NORTH Melbourne coach Dean Laidley was willing to talk about anything but Shannon Grant’s one-week club enforced suspension when he fronted media before his side’s flight to Adelaide for Saturday’s clash with the Power.

Grant was suspended this week due to inappropriate conduct at a club golf function during the split round. Laidley was asked on Friday morning if he felt let down by the veteran forward’s actions, but was adamant the issue has been dealt with and made it clear he was keen to move on.

“We’re probably not here to talk about that,” Laidley said.

“We’re probably here to talk about the game (against Port Adelaide). One of the positives this week is that Todd Goldstein plays his first game. He’s come a long way and it’s a credit to our development staff and they way he’s gone about it down in Werribee (North’s VFL affiliate) so they’re the positives we’re looking at at the moment.”

Laidley was then asked how Grant himself had responded to the suspension.

“Good question, but we’re probably not here to talk about that. Ben Ross is going to play his second game of the year (on Saturday),” Laidley said.

“He’s playing some terrific footy and it’s exciting that he comes into the side and adds a bit of pace in the midfield and again that’s what we’re looking forward to in the game on Saturday night.”

Laidley’s final deflection was made when asked whether it was a tough decision to drop the 1999 premiership star.

“I think we need to just keep talking about the weekend’s game and another good story that you might want to talk about is Blake Grima’s first game in 12 months,” he said.

“We let him go at the end of the year and now he comes back into the side. We re-drafted him and it’s been a credit to him the way he’s gone about it.”

Laidley said he wasn’t able to pinpoint the reason why so many of the club’s key players have been up and down in form this year.

“If I was able to do that we probably wouldn’t be here talking about it …those guys have probably been a little bit inconsistent which is disappointing for everyone. For the players themselves, for the coaching staff and most of all our supporters.”

As for Corey Jones’ omission, Laidley got straight to the point.

“He’s out of form. It’s as simple as that. He’s out of form and it gives him an opportunity to play this week at North Ballarat and get some form,” he said.

“If he can do that he’s a very important player to us but his form hasn’t been the best throughout the year.”