Player Watch #12: Jy Simpkin - 2025 Sole Captain

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the big lebowski said:
Goal assists aver 2024

Simpkin 0.7
LDU 0.4
Wardlaw 0.7
Sheezel 0.8

Stop being cucks! I’m warning youse
Click to expand...
Yeah. He's going well especially post bye. He makes great position, if some of our more skilled players could learn how to work hard enough and smart enough to get on the end of similar ball we'd improve out of sight.
 

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shintemaster said:
Yeah. He's going well especially post bye. He makes great position, if some of our more skilled players could learn how to work hard enough and smart enough to get on the end of similar ball we'd improve out of sight.
Click to expand...
They will if they learn off him.

I've told this story before but met Jy and Higgo at the GC Airport in off season 2018 and Jy was hanging off every word Higgo said. Pumping him for advice and info and Higgo was really good, and really specific about where to go and where other players went (and how to stop them) around the contest in the couple of minutes I shamelessly eavesdropped.

If Jy can pass that on to the younger players then that is footy culture being developed and maintained over time.

When the young guys single out Jy I wonder how much of what he's doing is following on from what he learned from Higgo ... and no doubt from Cunners as well.
 
I don’t mind him and I don’t mind the fact he is signed up to 2029. :stern look
 
the big lebowski said:
6 score involvements I see

Second most for north I see

There is some absolute tripe being spoken in this thread.

Embarrassing tripe
Click to expand...
Taking away personal bias, which every single poster on this forum has, the above makes it read like we won by 6 goals.

I have never understood the mentality to come on here and deliberately defend players after another loss. It makes no sense.

None of it is personal. Or over the top.
We’re here to win games of footy and to become successful again.
We just had another performance with a nearly there result. We’re this close to making it all come together.
It’s only natural our leaders get questioned for their overall output.

So naturally it’s the areas for improvement that are being highlighted.
I think defending the captain by quoting score involvements is a slap in the face to the average supporter who watched on yesterday and at half time could see an unlikely win.

When Carlton’s pressure rating soared to 214 in the 3rd quarter and they banged on 5 in a row - where were our leaders then?
He didn’t get a kick for the whole 2nd quarter and then had only 2 kicks for the whole 3rd quarter. He failed to lay a single tackle. And he was in the middle for 7 bounces.

If the captain wants the fans to sing his praises, then we need to see more fight when the game is on the line.
Don’t patronise us by quoting his 6 score involvements masked as a balanced argument in support of his game.
It’s insulting to us and more insulting to Jy, who himself is his hardest critic and would admit to being capable of better.
 
tazaa said:
Taking away personal bias, which every single poster on this forum has, the above makes it read like we won by 6 goals.

I have never understood the mentality to come on here and deliberately defend players after another loss. It makes no sense.

None of it is personal. Or over the top.
We’re here to win games of footy and to become successful again.
We just had another performance with a nearly there result. We’re this close to making it all come together.
It’s only natural our leaders get questioned for their overall output.

So naturally it’s the areas for improvement that are being highlighted.
I think defending the captain by quoting score involvements is a slap in the face to the average supporter who watched on yesterday and at half time could see an unlikely win.

When Carlton’s pressure rating soared to 214 in the 3rd quarter and they banged on 5 in a row - where were our leaders then?
He didn’t get a kick for the whole 2nd quarter and then had only 2 kicks for the whole 3rd quarter. He failed to lay a single tackle. And he was in the middle for 7 bounces.

If the captain wants the fans to sing his praises, then we need to see more fight when the game is on the line.
Don’t patronise us by quoting his 6 score involvements masked as a balanced argument in support of his game.
It’s insulting to us and more insulting to Jy, who himself is his hardest critic and would admit to being capable of better.
Click to expand...

Everyone is entitled to express their opinion as they see fit. Sure.

But just like you say there is not point in defending a player on bigfooty, likewise criticism that is clearly over the top or scapegoaty based on emotion, is just a futile.

We lost. Again. I get it. I’m right there with ya.

But some of the criticism Simpkin gets is just plain overblown. I used clear stats to show that he is not “killing us”, and his inside 50’s are not diabolical. But if you are like dickyeah that thinks stats on turnovers or goal assists are irrelevant to that discussion, then we can agree to disagree.

