2018 North Melbourne Football Club season

The 2018 AFL season was the 93rd season in the Australian Football League (AFL) contested by the North Melbourne Football Club.

North Melbourne were widely predicted for a second-straight bottom six finish, including several predictions which would see them winning the wooden spoon.{{Cite web|url=https://thewest.com.au/sport/mark-duffield/mark-duffields-crystal-ball---every-clubs-chances-going-into-the-2018-afl-season-ng-b88707283z|title = Duff's crystal ball for AFL season 2018|date = 6 January 2018}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.theroar.com.au/2018/03/19/roars-2018-afl-ladder-prediction-voted/|title = The Roar's 2018 AFL ladder prediction - as voted by you!}} Strong performances by Shaun Higgins and Ben Brown meant the Kangaroos finished comfortably mid-table, finishing 9th with 48 points and a percentage of 108.9%.

{{Infobox AFL club season|club={{AFL NM}}|season=2018|president=Ben Buckley|coach=Brad Scott
(9th season)|captain=Jack Ziebell
(2nd season){{Cite web|url=https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/north-melbourne-unveils-leadership-group-for-2018-jack-ziebell-reappointed-captain/news-story/f641abd05a816cdc46d83dc7da04aea8|title=North Melbourne unveils leadership group for 2018, Jack Ziebell reappointed captain|date=15 January 2018}}|home ground=Etihad Stadium {{nowrap|(Capacity: 56,347)}}
Blundstone Arena {{nowrap|(Capacity: 19,500)}}|preseason comp=AFLX
JLT Community Series|preseason result=1-1
0-2|regularseason comp=AFL season|regularseason result=12-10 (9th)|finals series=Finals series|finals result=|club b&f=|best and fairest=|leading goalscorer=Ben Brown|highest attendance=33,966 vs. St Kilda (Round 2)|lowest attendance=7,194 vs. Greater Western Sydney (Round 9)|average attendance=|club membership=|prevseason=2017|nextseason=2019}}

List changes

=Retirements and delistings=

class="wikitable" style="font-size:90%; text-align:center;"

style="background:#013B9F; color:white;"|Player

| style="background:#013B9F; color:white;"|Date

| style="background:#013B9F; color:white;"|Reason

| style="background:#013B9F; color:white;"|Career games

| style="background:#013B9F; color:white;"|Career goals

| style="background:#013B9F; color:white;"|Ref.

| 29 August 2017

| Delisted

| 151

| 81

|{{cite news|url=http://www.afl.com.au/news/2017-08-29/rebuild-forces-big-roo-out-after-11-years|title=Rebuild forces big Roo out after 11 years|last=Bowen|first=Nick|date=29 August 2017|work=AFL.com.au|publisher=Telstra|accessdate=29 August 2017}}

| 30 August 2017

| Delisted

| 0

|{{cite news|url=http://www.afl.com.au/news/2017-08-30/kangaroos-cull-two-rookies-after-hansen-delisting|title=Kangaroos cull two rookies after Hansen delisting|last=Bowen|first=Nick|date=30 August 2017|work=AFL.com.au|publisher=Telstra|accessdate=30 August 2017}}

| 30 August 2017

| Delisted

| 0

| 10 October 2017

| Delisted

| 85

| 31

|{{cite news|url=http://www.nmfc.com.au/news/2017-10-10/mullett-wagner-depart|title=Aaron Mullett, Corey Wagner depart|date=10 October 2017|work=nmfc.com.au|publisher=Telstra Media|accessdate=10 October 2017}}

| 10 October 2017

| Delisted

| 8

| 0

| 3 November 2017

| Delisted

| 205

| 325

|{{cite news|url=http://www.afl.com.au/news/2017-11-03/veteran-roo-free-to-explore-options-after-delisting|title=Veteran Roo free to explore options after delisting|last=Navaratnam|first=Dinny|date=3 November 2017|work=AFL.com.au|publisher=Telstra Media|accessdate=3 November 2017}}

| 9 November 2017

| Retired

| 224

| 80

|{{cite news|url=http://www.afl.com.au/news/2017-11-09/north-veteran-calls-it-quits-after-failed-move|title=Sun sets on North veteran after failed move|last=Bowen|first=Nick|date=9 November 2017|work=AFL.com.au|publisher=Telstra Media|accessdate=9 November 2017}}

