Autopsy Autopsy vs St Kilda - the Cam Zurhaar Almost Special

[Zondor]

Appreciate the bloke on L2 in the last who called out "how the f... did he handball that umpire".

In real time, it seemed like a lot of throws were called as legal disposals.

There are many throws in many games that don't go penalised. I think it has got worse this year and there are 4 clowns out there now officiating. The AFL don't care. :stern look

 

[outwecome2play]

A lot of negativity but I thought it was the best we've looked since the Carlton game in round 4.

Our defensive structure was great, the effort was there and it just felt like players were playing their roles well, but unfortunately the polish/quality wasn't there.

I felt positive overall considering we were in the game despite the following:

• LDU still looks like he's at about 60%
• Cunners was poor
• Simpkin had his worst game for a while
• Paul Curtis was poor
• Zurhaar tried to do a bit too much at times and probably cost us a couple of goals

I really liked Mahony, Bergman, Drury and Perez. None of them tore it up but they were solid with and without the ball and played their roles. We looked significantly better with them in the side than having Hall, Turner and Howe.

Looking forward to hopefully seeing Wardlaw, Ford, Goater, Phillips, Free and Harvey play a good bunch of games at VFL level and then string some together at AFL level in the second half of the year.

Dare I suggest TT might find himself in the 1's at some point before year's end if he stays the course?

Great summary.
I can really see how the defensive structure is coming together. The issue is when we try to deliver the ball into the forward line. Teams know that we only have one target which is easy to defend.
Interesting that our best games this year have been at Marvel.

 

[The acurate one]

A lot of negativity but I thought it was the best we've looked since the Carlton game in round 4.

Our defensive structure was great, the effort was there and it just felt like players were playing their roles well, but unfortunately the polish/quality wasn't there.

I felt positive overall considering we were in the game despite the following:

• LDU still looks like he's at about 60%
• Cunners was poor
• Simpkin had his worst game for a while
• Paul Curtis was poor
• Zurhaar tried to do a bit too much at times and probably cost us a couple of goals

I really liked Mahony, Bergman, Drury and Perez. None of them tore it up but they were solid with and without the ball and played their roles. We looked significantly better with them in the side than having Hall, Turner and Howe.

Looking forward to hopefully seeing Wardlaw, Ford, Goater, Phillips, Free and Harvey play a good bunch of games at VFL level and then string some together at AFL level in the second half of the year.

Dare I suggest TT might find himself in the 1's at some point before year's end if he stays the course?

It also can be opposition dependent, if we had the Swans next week it would be a tough tussle. If it was the Bulldogs we'd get flogged again and it would look like we're not trying. The Saints style yesterday suited us somewhat.

 

[TennisPlayerAndy]

The umpiring decision to call for a ball up in our goal square when the ball broke free for a goal was one of the worst umpiring calls of the weekend.


On iPhone using BigFooty.com mobile app

Was bettered only by the 50 paid against Larkey in our forward pocket.

 

[Souup]

Great summary.
I can really see how the defensive structure is coming together. The issue is when we try to deliver the ball into the forward line. Teams know that we only have one target which is easy to defend.
Interesting that our best games this year have been at Marvel.

If we did 2 things more consistently, I'm convinced we would become a 5 goal better side:

• Get the ball to ground inside 50m instead of conceding intercept marks
• Create stoppages inside 50m once the ball hits the deck

Clearance is one of our better areas (only lost it badly once this year - vs. Hawthorn. We lost it vs. Melbourne, Brisbane and Gold Coast by 3, 6 against St Kilda yesterday and won the stat for the other 4 games) but we just can't create them in the most important area of the ground for creating a score.

Larkey is beaten way too often and just doesn't have the strength or size to consistently split 50/50 contests. We need more from Paul Curtis and I want us to do everything possible to draft Nick Watson as a small forward.

If you purely looked at the inside 50m stat this year game-by-game, we should be in a lot more games than we have been.

 

[Kangaroos4eva]

Went shooting with a friend. He was talking about how flinching when shooting can become an issue. You flinch in. Anticipation of the gun firing and the kickback of the gun. To fix this you slowly pull the trigger not knowing when it'll fire or have someone else pull the trigger and you have your eyes closed/looking away from the trigger.

