sydney, but that doesn’t worry coach Brad Scott.
“If you go back through history and my own personal history, you very rarely go from being outside the finals to pushing into the finals and progress right through to a grand final,” he said.
“It’s almost a rite of passage to qualify for a preliminary final and cop a bit of a reality check.
“That was my experience at Brisbane and as assistant at Collingwood.”
What happened next at those clubs were premierships.
In 1999, Scott the player watched from the stands as Brisbane were belted by North Melbourne.
The Lions would win three of the next four flags.
And as a coach with Mick Malthouse’s Magpies in 2009, Scott saw Collingwood on the wrong end of a 73-point loss to Geelong, before returning next year to deny St Kilda the cup.
It’s a trajectory that excites Kangaroos fans, who witnessed more September victories last year than in the previous 13 seasons combined.
North Melbourne’s off-season recruitment certainly suggests they believe the premiership window is open.
Mature utility Shaun Higgins gives the Kangaroos flexibility across the ground, while very mature forward Jarrad Waite is another tall target.
But Scott is also keen to highlight the club’s drafting success.
Over eight seasons, the Kangaroos have retained all but three of their top three draft picks, giving their list balance.
There will surely be improvement from the likes of youngsters Kayne Turner, Ben Brown and Luke McDonald.
The midfield could well be the competition’s deepest outside of Sydney.
Fit-again Andrew Swallow, Jack Ziebell and 2014 club champion Ben Cunnington power the Kangaroos, with Daniel Wells and Nick Dal Santo bringing the polish.
Ryan Bastinac has become a top-level carrier, Shaun Atley brings durability, while late bloomer Sam Gibson provides plenty of run.
After years of crafting his playing list, what pleases Scott most is the flexibility now available to him, typified by players like Higgins.
“At his best, (Higgins) is in our best side … unfortunately for a lot of players, I could say that for about 30-plus players,” he said.
“We’re going to have a decent competition for spots.”
The off-season at Arden Street hasn’t been without setbacks.
Levi Greenwood’s departure to Collingwood hurts, as do injuries to key talls.
Backman Nathan Grima could miss half the season after spinal surgery for a bulging disc.
Defensive partner Scott Thompson is back after knee surgery, while Lachie Hansen is still in rehab from a hip complaint.
Scott says he “had genuine cause for concern in October” but was more relaxed about his defensive group now.
Up front, the recruitment of Waite will take the pressure off Drew Petrie, Lindsay Thomas and Aaron Black to kick winning scores.
And of course, there’s the evergreen Brent Harvey, who should join the ultra-elite 400-game club in 2015.
It’s a list that should be considered in the premiership mix – even if Scott isn’t making any outlandish predictions.
“While we’re pleased with the improvement, we’re not at the level of Sydney, Hawthorn, a few others in that mix too,” he said.
One wonders whether Scott believes they could be at that level by September.
NORTH MELBOURNE
Coach: Brad Scott
Captain: Andrew Swallow
Last five years: 9-9-8-10-4
Premierships: 4 (1975, 1977, 1996, 1999)
Key Five: Daniel Wells, Jack Ziebell, Drew Petrie, Andrew Swallow, Scott Thompson.
One to watch: Jarrad Waite. The Roos rolled the dice with the 32-year-old free agent, who hasn’t managed to play more than 16 games in any of the past six seasons. Brad Scott is hoping the veteran can add another dimension to an attack that has relied too often on Drew Petrie.
Ins: Sam Durdin (West Adelaide SANFL), Shaun Higgins (Western Bulldogs), Daniel Nelson (Eastern U18), Joel Tippett (North Melbourne rookie), Ed Vickers-Willis (Sandringham U18), Jarrad Waite (Carlton).
Outs: Liam Anthony (delisted), Tom Curran (delisted), Cameron Delaney (Geelong rookie), Levi Greenwood (Collingwood), Taylor Hine (delisted), Mitch Wilkins (delisted).
Best line-up:
B: Sam Wright, Scott Thompson, Michael Firrito
HB: Nick Dal Santo, Nathan Grima, Luke McDonald
C: Daniel Wells, Ben Cunnington, Shaun Atley
HF: Brent Harvey, Jarrad Waite, Aaron Black
F: Lindsay Thomas, Drew Petrie, Kayne Turner
R: Todd Goldstein, Andrew Swallow, Jack Ziebell
I: Sam Gibson, Jamie Macmillan, Robbie Tarrant, Ryan Bastinac
Predicted finish: 5th
Betting (William Hill)
To win the flag: $12
To make the top eight: $1.40