=Trades=

class="wikitable" style="font-size:90%; text-align:center;"

style="background:#013B9F; color:white;"|Date

| style="background:#013B9F; color:white;"|Gained

| style="background:#013B9F; color:white;"|From

| style="background:#013B9F; color:white;"|Lost

| style="background:#013B9F; color:white;"|Ref.

19 October 2017

| {{sort|091|Pick 91}}

| {{AFL Ade}}

| {{sortname|Sam|Gibson|dab=footballer}}

|{{Cite news|url=http://www.afl.com.au/news/2017-10-19/crows-nab-durable-veteran-roo-for-pick-91|title=Discarded Roo given surprise lifeline at Crows|last=McGowan|first=Marc|date=19 October 2017|work=afl.com.au|publisher=Telstra Media|accessdate=19 October 2017}}

rowspan="2" |19 October 2017

| {{sort|201803|2018}} third round pick ({{AFL WC}})

| rowspan="2" |{{AFL PA}}

| {{sort|046|Pick 46}}

| rowspan="2" |{{Cite news|url=http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/2017-afl-trade-period-day-11-live-20171018-gz3riq.html|title=Ablett, Hodge, Gibbs and Stringer all find new homes|last=Lerner|first=Ronny|date=19 October 2017|work=The Age|publisher=Fairfax Media|accessdate=19 October 2017}}

{{sort|201803|2018}} third round pick ({{AFL StK}})

| {{sort|201803|2018}} third round pick

=Free Agency=

==Gain==

class="wikitable" style="font-size:90%; text-align:center;"

style="background:#013B9F; color:white;"|Player

| style="background:#013B9F; color:white;"|Date

| style="background:#013B9F; color:white;"|Free agent type

| style="background:#013B9F; color:white;"|Old club

| style="background:#013B9F; color:white;"|Ref.

| 1 November 2017

| Delisted

| {{AFL Ess}}

|{{cite news|url=http://www.afl.com.au/news/2017-11-01/oneyear-deal-could-become-two-for-new-roo-morgan|title=One-year deal could become two for new Roo|last=McGowan|first=Marc|date=1 November 2017|work=AFL.com.au|publisher=Telstra Media|accessdate=1 November 2017}}

==National draft==

class="wikitable" style="font-size:90%; text-align:center;"

style="background:#013B9F; color:white;"|Round

| style="background:#013B9F; color:white;"|Pick

| style="background:#013B9F; color:white;"|Player

| style="background:#013B9F; color:white;"|Recruited from

| style="background:#013B9F; color:white;"|League

| 4

| {{sortname|Luke|Davies-Uniacke}}

| Dandenong Stingrays

| TAC Cup

| 23

| {{sortname|Will|Walker|dab=footballer}}

| Sandringham Dragons

| TAC Cup

| 62

| {{sortname|Kyron|Hayden}}

| Subiaco Football Club

| WAFL

| 72

| {{sortname|Tristan|Xerri}}

| Western Jets

| TAC Cup

| 77

| {{sortname|Billy|Hartung|dab=footballer}}

| {{AFL Haw}}

| AFL

==Rookie draft==

class="wikitable" style="font-size:90%; text-align:center;"

style="background:#013B9F; color:white;"|Round

| style="background:#013B9F; color:white;"|Pick

| style="background:#013B9F; color:white;"|Player

| style="background:#013B9F; color:white;"|Recruited from

| style="background:#013B9F; color:white;"|League

| 4

| {{sortname|Tom|Murphy|dab=footballer, born 1998}}

| Dandenong Stingrays

| TAC Cup

| 20

| {{sortname|Gordon|Narrier}}

| Perth Football Club

| WAFL

==Category B rookie selections==

class="wikitable" style="font-size:90%; text-align:center;"

style="background:#013B9F; color:white;"|Player

| style="background:#013B9F; color:white;"|Recruited from

| style="background:#013B9F; color:white;"|Note

| style="background:#013B9F; color:white;"|Ref.

