'Rookie' Majak Daw could be dropped, warns Brad Scott

Majak Daw

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North Melbourne has now alternated wins and losses for the past five weeks, but face a tough challenge to continue that record when they travel to Perth to face West Coast next round.

Daw had the perfect chance to announce himself as a big-game performer when seasoned opponent Tom Lonergan was subbed off with concussion and replaced with makeshift Cats defender Mark Blicavs.

But the 23-year-old only had nine touches and spilled several marks.


Daw, 23, has managed just 10 AFL matches since first appearing for the Roos in the 2011 NAB Cup. Photo: Getty

"(Daw) doesn't need a rest in terms of physically," Scott said.

"We've got to weigh up his value to the side.

"I've still got great confidence in him in the future but he's ... playing like a rookie at the moment.

"He's getting pushed off the footy which doesn't make sense because he's strong enough and getting better at reading the ball in flight, but he's just a rookie making rookie mistakes."

Riding high after thrashing Brisbane Lions and keen to prove themselves as premiership contenders, the Roos should have been desperate to win some early momentum against the Cats by starting the match with all guns blazing.

Yet, North's first term was ordinary, with not enough pressure exerted on a switched-on Geelong.

The one-sided opening showed Geelong were a more mature team than North Melbourne, perhaps better prepared mentally.

"It was an appalling effort early and when you dish up that sort of performance early on, you can't walk away happy or satisfied," Scott said.

"You can't give a good side like Geelong a start like that, be second to the footy and be obliterated around the contest and outside the contest like that and expect to win.

"When you go forward and you're outnumbered and then the ball goes up the other end and you're outnumbered there as well it's pretty simple - you're being horribly outworked."

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