Unfiltered: North Melbourne young gun Harry Sheezel makes honest admission about pressure to perform
Sheezel set the footy world alight with a brilliant first two seasons that saw him win the AFL Rising Star Award, as well as the club's best and fairest in 2023.
He was again prominent in 2024, polling 15 Brownlow votes despite the Roos winning just three games.
Sheezel has continued to rack up big numbers this year, but is not having as big an influence on games.
His performances have led to some criticism, with Channel 7 commentator Kane Cornes accusing him of getting 'stat-padding' and urging North Melbourne coach Alastair Clarkson to coach him harder.
The fallout to that resulted in Cornes getting banned from a pre-game interview ahead of the Roos' clash against Essendon on Thursday night footy.
Speaking to Channel 7's Hamish McLachlan on Unfiltered, Sheezel admitted the spotlight on his form has been 'tough', but he has things in place to block out the external noise.
'It's tough. I definitely am sort of ... not struggling with it, but it can get pretty hard after a game when you feel like you can have more impact on the game and feel like you should be on a trajectory that you should be influencing games more and having a more successful year,' he said.
'It definitely can get tough and you feel like you're letting, not only yourself down, but the team down and the greater footy public, but what people keep reassuring me and I've done a lot of reading and speaking to you has been so helpful is about not just getting caught up in all that, sticking to what's important and that is playing my role to the best of my ability each week no matter what that is.
'And the extra step is, what am I doing during the week to help that, how am I getting better each day, how am I learning from my mistakes, things that I could be doing better, listening to my coaches, my family and just trusting the process because at the end of the day that's all that matters.
'And enjoying that process along the way and not buying into the pressure or the external noise and the people that don't matter, let's say.'
Sheezel went on to say that he is embracing the challenge and 'it will hold him in good stead going forward.'
'I think no matter how I play moving forward, I've developed some pretty good tools to keep me level, keep me focused and present, which is the main thing,' he said.
'I guess the motto I live by is just be present, because when you are present, you are your best self, you are not worrying about what's happened and what other people are saying, not worrying about the future either, just worrying about right now.'
Sheezel has also been working closely with former Richmond captain Kane Johnson, who is new to the club as a leadership and mindset coach.
'We've done a lot of breath work and mindfulness and he's given me a couple of books to read and it keeps coming back to that — being present and when you're present, you are your best self,' he said.
'I've related to my football in terms of how I can have a greater purpose outside of myself and just wanting to play better for that external recognition or the media thinking I'm a good footballer or getting pumped up by people.
'It's beyond that. And for me, I've developed this purpose beyond myself and really investing in my teammates. How am I getting satisfaction out of them succeeding, not just on game day but during the week ... how I can help them.
'I feel like it's helping me a lot, come out of my own head, not worry so much about my own ego.
'This has really been a great lesson for me, this I wouldn't say adversity, but this challenging period. Just a reminder that what matters to focus my energy and attention on.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
7NEWS
44 minutes ago
- 7NEWS
Powerhouse sports company Nike warns AFL players about illegal studs
A powerhouse sportswear brand has sent a memo to AFL players in the aftermath of the league's crackdown on illegal studs. It was revealed on Channel 7's The Agenda Setters in June that the AFL had sent a serious warning to players about wearing metal studs or stops. In that warning, the league reminded players they were liable to a $40,000 sanction should they be caught in metal or illegal stops. Not long after in July, Adelaide was slapped with a $7500 fine after Ben Keays and Josh Rachele repeatedly ignored the league's warnings. Along with the club financial sanction, Keays copped a $5000 fine, while Rachele's sanction was $2500. Now Nike has made it clear that the players are totally responsible for their own footwear, and has also issued a statement 'Please note: When ordering Nike SC plated (metal stop) boots, a player acknowledges that they are selecting a model equipped with screw-in metal studs,' the statement said. 'If the player intends to wear these boots in an AFL match, the metal studs must be replaced with compliant plastic studs.' Questions are still being asked of the AFL, however. 'We broke the story about the AFL warning (to players),' veteran AFL journalist Caroline Wilson said on Channel 7's The Agenda Setters on Tuesday night. 'What has happened in my absence, is the AFL have finally admitted that the biggest club at fault was Adelaide. Ben Keays was fined $5000. He ignored four warnings. He wore metal-studded boots for five weeks. 'They said (fines were) up to $40,000 .... Josh Rachele, he was fined two-and-a-half grand. He only wore them two more times. 'And Nike, we've now found, has sent a memo to all of their players, warning them (about the boots) and absolutely taking away any responsibility from themselves, and saying, 'If you buy our boots, you better make sure you remove the metal studs'.' Wilson also wondered why GWS captain Toby Greene wasn't fined for wearing the illegal footwear. Greene actually admitted to wearing metal studs while he was on air as a guest commentator during a Channel 7 game. 'Why was Toby Greene not fined after admitting, as we found out, that he had worn boots with metal studs?' Wilson said on The Agenda Setters. 'The AFL said, look, he only did it once. He was given the rounds of the kitchen by Jason McCartney, his head of footy. 'But hopefully boot-gate is well and truly over.'
