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

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THE TRADE period is littered with sliding doors moments. Tristan Xerri is one of them.

He might still be stuck in the queue if North Melbourne didn't reject his request to be traded to St Kilda at the end of 2021.

Rowan Marshall has established himself as one of the best ruckmen in the competition across the past few years and Ross Lyon has been reluctant to play two rucks in the same 23. But now Xerri is in the same bracket as Marshall.

The Kangaroos had invested four years into Xerri when the Saints picked up the phone. They didn't want to lose him. Todd Goldstein was still the clear No.1 ruckman at Arden Street at the time, but he was on the wrong side of 30.


Things changed last year.

Alastair Clarkson rewarded Xerri's pre-season form with a round one spot ahead of Goldstein, but he didn't reach quarter-time. A serious syndesmosis injury sidelined him until round 17.



00:45
Mar 18 2023
North ruck injured early against West Coast
Having been picked ahead of veteran Todd Goldstein, North Melbourne's Tristan Xerri had to be helped off in the first quarter due to injury

But with Goldstein moving to Essendon during last October's trade period, Xerri has finally thrived as the No.1 ruckman at North Melbourne.

After playing just 33 games across his first six seasons, the 25-year-old has built a case across the first 20 rounds of this season to be included in the All-Australian squad.

HIGHEST RATED RUCKMEN IN 2024
PLAYER CLUB RATING
Max Gawn

Melbourne

17.0

Tristan Xerri

North Melbourne

15.2

Tom De Koning

Carlton

14.1

Sean Darcy

Fremantle

14.1

Oscar McInerney

Brisbane

13.8

The Caroline Springs product is the second-highest rated ruckman in the League behind six-time All-Australian Max Gawn, ahead of Carlton's breakout star Tom De Koning.


Tim English and Tristan Xerri contest the ruck during the match between North Melbourne and the Western Bulldogs in round 16, 2024. Picture: Getty Images
Brodie Grundy has reignited his career since moving to Sydney and is in the hunt for a third All-Australian blazer, while Lloyd Meek has been a revelation in his second season at Hawthorn, claiming the No.1 spot from Ned Reeves in emphatic fashion. Darcy Cameron is also having a career-best year.

Xerri's game is built around contest. He gets the job done aerially, but is averaging the second-most contested possessions (12.1 per game) of any ruckman, second-most clearances (6.4) and third-most centre bounce clearances (2.3) in 2024.

XERRI'S SEASON
2024 RUCK RANK
AFL Player Ratings

15.2

Second

Disposals

16.8

Fifth

Contested Possessions

12.1

Second

Hitouts

33.5

Sixth

Hitouts-to-Advantage

8.6

Ninth

Clearances

6.4

Second

CB Clearances

2.3

Third

Xerri's influence on North Melbourne's emerging engine room has been profound.


Reigning Syd Barker Medallist Harry Sheezel has thrived at his feet since moving into the midfield and will be measured up for his maiden blazer in September if he maintains this form. Luke Davies-Uniacke has also produced a career-best year and will ensure it is a thrilling best and fairest count.

George Wardlaw is one of the leading contenders for the Rising Star. Add in co-captain Jy Simpkin and former first-round pick Tom Powell and the Kangaroos have one of the more talented midfields in the League. Plus the expected injection of Colby McKercher in the future.


Jy Simpkin (left) and Tristan Xerri leave the field at half-time of the match between Melbourne and North Melbourne at the MCG in round 15, 2024. Picture: AFL Photos
Despite winning only two games to date ahead of a wooden spoon play-off against Richmond on Saturday, North Melbourne’s stoppage numbers have tracked in the right direction this year. This is a key part of the growth in 2024.

NORTH MELBOURNE'S STOPPAGE IMPROVEMENT
DIFFERENTIALS 2024 2023
Hitouts

6th

8th

Hitouts-to-Advantage

5th

8th

First Possessions

6th

12th

Clearances

7th

10th

Xerri spent his first six years at North absorbing information from Goldstein on a daily basis. The veteran helped his understudy develop before vacating his throne.





Collingwood great Damian Monkhorst has also sharpened his tap work since joining Clarkson's football department at Arden Street.

Ruckmen take time to develop. Players like Xerri are worth the wait.
 

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Someone said he wasn't doing much at half time but truth is he and Nank fought hard all game and X slowly got the better of him (tho it was hard and tough all game.) JUst shows how good he's become that he could do that. Some brilliant ruckwork too.
 

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I’d make him captain.

He’s got the coach in his corner and has had from day 1, big X.

Who better than to push Clarko’s message out on the field than this guy? He’d take the team on his back with him.

We’ve just gotta pull the trigger. He’s the right age, has all the attributes. I see this guy taking these kids, via piggyback, to the promised land. Make it happen Euge.
 
Spud11 said:
I’d make him captain.

He’s got the coach in his corner and has had from day 1, big X.

Who better than to push Clarko’s message out on the field than this guy? He’d take the team on his back with him.

We’ve just gotta pull the trigger. He’s the right age, has all the attributes. I see this guy taking these kids, via piggyback, to the promised land. Make it happen Euge.
Click to expand...
Interesting, I've never thought of him as that sort of leader. He certainly puts the effort in. Is he a good talker?
 
He's taking contested marks with his fingertips these days. Previously he'd have them land in the palms of his hands and they'd just bounce off. He's just improved so much in every aspect of the game it's unreal. I was sure he would be a lock as our ruck if he was just able to stay uninjured and have continuity, but his form is beyond my wildest expectations. So glad we refused that trade, and really happy for him!
 
What a gun.

Amazing what he is producing. Really proud of him. It’s all hard work
 
Lots to shit on re our list management over the past few years. And I love Goldy. Yeah, he's wearing a poxy red sash at the minute, but when he finishes at the end of the year he'll be one of us once again.

But the call on X/Goldy was astute. I never rated X until this year. But kudos to Clarko et al. X is an old fashioned ruck gun. Love him.
 
Give the man his flowers and then give him a jacket.

I don’t think I have seen such a total 180 turnaround in-season from a North player.

His clearance and tackling work was there from round 1 but then from the Saints game onwards he went from at the time, a player with holes in his game to now being the close to number 1 ruck in the comp.
Monkey doesn’t get enough credit but this is all on X.

The contested marking, the goals, the tap work - it’s all come together.
I’d love to see his around the ground work from March/April and compare it to now.

Set and forget. Just set and forget.
 
Last edited:
From AFL website

2) This Roo could be the man to dethrone Max Gawn
Is Tristan Xerri the biggest challenger to Max Gawn for All-Australian honours this season? After playing second fiddle to Todd Goldstein up until this season, the 25-year-old has emerged in 2024 to be the primary big man at North and could soon be No.1 in the League. He's an old-school bash-and-crash ruckman whose tackling and physical game has been lauded and while his work in the air is also exceptional, his work at ground level has had the biggest impact. He averages 11.9 contested possessions per game, 6.1 clearances and his 152 tackles in 2024 (7.6 per game) is second only to Suns beast Matt Rowell. He was at it again in the Roos' win against Richmond, dominating with 45 hitouts, 10 tackles, six marks from 20 touches - half of those contested possessions. According to Champion Data, Xerri is the second-highest rated ruckman behind Gawn, but by close of play in round 24, Xerri might just have snatched that mantle from the Dees' leader. - Alison O'Connor
 
Robbo on X

Screenshot_20240804_194546_Herald Sun.jpg
 

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

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