Coach Alastair Clarkson - NMFC Senior Coach - Coaching & Football Discussion

[shintemaster]

Good to hear, we need an intense level of scrutiny for where we're at now and where we trend towards. We're years-long deep into this re-re-re-rebuild and lest we become perennial cellar dwellers like Melbourne and Carlton did we need to start being ruthless.

Any vague doubts should be well and truly settled after reading that article. Clarkson gets it completely and is not in this to make friends - this team will look completely different by end of season IMO and even more so early next year. Clarko and the new off field team need to be given some time - it's not their fault we pissed away the last 3 years with little to show for it.

From what I see the gameplan requires the mids to get quality attacking clearances and stopping opposition fast breaks, you do this properly then you can play a lot of the game in your forward half with the zone set up behind as a net to reaquire the ball from desperate attempts by the opposition to clear it forward. Even at our best we would be leaking a decent number of goals due to the aggressiveness of it, but the benefits are equally large.

The problem is the gameplan relies on midfield dominance, which to be fair when we're at full strength we are every chance of having against the majority of teams. Jy's missed games and LDU missed one and has been hampered since. The midfield has basically been buggered game 3 onwards lol.

Good post. It also aligns as a plan with where we have invested the most in talent. Whether that will all reach the heights we hope is another thing but we have put a huge amount of draft resources into a strong, balanced and attacking midfield - LDU, Simpkin, Phillips, Powell, Wardlaw, Goater is a fair investment at the top of the draft in midfield and wing power and skill. It makes sense to build a gameplan around utilising that asset.

 

[DesertRoo]

Any vague doubts should be well and truly settled after reading that article. Clarkson gets it completely and is not in this to make friends - this team will look completely different by end of season IMO and even more so early next year. Clarko and the new off field team need to be given some time - it's not their fault we pissed away the last 3 years with little to show for it.


Good post. It also aligns as a plan with where we have invested the most in talent. Whether that will all reach the heights we hope is another thing but we have put a huge amount of draft resources into a strong, balanced and attacking midfield - LDU, Simpkin, Phillips, Powell, Wardlaw, Goater is a fair investment at the top of the draft in midfield and wing power and skill. It makes sense to build a gameplan around utilising that asset.

Two things we’ve been missing for a few years that’ll help with the gameplan is missing, one is extra avenues to goal, at present, it’s a bomb and hope for a pack mark or get a fast enough break out of defence we get a joe the goose over the top, it’s simply unsustainable long term. The other thing we’re in desperate need of is forward pressure, if other teams take clear possession. It’s a simple run and gun to their goals.
A couple of lighting quick smalls fix this issue, if we can create sustained pressure, score crumbing goals, cause miskicks.
And if our smalls are quick enough to get separation on their defensive counterparts both forward, it creates opportunities for decent entries into or back separation gets them joe the goose.

I honestly think after picking best available with our first the next two picks should go on smalls.

 

[shintemaster]

Two things we’ve been missing for a few years that’ll help with the gameplan is missing, one is extra avenues to goal, at present, it’s a bomb and hope for a pack mark or get a fast enough break out of defence we get a joe the goose over the top, it’s simply unsustainable long term. The other thing we’re in desperate need of is forward pressure, if other teams take clear possession. It’s a simple run and gun to their goals.
A couple of lighting quick smalls fix this issue, if we can create sustained pressure, score crumbing goals, cause miskicks.
And if our smalls are quick enough to get separation on their defensive counterparts both forward, it creates opportunities for decent entries into or back separation gets them joe the goose.

I honestly think after picking best available with our first the next two picks should go on smalls.

Agree. Turner is flavour of the month whipping boy around here which I won't weigh into too much but ultimately he's not quite fast enough to play the role we want. We need another fast, defender attacking small or two (goals are a bonus and IMO they come either way with that right mix). We are short on tall talent developing behind Comben though so unless we can trade for some needs end of this year we realistically need to put draft resources into talls as well.