Here’s another “stat”. We’ve won 2 games this year. Here’s a fact. Simpkin was solely responsible for winning us that match (not in the literal sense but you know what I mean).

How many other NMFC players have put the team on their back this year and willed us over the line with match winning goals?

Sure Simpkin has his faults but some people forget how good he is at his best. The guys 26 ffs with his best footy ahead of him and has had the weight of the world on his shoulders as weve been deplorable. At least he is willing to “lead”. LDU doesnt want the job. How often does “leader” nick larkey win us games off his own boot?

The guy practically cries after a rare north win, it means that much to him. Puts his hand up for a position change to help the team, gets his head knocked off, hurts his quad, and as I said I think he’s carrying an arm/hand issue. But he keeps the team together and the club on track.

Supporters should say thank you and leave it at that imo. Certainly not use “the eye test” to alter reality to suit their own emotional agenda.
 
TBL, you maybe could tap into your namesakes vibe a touch more. You think stats aren't altering the readers sense of reality just the same as the eye tests is influencing the watcher's? Yeah? Well, you know, that's just like uh, your opinion, man.
 

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The Butcher said:
TBL, you maybe could tap into your namesakes vibe a touch more. You think stats aren't altering the readers sense of reality just the same as the eye tests is influencing the watcher's? Yeah? Well, you know, that's just like uh, your opinion, man.
Click to expand...

Mate the dude struggled with the silliness of others as much as the rest of us……

”calmer than you are”…….

”you human paraquat”

Anyway, aside from your existential chicken or egg point, stats are reality, nick larkey is top few % in accuracy ever. Fact. Simpkin turns it over less than sheezel. Fact. Bet your “eye test” wouldn’t think that was the case.
 
my eye test is an individualised take on the world. just like my understanding of a stat like turnovers, total or percentage, is. the dude would take the use of some stat to prove a point 100% about as well as he'd take someone pissing on him while telling him it's raining.
 
Simpkin is the least of our problems.

There’s capacity for greater output but the current level is hardly VFL level.

Would play a significant role in every other side in the competition - anyone thinking otherwise has lost it.

Is our best leader at the moment and is growing into the role - he’s 26 and has put up with a shit sandwich of talent around him for the last five years while he’s been developing.

Love watching him evolve and will be a significant player through our resurgence.

And willing to bet his cap hit in 2029 will be SFA so all the doomsayers on that one need to calm the farm a bit.

Not sure who else you wanted us to pay to hang around with Noble and friends?

There wasn’t a queue banging down the door to come in from other clubs.
 
the big lebowski said:
Mate the dude struggled with the silliness of others as much as the rest of us……

”calmer than you are”…….

”you human paraquat”

Anyway, aside from your existential chicken or egg point, stats are reality, nick larkey is top few % in accuracy ever. Fact. Simpkin turns it over less than sheezel. Fact. Bet your “eye test” wouldn’t think that was the case.
Click to expand...
Sheezel is 19 mate. Jy almost put Tom Powell in hospital vs Gold Coast with a ruptured spleen.

When you use midfield stats, you need to show them all. Larkey is an AA full forward for a reason. Has Jy ever made a 40 man squad? I tell ya who will make the squad and should be in the team, the bloke you compared turnovers with, that 19 year old
 
Passmore said:
His influence on the team since the bye is obvious to see unless one doesn't to.

Sent from my SM-A908B using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Im sure he is having a positive impact on the team, ambition/ability. He is not a good distributor of the ball and he thinks he’s ben cunnington. He needs to realise his limitations and play to it to benefit the team.
 
the big lebowski said:
Everyone is entitled to express their opinion as they see fit. Sure.

But just like you say there is not point in defending a player on bigfooty, likewise criticism that is clearly over the top or scapegoaty based on emotion, is just a futile.

We lost. Again. I get it. I’m right there with ya.

But some of the criticism Simpkin gets is just plain overblown. I used clear stats to show that he is not “killing us”, and his inside 50’s are not diabolical. But if you are like dickyeah that thinks stats on turnovers or goal assists are irrelevant to that discussion, then we can agree to disagree.

Here’s another “stat”. We’ve won 2 games this year. Here’s a fact. Simpkin was solely responsible for winning us that match (not in the literal sense but you know what I mean).

How many other NMFC players have put the team on their back this year and willed us over the line with match winning goals?

