NORTH Melbourne's decision to rest nine players in round 23 will give it the best possible chance to push deep into this year's finals series, coach Brad Scott says.
With its position in the top-eight secured after Geelong lost to Collingwood in round 22, North rested senior players Todd Goldstein, Shaun Higgins, Nick Dal Santo, Jarrad Waite, Andrew Swallow, Scott Thompson, Michael Firrito, Ben Cunnington and Sam Wright from its clash against Richmond last Friday night.
Scott told reporters on Tuesday that fatigue had caught up with his players in their previous two finals campaigns, 2012 and 2014, with North's resting policy designed to ensure there was no repeat of that this year.
"In 2012 we had to win a lot of games just to qualify for the finals and then got bundled out in the first week (by 96 points against West Coast at Domain Stadium) with a pretty fatigued playing group," Scott said.
"But I think we can also reference last year in having to win two pretty dynamic and tight finals (against Essendon and Geelong). That meant we travelled to Sydney for a preliminary final with a team that had been good for two weeks, had good momentum, but was pretty fatigued and played against an opposition that were fresh after a week off.
"If you're going to get [to the Grand Final] you're going to have to play four really tough games, potentially interstate, so [freshening players up] certainly was part of our thinking."
Sitting alongside Scott at Tuesday's press conference was North captain Swallow.
The midfielder said he and the other eight Roos rested against the Tigers were feeling "really good" after their weekend off.
"It's nice to have a bit of a break so close to finals and give yourselves every opportunity," Swallow said.
"I remember back to 2012 when we didn't do that, kept going and we got into the final against West Coast over in Perth and we were just cooked.
"So to have half the guys who are going to play this week fresh and raring to go is obviously exciting."
High-profile commentator Dermott Brereton questioned the tactics employed by Richmond's defenders against Drew Petrie, Ben Brown and Aaron Black last Friday night, saying they had "almost tunnelled" the North tall forwards under the ball when they were flying for marks.
Scott said North would not approach AFL umpires boss Wayne Campbell this week about the Tigers' spoiling methods, saying it was up to his forwards to find a way around them.
"We always let the umpires do their job. Clearly that's been put on the agenda, but it wasn't put on the agenda by the North Melbourne football club," he said.
"I think that they've been using their body pretty well all season so I don't know why it's such a big issue right now.
"We've got to counter that and work with our forwards on a technique to get around it."
