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

[Horizons_00]

Haven’t read the past 30 odd pages of this particular thread, so I apologise if it’s already been mentioned, but I’ve heard he absolutely went ape after the game & tore shreds off one of the captains in front of the playing group.

Funny how soft we are as a group as he did this after the west coast game and look what happened

We are a bunch of “I need cuddles even if I’m not performing”

 

[King Corey]

One of Clarko’s first talks to the players that was shared with supporters basically said his job is to sort the wheat from the chaff and train a side that can win silverware, and they have to decide if they will be wheat. It was said gently but firmly. That sorting can’t be done overnight, but there’s nothing in new or old Clarkson that suggests he is going to be overly sentimental about individual players until or unless he sees them as part of the solution. You can see in the farewell to Shiels how much he invests in the players who do buy in, and you can also see how ready he has always been to move on from players who don’t and/or who can get him someone else he wants.

So far he has chosen to publicly highlight X, Wardlaw, Scott and Archer repeatedly and unprompted as players he likes. I think the shortlist of players he thinks he must keep and must play is pretty short.

He seems to have a soft spot for that other kid too, name escapes me but moved from the backline to midfield in his 2nd year.

 

[koshari]

He seems to have a soft spot for that other kid too, name escapes me but moved from the backline to midfield in his 2nd year.

Even oppos talk glowingly about that chap.

 

[Hearts to hearts]

He seems to have a soft spot for that other kid too, name escapes me but moved from the backline to midfield in his 2nd year.

Don’t even need to name him, he’s the best by so far - but also tbh I didn’t hear Clarko bring up his name or Colby’s randomly like some others. His admiration for “big X” seemed to be part of his answer to every question.

 

[King Corey]

Don’t even need to name him, he’s the best by so far - but also tbh I didn’t hear Clarko bring up his name or Colby’s randomly like some others. His admiration for “big X” seemed to be part of his answer to every question.

I'll be honest, that was a procrastination post.

I'm a very big mover and shaker in the Wellness Centre futures market.

Am currently reviewing an IPO for Alex Pendlebury's Aura Realignment Retreat to be built in Berwick.

 

[Samsquanch]

I'll be honest, that was a procrastination post.

I'm a very big mover and shaker in the Wellness Centre futures market.

Am currently reviewing an IPO for Alex Pendlebury's Aura Realignment Retreat to be built in Berwick.

Haven't the daicos boys jumped onto the wellness scam bandwagon trend?

 

[King Corey]

Haven't the daicos boys jumped onto the wellness scam bandwagon trend?

Got on them via my bikie contacts broker.

 

[ferball]

Sounds very generic. Pressure and move the ball quick when you can. I reckon 17 other teams are running with that. I would be super worried for the supporters of a team whose coach wasn’t asking his players to “pressure the other team” (we are dead last in this metric btw). Anyway seems most here are happy with the coach so who am I to argue. Personally I have been thoroughly underwhelmed. Hopefully we can start improving in a few key metrics next year to justify the goodwill.

There was a period we were first for it. No surprise a young side can't keep that up tho.

But yeah, footy is a pretty simple game so obviously every other team runs with that. Its how the game is played.

The game plan breaks down entering the forward line because we don't move it fast enough and we don't move it in a variety of ways inside 50.

 

[gerry101101]

some supporters have a little bit of trouble with the ol' emotional regulation following a loss. that's not a dig, losses are hard. and they search for validation of those emotions in the pressers. which is just the worst place to look. any interview with any coach, player, bootstudder is always going to be curated nonsense not worth watching ever. they literally recieve training on how to do that. yes occasionally they themselves may slip the veil, but it's rare and not what they intend.

further to that, and i know that this isn't your point Gaso but i feel it's worth addressing, what the ** would be the point of an angry presser? Dimma tells his side to grow the ** up in his presser and they continue to spiral. achieved absolutely nothing. because it is absolutely meaningless.

100% bang on.

 

[DuckYeah]

There was a period we were first for it. No surprise a young side can't keep that up tho.

But yeah, footy is a pretty simple game so obviously every other team runs with that. Its how the game is played.

The game plan breaks down entering the forward line because we don't move it fast enough and we don't move it in a variety of ways inside 50.

If anything our forward structures, patterns and entries are just not up to scratch. Either the plan is too complex to nail or our forwards coach is a nuffy

 

[chubbspeterson]

Sounds very generic. Pressure and move the ball quick when you can. I reckon 17 other teams are running with that. I would be super worried for the supporters of a team whose coach wasn’t asking his players to “pressure the other team” (we are dead last in this metric btw). Anyway seems most here are happy with the coach so who am I to argue. Personally I have been thoroughly underwhelmed. Hopefully we can start improving in a few key metrics next year to justify the goodwill.

Most teams are contest and defense. We need to get better defending ball movement and scores against, that's 18th.
Clearances, contested possessions and pressure improved after the bye with the tweaks made.
Inside 50's and converting them into scores is 18th, so that needs to get better.

I don't think he wants to move the ball that slowly but he hasn't got the cattle imo to execute those kicks into the corridor because they either don't have the tools/ability or maturity to execute the right kick at the right time just yet.
To me this year was a bit of looking at the jigsaw puzzle pieces in the 1st half of the year and then trying to fit some pieces into the puzzle in the 2nd half of the year.

