North Melbourne coach Brad Scott's enforced six-week layoff a few months ago has proved to be a blessing in disguise for the team, according to star ruckman Todd Goldstein.
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Scott was forced to temporarily hand over the reins to assistant Darren Crocker for four games mid-season while he had back surgery. Since his return in round 15, the Kangaroos haven't put a foot wrong, winning seven games on the trot and firming up a spot in the eight.
Goldstein said Scott's time away from the inner sanctum had given him a chance to look at the team from a different perspective.
Given he didn't like a lot of what he saw while recuperating, Scott returned to the club with a "harder edge" and after treading water in 13th spot on the ladder after round nine - following losses to Fremantle and Collingwood - the Roos are now seventh and just a game outside the top four with two rounds remaining.
"I wouldn't suggest every coach has a month off, but I think it's been really helpful for him (Scott) to really step back and watch the broadcast, listen to what people are saying, seeing what he's seeing through everyone else's eyes and it probably showed him a few things that we needed to change," Goldstein told Channel Seven's Talking Footy.
"I think as a group we knew that, probably after the Collingwood game (which North lost after giving up a 39-point half-time lead) it started and it sort of dragged on for a month when he wasn't there, that we just needed to crack down on a few little things that were costing us.
"Brad came in and I think he dropped Lindsay Thomas and gave Boomer (Brent Harvey) the sub vest and things like that, which I think really showed that no one was immune to it and everyone had to toe the line or you weren't going to be playing."
North Melbourne's recent run of hot form culminated with their best performance of the season on the weekend as they took down ladder leaders Fremantle at Etihad Stadium.
Goldstein said the Kangas now had the belief that they could beat any team in the competition.
After bowing out at the preliminary final stage last year, the 27-year-old was confident North were capable of becoming the first team to win the premiership from outside the top four since the current top-eight system was introduced in 2000.
"We got a good lesson last year as well, I think that was a great experience, I think we'll take a lot out of that finals campaign even though it didn't quite finish how we would have liked.
"I think that confidence going forward will definitely help us going into September and all you've got to do is make it to the big dance and then anything's possible," Goldstein said.
