NORTH Melbourne needs to properly review its operations, in the confrontational style of Collingwood in 2017 and Richmond in 2016.

Since it last made the finals in 2016, it has meaninglessly meandered through seasons of football and post seasons of failed player recruitment.

THE LADDER Where is your team sitting?

There's a reason matches are being lost and big name players from other clubs consistently refuse ridiculous amounts of money to head to the Roos.

North's latest loss, an embarrassing two-goal performance against Richmond at Metricon Stadium on Saturday night, was its fifth in succession.

The decision to declare Jack Ziebell fit for that match, which followed an equally horrendous call to play the stricken Ben Cunnington in round five, illustrates the levels of panic descending on this club.

Both had been carrying significant injury doubt, and both couldn't last even a quarter of those matches.

Beyond sacking Brad Scott after round 10 last year, and then conducting a "process" to find a new coach which consisted of little more than a few Hail Mary phone calls to three ex-North players now at other clubs, there has been no obvious strategic plan which actually reflects the words of those in charge who have been demanding a return to being a successful football club.

Chairman Ben Buckley and Glenn Archer, now back on the Roos’ board, made the call to remove Scott and when Adam Simpson, John Longmire and Alastair Clarkson all rejected the offer to coach the club, they permanently installed interim coach Rhyce Shaw.

THINGS WE LEARNED Cats struggle without their main man

Nothing has improved under Shaw. Many facets of on-field operations have worsened.

With 10 matches remaining of 2020, five of those games against teams placed among the top seven in premiership betting, it seems the 17th-place to which it has already slumped will be its final resting position.

Which will at least give it a NAB AFL Draft pick. But that wasn't part of the plan for 2020.

How far can the Power go in 2020?

CARLTON lost nothing but the four premiership points on Sunday. And in the same match at the Gabba, Port Adelaide – in a three-point, after the final siren win – won so much more than those four premiership points.

For the Power, the win continued their empowering, embrace-everything, put-everything-on-the-line outlook that began with coach Ken Hinkley talking premiership hopes back in March.

There's something compelling that is emerging about Port in 2020. They are must watch. They soak up all moments, good and bad. Kenny fist-pumping in the middle of the team song, and then getting Gatorade-d, after a round six win against GWS, was Exhibit A of this team's connection.

With inaccurate kicking at goal in the final quarter against the Blues on Sunday, Port did seemingly everything to lose, and only secured the win when one of the coolest players ever, Robbie Gray – four-time All-Australian, three-time Power best-and-fairest – bombed a goal from the boundary line after time had expired.

Incredibly, four of the Blues' 2020 matches have been decided by three points or less. It is 2-2 from those games. They are going more than OK.

Young pups can take the Dogs to the top 

THERE has been some extraordinary recruiting at Western Bulldogs in the four national drafts since they secured the 2016 premiership.

The club's first picks since have been Tim English, Aaron Naughton, Bailey Smith and Cody Weightman.

Against Essendon on Friday night, English was best afield, Smith continued his extraordinary progress and Weightman had a dream debut with two goals and a couple of moments which will already be guaranteed prominence on a highlight reel that still has a dozen-plus years to run.

Naughton is recuperating from injury, carrying status as one of the top half-dozen most important players in the Dogs' side, given the presence and structure attached to his hulking frame and footy nous.

A lot went wrong on-field for the Dogs in the three seasons since that most remarkable of premierships. But not much more could have gone right off it in national drafts. That quartet, arguably, makes the Dogs of 2020 even more dynamic than they were in 2016.

The 'Trac' finally realises his potential

IN his 91st match, Christian Petracca gave Melbourne full reason to believe season 2020 could at least equal its top four finish two years ago.

Max Gawn did as always and led with authority and Clayton Oliver was lively, but it was Petracca's explosiveness which destroyed Hawthorn at Giants Stadium on Sunday.

In 2020, he is clearly tracking for a career-best season, his 29-disposal domination against the Hawks leading the Demons to their second consecutive win and fourth for the year.

The Demons have provided a lot of answers in the past two weeks, but at least one question remains – why was Sam Weideman unable to get a game until round six? He might be nearly as crucial as Gawn and Petracca.

Melbourne's biggest test of 2020 will come next Sunday – against Brisbane at Metricon Stadium.

Twitter: @barrettdamian