Training 2025 Pre-Season - Standards are currently being driven

[shintemaster]

George is the only midfielder with an elite defensive side in our entire group.

Sheezel has high pressure numbers, but he can't get players that break out of congestion with speed.

LDU? One of the most unaccountable footballers in the comp and has been for years. Tackle numbers have increased around stoppage, so he's gone from diabolical to just bad defensively.

Simpkin? See above

Powell - Nope, can't run with the best mids. Doesn't have the footspeed AND it's not his natural game.

McKercher - Nope, it's not his go, he's always in attack and accumulation mode. I'd be surprised if he averages more than 3 tackles a game across his career.

Why do you think Clarko played Phillips as much as he did, went out to get Parker and then still drafted Urquhart?

Without him, it's so unbalanced it's not funny. Why do you think we get pumped week in week out with some of the same very talented players?

Clarko willingly not playing our best defensive mid with the above group will ensure we finish in the bottom 2 again. Parker will provide some support, but this board is already expecting way too much of him at 32 years of age in my opinion. He's not the player he was 6-7 years ago and should be nowhere near our best 3 mids by the end of the year. He should be a rotation piece mid/fwd.

Games when GW was fit firing and running ontop of the ground, were our strongest games for the year. As soon as he had the concussion break and didn't quite recover the form, we looked a completely limp side around stoppage without the same defensive edge.


If anything GW should be the first picked in the middle and everyone rotated around him because of the above. As we only have one of him.

This is also ignoring everything else he brings to the table and the fact he's also the best u/22 clearance player in the comp not named Daicos or Judas (and he's a year younger than both).

Wardlaw wins 9% of every center bounce he attends. Some on here who are proclaiming LDU the messiah wins 11% and he has 6 pre-seasons on him and is about to be getting offers of $1.5m a year. Sheezel is the best at North with 13% and it's why he will be starting in there.

He averaged more contested possessions, clearances, tackles, pressure acts and goals per game than Powell last season and he's 2 years younger than him. I see zero sensible argument for him being in the side and having midfield time with Wardlaw being in the VFL.

Should Brisbane play Will Ashcroft in the VFL because they have Neale, McCluggage, Dunkley, Berry? Playing someone like Simpkin ahead of Wardlaw would be about as stupid as playing Berry ahead of Ashcroft.

No, you simply fit your very best players into the side. Wardlaw fits this category.

Good post. Agree pretty much with all. Our best last year was with him at his best, but he could only really keep it up for 10-12 games. I still think there's a case for him pushing forward a bit to rest / save himself from himself whilst building but otherwise agree. He's so dangerous in there because not only does he win the ball and get it out / forward decisively he is a hunter seeker on the opposing teams best players when he doesn't have the ball.

 

[DuckYeah]

Well that's a fair point but George gets old school contested possessions. The old "hard ball gets" from actual contests where the ball is in dispute.

I was sort of implying the likes of Nick Daicos’ “CP’s” .. George is the opposite, he wins the hard ball

 

[ferball]

I was sort of implying the likes of Nick Daicos’ “CP’s” .. George is the opposite, he wins the hard ball

I figured you were thinking of him.

 

[Jasemon]

When you list it like that WilPhil has a huge mountain to climb.

I also wonder about what Powell (I love him) offers elsewhere on the field if he isn't seeing bulk CBA's.

Regarding WilPhil I’ll refer to Sphynx’s excellent post earlier in this thread about the dearth of on ballers in our side with elite defensive qualities after Wardlaw. For mine I’d rate Will as 2nd to George in this area. He offers very important balance, an absolute animal in the contest plus he’s excellent with ball in hand. I know I’m in the minority but I still think he’ll make it at North based on these factors.

I think Powell’s nickname prior to being drafted was bushpig or ball pig or something pig lol. I.e. he knew how to get the ball. Obviously he hasn’t quite yet risen to the same levels since hitting AFL level however we all know his handball skill/vision is Cunnington-esque, he is one our players you’d most trust kicking a goal on the run from 50 and body wise he’s now noticeably a man and he now has another preseason under the belt to build up his fitness. I’m pretty sure that Clarko’s used him at half back on occasion as well. I reckon he’s ready to have a breakout year in 2025.

 

[DocSholl]

We haven't seen the results from the way that they are training this preseason, yet.

And they could have been training the right way for the last 1-2 years and still be behind the field, because they started so far back.

I appreciate your optimism but I suspect there's enough evidence to suggest our training standards haven't been elite for a while now. Hopefully it is in the process of changing.

 

[Shinboner1]

George has been busting his guts doing multiple laps every training session I've been to alongside the regular training drills.
No doubt the club has let him know that he needs to build fitness.
Its not going to keep him out of the AFL side though.

 

[King Corey]

Are we just ignoring LDU being one of the most inconsistent kicks in the side now?