I feel like you could do something like this for football.

I had that issue when I was in the army 12 years ago and I was failing live fire testing as a result. To fix it, the instructor let me put the Austeyr on full auto and fire off a full mag. In addition to not waiting several breathes to fire and changing it to one breath in between shots, the full mag firing helped solve my flinching.

Different things work for different people, but totally appreciate that yips, or flinching, can be hard to fix.

 

[TennisPlayerAndy]

The lack of ability to win the ball at ground level in our forward line is a sight to behold.

It’s as of the forwards vanish the moment the ball touches the ground.

 

[Hearts to hearts]

There are many throws in many games that don't go penalised. I think it has got worse this year and there are 4 clowns out there now officiating. The AFL don't care. :stern look

The radio said pregame that there were only three clowns out there last night because one got sick and no backup? If so, did it make any difference but also what kind of two bit operation lets that happen?

 

[Kangaroos4eva]

A lot of negativity but I thought it was the best we've looked since the Carlton game in round 4.

Our defensive structure was great, the effort was there and it just felt like players were playing their roles well, but unfortunately the polish/quality wasn't there.

I felt positive overall considering we were in the game despite the following:

• LDU still looks like he's at about 60%
• Cunners was poor
• Simpkin had his worst game for a while
• Paul Curtis was poor
• Zurhaar tried to do a bit too much at times and probably cost us a couple of goals

I really liked Mahony, Bergman, Drury and Perez. None of them tore it up but they were solid with and without the ball and played their roles. We looked significantly better with them in the side than having Hall, Turner and Howe.

Looking forward to hopefully seeing Wardlaw, Ford, Goater, Phillips, Free and Harvey play a good bunch of games at VFL level and then string some together at AFL level in the second half of the year.

Dare I suggest TT might find himself in the 1's at some point before year's end if he stays the course?

Glad I’m not the only one seeing the bright spots. Even better when you see a kid like Drury have bright moments and you nod your head in appreciation.

 

[danj]

I don't agree with this take. Recent drafts aren't the problem. It's the drafts before that are the issue. Will Phillips not becoming a consistent AFL player into next year, or even the year after is perfectly normal, particularly in the context of glandular.

Jack Steele was captaining his football club yesterday, while Sam Durdin, Daniel Nielson, and Ed Vickers-Willis are long forgotten but North.

All the same draft. All the prime age for football. And North have very similar stories in the drafts before and after (except for Ben McKay).

Not sure which draft he was in but look at Mason Wood he is playing cracking footy for the saints but couldn’t reach his potential under Brad Scott mainly because BS tried to make players into his game plan rather than plan his game around players natural positional styles and strengths. Aaron Black anyone? BS is the biggest single negative on our club for the past 12 odd years and his malign influence continued inside the AFL right up until he became * coach, a good outcome for North.

So it really shouldn’t come as a surprise that Clarkson is having to do essentially a full rebuild and there is a big gulf between that reality and our (legitimate) expectations as supporters.

Have to keep focused on the positives, by 2025 we will be a top 4 team (not too delusional)

 

[Carey4life]

Not sure which draft he was in but look at Mason Wood he is playing cracking footy for the saints but couldn’t reach his potential under Brad Scott mainly because BS tried to make players into his game plan rather than plan his game around players natural positional styles and strengths. Aaron Black anyone? BS is the biggest single negative on our club for the past 12 odd years and his malign influence continued inside the AFL right up until he became * coach, a good outcome for North.

So it really shouldn’t come as a surprise that Clarkson is having to do essentially a full rebuild and there is a big gulf between that reality and our (legitimate) expectations as supporters.

Have to keep focused on the positives, by 2025 we will be a top 4 team (not too delusional)

Keep the faith. Things turn. Very level headed post.

I might even come to your pub this weekend for nth vs. port to support this post.

 

[Farthers]

 

[Carey4life]

A lot of negativity but I thought it was the best we've looked since the Carlton game in round 4.

Our defensive structure was great, the effort was there and it just felt like players were playing their roles well, but unfortunately the polish/quality wasn't there.

