AFL season 2016: North Melbourne mid-year report

North Melbourne divided opinion and kept us guessing. Had the Kangaroos overachieved in reaching a preliminary final in 2015 or was the valiant loss to West Coast in Perth one more rung on the way to a premiership tilt? The list looked a bit older than most and there were question marks over some of the veterans, but for the most part the Roos were expected to be a solid chance for a top six place.

Story so far: 10-4 (fifth)

What's gone right:

Nine winning games to start the season didn't suck but, looking back, most of those victories came against teams who are not likely to be in the upper echelon. Still, winning form is good form and big man Jarrad Waite started the season brilliantly, operating as a key forward with the ability to pressure backmen and create opportunities. Fellow free-agent recruits Shaun Higgins and Nick Dal Santo also banked their promise and experience to make important early contributions. Ruckman Todd Goldstein was consistently among the best and his solid form had North rating second in the AFL for centre bounce contests and fourth for hit-outs from stoppages. The round six top-of-the-table clash against the Western Bulldogs dragged more than 47,000 punters to Etihad Stadium to see the Roos win by 16 points. As the winning run unfolded the Kangaroos were seen to be hard at the ball and lauded for it. Before the bye they were ranked No.1 for tackling, second for kicking efficiency and third for effective disposals. North found new avenues to goal, with Mason Wood ranking third at the club for scoreboard impact per game with 15.5 points behind veteran Brent Harvey and Waite. Harvey showed he's still a vital cog in the machine, with 17.6 points per match and ranking second at the club for disposals inside 50. He has spent more time forward this year, dropping his number of disposals, but winning 25 per cent of them inside 50. After injury, livewire Ben Cunnington made a welcome return against Adelaide and will be looking to make that sort of impact going forward.

What's gone wrong:

If the loss to Sydney in round 10 was a wake-up call, the subsequent defeats at the hands of other finals contenders Geelong, Hawthorn and Adelaide has exposed the Roos' glass jaw. It's no coincidence the players listed in 'what's gone right' are also be factors in the 'what's gone wrong' column, with injuries to these key men taking a toll. Waite's drive was curtailed by a persistent hip injury and Goldstein went down with a knee. In early May Higgins copped a 12-week injury layoff with surgery to repair damage to his meniscus, while tagger Ben Jacobs also went under the knife with a stress fracture in his foot. Kayne Turner did a serious hamstring and was banished to the VFL after being caught drink-driving. Still, he was the most minor Kangaroo to be sanctioned this year. The debate over Lindsay Thomas' playing style and free-kick count bubbled along early in the season and then exploded when coach Brad Scott slipped up at a post-match press conference after the loss to the Hawks. A passionate and fierce defender of his men, Scott was deemed to have impugned the umpires after being misinformed about their attitude to paying Thomas frees. The resulting  mea culpa came in the same week that North president James Brayshaw was forced to apologise for his role in the "ice bath" comments about Age reporter Caroline Wilson.  All unwanted distractions just as things appeared to be going so well for the shinboners.

Standout star: 

Daniel Wells is back to his best and ranks No.1 at the club for score involvements per game. His average of 22 disposals per game is his most since 2012 and he's also averaging career-highs of six tackles and six clearances. In the big win against the Dogs it was Wells who did the damage early, smashing the Dogs with 13 touches in the first term. Wells leads The Age footballer of the year award, although Jack Ziebell is close behind. Wells is sitting on a career-high 23 disposals per game and has upped his midfield workrate with six clearances and five inside 50s per game. Both will need to maintain the intensity going forward to ensure the club can make the most of its finals opportunity.

Under the pump: 

Where has Drew Petrie gone? Can Majak Daw make an impact before time's up? Will Scott hold the show together?

The run home:

After the bye, North have three winnable games against Power, Pies and Saints, followed by four tough ones against fellow finalists Bulldogs, Hawks, Swans and Giants. The last month should set the scene for what the Roos will – or won't – achieve.

What coach Brad Scott says:

"We go into the bye licking our wounds a little bit, but really optimistic about the second half of the year. We're 10-4 and in a great spot to attack the second half."

Grading: B-