Sure Simpkin has his faults but some people forget how good he is at his best. The guys 26 ffs with his best footy ahead of him and has had the weight of the world on his shoulders as weve been deplorable. At least he is willing to “lead”. LDU doesnt want the job. How often does “leader” nick larkey win us games off his own boot?

The guy practically cries after a rare north win, it means that much to him. Puts his hand up for a position change to help the team, gets his head knocked off, hurts his quad, and as I said I think he’s carrying an arm/hand issue. But he keeps the team together and the club on track.

Supporters should say thank you and leave it at that imo. Certainly not use “the eye test” to alter reality to suit their own emotional agenda.
Click to expand...
I am all for backing in our players when they are playing well.
And when they put in a bad shift, you’d hope they come out and remedy that the following week.

My belief with Jy is that he’s being played out of position.
I don’t believe his own attributes are being maximised by playing him in the middle.
We’ve seen when given time and space to work with, he’s a great kick inside 50 and half forward is his natural position.

So whether he’s being asked to play midfield minutes by the coaches, or that’s Jy’s preference - it is hurting his game.

So we can agree to disagree on how he’s travelling, but if as you mentioned the West Coast game is his peak performance - then he has significantly dipped away from that level of standard.
And I would say his last 4 weeks have been a lean period for him. Only because we know he’s capable of better.
 
tazaa said:
Taking away personal bias, which every single poster on this forum has, the above makes it read like we won by 6 goals.

I have never understood the mentality to come on here and deliberately defend players after another loss. It makes no sense.

None of it is personal. Or over the top.
We’re here to win games of footy and to become successful again.
We just had another performance with a nearly there result. We’re this close to making it all come together.
It’s only natural our leaders get questioned for their overall output.

So naturally it’s the areas for improvement that are being highlighted.
I think defending the captain by quoting score involvements is a slap in the face to the average supporter who watched on yesterday and at half time could see an unlikely win.

When Carlton’s pressure rating soared to 214 in the 3rd quarter and they banged on 5 in a row - where were our leaders then?
He didn’t get a kick for the whole 2nd quarter and then had only 2 kicks for the whole 3rd quarter. He failed to lay a single tackle. And he was in the middle for 7 bounces.

If the captain wants the fans to sing his praises, then we need to see more fight when the game is on the line.
Don’t patronise us by quoting his 6 score involvements masked as a balanced argument in support of his game.
It’s insulting to us and more insulting to Jy, who himself is his hardest critic and would admit to being capable of better.
Click to expand...
A rare time I disagree with you tazaa.

People's individual critiques of his game may not have been personal or over the top, but when you read 6 or 7 consecutive posts criticising the guy it reads as incredibly harsh. TBL added some balance back into the discussion, which it was in desperate need of.
 
tazaa said:
My belief with Jy is that he’s being played out of position.
I don’t believe his own attributes are being maximised by playing him in the middle.
We’ve seen when given time and space to work with, he’s a great kick inside 50 and half forward is his natural position.

So whether he’s being asked to play midfield minutes by the coaches, or that’s Jy’s preference - it is hurting his game.
Click to expand...

I think it was 2021, nobles 1st year, Simpkin was the 9th best player in the comp for ave centre clearance's per game.

Re his position, Greenwood said at the start of the year Jy was sacrificing his best position (starting centre square mid) for the sake of the team and shifting forward. Don’t think that worked out well for us. Since he’s come back post bye, he’s playing as a mid 60%, forward 20%, bench 20%. And coincidentally we have turned into one of the best contested teams in the comp over that period.

As I have no life I rewatched the game, with an impartial pair of glasses on and focused on Jy.

1st qrt

11 possessions - 1 bad kick inside 50

I will say that he had two kicks that Ford made look good with great marks. One of which was a dangerous kick across ground in the backline.

But it was his attack on the footy and man that set the tone in the qrt. The very first C.B TDCryBaby was about to get the clearance but Jy got a smother in on his handball. Seconds later he actually wins the clearance with attack on the footy.

Incidentally, and this is just for context, the soon to be highest paid player in the comp, LDU cost us a goal through a missed tackle in qrt 1. Just before that he turned the footy over kicking across the ground.

But Simpkin won 3 CBC in qrt 1. After that Hewitt was on him all the time unless Simpkin went to Cripps.

But Simpkin and LDU were the main focus of the Carlton mids after getting touched up in qrt 1.

