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Wreck It Ralph: 18 reasons why North Melbourne will play finals under Alastair Clarkson’s tenure​

It’s official – footy’s most irrelevant side is finally getting its act together, writes JON RALPH. The cut-price Ben McKay replacement, Charlie Comben, headlines a list of definitive signs that prove it.

Jon RalphSports Reporter



@RalphyHeraldSun

10 min read
July 1, 2024 - 2:09PM
News Sport Network




North Melbourne chief executive Jen Watt said it best on Saturday about the hardy breed of Roos diehards who have lived through so much these past years.

“North Melbourne supporters are incredibly loyal and have a sense of duty,” she said of a small fanbase which still rocks up and buys memberships year after year.

They have endured a nightmarish near-decade long period where their only finals campaign since 2016 was a 10-goal elimination final defeat, and their win-loss record has included tallies of 6-16, 3-14, 4-17-1, 2-20 and 3-20.

They have watched Jason-Horne Francis flee the joint, wondered if they botched the Will Phillips-Logan McDonald draft in 2020 and wondered if the wheel would ever turn.

Yet, footy’s most irrelevant side is finally getting its act together. The win-loss tally stands at 1-14 this season, but as a former Roos coach would say, you would have to be blind Freddy not to see the improvement.
Denis Pagan always said a coach was made by the cattle out on the field. So here are the 18 signs that North Melbourne will again play finals under Alastair Clarkson’s tenure.

Will that happen by the end of his first Roos coaching contract, which runs to the end of 2028? Let’s hope so, because the Roos are doing so much right in a stretch that has seen them beat West Coast, lose to the Pies by a point and Melbourne by three points, and push the Bulldogs to a 17-point margin.

Charlie Comben has been a revelation in defence. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos

Charlie Comben has been a revelation in defence. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos

1. The cut-price replacement​

Charlie Comben might not be the 22-and-under key back you would take if you were building a back line, but he’s at least in the conversation.

It would be hard to go past Gold Coast’s Mac Andrew, but remember the Roos’ key back has only been a defender for a dozen weeks and has only 21 total games under his belt.

This year, he’s taken on some big opponents and he hasn’t won all of them – Jeremy Cameron towelled him up with four goals in 26 minutes. But he has kept Taylor Walker to one goal, Joe Daniher to two and conceded only one goal to Sam Darcy and Jamarra Ugle-Hagan on the weekend. He’s racking up an exceptional 3.7 intercept marks a game, has 15 spoils in the past fortnight alone and, along with Aidan Corr and the returning Griffin Logue, gives the club a trio to build on. The club drafted 201cm key back Will Dawson last year and, while he injured his shoulder playing forward, he gives them cover at either end.

Since Round 4, Comben has taken the third-most intercept marks in the competition and also has the third-most intercept possessions.

The Roos were happy for Ben McKay to leave given they turned that compensation pick into Zane Duursma. Comben might be on half of Ben McKay’s $800,000 salary this year (McKay’s front-ended deal means he’s actually getting $1.4 million this year).

The question has to be asked. Is he a better player than McKay at half the cost?

The answer has to be yes. Comben was recently re-signed to 2027, so he will have got a contract bump in future years, but, regardless, the Roos are getting the best of both worlds.

4+ intercept mark matches in 2024​

Harris Andrews9
Charlie Comben7
Liam Jones7

Is Charlie Comben a better player than Ben McKay?​

Yes
No chance
Maybe for the price

2. The weapon​

Harry Sheezel doesn’t need to be Harley Reid or Nick Daicos. He just needs to be North Melbourne’s version of that kind of weapon. He uses the ball beautifully, he racks it up, he senses the moment (his late goal against Melbourne a perfect example). And he’s only 19. He also has seven goals in his past five games. He can be the Roos version of the striker, the mid-forward who creates maximum impact. He shifted from the backline in round 8 and now he’s winning 50 per cent of his ball in the front half. It’s a great mix.

Eddie Ford leaps high against the Bulldogs. Picture: Daniel Pockett/Getty Images

Eddie Ford leaps high against the Bulldogs. Picture: Daniel Pockett/Getty Images

3. Eddie energy​

Eddie Ford is more than just a role-playing forward. He is averaging a goal a game, he has 12 tackles in the past four weeks. Champion Data actually rates the 22-year-old officially poor for pressure, but to the eye, he’s always involved. Ford has over 15 disposals in each of his last three weeks and, early in the year, the club sent him to James Sicily and Tom Stewart, so the club backs him to play that defensive forward role when needed.

4. Jackson Archer’s determination to never be beaten​

Like his old man Glenn, Jackson has already learned the hard way that it actually happens quite a lot playing on the elite small forwards of the competition. Norm Smith Medallist Bobby Hill got a hold of him with most of his five goals and Cody Weightman kicked three goals on him on Saturday.

But he kept Bayley Fritsch and Liam Ryan goalless – no mean feat.