Nobody completely fluffs more kicks in time and space than LDU, with the exception of Simpkins talent for somehow kicking the ratio of weird helicopters he does.

Wardlaw is a far better kick than both of them. He absolutely kicks grubbers every now and then, he probably needs to learn to not go for the hero kick like he does on occasion (which will come with experience), but I don't know how anyone that has watched him like all of us could consider him a weak kick.

LDU has a noticeably bad ball drop, where he tends to over rotate the ball forwards on it's axis regularly, he holds it too vertical. Because of the momentum he carries he kicks it end over end when the ball rotates forward in his awkward ball drop.

Wardlaw's tends to be decision making rather than technical and trying to kick the ball too flat, because he's trying to kick these 25-30m kicks to a player under pressure he shouldn't. When you try to kick the ball too flat, you tend to hit it to far towards your toe and it will run along the ground when you miss the belly of the ball.

You're misquoting me mate. I never said George is a weak kick.

I said he struggles with time and space, when his options are limited and he has to execute off impulse he has the tools to pull off some great kicks.

Agree on LDU.

We have had very few players this millennium who from a standing start can consistently drill it to a fast lead.

Sheezel, NDS, Boomer, Wells, Cunnington?

Most others need momentum and urgency to execute.

 

[Sphynx]

You're misquoting me mate. I never said George is a weak kick.

I said he struggles with time and space, when his options are limited and he has to execute of impulse he has the tools to pull off some great kicks.

Agree on LDU.

We have had very few players this millennium who from a standing start can consistently drill it to a fast lead.

Sheezel, NDS, Boomer, Wells, Cunnington?

Most others need momentum and urgency to execute.

Wells could kick his fare share of floaters at times imo.

TT was a fantastic kick.

We've been that way for decades though.

Stevens, Simmo, Rawlings - All these guys I'd hardly describe as good kicks, particularly the latter 2.

Swallow got by, despite the ugly ball drop. I'd certainly classify him as a better kick than LDU and Simpkin.

Jack was a decent kick, he just dump kicked and roosted it all the time.

McDonald - Well he only knows how to put his foot through it as hard and as long as he can and nothing else. Footy IQ of an ant in that respect.

Schwass was a great kick, Abraham was a superb kick.

Boomer is one of the best users by foot ever.

Sheezel, Cunners and Higgins (although he turned to shit in his last year) would be the best from recent times.



Strange anomaly through the years tbh.

 

[King Corey]

Wells could kick his fare share of floaters at times imo.

TT was a fantastic kick.

We've been that way for decades though.

Stevens, Simmo, Rawlings - All these guys I'd hardly describe as good kicks, particularly the latter 2.

Swallow got by, despite the ugly ball drop. I'd certainly classify him as a better kick than LDU and Simpkin.

Jack was a decent kick, he just dump kicked and roosted it.

McDonald - Well he only knows how to put his foot through it as hard and as long as he can and nothing else. Footy IQ of an ant in that respect.

Schwass was a great kick, Abraham was a superb kick.

Boomer is one of the best users by foot ever.

Sheezel, Cunners and Higgins (although he turned to shit in his last year) would be the best from recent times.



Strange anomaly through the years tbh.

Stevens is the exact model I meant for Wardlaw.

Wardlaw is a superior kick but both work best with their disposal on the move.

You'd never see Stevens stop, prop and let play open up options before he kicked it. That's what I meant.

Strangely Carey as a kpf DID have that ability but he was a unicorn.

 

[Horizons_00]

I appreciate your optimism but I suspect there's enough evidence to suggest our training standards haven't been elite for a while now. Hopefully it is in the process of changing.

We've had some of the worst training standards in the comp for over a decade

 

[Ura]

Sphynx definitely hit the nail on the head. To add to it though part of the reason I think FOS was a good recruit for us is he does have that defensive aspect to his game. Him and Draper were the 2 for me that offered that.
LDU and Jy in particular are horrible kicking into the 50. Amount of times we had momentum and one of those guys would miss a lead up or just turn it over was frustrating.

Curtis also a lovely kick into 50 when he has it higher

 

[Disco Dew]

If wardlaw plays any vfl next year I’ll punch clarko in the dick.

 

[KiwiRoo]

Second hand report,

Spoke to a mate of mine on Monday who is a staunch North person, but probably one of the most critical of North that I know outside of this forum. He often goes to watch North train and he’s always very critical….anyway when I saw him on Monday he came up to me telling me that he went to training the previous week, he was very excited by what he saw. Couldn’t have been more enthusiastic about the training standard.

Honestly, this bloke used to complain constantly that our blokes weren’t doing enough. For example, he always complained about Zurhaar…but he was saying he was giving 100%, believe me, that’s like Nostra saying that Bailey Scott should be captain.

so they F^%king well should be training hard. They're well paid professional athletes ..elite fitness should be a given

like most I've been really disappointed with how some of the more senior players have presented for a season with Zurhaar being a prime example... They've coasted for years..