News.com.au
2 hours ago
- News.com.au
Caroline Wilson tells Hutchy to ‘grow up' in shock spray live on-air
Caroline Wilson bluntly told Craig Hutchison to 'grow up' during a feisty spat live on Channel 7. Hutchison, Wilson, Kane Cornes and Nick Riewoldt front The Agenda Setters on the network and the two footy greats sat silently while the media identities got into a squabble over one of Hutchy's recent business moves. FOX FOOTY, available on Kayo Sports, is the only place to watch every match of every round in the 2025 Toyota AFL Premiership Season LIVE in 4K, with no ad-breaks during play. New to Kayo? Join now and get your first month for just $1. The pre-planned segment, which Hutchison clearly did not know was going to happen, related to the media mogul's awkward appearance on radio network RSN last week after he announced a raft of sackings at the station. Earlier this month, the TV host's SEN group purchased RSN in a $3.25 million deal and immediately set about cutting costs, including giving popular hosts Daniel Harford and Michael Felgate the flick. Watch the Hutchy-Caro exchange in the video player above Many long-time listeners of the station only learned the news when Hutchison fronted Felgate's Racing Pulse show last Thursday. So Wilson took the opportunity to make a cheeky plea over her own future on the Channel 7 show. Set up by Riewoldt in a section called The Spill, the former St Kilda captain put the vague question to Wilson: 'The hour on air of the Agenda Setters is the highest risk of all.' The long-time Age reporter replied: 'Well, certainly if you're on air with Craig Hutchison. 'This is no respect, disrespect I should say, to Michael Felgate or Daniel Harford for that matter. 'But if you're going to remove me from the show, can you please not do it with me on-air?' Wilson delivered the jab with a straight face and Hutchison did not take it well. 'This is not something to joke about,' he shot back. When Wilson said 'I'm not joking about it', Hutchy said: 'No, that's incredibly disrespectful and disappointing. That story is incorrect. It didn't happen.' Wilson, clearly surprised by Hutchison's reaction, stuck to her guns. 'Oh, don't. Craig, you walked into the studio, I know Michael Felgate already knew that his show would no longer be continuing,' she said. 'But if you're going to do it to me, I would rather it happen behind the scenes and not on air.' With Hutchison's production company directly involved in The Agenda Setters, perhaps Wilson just signed her own papers? Watch this space. But Hutchy wasn't taking the shot lying down. 'There was a press release the day before and there was a mature, two-way conversation on-air and you're making light of it, which is disappointing,' a seemingly hurt Hutchy replied. Wilson then had the last word, scoffing as she said: 'Oh, grow up.' Cornes and Riewoldt then did their best to keep the show moving, moving onto a story about Travis Boak and his habits in the bedroom the night before a game. Somehow, that topic was nowhere near as awkward as the exchange between the old journalists. In a bizarre segment last week, Felgate had the opportunity to grill Hutchison about why he was losing his job, with the latter doing his best to stress it wasn't a personal decision. Felgate began the interview asking: 'I've got to start with the elephant in the room. An announcement yesterday which came out that there will be programming changes. ' Breakfast with Harf and this show, Racing Pulse, will no longer exist in the new regime. 'Just talk us through the reasoning. Why you don't want Breakfast with Harf and Racing Pulse on the new station?' Hutchison responded: 'First of all they're magnificent shows, so no disrespect at all to the quality of the programs and the identities involved, you in particular Michael and Daniel, who have been incredible servants of RSN. 'There's nothing personal about (cancelling) either of those programs … we need to invest, over time, into the racing product, it's a racing station. 