I felt positive overall considering we were in the game despite the following:

• LDU still looks like he's at about 60%
• Cunners was poor
• Simpkin had his worst game for a while
• Paul Curtis was poor
• Zurhaar tried to do a bit too much at times and probably cost us a couple of goals

I really liked Mahony, Bergman, Drury and Perez. None of them tore it up but they were solid with and without the ball and played their roles. We looked significantly better with them in the side than having Hall, Turner and Howe.

Looking forward to hopefully seeing Wardlaw, Ford, Goater, Phillips, Free and Harvey play a good bunch of games at VFL level and then string some together at AFL level in the second half of the year.

Dare I suggest TT might find himself in the 1's at some point before year's end if he stays the course?

Soup, what do you make of PCs development so far this year? He continues to show his natural talent, although it feels like he's struggling to stay in the game and demonstrate the same intensity he showed glimpses of in his first year.

Any thoughts? As he will become a crazy difficult match up if he can get more involved.

 

[Disco Dew]

Yeah I know and I honestly feel by rd 12 next year we will be unrecognisable.

Bold prediction: we will be unrecognizable by round 12* this year.
The youth policy is 100% coming into full effect over the next few rounds. It’s no coincidence we’ve played a lot better when we have had more noobs in the side. Round 1, 2 and this round.


*or whenever big X is due to return.

 

[Souup]

Soup, what do you make of PCs development so far this year? He continues to show his natural talent, although it feels like he's struggling to stay in the game and demonstrate the same intensity he showed glimpses of in his first year.

Any thoughts? As he will become a crazy difficult match up if he can get more involved.

Second year blues is considered a thing for a reason. I don't have any inside information on why he might be struggling but if I can speculate:

• He's still building his tank (averaging 73% TOG and only 68% on the weekend). It wasn't great at U18's level so building that will be key for him over this next pre-season.
• He's trying to do too much. It feels like every second or third possession he's trying to break a tackle to gain more time.
• He may potentially be carrying an injury. He plays quite a physical game, so I wouldn't be surprised if he's a bit battered as a 20 year old.
• He's moving a lot further up the field than he ever did at U18's level. One of my negatives of his game in juniors was that he was purely an inside 50m threat (and a bloody good one at that). It seems we're trying to help broaden his game by sending him further up the field where he isn't so natural.

All of the above is probably true to an extent, and he's playing for a team that isn't making it easy for him, but he'll be learning a ton.

 

[danj]

Keep the faith. Things turn. Very level headed post.

I might even come to your pub this weekend for nth vs. port to support this post.

Ha ha nice one. I’m actually thinking of asking peeps not to bring PA supporters, we’ve had oppo supporters there before but I reckon given the tension with JHF and the possibility of a serious belting it might be best to suggest in-house North only crowd

 

[TennisPlayerAndy]

Our own worst enemy.

 

[Hearts to hearts]

Our own worst enemy.

I asked Rick there if it’s usual for St Kilda opponents this season - will be interested to know.

 

[tazaa]

No ripping into Turner and Howe and Hall.

It was Zurhaar, LDU, Jy and Cunners who let us down.

Literally the 4 players who could have driven the performance and lifted the team to a better showing.

LDU needs help in the middle and he’s not getting it. Definitely not from Jy who’s not a 100%.
Zurhaar just killed us with his turnovers and it really was poor.
Cunnington just isn’t contributing and needs a break.

As for the kids. Lazzaro just seems a VFL level footballer. Come on fresh and didn’t get a kick. Not even a tackle.
Paul Curtis is going down the path of Keiran Harper and Ben Speight of kids to hit the scene and then come to a grinding halt. Wtf happened to him?
Curtis Taylor

5

Curtis Taylor

Age

24

Ht

188cm

Wt

82kg

Pos.

M/F

Career

Season

Last 5

D

6.0

1star

K

3.0

1star

HB

3.0

3star

M

1.5

2star

T

2.0

4star

CL

0.0

1star

No current season stats available

D

6.0

2star

K

3.0

1star

HB

3.0

3star

M

1.5

2star

T

2.0

4star

CL

0.0

1star

did a run with role on Sinclair who got it 23 times and kicked the sealer. Not sure what happened there. Taylor had the most distance covered on the ground so again I ask what’s his point of difference?
Scott has gone backwards and Perez was serviceable but not safe for next week.
Corr was really good and bounced back and I didn’t notice McDonald so means he didn’t stuff up much.

