### A Season of Restraint Throughout the season, Darren Crocker avoided saying two particular words: “back-to-back.” For him and his team, North Melbourne, complacency was never an option. The focus remained on effort, improvement, and maintaining standards rather than celebrating early success. ### The Reward of Hard Work After securing consecutive victories, Crocker admitted that the feeling was one of genuine relief rather than triumph. > “We got what we deserved,” Crocker said, emphasizing that persistence and discipline earned the result. The team had committed to its game plan after a long and demanding season. Each player followed the structure, trusted the system, and pushed through challenging moments. ### Looking Forward Crocker credited his players for their resilience, unity, and refusal to let setbacks define them. The win reinforced belief within the squad and set a positive tone for the remainder of the campaign. He noted that with consistency and humility, success would continue to build across the group. > “It was about taking each week as it came. The relief is even greater because we stayed true to that.” ### Summary North Melbourne’s coach Darren Crocker expressed deep relief following consecutive wins, praising his team’s discipline, commitment, and earned success. **Author summary:** Darren Crocker described North Melbourne’s back-to-back victories as a moment of relief and proof that persistence, discipline, and team unity truly pay off.

more

nmfc.com.au — 2025-11-29