Australian cricket great Ricky Ponting is a huge North Melbourne fan and he’s hoping for some improvement from the Kangaroos in 2024.
As well as being a supporter, the former Aussie captain and current media personality and coach even met with Alastair Clarkson in 2022 in a bid to convince the coach to take the reins at Arden Street.
Clarkson would end up joining the club months after that Ponting meeting, and in his first season in charge in 2023, the Roos won just three times as the coach dealt with issues off the field and missed 10 games with personal leave.
While the Roos haven’t won more than four games since 2020, Ponting saw enough from the young side to set a pass mark of six wins ahead of 2024.
He spoke about North Melbourne’s 2024 prospects and how many wins the side should be aiming for next campaign with Kane Cornes and Dermott Brereton on SEN Breakfast.
Cornes: “What’s the pass mark win-wise for your Kangaroos this year?”
Ponting: “You two (Cornes and Brereton) are better judges than me on that.
“They (North) haven’t won more than four games in any of the last four years.
“But I’m saying six wins would be a pass mark.”
Cornes: “Yeah, I think it’d be six or seven (wins).”
Brereton: “The pass mark for me with North Melbourne, I’m saying just improve.
“It doesn’t matter if you win more or win any less.”
Ponting: “Well Kane, can we win more than six games?”
Cornes: “Yeah, you can win six and that would be a pass mark for me.
“I think you’ll get to seven wins this year.”
North Melbourne will hope to pick up one of those wins when they begin their 2024 campaign with a Round 1 clash against GWS at GIANTS Stadium on Saturday, March 16.