 

[DesertRoo]

Agree. Turner is flavour of the month whipping boy around here which I won't weigh into too much but ultimately he's not quite fast enough to play the role we want. We need another fast, defender attacking small or two (goals are a bonus and IMO they come either way with that right mix). We are short on tall talent developing behind Comben though so unless we can trade for some needs end of this year we realistically need to put draft resources into talls as well.

Certainly do need to put draft capital into talls but that can be done over years, ultimately we’ve got Larkey 24 and Comben 21, they could play together for the next decade with talls coming and going in the vfl stuck behind these two.

 

[shintemaster]

Certainly do need to put draft capital into talls but that can be done over years, ultimately we’ve got Larkey 24 and Comben 21, they could play together for the next decade with talls coming and going in the vfl stuck behind these two.

Yeah I agree. I think talent still defines how you draft rather than pure needs - particularly when you have so many holes to fill still - but given we're likely to have 2-3 high picks minimum again this year I think we'd fill based on pure talent, then a tall (if the first wasn't and there was class available) then some of those needs addressed. I suspect I'm like you and think that you fill talls a year or two apart with high value picks and fill the gaps with trades / backups. Can't fill a spine in a short period or you won't be able to play them all.

 

[chubbspeterson]

Based on his comments, he's not thinking win/loss, he's looking to pick the right time for debutants to get AFL exposure.
I reckon he'd be keen to try some different things and not all of them are going to work or click with the team right away.
There'd be an element of experimentation in the first couple of years like he did at Hawks.

 

[amaz199]

I miss the rice cooker and dim sims chit chat.

 

[Lomas]

I miss the rice cooker and dim sims chit chat.

The glory days.

 

[Danni_Benson]

Any vague doubts should be well and truly settled after reading that article. Clarkson gets it completely and is not in this to make friends - this team will look completely different by end of season IMO and even more so early next year. Clarko and the new off field team need to be given some time - it's not their fault we pissed away the last 3 years with little to show for it.


Good post. It also aligns as a plan with where we have invested the most in talent. Whether that will all reach the heights we hope is another thing but we have put a huge amount of draft resources into a strong, balanced and attacking midfield - LDU, Simpkin, Phillips, Powell, Wardlaw, Goater is a fair investment at the top of the draft in midfield and wing power and skill. It makes sense to build a gameplan around utilising that asset.

We couldn’t be in better hands.

No naivety amongst Clarko and Viney.

I’m not second guessing those two!

 

[Lomas]

We couldn’t be in better hands.

No naivety amongst Clarko and Viney.

I’m not second guessing those two!

I’d rather second guess my rice cooker settings than Clarko.

 

[Gasometer]

Interesting read these past few pages

Regarding the list is that our second and third tier players taper off quickly that it resembles a bottom 4 team

Which we are

 

[Devington]

Interesting read these past few pages

Regarding the list is that our second and third tier players taper off quickly that it resembles a bottom 4 team

Which we are

What we have is a decent amount of potential upside in the younger players. But unfortunately that's offset a bit by a few key seniors on the verge of retirement.

We desperately need a few of younger brigade to jump up a level, and I don't mean the likes of Powell, Phillips, and Comben who are all inconsistent but showing progress (IMO). It's the likes of Lazzaro, Mahony, Young, Perez, CCJ, Curtis Taylor, Scott (personally think he is incrementally improving still) that we need to see unstall their careers.

 

[WesternRoo]

Thought the presser was weird.

Him saying "we have given the older guys a chance" is very strange.

For one, why is this the mentality when we are supposedly rebuilding anyway? Yes you need some experience, but we already have that without playing, Howe, Turner, Shiels , Greenwood.

Secondly, our more mature players mostly suck or are past it. We ain't Geelong. Hasn't he watched us the last 4 years?

Every guy who we see being on the list beyond the next 2 years should be playing now.

 

[Gasometer]

Thought the presser was weird.

Him saying "we have given the older guys a chance" is very strange.

For one, why is this the mentality when we are supposedly rebuilding anyway? Yes you need some experience, but we already have that without playing, Howe, Turner, Shiels , Greenwood.

Secondly, our more mature players mostly suck or are past it. We ain't Geelong. Hasn't he watched us the last 4 years?

Every guy who we see being on the list beyond the next 2 years should be playing now.