Simpkin did give away 2 frees in that first qrt. 1 a holding the ball and another a very soft too high.

But to finalise qrt 1

11 disposals
3 centre clearances
1 turnover
2 frees against
Several tone setting attacks on the footy, knock ons to team mates, strong tackles.

Q 2

Wins first clearance of second qrt, with 15 metre handball that just misses sheez. He follows up with a massive bump that jars the ball loose of the Carlton player. Then he stupidly gets in LDU’s way as he trying to kick inside 50. The footy defenders off jy’s back as he tries to duck out of the way.

He’s involved in the next CB clearance via hands

Moves to half forward at 15 mins to go 2 nice leads ignored by team mates.

Goes back into CB at 13:30, wins clearance.

12:10 manning up on Cripps at CB he doggedly tackles and harasses Cripps who is harassed out of getting clearance.

8:50 eye catching pressure

6:46 wins clearance then comes off the ground for rest of qrt.

to summarise qrt 2

Much more quiet than qrt 1. But still wins or is involved in several clearances, applies good pressure. Makes a minor mistake by getting in LDU’s way.

Q3 - turning point

Carlton employ a new strategy that seems to bamboozle Simpkin and ldu for awhile. Cripps and Hewitt seem to quickly change position/matchup as the ball is in the air. This plays a major role in their 6-0 run of clearances. It’s rectified about half way through the qrt and we start to get clearances back on our terms.

Simpkin is quieter again but still involved in most things that are good for north in the qrt. Quick hands to Kerch who sets up Curtis.

Puts block on for ldu at boundary throw in allowing him separation from Hewitt, leading to Zuhaar setting up larkeys goal.

Edit: missed a bad fumble of tough fast ball that slips through his hands that ends up in Carlton goal. The fumble was bad enough but he hey the ball get through his hands out the back.

Q4

Wins Cb clearance early in last. Sets up sheezels second with another deft handball (or throw if I’m being honest), and makes mistake of taking advantage of free and subsequent poor inside 50.

Ends game with 7 clearances which is clear top 3 for north and would be top 3 for Carlton. 6 score involvements which is equal second with ldu, Scott with 7. And numerous non stat producing tough/smart contests.

Certainly not a game that should be lauded or aroused by. But certainly doesn’t warrant “vfl player” or “he’s killing us commentary.

IMO of course
 
Orange Peanut said:
A rare time I disagree with you tazaa.

People's individual critiques of his game may not have been personal or over the top, but when you read 6 or 7 consecutive posts criticising the guy it reads as incredibly harsh. TBL added some balance back into the discussion, which it was in desperate need of.
Click to expand...
I’ll defend Jy in the sense he is always going to be the least talented or lauded
midfielder selected or starting in the middle.

LDU’s ceiling is Brownlow, top 5 mid in the comp.
Sheezel’s ceiling is Brownlow, best player in the comp, All Australian lock.
Wardlaw is odds on to win the rising star and a centre square clearance beast.
Mckercher also is 2nd favourite for the rising star and a star in the making.

This is Jy’s eighth year and the 2 BnFs in two of the worst years in our history aside, I doubt he’s going to get any further individual accolades going forward with the talent around him.

So Jy will unfairly get more harshly assessed as he’s the captain and his mistakes and errors are more noticeable.
Comes back to the argument around setting the standard and leading the way. It’s shit for Jy as internally and externally, he’s expected to be perfect. To be flawless.

So even though he’s playing midfield, in time he’s going to be pushed out through weight of numbers of better talent.
Which is why the calls for him to be moved to half forward with stints in the middle make sense.
 
the big lebowski said:
I think it was 2021, nobles 1st year, Simpkin was the 9th best player in the comp for ave centre clearance's per game.

Re his position, Greenwood said at the start of the year Jy was sacrificing his best position (starting centre square mid) for the sake of the team and shifting forward. Don’t think that worked out well for us. Since he’s come back post bye, he’s playing as a mid 60%, forward 20%, bench 20%. And coincidentally we have turned into one of the best contested teams in the comp over that period.

As I have no life I rewatched the game, with an impartial pair of glasses on and focused on Jy.

1st qrt

11 possessions - 1 bad kick inside 50

I will say that he had two kicks that Ford made look good with great marks. One of which was a dangerous kick across ground in the backline.