| Werribee

| 3-year non-registered player (rugby)

|{{cite news|url=http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/teams/north-melbourne/north-melbourne-sign-former-rugby-player-tom-jeffries-as-a-category-b-rookie/news-story/00f56ca106e49c889bb53c523ae06dff|title=North Melbourne sign former rugby player Tom Jeffries as a Category B rookie|last=Ralph|first=Jon|date=22 November 2016|work=Herald Sun|publisher=News Corp|accessdate=9 October 2017}}

=Season summary=

==Pre-season==

===AFLX===

class="wikitable" style="font-size:90%; text-align:center; width: 100%; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"

style="background:#013B9F; color:white" rowspan=2|Date and local time

| style="background:#013B9F; color:white" rowspan=2| Opponent

| style="background:#013B9F; color:white" colspan=3| Scores (North's scores indicated in bold)

| style="background:#013B9F; color:white" rowspan=2| Venue

| style="background:#013B9F; color:white" rowspan=2| Attendance

| style="background:#013B9F; color:white" rowspan=2| Ref.

style="background:#013B9F; color:white" | North Melbourne

| style="background:#013B9F; color:white" | Opponent

| style="background:#013B9F; color:white" | Result

style="background:#cfc"

| Friday, 16 February ({{nowrap|7:36 pm}})

| {{AFL Car}}

| 5.4.9 (83)

| 5.2.6 (68)

| Won by 15 points

| style="background:#fff" rowspan=2 | Etihad Stadium

| style="background:#fff" rowspan=2 | 22,585

| style="background:#fff" rowspan=2 |{{cite web|url=http://www.afl.com.au/news/2018-02-17/aflx-friday-wrap-blues-demons-hawks-roos-saints-bombers|title=AFLX Friday wrap: How each club fared|first=Nathan|last=Schmook|date=16 February 2018|accessdate=17 February 2018|publisher=AFL}}

style="background:#fcc"

| Friday, 16 February ({{nowrap|8:32 pm}})

| {{AFL Mel}}

| 3.2.4 (46)

| 1.9.6 (70)

| Lost by 24 points

===JLT Community Series===

class="wikitable" style="font-size:90%; text-align:center;"

style="background:#013B9F; color:white" rowspan=2|Rd

| style="background:#013B9F; color:white" rowspan=2|Date and local time

| style="background:#013B9F; color:white" rowspan=2|Opponent

| style="background:#013B9F; color:white" colspan=3|Scores (North's scores indicated in bold)

| style="background:#013B9F; color:white" rowspan=2|Venue

| style="background:#013B9F; color:white" rowspan=2|Attendance

| style="background:#013B9F; color:white" rowspan=2|Ref

style="background:#013B9F; color:white" |Home

| style="background:#013B9F; color:white" |Away

| style="background:#013B9F; color:white" |Result

style="background:#fcc"

| 1

| Saturday, 24 February (2:05 pm)

| {{AFL Mel}}

| 11.5 (71)

| 19.10 (124)

| Lost by 53 points

| Kingston Twin Ovals, Hobart (H)

| 1,957

| {{cite web|url=http://www.afl.com.au/match-centre/jlt-community-series/2018/1/nmfc-v-melb|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180223162645/http://www.afl.com.au/match-centre/jlt-community-series/2018/1/nmfc-v-melb|url-status=dead|archive-date=23 February 2018|title=Match report: Dees win with ease over Roos|author=Ben Guthrie|date=24 February 2018|accessdate=13 June 2018|website=AFL.com.au|publisher=Telstra Media}}