Defence as a whole was actually great and Ziebell would be leading the BnF at this rate.

An almost game and hopefully we can tidy up and get a win next week.

 

[La Flama Blanca]

Not sure which draft he was in but look at Mason Wood he is playing cracking footy for the saints but couldn’t reach his potential under Brad Scott mainly because BS tried to make players into his game plan rather than plan his game around players natural positional styles and strengths. Aaron Black anyone? BS is the biggest single negative on our club for the past 12 odd years and his malign influence continued inside the AFL right up until he became * coach, a good outcome for North.

So it really shouldn’t come as a surprise that Clarkson is having to do essentially a full rebuild and there is a big gulf between that reality and our (legitimate) expectations as supporters.

Have to keep focused on the positives, by 2025 we will be a top 4 team (not too delusional)

Good post.

People need to understand that despite the fact that we've supposedly been rebuilding for the best part of a decade, we are only really just beginning now. That sounds grim and it is, but at least we've got one of the greatest coaches of all time in charge and have managed to accumulate a little bit of talent in recent drafts so we have a reasonable platform to launch from.

Those old enough to remember 2007 will remember that year on and off the field with pride. Some might even hold it in higher regard than premiership years. That was North Melbourne. James Brayshaw played a vital role in saving the club, but the change from the uncompromising Dani Laidley to his private school golfing buddy in Brad Scott was a disaster. Not because Brad Scott isn't a good coach, I think he is. The problem was that he wasn't a good fit for the club. Publicly stating his desire to distance us from the Shinboner Spirit was a huge red flag and our culture went downhill fast from there. The Shinboner Spirit is our competitive advantage. It's so unique that the spellcheck is angry at me as I'm typing this. Removing it from our club is like Collingwood donating all of their money to charity, Geelong relocating to Melbourne or West Coast banning their whole crowd from attending. We filled our club up with people who didn't align with the soul of the club and we paid a big price.

Thankfully I believe the appointment of Sonja Hood was the turning point. She has the Shinboner Spirit and possesses the people skills required to understand who constitutes a good fit for the club. We now have the right personnel in key roles and it is only a matter of time before things improve. I know we're all sick of being told to be patient, but now we at least have something worth having faith in.

 

[tales129]

Appreciate the bloke on L2 in the last who called out "how the f... did he handball that umpire".

In real time, it seemed like a lot of throws were called as legal disposals.

Dunno if it was just announced to attendees but they only umpired with 3 blokes yesterday as the fourth umpire was a late out

 

[Jasemon]

Ha ha nice one. I’m actually thinking of asking peeps not to bring PA supporters, we’ve had oppo supporters there before but I reckon given the tension with JHF and the possibility of a serious belting it might be best to suggest in-house North only crowd

Probably missed this earlier in the stream danj but where is your pub?

 

[tazaa]

Also Bergman. He gets it.

Should never have been dropped but there’s a player there and a good one at that.

 

[amaz199]

Second year blues is considered a thing for a reason. I don't have any inside information on why he might be struggling but if I can speculate:

• He's still building his tank (averaging 73% TOG and only 68% on the weekend). It wasn't great at U18's level so building that will be key for him over this next pre-season.
• He's trying to do too much. It feels like every second or third possession he's trying to break a tackle to gain more time.
• He may potentially be carrying an injury. He plays quite a physical game, so I wouldn't be surprised if he's a bit battered as a 20 year old.
• He's moving a lot further up the field than he ever did at U18's level. One of my negatives of his game in juniors was that he was purely an inside 50m threat (and a bloody good one at that). It seems we're trying to help broaden his game by sending him further up the field where he isn't so natural.

All of the above is probably true to an extent, and he's playing for a team that isn't making it easy for him, but he'll be learning a ton.

All great points Souup.

My main takeaway is he will be a very dangerous F50 stoppage player and get more involved in clearance chains.

I also think he needs to get his goal kicking sorted. Looked like he was hooking them earlier this year.

 

[Ligma]

THE ONE GAME I CANT GO TO BLOODY PRIME TRAIN IS IN THE PREM CLUB GRRR