Been sitting on this thought for a bit, debating whether to say it, but...
The last time I walked out of a North Melbourne pre-season game as worried as today was back in 2019. We know what changed halfway through that year.
Processes looked off offensively on that day. Today it was all defence:
This is so much fun to read. Worth setting aside half an hour if you're into this time period.
16.02.2026 08:19 — 👍 1 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
🚨 A quick note about the Patreon element of the Shinboner this year:
- Short version: Not happening
- Long version: See below
(A little bit embarrassing to post something so long explaining why, but I've had queries, so here we are)
After seeing Popyrin lost this morning, I thought it had been a while since his last win. But after digging, I didn't realise he'd lost 10 (!) matches in a row.
12.02.2026 00:09 — 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
Today in Day 1 of the #SheffieldShield round:
• 17/210: VIC (7/61) v QLD (149)
• 15/303: WA (5/64) v TAS (239)
• 14/299: NSW (202) v SA (4/97)
Individual top score of 55, only three others 40+. It's more nuanced than 'pitch bad!' 'batting bad!', but geez, it's not great.
I just woke up from a nap and somehow while I was asleep, everyone on the bus has figured out we are not going to the right place
20.01.2026 01:57 — 👍 21492 🔁 5122 💬 15 📌 3559
NEW: The Thunder are built upon a tragedy that seared their city 30 years ago. When Sam Presti arrived in 2008, he was so inspired by the recovery that he built his team in its image, forging bonds with those whose lives forever changed on April 19, 1995. www.espn.com/nba/story/_/...
30.09.2025 12:43 — 👍 54 🔁 21 💬 4 📌 14
This post is probably going to break all sorts of earnestness records, but just very grateful to have AEW to watch each week. Here's to the next six years #AEWDynamite
02.10.2025 03:01 — 👍 7 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
I was ... uhh ... not expecting India to lose 4/4 in two overs 😳
Hopefully a sign of more World Cup chaos to come (said as someone planning to spend most of his three weeks leave watching it)
#CWC25
🚨🆕 on The Shinboner 🚨
How Brisbane flipped the script: The lessons they learned from the Qualifying Final loss, what they changed for the Grand Final, and how they executed it all to win the ultimate prize.
↪️ theshinboner.com/2025/09/29/h...
🚨 New on The Shinboner 🚨
Lessons from the Qualifying Final: A 2025 Grand Final preview.
↪️ theshinboner.com/2025/09/27/l...
🆕 on The Shinboner: A look into Adelaide's finals campaign.
What caused each of their losses, the lessons to be learned, and why the fixes should be relatively straight forward to implement, with one wildcard.
↪️ theshinboner.com/2025/09/14/a...
Fascinating piece on boxing, the mob and two of the most famous fighters ever:
sports.yahoo.com/boxing/artic...
🆕 on The Shinboner: The last Finals Dossier, focusing on everything Collingwood.
Reasons for their start to the year, reasons for their finish, everything in between, and what it all means heading into September...
↪️ theshinboner.com/2025/08/29/2...
(see pinned post for full access dates)
🆕 on The Shinboner: Today's Finals Dossier is all about the reigning premiers.
Everything about a fascinating Brisbane campaign, what to take out of the highs, and how much of the lows are relevant in a finals setting...
↪️ theshinboner.com/2025/08/28/2...
(see pinned post for full access dates)
🆕 on The Shinboner: The ever-present in these Finals Dossiers, Geelong.
This is the sixth edition, Geelong have featured five (!) times, and yet there's always plenty of new things to write about.
↪️ theshinboner.com/2025/08/27/2...
(see pinned post for full access dates and Patreon levels)
🆕 on The Shinboner: 2025's first Finals Dossier is here, and naturally we start with the minor premiers.
Everything Adelaide - and it feels like literally everything - in a large, large piece.
↪️ theshinboner.com/2025/08/26/2...
(see pinned post for full access dates and levels)
The schedule for this year's Finals Dossier are locked in now, with a large thank you to Gold Coast for not making it too complicated.
Tuesday: Adelaide
Wednesday: Geelong
Thursday: Brisbane
Friday: Collingwood
With the different levels of access based on the date here ⬇️
Expected Score v Actual Score for Round 24, via the Herald Sun (except for Wednesday night's game).
A full season summary is featured in this week's Notebook: theshinboner.com/2025/08/25/e...
🆕 on The Shinboner: A final home and away season Notebook, summarising...
1) Expected Score rankings
2) Minutes Played By Age for each team
3) A personal top-five favourite games of the year
(all except Wednesday night's game)
↪️ theshinboner.com/2025/08/25/e...
🆕 on The Shinboner: 23 up, 23 down. The last North Melbourne match review of the season.
It's a long piece to mark the occasion, juggling between individual match analysis, placing it into a larger season context, and a look at the year as a whole.
↪️ theshinboner.com/2025/08/24/o...
🆕 on The Shinboner: Had a lot of fun putting this week's Notebook together.
The different ways to use uncontested marks, using Brisbane's method against Fremantle and St Kilda's method against Richmond as the examples.
↪️ theshinboner.com/2025/08/20/t...
🆕 on The Shinboner: A 48-point North Melbourne win and a 54-disposal game means today's post is about two things:
1) How North were able to dictate the game
2) How Harry Sheezel was able to get 54 disposals
↪️ theshinboner.com/2025/08/17/r...
🆕 on The Shinboner: It's a large Notebook this week.
Three topics, lots of words, and also a bit of scene setting for a couple of finals topics...
↪️ theshinboner.com/2025/08/13/d...
🆕 on The Shinboner: Today's post about North Melbourne's loss to GWS zooms out a bit.
There's a focus on domino effects, where the key part of a chain happens early, but focus is drawn to what happens at the end.
And also a superb bit of leadership.
↪️ theshinboner.com/2025/08/11/d...
🔈 Emotional team talks
🦷 A recreation of dentist chair celebration
🍕 Takeaway pizzas at training
🚿 Gazza in the showers fully clothed
👋 A bitter exit
Twenty years since Paul Gascoigne's only managerial job, a big read on his remarkable 39 days at Kettering Town
www.nytimes.com/athletic/630...
🆕 on The Shinboner: A hastily put together Notebook this week has a sole focus on Melbourne:
1️⃣ Half-assessment of their on-field prospects, style, and list structure
2️⃣ Half-providing the info for people to make up their own assessments as well
↪️ theshinboner.com/2025/08/06/a...
Expected Score v Actual Score for Round 21, via the Herald Sun ⬇️
04.08.2025 00:59 — 👍 1 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
🆕 on The Shinboner: Today's post on North Melbourne's loss to St Kilda jumps around from topic to topic, including:
- Colby McKercher's form + future role
- The team's tendency to retreat
- A mini checklist of things to see in the last three games
↪️ theshinboner.com/2025/08/04/i...
Expected Score v Actual Score for Round 20, via the Herald Sun. A pretty ho-hum round, right up until the end...
28.07.2025 00:12 — 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0