Harry Sheezel, a key player for North Melbourne, has expressed enthusiasm for the team’s upcoming 10-day trip to Western Australia, where they hope to strengthen their bond.
The club has arranged to hold two home games over the next two years in Western Australia, with one match set to occur at Hands Oval in Bunbury and the other at Optus Stadium.
As a result, North Melbourne will be moving mid-season, traveling to the west this week to prepare for a match against West Coast at Hands Oval on Sunday, followed by a game against Fremantle in Perth six days later.
Although this decision has faced criticism due to the team’s struggles on the field, Sheezel emphasized that they plan to use this opportunity to grow closer as a team.
“It’s our job to play football wherever we are asked, and I’m really looking forward to this chance,” Sheezel shared with SEN.
“Spending two weeks away with your best mates is exciting, especially while playing football in Perth instead of the cold Melbourne winter.
“I’m eager to get there. We have a young, closely-knit team, and I think we will have a great time. Our main goal for the trip is to secure two wins — that’s our top priority.
“Hopefully, the weather in Perth will be nice. It’s a chance to train and stay with friends.”
Sheezel and the Kangaroos will arrive in Bunbury on Friday morning to train on Saturday. They’ll stay in the region until Monday before heading to Fremantle for their match against the Dockers at Optus Stadium on Saturday night.
“We’ve already played there during the pre-season, so we are familiar with the hotel and the ground,” Sheezel noted.
“Having practiced there before, we’ll train on Saturday morning, stay in Bunbury from Friday until Monday morning after the game, and then drive to Perth and settle in Fremantle for the week leading up to the match against Freo.”
Even though the team is currently in 17th place and facing another potential bottom-two finish, Sheezel believes the Kangaroos have improved in 2025.
“That’s not negotiable. The way we are playing has made us much more competitive in games, and our percentage is significantly better than in previous years,” he stated.
“We don’t want to end up winning only four games this year.
“I’m confident we’ll secure more wins and perform well in the second half of the season. We’ve been progressing, albeit slower than we hoped.
“This year, we’re starting to find more consistency, not just in terms of full games but also week-on-week against opponents.”
