{"id":74987,"date":"2025-08-17T12:13:11","date_gmt":"2025-08-17T12:13:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/74987\/"},"modified":"2025-08-17T12:13:11","modified_gmt":"2025-08-17T12:13:11","slug":"r23-richmond-v-north-melbourne-the-talking-points-s","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/74987\/","title":{"rendered":"R23 – Richmond v North Melbourne – The Talking Points s"},"content":{"rendered":"

Why this game?<\/p>\n

That was the question I was asked when I put my name next to this contest and then distributed the roster to my fellow Mongrel writers a couple of weeks back. I mean, I can see their point \u2013 these blokes weren\u2019t playing for sheep stations in a contest pitting two of the bottom three teams against each other, but I had my reasons.<\/p>\n

People who watch a little bit of footy sometimes get surprised when a team makes a leap up the ladder. Whether it is North Melbourne or Richmond, in a couple of years time, there will be plenty who are wanting to know more about some of the stars that now wear the famous yellow and black, or the blue and white stripes. Had they watched these games, when both teams were finding who they are, and who they\u2019re going to be, they\u2019d have more of an idea.<\/p>\n

Then again, some people like to be surprised. Me\u2026 not so much.<\/p>\n

And so, it was with that focus that I turned into the game featuring the Tigers and Kangaroos in Tassie. What I wanted to see is just what these teams had at the moment, and just what they were cultivating to populate their lists in the next several years.<\/p>\n

And I probably got it, too.<\/p>\n

This was the season North were expected to make a move up the ladder. It hasn\u2019t happened. This was also the season that the Tigers were supposed to bottom-out and go winless, according to some of the boffins looking for a cheap click in the pre-season.<\/p>\n

A big hello to Mark Bickley, by the way.<\/p>\n

The Tigers have surprised, and the Roos have stagnated, but the seeds of something are always there, and that\u2019s where we start this review. No green shoots\u2026 the last bloke who used that phrase a little too often is now sitting alongside someone who knows how to do his job.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m looking for a little more than green shoots. Here\u2019s what I found.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

The remainder of this article is for our members. They support me, and I provide for them. It\u2019s a good deal.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Oh\u2026 a Mongrel paywall\u2026 the worst of all paywalls. Why? Because HB believes work such as this is worth a mere pittance per day. Whilst you could stick with Caro\u2019s Arrow or Kane\u2019s Vol-Kane-O, you\u2019ll get your 500 words in the newspaper and be happy, or you could dive articles like this. If you don\u2019t want to, that\u2019s fine. You\u2019re welcome to join and keep reading if you do.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

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