style="background:#fcc"

| 2

| Wednesday, 7 March (7:05 pm)

| {{AFL Ric}}

| 19.14 (128)

| 8.10 (58)

| Lost by 70 points

| Ikon Park (A)

| 4,197

| {{cite web|url=http://www.afl.com.au/news/2018-03-07/jlt-match-report-richmond-v-north-melbourne|title=Match report: Tigers on song in big win|author=Nathan Schmook|date=7 March 2018|accessdate=13 June 2018|website=AFL.com.au|publisher=Telstra Media}}

==Home and away season==

class="wikitable" style="font-size:90%; text-align:center; width: 100%; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"

style="text-align:center; background:#013B9F; color:white; font-weight:bold"

| rowspan=2| Rd

| rowspan=2|Date and local time

| rowspan=2| Opponent

| colspan=3| Scores (North's scores indicated in bold)

| rowspan=2| Venue

| rowspan=2| Attendance

| rowspan=2| Ladder
position

| rowspan=2| Record

| rowspan=2| Ref.

style="background:#013B9F; color:white;"| Home

| style="background:#013B9F; color:white;"| Away

| style="background:#013B9F; color:white;"| Result

style="background:#fcc;"

| 1

| Saturday, 24 March (6:25 pm)

| {{AFL GC}}

| 7.13 (55)

| 5.9 (39)

| Lost by 16 points

| Cazaly's Stadium

| 3,722

| 15th

| 0-1

|{{cite web|url=http://www.afl.com.au/match-centre/2018/1/gcfc-v-nmfc#match-report|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171102120317/http://www.afl.com.au/match-centre/2018/1/gcfc-v-nmfc#match-report|url-status=dead|archive-date=2 November 2017|title=Suns shine after rain to down Roos|author=AAP and Michael Whiting|date=24 March 2018|accessdate=13 June 2018|website=AFL.com.au|publisher=Telstra Media}}

style="background:#cfc;"

| 2

| Friday, 30 March (4:20 pm)

| {{AFL StK}}

| 13.17 (95)

| 5.13 (43)

| Won by 52 points

| Etihad Stadium

| 33,966

| 5th

| 1-1

|{{cite web|url=http://www.afl.com.au/match-centre/2018/2/nmfc-v-stk#match-report|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171227140649/http://www.afl.com.au/match-centre/2018/2/nmfc-v-stk#match-report|url-status=dead|archive-date=27 December 2017|title=Roos shock woeful Saints|author=Ben Guthrie|date=30 March 2018|accessdate=13 June 2018|website=AFL.com.au|publisher=Telstra Media}}

style="background:#fcc;"

| 3

| Saturday, 7 April (2:10 pm)

| {{AFL Mel}}

| 13.8 (86)

| 5.13 (123)

| Lost by 37 points

| Melbourne Cricket Ground

| 35,518

| 11th

| 1-2

|{{cite web|url=http://www.nmfc.com.au/game/2018/3/melb-v-nmfc#match-report|title=Roos shock woeful Saints|author=Ben Guthrie|date=30 March 2018|accessdate=13 June 2018|website=AFL.com.au|publisher=Telstra Media}}

style="background:#cfc;"

| 4

| Saturday, 14 April (7:25 pm)

| {{AFL Car}}

| 18.8 (116)

| 4.6 (30)

| Won by 84 points

| Blundstone Arena

| 14,226

| 7th

| 2-2

style="background:#cfc;"

| 5

| Sunday, 22 April (3:20 pm)

| {{AFL Haw}}

| 14.14 (98)

| 11.4 (70)

| Won by 28 points

| Etihad Stadium

| 27,981

| 4th

| 3-2

style="background:#fcc;"

