2019 IN PROFILE
Seventh (down five positions on 2018 - 4 fewer wins)
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7 wins, 9 losses
Senior players: 42
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING
Quarters won: 28
Best quarters: second (averaged 1-point lead), last (highest average score, 21 points)
Worst quarters: first (averaged 1-point deficit), first (lowest average score, 16 points)
Highest quarter score: 48 points
Quarters less than 10 points: 15
BEST AND FAIREST - Simon McCartin
LEADING GOALKICKER - Will Young 24
HENDERSON MEDAL VOTING
7-Cam McCallum
7-Simon McCartin
5-Daniel Jones
4-Elliot Lamb
4-Mitch Gilbert
3-Tim Spiers
3-Sam Bromley-Lynch
2-Brock Freeman
2-Jason McNamara
1-Ollie Nash
IN SUMMARY
Disappointingly it was a fall from grace in 2019 for North Ballarat City
From finishing second on the ladder the previous season to missing finals was difficult to swallow.
It has been a roller coaster ride for City since back-to-back premierships in 2013-14 and a forgettable grand final appearance in 2015.
In football terms those campaigns are a lifetime ago, but there has certainly been a trend since with inconsistency from year-to-year.
Six wins in 2017 - staggeringly enough to play finals - 11 last year and then seven in the season just gone, which saw North miss the top six by three games.
There is only one way to overcome this and coach Shane Skontra, who is entering a third season in charge, emphasised it repeatedly during the year, and that is consistency from week-to-week and even more importantly from quarter-to-quarter.
QUICK STICKS: WRAPPING UP NORTH CITY'S SEASON IN 30 SECONDS
There were come warning signs pre-season with the loss of talls Marcus Darmody and Sam Dunstan, who each went on to be century goalkickers in the CHFL.
They were players North Ballarat could not afford to lose.
On the recruiting front, City backed its judgment by luring basketballer Cam McCallum out of retirement and getting veteran Jason McNamara.
Each had fine seasons and the likes of Brock Freeman and Josh Chatfield were steady.
North Ballarat, like most other clubs, was also going to rely on bringing on youngsters.
Injuries did hurt, with some of its best in Daniel Jones, Tim Speirs, Ryan Luke, Josh Bromley-Lynch and Ben Simpson all missing big lumps of the year,
All this and a bad start to the year in which City had only one win in the opening six rounds, and it spelt trouble.
With three wins in nine rounds, the season looked gone.
However, just as it did in 2017, North breathed life into its year with a late rush.
With four wins in a row and free premiership points for a bye, it was suddenly within one win of the top six and in contention to play finals.
Just as quickly as it had risen up the ranks, City's run faltered and only one win in the last four rounds ended its hopes.
Based on the whole season seventh was where it deserved to finish.
2020
What North Ballarat City needs more than anything next season is a largely injury-free run.
It will need its best combination consistently on the park.
There are already some good signs, with some quality additions from the CHFL in the form of Johnathan O'Brien (Springbank) and Tom Nash (Waubra), who will add depth.
Then there will be return of Joe Symons after missing a season with a knee injury.
Add these to City's best side and the natural progression of youth and the signs are promising.
CONCLUSION
North Ballarat City should be pushing for the finals next season, but getting back into the top six will only come if it can get major scalps consistently.
North's best are also starting to shown signs of wear and tear, and it is time for some of the younger brigade to step up and make the running in generational change.
RATING
4/10
Experienced a big fall, tumbling out of the top six - even tasking injuries into consideration.
Although the best of the restr, still miss finals by a long way.