Jack Ziebell says North Melbourne players will go into the off-season with a “bitter taste” in their mouths, after missing finals.

The captain played a key role in the Roos’ strong finish to the year, but admits a 2-7 start always had them chasing their tails.

“There was some stuff which we overcomplicated as a group early in the year, and the one thing ‘Shawry’ (Rhyce Shaw) did when he came on board and got the caretaker role was that he simplified everything,” Ziebell said on the Powershop Players’ Podcast.

“He said, ‘you blokes are all here because you can play football, you know our game-plan well, let’s just strip it right back and play footy’.

“The boys really grabbed a hold of that. I think we played Richmond the following week and came out and performed really well. The confidence started to grow from that.

“To finish the year 8-5 was a credit to the boys and I think that’s why it leaves that bitter taste in your mouth that you are not playing finals, because we know we’re good enough.

“It’s almost a missed opportunity. We know what kind of football we can play as a team and to almost stuff the first part of the season up, and not play well, and lose some games we should have won … it’s going to be a hard finals series to watch, because I know we can mix it with those teams.”

Ziebell said Shaw’s appointment was key to uniting the playing group, both now and heading into the 2020 campaign.

“I’m really looking forward to what Shawry’s got to offer in a full-pre-season. I don’t think we’ve got many injuries at this time of year,” he added.

“It’s going to help having all of our guys and all of our really good players up and going and doing the bulk of the pre-season, because there’s going to be changes in our game-plan with what ‘Shawry’ wants.

“I’m excited for 2020 already. The way we finished the year, it’s going to be fun times ahead.”