| 6

| Saturday, 28 April (2:10 pm)

| {{AFL PA}}

| 10.9 (69)

| 15.12 (102)

| Lost by 33 points

| Etihad Stadium

| 17,617

| 8th

| 3-3

style="background:#cfc;"

| 7

| Saturday, 5 May (7:25 pm)

| {{AFL Syd}}

| 9.14 (68)

| 9.12 (66)

| Won by 2 points

| Sydney Cricket Ground

| 29,214

| 7th

| 4-3

style="background:#fcc;"

| 8

| Sunday, 13 May (1:10 pm)

| {{AFL Ric}}

| 11.6 (72)

| 12.10 (82)

| Lost by 10 points

| Etihad Stadium

| 29,153

| 10th

| 4-4

style="background:#cfc;"

| 16

| Sunday, 8 July (1:10 pm)

| {{AFL GC}}

| 14.11 (95)

| 8.10 (58)

| Won by 37 points

| Etihad Stadium

| 14,389

| 9th

| 9-6

style="background:#fcc;"

| 17

| Sunday, 15 July (3:20 pm)

| {{AFL Syd}}

| 15.8 (98)

| 16.8 (104)

| Lost by 6 points

| Etihad Stadium

| 25,663

| 9th

| 9-7

style="background:#fcc;"

| 18

| Saturday, 21 July (1:45 pm)

| {{AFL Col}}

| 20.10 (130)

| 9.10 (64)

| Lost by 66 points

| Melbourne Cricket Ground

| 50,393

| 10th

| 9-8

| {{Cite web|url=http://www.afl.com.au/match-centre/2018/18/coll-v-nmfc|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180408105712/http://www.afl.com.au/match-centre/2018/18/coll-v-nmfc|url-status=dead|archive-date=8 April 2018|title=AFL Fixtures and Results}}

style="background:#cfc;"

| 19

| Sunday, 29 July (1:10 pm)

| {{AFL WC}}

| 12.9 (81)

| 6.5 (41)

| Won by 40 points

| Blundstone Arena

| 11,176

| 10th

| 10-8

| {{Cite web|url=http://www.afl.com.au/match-centre/2018/19/nmfc-v-wce|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180404102934/http://www.afl.com.au/match-centre/2018/19/nmfc-v-wce|url-status=dead|archive-date=4 April 2018|title = AFL Fixtures and Results}}

style="background:#cfc;"

| 20

| Saturday, 4 August (2:40 pm)

| {{AFL BL}}

| 16.8 (104)

| 16.11 (107)

| Won by 3 points

| The Gabba

| 18,395

| 10th

| 11-8

| {{Cite web|url=http://www.afl.com.au/match-centre/2018/20/bl-v-nmfc|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180713012532/http://www.afl.com.au/match-centre/2018/20/bl-v-nmfc|url-status=dead|archive-date=13 July 2018|title = AFL Fixtures and Results}}

style="background:#fcc;"

| 21

| Sunday, 12 August (1:10 pm)

| {{AFL WB}}

| 12.13 (85)

| 13.14 (92)

| Lost by 7 points

| Etihad Stadium

| 27,031

| 10th

| 11-9

| {{Cite web|url=http://www.afl.com.au/match-centre/2018/21/nmfc-v-wb|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180323134300/http://www.afl.com.au/match-centre/2018/21/nmfc-v-wb|url-status=dead|archive-date=23 March 2018|title = AFL Fixtures and Results}}

style="background:#fcc;"

| 22

| Sunday, 19 August (4:10 pm)

| {{AFL Ade}}

| 12.14 (86)

| 11.11 (77)

| Lost by 9 points

| Adelaide Oval

| 41,444

| 10th

| 11-10

| {{Cite web|url=http://www.afl.com.au/match-centre/2018/22/adel-v-nmfc|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171104001255/http://www.afl.com.au/match-centre/2018/22/adel-v-nmfc|url-status=dead|archive-date=4 November 2017|title=AFL Fixtures and Results}}

