North Melbourne 2026 Season Preview: No More Moral Victories

Jeremy Darke

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Last updated: 1 hour ago

Jeremy Darke 1 hour ago

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North Melbourne 2026 Season Preview
North Melbourne aims to move beyond low rankings in 2026.
Key to success: Improved forward line & health of star players.
Focus is on climbing the ladder and proving their potential.

North Melbourne 2026 Season Preview (Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

North Melbourne 2026 Season Preview: No More Moral Victories

North Melbourne have run out of patience.

North Melbourne 2026 Season Preview: No More Moral Victories
What 2026 Is About
Where They Improve
Where It Breaks Down
The Wardlaw Threshold
Betting Position
Season Range

Six straight seasons in the bottom three is not a rebuild anymore. It is a pattern. Finishing 16th in 2025 was technically progress, but one place up the ladder is not what supporters were promised when the reset began.

The list has talent. There are top end draft picks everywhere you look. Alastair Clarkson has four premierships on his resume. At some point, those elements need to translate into movement.

For North, 2026 is about credibility.

What 2026 Is About

This season is about escaping the bottom four.

Not flirting with it. Not improving percentage. Not competing bravely. Climbing.

North do not need to make finals to declare success, but they do need to show tangible ladder progress and structural growth. Young stars must become reliable contributors rather than flashes of promise.

If they are still anchored near the bottom by August, external noise around list management and coaching direction will grow louder.

Where They Improve

The forward line has the potential to be functional.

Nick Larkey remains a proven goal kicker. Paul Curtis emerged as a genuine threat with scoreboard impact and elite forward pressure numbers. If those two combine for 90 to 100 goals, North become far more competitive week to week.

The midfield core also has upside. Luke Davies-Uniacke is established. George Wardlaw, when fit, adds edge and stoppage aggression. If the young onball brigade can stay healthy, the Roos are no longer overwhelmed physically.

There is talent here. It just needs continuity.

Where It Breaks Down

Durability remains the primary concern.

Wardlaw has yet to string together a full season. If he misses extended periods again, North lose their most dynamic inside presence. Without him, the midfield can look one paced.

Leadership stability is another variable. The Jy Simpkin trade saga and captaincy change create pressure on standards. Internal buy in matters more for rebuilding clubs than contenders. If attitudes fracture, performance follows.

Consistency is the difference between a developing team and a stuck one. North have not yet proven they can maintain level across 23 rounds.

The Wardlaw Threshold

For North Melbourne, the defining lever is simple. George Wardlaw must play 20 games.

Not dominate. Not win the club best and fairest. Just be available every week.

His contested work and aggression shift the midfield dynamic immediately. He plays with urgency and edge that lifts teammates. But match fitness and rhythm only come through repetition.

If Wardlaw strings together a full season, North’s clearance profile improves, their defensive pressure tightens and their midfield identity hardens.

If he breaks down again, the rebuild narrative resets for another year.

Betting Position

North remain a high volatility side.

They are capable of upsetting middle tier teams when their young midfield is healthy and their forward line converts. Against elite opposition, depth and composure are still exposed.

They profile as value in selective head to head matchups rather than season long futures until consistent improvement is evident.