He's had a good look at almost everyone except Maley, Free (likely gone), Harvey, Goad, Payne and B George on the list and I think he will have to balance some of that every year as he gives them exposure to AFL and sometimes that inexperience will cost some wins with poor positioning or turnovers etc.

I don't think the retention ball movement gameplan is sustainable long term when it's not chaining down the ground at some sort of speed as you need to be able to generate inside 50's and lock it in there. But it's not likely he's got the pressure players in the F50 who can close down opposition defenders quickly and lock it in.
So part of me thinks he doesn't have the pieces of the puzzle sorted just yet and let's be honest he's also got poor users of the footy off the half back except perhaps Colby (he'll make errors being young). Fisher and LMac not great.
So I guess that's why I'm prepared to give him until 2026 to see what he can mould the side into.
Hopefully a 2nd year under the same coaching and development staff brings some good improvement, but it's really up to the playing group imo how far they want to go. They need to put a few wins in a row to get that confidence.

 

[muttley45]

Most teams are contest and defense. We need to get better defending ball movement and scores against, that's 18th.
Clearances, contested possessions and pressure improved after the bye with the tweaks made.
Inside 50's and converting them into scores is 18th, so that needs to get better.

I don't think he wants to move the ball that slowly but he hasn't got the cattle imo to execute those kicks into the corridor because they either don't have the tools/ability or maturity to execute the right kick at the right time just yet.
To me this year was a bit of looking at the jigsaw puzzle pieces in the 1st half of the year and then trying to fit some pieces into the puzzle in the 2nd half of the year.

He's had a good look at almost everyone except Maley, Free (likely gone), Harvey, Goad, Payne and B George on the list and I think he will have to balance some of that every year as he gives them exposure to AFL and sometimes that inexperience will cost some wins with poor positioning or turnovers etc.

I don't think the retention ball movement gameplan is sustainable long term when it's not chaining down the ground at some sort of speed as you need to be able to generate inside 50's and lock it in there. But it's not likely he's got the pressure players in the F50 who can close down opposition defenders quickly and lock it in.
So part of me thinks he doesn't have the pieces of the puzzle sorted just yet and let's be honest he's also got poor users of the footy off the half back except perhaps Colby (he'll make errors being young). Fisher and LMac not great.
So I guess that's why I'm prepared to give him until 2026 to see what he can mould the side into.
Hopefully a 2nd year under the same coaching and development staff brings some good improvement, but it's really up to the playing group imo how far they want to go. They need to put a few wins in a row to get that confidence.

I wouldn't really call 3 games a good look at Hardeman just yet, and they were all played when were at peak crapness

 

[chubbspeterson]

I wouldn't really call 3 games a good look at Hardeman just yet, and they were all played when were at peak crapness

Should've just said "had a look", was talking more good look at the collective list.
Hardemann and Will Dawson I think was a bit of "let's give them a taste of AFL" in the first half of the year.

 

[Gasometer]

some supporters have a little bit of trouble with the ol' emotional regulation following a loss. that's not a dig, losses are hard. and they search for validation of those emotions in the pressers. which is just the worst place to look. any interview with any coach, player, bootstudder is always going to be curated nonsense not worth watching ever. they literally recieve training on how to do that. yes occasionally they themselves may slip the veil, but it's rare and not what they intend.

further to that, and i know that this isn't your point Gaso but i feel it's worth addressing, what the ** would be the point of an angry presser? Dimma tells his side to grow the ** up in his presser and they continue to spiral. achieved absolutely nothing. because it is absolutely meaningless.

It’s not losing that’s the issue…it’s being ****ing crushed by 80 plus points

 

[Sillygit]

It’s not losing that’s the issue…it’s being ****ing crushed by 80 plus points

Not at all my point.

 

[Gasometer]

Not at all my point.

It’s your point when you start with “emotional”; a lot of posts from the weekend were a result of the humiliation

 

[Disco Dew]

I’ve never been emotional after a football game.
Don’t @ me

 

[kool kangas]

Guy McKenna left West coast as Assistant coach. Might be worth a look at ..

 

[Horizons_00]

It’s not losing that’s the issue…it’s being ****ing crushed by 80 plus points

Ita the way we lose is the issue IMO

It's not from lack of a ability it's mostly mental

 

[Sillygit]

It’s your point when you start with “emotional”; a lot of posts from the weekend were a result of the humiliation

Emotional regulation, yes, not a difficult concept.

It's my point that if you take that emotion, look for validation in the presser, you're going to be more sad/angry/whatever. Becuase they are stage shows.

You know that im agreeing with what you wrote, right?

 

[Jimmy's Hot Dogs]

I’ve never been emotional after a football game.
Don’t @ me

1994 Preliminary had a heavy pollen count at the top of the old Olympic Stand.

 

[Cyber_punk]

--------

2023/2024 Clarko

2025 preseason Clarko

2025 season Clarko

Make it happen Euge

 

[giantroo]

 

[zoomba23]

Heartbreaking etc. etc.

 

[Danni_Benson]

If I could ‘like’ this a million times I would!