style="background:#cfc;"

| 23

| Sunday, 26 August (4:40 pm)

| {{AFL StK}}

| 14.10 (94)

| 17.15 (117)

| Won by 23 points

| Etihad Stadium

| 19,866

| 9th

| 12-10

| {{Cite web|url=http://www.afl.com.au/match-centre/2018/23/stk-v-nmfc|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180517040304/http://www.afl.com.au/match-centre/2018/23/stk-v-nmfc|url-status=dead|archive-date=17 May 2018|title = AFL Fixtures and Results}}

===Ladder===

VFL

{{Infobox AFL club season

| club = {{AFL NM}}

| season = 2018

| coach = David Loader
(1st season)

| captain = Christopher Jansen
(1st season)
Micheal Close
(1st season)

| home ground = Avalon Airport Oval {{nowrap|(Capacity: 10,000)}}

| preseason comp =

| preseason result =

| regularseason comp = VFL season

| regularseason result = 5-4 (in progress)

| finals series = Finals series

| finals result =

| club b&f =

| best and fairest =

| leading goalscorer =

| highest attendance =

| lowest attendance =

| average attendance =

| club membership =

}}

The 2018 VFL season was the 1st season in the Victorian Football League contested by the North Melbourne Football Club.

=Playing Squad=

{{Rugby league squad

|squadname=North Melbourne Football Club (reserves)

|BC1 =#013B9F

|FC1 =white

|BC2 =#013B9F

|FC2 =white

|source =[http://vfl.com.au/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2018/04/North-Melbourne.pdf Playing list], [http://www.nmfc.com.au/vfl/coach-profiles Coaching staff]

|date =13 June 2018

|column1_title=Playing list

|list1a={{Rugby league squad player|no=51|name=Tom Hotchin}}

{{Rugby league squad player|no=52|name=Nicholas Rippon}}
{{Rugby league squad player|no=53|name=Tyrone Leonardis}}
{{Rugby league squad player|no=54|name=Jordan McIvor-Clark}}
{{Rugby league squad player|no=55|name=Mitch Rodd}}
{{Rugby league squad player|no=58|name=Jordan Harper}}
{{Rugby league squad player|no=59|name=Nash Holmes}}
{{Rugby league squad player|no=60|name=Steven Stroobants}}
{{Rugby league squad player|no=61|name=Christopher Jansen (c)}}
{{Rugby league squad player|no=62|name=Fraser Cameron}}
{{Rugby league squad player|no=63|name=Koe Ngawat}}
{{Rugby league squad player|no=64|name=Louis Cunningham}}

|list2a={{Rugby league squad player|no=65|name=Micheal Close (c)}}

{{Rugby league squad player|no=66|name=Patrick McCarthy}}
{{Rugby league squad player|no=67|name=Brandon Ryan}}
{{Rugby league squad player|no=68|name=Quintin Montanaro}}
{{Rugby league squad player|no=69|name=Liam Whelan}}
{{Rugby league squad player|no=70|name=Nicholas Hogan}}
{{Rugby league squad player|no=71|name=Matthew Northe}}
{{Rugby league squad player|no=72|name=Christopher Peart}}
{{Rugby league squad player|no=73|name=Rhys Free}}
{{Rugby league squad player|no=80|name=Max Hayes}}
{{Rugby league squad player|no=81|name=Jordan Mangan}}
{{Rugby league squad player|no=82|name=Lachlan Mirams}}

|coach=David Loader

|assistant=Ben Dyer (forwards)

|assistant2=Gavin Brown (backline)

|assistant3=Robbie Waters (midfield)

|assistant4=Ben Davey (forwards)

|assistant5=Jordan Doering (backline)

|assistant6=Chris Jansen (Playing/Assistant Coach)(midfield)

}}

=Ladder=

References

North Melbourne