But it was his attack on the footy and man that set the tone in the qrt. The very first C.B TDCryBaby was about to get the clearance but Jy got a smother in on his handball. Seconds later he actually wins the clearance with attack on the footy.

Incidentally, and this is just for context, the soon to be highest paid player in the comp, LDU cost us a goal through a missed tackle in qrt 1. Just before that he turned the footy over kicking across the ground.

But Simpkin won 3 CBC in qrt 1. After that Hewitt was on him all the time unless Simpkin went to Cripps.

But Simpkin and LDU were the main focus of the Carlton mids after getting touched up in qrt 1.

Simpkin did give away 2 frees in that first qrt. 1 a holding the ball and another a very soft too high.

But to finalise qrt 1

11 disposals
3 centre clearances
1 turnover
2 frees against
Several tone setting attacks on the footy, knock ons to team mates, strong tackles.

Q 2

Wins first clearance of second qrt, with 15 metre handball that just misses sheez. He follows up with a massive bump that jars the ball loose of the Carlton player. Then he stupidly gets in LDU’s way as he trying to kick inside 50. The footy defenders off jy’s back as he tries to duck out of the way.

He’s involved in the next CB clearance via hands

Moves to half forward at 15 mins to go 2 nice leads ignored by team mates.

Goes back into CB at 13:30, wins clearance.

12:10 manning up on Cripps at CB he doggedly tackles and harasses Cripps who is harassed out of getting clearance.

8:50 eye catching pressure

6:46 wins clearance then comes off the ground for rest of qrt.

to summarise qrt 2

Much more quiet than qrt 1. But still wins or is involved in several clearances, applies good pressure. Makes a minor mistake by getting in LDU’s way.

Q3 - turning point

Carlton employ a new strategy that seems to bamboozle Simpkin and ldu for awhile. Cripps and Hewitt seem to quickly change position/matchup as the ball is in the air. This plays a major role in their 6-0 run of clearances. It’s rectified about half way through the qrt and we start to get clearances back on our terms.

Simpkin is quieter again but still involved in most things that are good for north in the qrt. Quick hands to Kerch who sets up Curtis.

Puts block on for ldu at boundary throw in allowing him separation from Hewitt, leading to Zuhaar setting up larkeys goal.

Edit: missed a bad fumble of tough fast ball that slips through his hands that ends up in Carlton goal. The fumble was bad enough but he hey the ball get through his hands out the back.

Q4

Wins Cb clearance early in last. Sets up sheezels second with another deft handball (or throw if I’m being honest), and makes mistake of taking advantage of free and subsequent poor inside 50.

Ends game with 7 clearances which is clear top 3 for north and would be top 3 for Carlton. 6 score involvements which is equal second with ldu, Scott with 7. And numerous non stat producing tough/smart contests.

Certainly not a game that should be lauded or aroused by. But certainly doesn’t warrant “vfl player” or “he’s killing us commentary.

IMO of course
Click to expand...
Fair summary mate.

A lot of my feedback since Sunday has been the third quarter when we copped a smack.

LDU and Harry both went at a 100% and Jy had it three times with one turnover.

Which just backs up my previous post that I would much rather him in space at half forward working into the middle.

Even though he’s getting more midfield minutes since the bye, I’d argue the West Coast game was built on a “first game back time to prove a point” attitude, but the Melbourne game is the pro-type game for Jy. That should be his benchmark.
 
tazaa said:
Fair summary mate.

A lot of my feedback since Sunday has been the third quarter when we copped a smack.

LDU and Harry both went at a 100% and Jy had it three times with one turnover.

Which just backs up my previous post that I would much rather him in space at half forward working into the middle.

Even though he’s getting more midfield minutes since the bye, I’d argue the West Coast game was built on a “first game back time to prove a point” attitude, but the Melbourne game is the pro-type game for Jy. That should be his benchmark.
Click to expand...

I must say im surprised that the more permanent half forward role didn’t pan out better at the start of the season. But maybe there were other reasons for that. His first game back was freo round 2 and he seemed to play well, but after that not so much.

Jy Simpkin of the North Melbourne Kangaroos AFL Games Played Stats

Jy Simpkin of the North Melbourne Kangaroos AFL games played and stats.
www.footywire.com

The difference in his stats 1st half to 2nd half this year are stark
 

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Player Watch #12: Jy Simpkin - 2025 Sole Captain

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