No he hasn’t been watching us the past 4 years

Outside of North supporters, who would bother?

 

[domiroo]

No he hasn’t been watching us the past 4 years

Outside of North supporters, who would bother?

You better get down to Arden street and give him a piece of your mind then .

 

[Gasometer]

You better get down to Arden street and give him a piece of your mind then .

 

[domiroo]

 

[disco_cowboy]

Thought the presser was weird.

Him saying "we have given the older guys a chance" is very strange.

For one, why is this the mentality when we are supposedly rebuilding anyway? Yes you need some experience, but we already have that without playing, Howe, Turner, Shiels , Greenwood.

Secondly, our more mature players mostly suck or are past it. We ain't Geelong. Hasn't he watched us the last 4 years?

Every guy who we see being on the list beyond the next 2 years should be playing now.

Giving them a chance under clarko?

 

[shintemaster]

Thought the presser was weird.

Him saying "we have given the older guys a chance" is very strange.

For one, why is this the mentality when we are supposedly rebuilding anyway? Yes you need some experience, but we already have that without playing, Howe, Turner, Shiels , Greenwood.

Secondly, our more mature players mostly suck or are past it. We ain't Geelong. Hasn't he watched us the last 4 years?

Every guy who we see being on the list beyond the next 2 years should be playing now.

I think it's a couple of things: They're paid, senior and respected employees of the club (some of them at least) - and they need to be given the opportunity to fight for their right to play games.

That and the fact that there is a massive gap in age groups and talent where the next batch or our best talent are very young. Now that the sting of the start of the season is gone I suspect we will see 1-2 give way every few weeks now (injuries pending) and end of the season expect a quite a few in the AFL team that weren't to start the year. It's not a sprint.

 

[Hardcore North]

Two things we’ve been missing for a few years that’ll help with the gameplan is missing, one is extra avenues to goal, at present, it’s a bomb and hope for a pack mark or get a fast enough break out of defence we get a joe the goose over the top, it’s simply unsustainable long term. The other thing we’re in desperate need of is forward pressure, if other teams take clear possession. It’s a simple run and gun to their goals.
A couple of lighting quick smalls fix this issue, if we can create sustained pressure, score crumbing goals, cause miskicks.
And if our smalls are quick enough to get separation on their defensive counterparts both forward, it creates opportunities for decent entries into or back separation gets them joe the goose.

I honestly think after picking best available with our first the next two picks should go on smalls.

Small forwards and small backs been a problem for years. Needs addressing.

 

[Ischenko]

Giving them a chance under clarko?

Obviously you give players who have earnt a spot, can run out 4 quarters and can stand up to the rigours of AFL a chance to learn a new game plan and see if they can play a role and/or guide the kids. I suspect this is why we have persisted with our zone despite it falling apart etc.

He is seeing with his own eyes under conditions he controls as much as he can who can play the way he wants. By the bye I reckon he’ll have most of the ticks and crosses sorted re: older players, i.e. the crucial structural pieces on each line who hold things together while the kids learn so we don’t become Melbourne 2.0.

Then you introduce the kids, gradually but surely, test them, support them, and work out - once the side is more settled with older guys - what you have there, and hence who to draft, trade for etc. He is being fair and patient, taking his time.

Think of it like a good doctor trying to heal a mentally and physically unwell patient with heaps of shit wrong with them. You can’t just do it all at once. You need to work out what is strongest and what is weakest and plan from there to get them back on their feet…

 

[MagicalRoos]

Thought the presser was weird.

Him saying "we have given the older guys a chance" is very strange.

For one, why is this the mentality when we are supposedly rebuilding anyway? Yes you need some experience, but we already have that without playing, Howe, Turner, Shiels , Greenwood.

Secondly, our more mature players mostly suck or are past it. We ain't Geelong. Hasn't he watched us the last 4 years?

Every guy who we see being on the list beyond the next 2 years should be playing now.

Understandable sentiment, but when leading an organization, you won’t get anywhere without strong buy in from the collective.

