Roos Track Watch: Gun mid rotation on show as untried first-rounder, mature-ager turn heads

The talls, both heralded and unsung, impressed when the North Melbourne playing group was put through its paces on Thursday morning at Arden Street. Plus, its new-look midfield rotation was on show.

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The Roos began with basic warm-up and touch drills before breaking into a roughly-two-hour match simulation from 9:20am, splitting into teams of pink and blue.

Luke Parker, Luke Davies-Uniacke — who was a tad rusty in possession but won plenty of it — and George Wardlaw formed a frequent centre-bounce combination for team blue in the early going. This trio continued to get looks together in the second period.

More often than not, they went up against a combo comprising new sole skipper Jy Simpkin, Will Phillips and Tom Powell, with developing 2023 first-round draft pick Taylor Goad rucking.

Meanwhile, Harry Sheezel started forward for pink before later slotting into the midfield. Zane Duursma appeared to play an outside midfield-forward role for pink, while recruit Jacob Konstanty, Cooper Harvey and Geordie Payne also drifted forward for pink.

Among the unlikely impressers was mature-age recruit Finnbar Maley, who displayed his competitiveness for pink.

Maley, who drew the match-up of Charlie Comben, started off with a set shot shank before following up with a massive contested mark to the pleased reactions of his teammates. But, to his frustration, another shank.

Toby Pink, playing in defence, matched up on Nick Larkey early.

Caleb Daniel was taking the early kick-ins for blue, with Colby McKercher also donning blue to begin, while Zac Fisher and Josh Goater played rebounding roles off half-back. Goater, who switched to pink at quarter-time, took a kick-in.

Goad (blue) was handed the unenviable task of rucking against Tristan Xerri (pink), with the helmeted big man winning early physical battle.

Assistant coach Tom Lynch looked to be giving a lot of on-field instruction, as was Xavier Clarke.

Brynn Teakle, playing forward alongside Jack Darling in blue, kicked the first goal from point-blank range.

Larkey answered for pink with a characteristically accurate set shot. Paul Curtis also nailed a set shot, helping ensure some early momentum for pink.

Riley Hardeman (pink) with a good intercepting spoil, appearing to be playing off half-back.

Pink led by a kick after a quarter, as numerous players swapped guernseys.

Simpkin was drifting forward but managing touches between the arcs, while Phillips — who was tasked with tagging multiple times last year — involved himself as a ball-winner.

Maley got involved again, taking another contested mark. This time the 21-year-old was accurate, snapping truly from the pocket with his most difficult attempt yet.

Among the senior talent in action were a few VFL-listed players wearing AFL numbers, with 97-gamer Darcy MacPherson among them, wearing No.36 for pink.

The former Northern Knights product, who played nine seasons with the Gold Coast Suns, lined up wide and in defence and provided good intensity, at one stage spoiling a mark after displaying good closing speed.

Another of North’s numerous off-season recruits, Caleb Daniel had two kicks go out on the full was clearly a preferred ball-user out of the back half.

Comben looks very, very settled in defence, while Kallan Dawson’s athleticism was notable.

Goad is athletic for a man of monster size. As expected, he was still outplayed by Xerri, but he looks a promising development. And speaking of monster size, Brynn Teakle looks a behemoth unit from up close. Teakle suffered a hard fall late in the first half but played on unaffected.

Larkey kicks his second with another pinpoint set shot, before Curtis added his second major of the morning with another set shot. Soon after, Larkey snapped his third.

Among the names absent were Finn O’Sullivan, Matt Whitlock, Brayden George, Griffin Logue and Callum Coleman-Jones not out there, while there was a changing rotation of players running laps.

In the second half, Maley was thrown behind the ball but showed the same competitiveness he did as a forward earlier. He certainly impressed with his intent.

Larkey, who has consistently found space inside 50, kicked his fourth with another set shot.

Xerri moved forward to give Goad and Teakle a crack against each other, with Goad receiving plenty of guidance at quarter breaks from veteran ruck coach Damian Monkhorst.

Curtis (three), Cam Zurhaar, Powell, and Parker were among the second-half goalkickers, with Davies-Uniacke starting out of full forward at one of the centre bounces late in the piece.

Lynch seemed to be taking the coaching lead this morning, continuing to bark instructions, holding the team board and moving around the magnets.

Looking for his fourth of the session, Curtis hit the post. He later missed another chance from dead in front. He needed some polish but was definitely lively.

Maley claimed another contested grab playing in defence, this time matched up on Goad. He hasn’t been flawless, but the flashes were positive for the Northern Bullants product.

Jack Darling, who had a number of ‘almost’ moments, finally got on the end of a Joe-the-goose goal late in the piece.

Goad finished a very positive session by drilling a difficult set shot.

Wardlaw-Sheezel-LDU looked the ‘A’ midfield combo for much of the second half against Simpkin-Powell-Phillips, with Parker playing more deep forward as the match sim wore on.

The former Swans captain nailed a set shot on the final siren to close out the session.