Kangaroos aim for AFL consistency
North Melbourne coach Brad Scott doesn't care about the negativity surrounding his club's up-and-down season, although he admits he's hearing plenty of it.
North (10-7 win-loss) host Geelong (13-4) at Etihad Stadium on Saturday night in a clash between two of the more entertaining sides in the AFL.
However North's best is sometimes followed by their worst, and upset losses such as last-round's defeat against Carlton have led fans to wonder which North Melbourne side will turn up on Saturday night.
"Everyone does (wonder)," Scott told reporters on Friday.
"Most teams have that problem. Ours has probably been highlighted more than most.
"Unfortunately we live in a world where negativity creates more headlines than positivity.
"If you said at the start of the year we'd beaten four of the top five sides, two of those on the road, we'd be in sixth position, most people would say that's pretty good.
"But that's not the feedback I get.
"I don't really care. Your results speak for themselves over time.
"If we'd beaten all those other sides we'd be sitting comfortably inside the top four.
"That's what people at North Melbourne get frustrated at because they're used to success."
North's veteran small forward Brent Harvey says the Kangaroos have been complacent at times against lower-ranked sides.
"You've just got to look at the evidence. The facts would back that statement up," Scott said.
That shouldn't be a problem against the Cats though, who Scott up there with Sydney and Hawthorn.
"They're not flying under my radar. They're as good as any team in the competition," he said.
"Even when they haven't played their best, they've found ways to win.
"That's what the good teams do and that's what we haven't been able to do.
"If we can be guaranteed we'd be at our best, we'd have a level of confidence."
James Kelly's 250th game milestone will provide an added motivation for the Cats, who have recalled ruck/forward Mark Blicavs and small forward Allen Christensen.
Scott says he's a huge admirer of Kelly.
"He appears to me to be one of those great clubmen who have been the glue who have kept that group together for so long," Scott said.
"He has turned himself into a really consistent, solid, flexible player who can play any position on the ground."
JAMES KELLY'S AFL CAREER
Age: 30
Height: 183cm
Weight: 86kg
Drafted in 2001 at pick No.17 traded by Melbourne for Clint Bizzell
Debut: 2002
Recruited from: Rupertswood/Calder under-18
All-Australian: 2011
Premierships: 2007, 2009, 2011
Games: 249