You need the experienced leading the way and mentoring the young. If the more experienced guys aren’t given the respect they feel their tenure deserves, they will not be doing any of the above. Even the newer guys like Shiels has valuable lessons to teach our lads over time, which he needs to be given motivation to do.

You can make a point that the experienced certainly aren’t leading the way past month. Well, Clarko now has the leverage to start phasing them out without risk of unrest. This gives the younger players two benefits:

• Entry into the team without any political shadow
• Feel they would have earned it instead of being given a free ride because of their age

The current situation might suck, but for us to move forward with unity, and for the elder statesmen to move on in a way that benefits the team and the younger players, this was the best way to do it.

Otherwise, we’d start off playing all the young players, risk having disgruntled senior players, lose a lot through inexperience anyway, and end the year with the youth dropped and the senior players starting, while having a generally fractured playing group.

 

[King Corey]

Would be lying if I denied there's part of me that looked at Collingwood 2022 or St Kilda this year and frustratingly thinks "why can't we do this?".

I mean we have one of the best credentialed coaches in history, certainly the best one of the modern era at the club. And he's a former Shinboner who knows where we've come from. Tick and tick.

Then I wonder how it would've felt if Clarkson had come in like a bull in a China Shop and immediately traded in several senior players, delisted a heap of blokes to make a statement and started ranting and raving from the get go?

It might've lead to a bigger dopamine hit for the fans and maybe even a couple more wins so far.

But on reflection, a coach capable of taking a side to the dais 4 times who would've studied our list in minute detail in 2022 and will be confident in their assessment of our strengths and weaknesses. Delivering a quick sugar hit fix would only mask more pain for them and us.

Yesterday's press conference validates the suspicion that Clarkson is letting things play out a bit this year to get an in-house feel for what needs to be done and how to get to work addressing it. Rather than any concern for impressing the wider football world with how quickly he can make us rebound.

 

[WesternRoo]

Understandable sentiment, but when leading an organization, you won’t get anywhere without strong buy in from the collective.

You need the experienced leading the way and mentoring the young. If the more experienced guys aren’t given the respect they feel their tenure deserves, they will not be doing any of the above. Even the newer guys like Shiels has valuable lessons to teach our lads over time, which he needs to be given motivation to do.

You can make a point that the experienced certainly aren’t leading the way past month. Well, Clarko now has the leverage to start phasing them out without risk of unrest. This gives the younger players two benefits:

• Entry into the team without any political shadow
• Feel they would have earned it instead of being given a free ride because of their age

The current situation might suck, but for us to move forward with unity, and for the elder statesmen to move on in a way that benefits the team and the younger players, this was the best way to do it.

Otherwise, we’d start off playing all the young players, risk having disgruntled senior players, lose a lot through inexperience anyway, and end the year with the youth dropped and the senior players starting, while having a generally fractured playing group.

Well said.

I'm just not convinced Turner (who was delisted), Howe (who was brought in this year) and Greenwood (who was out the side a lot last year) would have the negative effect mentioned if out the team. In fact they would be brilliant in the vfl.

Cunnington, Ziebell and Goldy I agree. However, he was happy to dump Goldy for round 1, who only just committed to the club rather than chasing a flag last year.

 

[disco_cowboy]

Obviously you give players who have earnt a spot, can run out 4 quarters and can stand up to the rigours of AFL a chance to learn a new game plan and see if they can play a role and/or guide the kids. I suspect this is why we have persisted with our zone despite it falling apart etc.

He is seeing with his own eyes under conditions he controls as much as he can who can play the way he wants. By the bye I reckon he’ll have most of the ticks and crosses sorted re: older players, i.e. the crucial structural pieces on each line who hold things together while the kids learn so we don’t become Melbourne 2.0.

Then you introduce the kids, gradually but surely, test them, support them, and work out - once the side is more settled with older guys - what you have there, and hence who to draft, trade for etc. He is being fair and patient, taking his time.

Think of it like a good doctor trying to heal a mentally and physically unwell patient with heaps of s**t wrong with them. You can’t just do it all at once. You need to work out what is strongest and what is weakest and plan from there to get them back on their feet…

Good post, was really a rhetorical question for the OP