 

[DuckYeah]

Are we just ignoring LDU being one of the most inconsistent kicks in the side now?

Nobody completely fluffs more kicks in time and space than LDU, with the exception of Simpkins talent for somehow kicking the ratio of weird helicopters he does.

Wardlaw is a far better kick than both of them. He absolutely kicks grubbers every now and then, he probably needs to learn to not go for the hero kick like he does on occasion (which will come with experience), but I don't know how anyone that has watched him like all of us could consider him a weak kick.

LDU has a noticeably bad ball drop, where he tends to over rotate the ball forwards on it's axis regularly, he holds it too vertical. Because of the momentum he carries he kicks it end over end when the ball rotates forward in his awkward ball drop.

Wardlaw's tends to be decision making rather than technical and trying to kick the ball too flat, because he's trying to kick these 25-30m kicks to a player under pressure he shouldn't. When you try to kick the ball too flat, you tend to hit it to far towards your toe and it will run along the ground when you miss the belly of the ball.

LDU is a far better kick behind the mark than he is on the run. I would go to say he is twice as good off a couple of steps than he is on the run. But overall his kicking is poor.

I aint getting into this again. I’ll just upset the apple cart again. Our team is phenomenal and are all the greatest kicks that have graced a football field

 

[r00boy96]

Nothing wrong with a teenis

Wasn't exactly quick either.

Plus he has a tiny penis.

 

[Val Keating]

so they F^%king well should be training hard. They're well paid professional athletes ..elite fitness should be a given

like most I've been really disappointed with how some of the more senior players have presented for a season with Zurhaar being a prime example... They've coasted for years..

Apparently he’s looking fitter than ever. It’s been a slow progression from the slightly overweight (for an athlete) rookie to what he’s turned himself into now.

 

[nicko74]

If wardlaw plays any vfl next year I’ll punch clarko in the dick.

 

[KiwiRoo]

Apparently he’s looking fitter than ever. It’s been a slow progression from the slightly overweight (for an athlete) rookie to what he’s turned himself into now.

Hey I don't mean to keep pointing the finger at just him but what happened to the bloke that used to scare the crap out of people ? I think he had a higher work rate in his first few years rather than his later years
Looks to me like he went through a period where he started to drink his own bathwater, didn't do the work and didnt have enough peer support to get him back in line

 

[TennisPlayerAndy]

Wardlaw with 4.3 tackles is elite defensively.

LDU with 3.9 is one of the most unaccountable mids in the league.

That .4 of a tackle a game must be something else.

 

[year of the roo]

Wardlaw with 4.3 tackles is elite defensively.

LDU with 3.9 is one of the most unaccountable mids in the league.

That .4 of a tackle a game must be something else.

haha Sphynx has a massive youth bias.

 

[Sphynx]

Wardlaw with 4.3 tackles is elite defensively.

LDU with 3.9 is one of the most unaccountable mids in the league.

That .4 of a tackle a game must be something else.

Yeah, if you want to dumb down the convo to a single stat like tackles where if you just grab someone straight out of the ruck you get one.

Only the most one eyed in this conversation could possibly compare LDU to Wardlaw's defensive work around stoppage.

LDU runs one way in transition, Wardlaw is regularly busting his ass to get after opponents. He's always diving to tackle opponents who have broken through, always chasing etc.

He's ****ed on the ground so much because of the amount of effort he puts in.

Some of the responses here are the age old example of clearly defensive work not getting the recognition, clearly.

 

[year of the roo]

Yeah, if you want to dumb down the convo to a single stat like tackles where if you just grab someone straight out of the ruck you get one.

Only the most one eyed in this conversation could possibly compare LDU to Wardlaw's defensive work around stoppage.

LDU runs one way in transition, Wardlaw is regularly busting his ass to get after opponents. He's always diving to tackle opponents who have broken through, always chasing etc.

He's ****ed on the ground so much because of the amount of effort he puts in.

Some of the responses here are the age old example of clearly defensive work not getting the recognition, clearly.

You're a stats man. You quoted Champion Data FFS.

Someone throws stats at you? Dismissed immediately.

 

[Sillygit]

If wardlaw plays any vfl next year I’ll punch clarko in the dick.

 

[year of the roo]

Furthermore, someone threw Syd Barker finish at you? Your response: well what does Clako know anyway ****ing lol

 

[The Dingrel]

A few ums and args, but there's an honesty and openness about young Nick. Especially interesting comment about the Whitlock gambit; get the talent in now.

Larkey for one didn't want to hear about how we should plan to come bottom 3 again next year for the sake of a draft pick

Better than the prime minister! (And shows more leadership!)