North Shore
Final position
Seventh- 6 wins, 12 losses
Snapshot
It was a so-so start to the season; two wins and two losses in the opening month. They would only win two matches in May and June which cruelled their season as injuries took their toll. Things didn’t really improve despite a great win at home against St George in the penultimate round.
What worked
It was a tough year for the perennial finalists but they generally stuck to the task set by Jon Hayres. Execution of skills ultimately hurt them against decent sides. You could say the recruitment of Selby Lee-Steere was a success but he lacked support. There is some superb talent in the Under 19s (that side made the Grand Final) with a few tasting senior action. They represent the future of the club.
What failed
Their middle tier is a fair bit behind the other top clubs. Their Division Two side struggled despite stepping down from Division One this year which indicated a lack of depth despite their injury toll. There are no real superstars in their list outside Lee-Steere suggesting they need a good talent identification drive over the off-season.
MVP: Selby Lee-Steere
Given his versatility, there is no doubting Selby is North Shore’s most valuable player. Big enough to play ruck, he was predominantly used as an on-baller- where he was named in the AFL Sydney Team of the Year. He averaged 1.5 goals a game in 2014 and was in the best eleven times despite often getting tagged by the opposition. Finished third in the Phelan Medal.
Surprise packet: Matthew Adamson
Adamson’s output was superb this year for the Bombers and it wouldn’t be a surprise if he took out the Club Best and Fairest. He played all games and was a constant in his side’s best players. Formerly of Illawarra, Adamson provided North Shore with a lot of drive from half-back, and often slipped under the radar of the opposition.
Low point
It is never fun losing to your cross-town rivals, but the manner of the Bombers 133-point loss at Weldon Oval in Round 8 would have been harrowing for all of the Bombers’ faithful. Their 41-point loss to Campbelltown at home in Round 13 would not have been too far behind.
What do they need to improve?
You could firstly say luck with injuries but position-wise there are a few gaps that need urgent filling. They desperately need a key forward or two with Lee-Steere their leading goalkicker this year playing mainly in the midfield. Ron Wason was thrown forward with some success but is best down back, and Daniel Roberts was sent an SOS to return. Their backline seems OK as they missed Chris Murphy and Adrian Harry for a large part of the season. Good ball-users capable of outside run would not go astray either- they were definitely short here this season.
Senior coach, Jon Hayres will not continue in the role in 2015 so change is already in the pipeline with a few quality candidates on North Shore’s table.
Grade: C-
This year was a tough one for North Shore given they finished second with 14 wins in 2013. Injuries can be an excuse but they happen at every football club so no doubt they would be disappointed to be one game and percentage short of a finals berth. A rejuvenated Bombers outfit should get close to finals action next season.
Last Modified on 09/10/2014 13:15
