“The dark time is done”: But is the bar still too low for North Melbourne?

The days of being on the bottom of the ladder are over for North Melbourne.

Well, they should be, according to Kane Cornes.

His comments came after Jy Simpkin, who was appointed as sole captain of the club this week, spoke positively about North’s preparations for the 2025 season.

Simpkin has plenty of confidence that the youthful playing group is melding nicely together as they continue prepping for a massive campaign.

“I’ve probably never been more confident in a group at this time of year,” Simpkin said on SEN Breakfast.

“I think it’s that next wave of young guys coming through like Tom Powell, Paul Curtis, Charlie Comben, these guys at training are just looking so confident and strong in everything they do.

“All of our players are just connecting so well and supporting one another. I can really feel a big change in that area. You can do all your time trials and everyone is flying and going well in the gym, but I think it’s the mental side of things where I’m starting to see a change.

“That’s what is getting me very excited for the season is the confidence growing in the next wave coming through.

“They’re the ones who are going to take us to the next level.”

With that in mind Cornes pondered how many games the Kangaroos might win this year after claiming three scalps under Alastair Clarkson in 2024.

“The bottom is done, the dark time is done,” said Cornes.

“They should have won some close games last year and they took it up to some of the best teams in it.

“If I said to you the over/under for North would be seven wins, would you go over over or under?”

Co-host Sam Edmund replied: “I’m going over, only just.

“I reckon eight is achievable.”

Cornes added: “I think eight is realistic and would be a good result.

“I think they’re capable of that.”

But SEN’s Dwayne Russell believes critics might be going too easy on the Roos.

He believes they should be setting their sights on more wins and feels they could set themselves up in the first few rounds of the season.

“I’ve heard a few people say that seven or eight wins is probably where they should be at,” said Russell on SEN’s Dwayne’s World.

“I reckon that is setting the bar too low. Players right now in every team would expect to make the eight.

“Seven or eight wins is way too low to me as an expectation for North Melbourne.

“Round 1 they’ve got the Bulldogs who just scraped into the eight last year. Round 2 they’ve got Melbourne who missed the eight, Round 3 they’ve got Adelaide who missed the eight.

“You should be 2-1, you could be 3-0. In Round 5 you’ve got the Suns who missed the eight last year, Round 8 you’ve got Essendon who missed the eight last year and Round 10 you’ve got Richmond - you’ve got to be beating the Tigers.

“I don’t think there’s any reason not to expect North to win nine games.”

The Roos will meet Melbourne in an unofficial practice match on February 22 before taking on West Coast in the AAMI Community Series in Bunbury on March 1.

They kick off their 2025 season against the Western Bulldogs at Marvel Stadium in Round 1 on March 15.