Actions, not words.
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There are a lot of buzz words in footy. Terms like “structures”, “zones”, “rotations”, “running patterns”, “press” and “set-ups” are just a few often mentioned by the coaches in our meetings and also by the media and commentators.
But there’s another word which I believe is used ad nauseam these days and it relates to on and off the field – it’s “rivalry” and it has been used more than ever this week with Carlton and Collingwood clashing tomorrow.
A promoted “rivalry” between teams in this day and age is about as common as a bad umpiring decision.
We seem to have one every week.
It’s more of a marketing tool than anything else.
If you drill down on it, every team can just about claim to have a rivalry of some description, but let’s just look at North Melbourne so I can make my point clearly.
We’re supposed to hate Essendon because they tried to block us from joining the then VFL in the late 1800s and again in the early 1900s.
There was also the famous Kevin Sheedy marshmallow match in 1998.
We also have an intense dislike for Carlton because Chris Judd tried to pull Leigh Adams’ arm out of its socket last season and for the Battle of Britain brawl in 1987.
The Tigers and the Roos don’t get along because Richmond officials said Keith Greig’s Brownlow Medal win over Kevin Bartlett in 1974 was a “joke”.
We can’t stand the Bulldogs for territorial reasons and because Barry Hall tried to bury Scott Thompson’s head into the Etihad Stadium underground car park in 2010.
As for Collingwood, well they wouldn’t let us wear our traditional guernsey at home matches and then this week Nathan Buckley accused Lindsay Thomas of “faking” after his head clash with Ben Reid.
The list could go on.
I’ll stop with tomorrow’s opponent Geelong, though.
Having the Scott twins as opposing coaches – our Brad and their Chris – means there is that little bit extra on the line.
More often than not over the past few years, we have been humiliated by the Cats and the things that have been said to us by their players on the field will be fresh in our minds this time.
Although we managed to beat the Cats last year, once is simply not good enough and we need to prove to Geelong that we have improved as individuals and as a team.
While the media might be suggesting there’s a big rivalry between North Melbourne and Geelong because of the aforementioned reasons, don’t get sucked in.
It is probably more about increasing their ratings and readership more than anything else.
Brad and Chris will not buy into it and neither should you.
Just know that like the other 16 teams in the AFL, we respect them immensely, but want to belt the living hell out of them once the ball is bounced.
Winning is the only word we truly care about.
Rivalry does not come into it no matter who you play.
Drew Petrie is a North Melbourne vice-captain, having begun his football with Ballarat Swans and drafted from North Ballarat Rebels.