Player Watch #38: Tristan Xerri - signed thru '29 - 2024 All Australian squad member - runner up '24 SBM

[kangatragic]

One of the few having a dip

 

[RightWingRoo]

The one thing we do seem to do consistently well, is develop ruckmen.
One of the few positives so far this year, has been X grabbing the number 1 ruck role with both hands. Now doing at AFL level, what he was doing in the VFL 2/3 years ago.

 

[krakouers]

Shocked he had so few disposals, but pleased he is playing well enough

 

[hotchilli]

Been great for us so far but unfortunately his biggest weakness (marking) is also probably our biggest weakness as a side.

Hopefully X can continue to develop that area of his game this year as it would clearly unlock his game even further.

 

[CURVE]

I thought he was very good today, but my one big gripe is the number of times he either taps the ball directly to an opponent or he grabs it out of the ruck and gets caught and disposes the ball incorrectly. He is still a work in progress but progressing nicely.

 

[tazaa]

Xerri, yeah i know he look like he is working and is putting in effort others aren't, but ........ I am absolutely hating his ruck work, either he loses the tap, tries to take the ball or taps to his own feet. Our mids are all sucked in so tight with no tap clearance even if we win the clearance it's very ineffective and under huge pressure. How many centre bounce taps has he won this year that ended outside the centre circle? How can we play with speed and width when our ruckman alone is pulling everyone in. Personally he's having his best year, teamwise for mine he is killing our midfield.

Agree completely.

You are a brave man for going after X's ruck work.
Its ****ing abysmal.

This is the problem when people follow supercoach stats instead of watching the f***ing game.
Yes he tackles and competes well, but his opposite number has finger****ed him and our midfield in each of the 4 games so far.

"But who else do you expect to play ruck bro?!" - this is true. We have no one else.
But the synergy in the middle and watching us get destroyed out of the centre, mercilessly at times, is not just the 3 midfielders fault. He has to take accountability as well.

Because he is a short ruck (200cm only) he tries to take the ball out of the air and he easily gets dispossessed as a result. Happened a few times more today which means the opposition have caught onto this and are actively negating this now.
It also means our mids cannot get on their bike and win it in space as he is no guarantee to win the ruck contest. It’s why LDUs output is down. He is winning the ball back of centre or sideways.
The end result is you get conservative mids who are flat-footed.
His lack of height compared to his opposite numbers are also a sign of why his marking stats are so low. He cannot get a good degree of separation. If you want to make it as a ruck in the modern game you need to have more strings to your bow and marking has to be one of them.

I will get smashed for this but it is what it is. Hes list 45 on the 100 problems we have but it doesn't mean the way were setting up and playing isn't having a negative flow on effect.

 

[roos_fanatic08]

His ruckwork sucks, but anyone who has paid attention to his play knew that already.

However, you simply can’t fault the blokes endeavour and effort. He is crashing in, tackling, providing shepherds and at least breaking even with his direct opponents (Except Jackson).

He’d be top 3 in the BnF right now and deserves a hell of a lot of credit for how he has played this year.

 

[rickety]

His ruckwork sucks, but anyone who has paid attention to his play knew that already.

However, you simply can’t fault the blokes endeavour and effort. He is crashing in, tackling, providing shepherds and at least breaking even with his direct opponents (Except Jackson).

He’d be top 3 in the BnF right now and deserves a hell of a lot of credit for how he has played this year.

And dobbed a very nice goal

 

[archereleven]

Surely he can manage a single mark either forward or back...

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[The acurate one]

Goldstein's got taken to the cleaners by Soldo blardy Soldo.
Think about that for a minute

 

[muttley45]

Any chance Xerri's ruckwork as it has been described, as tapping it to his feet a lot, would actually suit Will Phillips as a distributor to Powell, LDU, McKercher, Sheez etc ?

 

[Merlin007]

Sometimes you have to work around what a bloke can do, rather than what he can’t

Xerri’s holding up his side of the bargain, many more problems to deal with than him

 

[tazaa]

Any chance Xerri's ruckwork as it has been described, as tapping it to his feet a lot, would actually suit Will Phillips as a distributor to Powell, LDU, McKercher, Sheez etc ?

I don’t want to assume Phillips is the silver bullet to our midfield woes.
But he deserves a look and the mix needs to change up.
We can’t keep haemorrhaging like we are and calling this shit wins

 

[tazaa]

I don’t want to assume Phillips is the silver bullet to our midfield woes.
But he deserves a look and the mix needs to change up.
We can’t keep haemorrhaging like we are and calling this s**t wins

This is a problem we simply cannot ignore. Its f***ed.

 

[Grogg]

Any chance Xerri's ruckwork as it has been described, as tapping it to his feet a lot, would actually suit Will Phillips as a distributor to Powell, LDU, McKercher, Sheez etc ?

Perfectly.

Mentioned it before.

 

[archereleven]

I don’t want to assume Phillips is the silver bullet to our midfield woes.
But he deserves a look and the mix needs to change up.
We can’t keep haemorrhaging like we are and calling this s**t wins

This. If he is leaving, we want maximum value, too.

Pick 3 will turn into 39. Just watch.


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[SheezNuts]

Xerri plucking the ball from the ruck and getting “clearances” is not a good thing. I like his intent at times but still don’t rate him personally, and don’t think he’s a premiership quality player and probably never will be.

 

[Spud11]

Shining light this year

 

[Ocha905]

Xerri plucking the ball from the ruck and getting “clearances” is not a good thing. I like his intent at times but still don’t rate him personally, and don’t think he’s a premiership quality player and probably never will be.

He only has to be competent to play in a premiership (Mason Cox and Rhys Stanley says hi). As others have highlighted, he has limitations but his intent is excellent. I've been a skeptic but if we're being realistic you can't fault his output so far this season. He's getting the best out of himself and on a good trajectory. If every North player had his or Comben's attitude we wouldn't be getting flogged every week.

Hopefully he develops an understanding with the midfielders and ruckwork, marking and kicking for goal improves.

 

[FootySmartSimpson]

View attachment 1951584

This is a problem we simply cannot ignore. Its f***ed.

Weak as piss midfield intensity.

 

[FootySmartSimpson]

He only has to be competent to play in a premiership (Mason Cox and Rhys Stanley says hi). As others have highlighted, he has limitations but his intent is excellent. I've been a skeptic but if we're being realistic you can't fault his output so far this season. He's getting the best out of himself and on a good trajectory. If every North player had his or Comben's attitude we wouldn't be getting flogged every week.

Hopefully he develops an understanding with the midfielders and ruckwork, marking and kicking for goal improves.

The trend (which is instructed) to tap to the feet should be read better by the mids.

There have been occasions last year where X tapped the ball lace-out to the running mid.

He is capable but I believe is (diligently) following orders.

 

[TennisPlayerAndy]

The grabbing the ball in ruck contests is ****ing insanity.

 

[giantroo]

About to sign a long term deal at North according to Riley Beveridge.

View attachment received_1873536216405018.mp4

 

[Merlin007]

About to sign a long term deal at North according to Riley Beveridge

good

 

[KangaRooster]

Props where they are due, X is having a great start to the season.

+ the list management team for retaining him when St Kilda (and others I'm sure) were after him.