'It's a different audience to the one that we have developed over on SEN Track, very different audience, very different experience, they don't really resemble each other after midday.' He went on to say: 'I know that won't be everyone's cup of tea on day one. 'You (Felgate) have got an enormous following, so does Daniel. The default position from many will be to have empathy for those programs and I respect that hugely. Hugely, because it's not about the quality of the shows.' Harford, who has been an icon of the network, said on his show last Thursday it had been 'a period of uncertainty' for those involved. 'So at the end of August this program will cease to exist,' he said. 'We'll be no longer required and there will be different programming on RSN which is very sad. 'We've been doing this for a long time, which is very sad. We've had a lot of conversations about this internally for a little while. 'Certainly in the last couple of days when we found out what was going to be happening. 'So that's the reality of our situation.' The Hutchison-led group announced RSN will double dip from the Hutchison-backed SEN network and will broadcast SEN Breakfast. SEN's flagship breakfast slot, whish is shared between Cornes, David King, Tim Watson and Garry Lyon, will now be broadcast on two frequencies. Felgate's Racing Pulse will be replaced by Gareth Hall's Giddy Up.
Perth Now
4 hours ago
- Perth Now
Dockers make call on Fyfe and Pearce's fitness for the derby
Security ejected the man after he got in the face of the media personality Fremantle captain Alex Pearce and dual Brownlow medallist Nat Fyfe will be given another week to recover from injuries instead of being rushed back to play in Saturday's western derby, as the Dockers received promising news surrounding midfielder Matthew Johnson. Fyfe travelled to Victoria to be with the team last weekend and trained strongly after the club's Captain's Run, but won't be considered to play at any level until next week. The Dockers have taken the same approach with Pearce who has played only one match in the second half of the season due to leg soreness. Johnson is expected to miss only a small number of games after injuring his ankle against Collingwood on Sunday, as the club breathed a sigh of relief that he'd avoided major damage. Fremantle have worked hard to carefully re-introduce senior players to the team while winning eight of their last nine games. Hayden Young was influential as the sub against Collingwood in his first match back since injuring his hamstring on May 2. Hayden Young in action. Credit: Robert Cianflone / Getty Images Forward Sam Switkowski said Young's impact was huge as he prepares to move into the starting 22 against West Coast. 'It was really good to see him back,' Switkowski said. 'He was in the tempo of the game, which is pleasing after having such a stint out. I know first-hand how hard it can be when you've been out for a little while and the coaches put a lot of trust in you to come back in and be able to perform. 'I think he did a great job. It's a good stepping stone for him. He'll get a few more minutes coming up this week.' Fremantle selected their most experienced team of the year against Collingwood. They had 2177 combined games on the field, which was significantly more than the 1727 games they selected against the Magpies earlier in the season. Fremantle forward Sam Switkowski. Credit: Michael Willson/AFL Photos / AFL Photos via Getty Images Jaeger O'Meara had 23 possessions against the Pies in his third game back from injury. Switkowski had six score involvements after being best on ground with three goals when returning from injury against Hawthorn last week. Switkowski said it was no coincidence that the team was playing well when the experienced players were available. 'Personnel is important,' he said. 'We'd love to have our best 22 out there every week. Every team would. Clearly experience is a really important part of the game. 'The guys with experience often are the ones who hold up under pressure, can lift in big games and keep everyone composed like we saw on the weekend. It's been great to have some of those guys back.'
