As some of you may already know, I’ve been a long time supporter of Brad Scott. Yesterday’s wretched performance may just have been the final straw.

In this troubled period for fans of North Melbourne, the divide between fans and detractors of the team’s head coach have certainly been accentuated, with one common theme emerging amongst all fans. We are fed up.

The most disappointing aspect of North Melbourne’s Good Friday loss at the hands of Essendon was the dire, gutless nature of the loss at a time slot which North Melbourne have tirelessly battled for over the past few years. Normally, I would feel compelled to write a match report of such a high profile match, but I was simply overcome by the raw emotions of the loss that I did not want to seem too harsh. However, harsh words must be said.

North Melbourne currently possess the best list that they’ve had in years due to some shrewd off-season acquisitions and their strong midfield. However, absolutely nothing appears to be working for Brad Scott’s side at the moment, in fact I’d go as far to suggest that the players do not seem to playing for their coach’s career. All but one player, Ben Cunnington.

I admire Ben Cunnington more than words can describe. For years, Cunnington has carried the midfield of North Melbourne and provided the grit and determination required to compete against the good teams. I’ve seen this man perform at the highest level for years, I’ve seen him win games from his own boot, I’ve seen him demonstrate an approach that we would truly describe as the ‘Shinboner Spirit’. Sadly, this spirit appears to be lost amongst the rest of the group. This includes ‘captain’ Jack Ziebell. Remember when I said harsh words needed to be said?

Yesterday, was Ziebell’s opportunity to demonstrate a true sense of leadership amongst the group, galvanise the team and attempt to instigate an unlikely comeback. Instead, Jack Ziebell registered the least amount of disposals of any player on the ground with just 6. This is unacceptable for the captain of North Melbourne. Ziebell may possess some leadership characteristics behind the scenes that we may not be aware of, but the truth is that Ben Cunnington at this moment would be a far more appropriate captain of this football club. Cunnington leads through his actions, he was hurting yesterday and even in what wasn’t one of his best performances he still managed to battle through adversity and register 29 disposals. Out of everybody at the football club it honestly seems like Ben Cunnington is the only person that actually cares. He is always protecting his teammates and will not back down from any altercation with a member of the opposition. I feel so so sorry for him today.

Whilst it is super tempting to come down on the coach today after a bad loss (trust me I am tempted), I compel everybody to come together and support the team. Provide your honest feedback and critique the team because that is what needs to happen but it is still entirely necessary that we stick together. It really does not help anybody if we divide into our little sub categories as a fanbase predicated on whether we support the coach or not. Whether or not you are a fan of Brad Scott, the team needs US, the fanbase more than they ever have.

The players are deserving of our support, now is the real time to showcase the true ‘Shinboner Spirit’ of the North Melbourne fanbase.