So, he’s had enough wins along the way for the Roos to believe he can be the new Luke McDonald, playing on the troublesome elite small forwards.

As a side note, when will Luke Beveridge take his opponent Cody Weightman aside to tell him the theatrics and the milking free kicks are a stain on his reputation?

He might kick goals from them, but it will backfire in the end for one of footy’s most talented small forwards who doesn’t need the fakery to thrive.


5. Tristan Xerri

We wrote about him last week. No ruckman in the competition is more physical. He’s only 25 years old. The best part of his makeup after knocking over Max Gawn and Tim English is that his bad games are still reasonable because of his physical pressure.

Against the Dogs he had 20 touches, 140 ranking points and a goal but also six tackles.

His last five games go like this: six tackles, 10 tackles, six tackles, 10 tackles, six tackles.

Josh Smillie is a No. 1 pick contender in this year’s draft. Picture: Paul Kane/AFL Photos

Josh Smillie is a No. 1 pick contender in this year’s draft. Picture: Paul Kane/AFL Photos

6. Josh Smillie​

He could be the No.1 pick in the national draft this year and, on current ladder order, he could go to the Roos. He’s probably still an inside mid but he is trying to develop a range of skills. At 194cm, he hasn’t shown he can play as a key forward but he is adding goalkicking to his repertoire. In his last Eastern Ranges game, he had 34 touches, five clearances, two goals and two tackles. The Roos already have plenty of mouths to feed in their midfield, which is why Jy Simpkin often starts forward. But you can never have too much elite talent in a draft that gets better by the week.


7. Finn O’Sullivan and Jagga Smith​

Unlike last year, this isn’t a season in which it would be catastrophic for the Roos to lose the No.1 overall pick. They also aren’t asking for a priority pick, so winning games in the back-end of the year isn’t too costly.

Given the Roos have home games against Richmond and West Coast, they could easily notch a handful of back-end wins. Victorian star mid O’Sullivan has been injured for much of the year, while Smith is averaging 30 possessions and 6.3 clearances in his three U18 championships games for Vic Metro.

Here is the question. If they do retain the No.1 overall pick, would they throw it open for all suitors? Here is pick one, what have you got for us? Would the Roos consider trading the pick for Max King, turning him into a centre half-forward and second ruck to play alongside Nick Larkey? King might not want to go to Arden St, but he’s doing his career no good right now at Moorabbin. Would they offer Richmond pick 1 for Noah Balta as a 24-year-old elite swingman to allow the Tigers the first two picks in the draft? Richmond might need him more than another mid, but, at least, throw that No.1 pick open for suitors in a midfield-stacked draft.

8. Cam Zurhaar​

He’s finally hit his stride. He might say it’s because he’s finally getting some good delivery. But in his past three weeks, he has kicked three, four and two goals with 23 total score assists and four direct score assists. The small and medium forwards like Tyson Stengle and Will Hayward keep getting taken off the trade board. It will probably take a $900,000-a-year deal to get first round compensation for him if he does leave.

What if he can keep recording his three and four-goal tallies? Is there any chance a club would offer him that? It might get the Roos another top three pick. Just saying …

9. Luke Davies-Uniacke

David King says he is talented enough to be the best player in the competition. He didn’t have to come out last week and tell the Herald Sun he wanted to be a one-club player. That deal might still take until next year to broker. But what it did for the fanbase and his teammates in terms of morale and solidarity is extraordinary.

Tellingly he did it because he saw Nick Larkey, Jy Simpkin and Sheezel do something similar as they signed long-term deals.

After a white-hot six-week purple patch he was well held by the Dogs but he still got involved defensively with six tackles.



10. The message​

LDU spoke on Thursday about Clarkson simplifying his messaging to winning the contest and then dictating terms from then on in. In the past five weeks, the Roos have won the contested ball count every time and won clearances in three of those matches. They have invested their draft capital in that area of the ground and it’s paying off. In the past six weeks, they are the fifth-hardest team to score against going inside 50, which suggests pressure around the ball and good one-on-one defending. In the past six weeks, they rank 10th for points against – so they are getting harder to play against.

They still rank 16th in points for and 18th in points against across the entire season. But they have prioritised an area of the ground and it is paying dividends.

11. George Wardlaw​

God love him. He bounces around like a human pinball, the club has got his troublesome hamstrings in check, he’s only 20 years of age. A joy to watch.

George Wardlaw in action against the Demons. Picture: Dylan Burns/AFL Photos

George Wardlaw in action against the Demons. Picture: Dylan Burns/AFL Photos

12. Colby McKercher​

The first-year Roo wants to stay at the club. It might take some time to get that first contract extension done. A one-year extension would make heaps of sense for him so he comes out when Tasmania comes into the competition. But those who know suggest he likes the big smoke. He isn’t in any rush to return to Tasmania. The Roos didn’t rush him back from foot soreness this weekend as he again dominated in the VFL with two goals and 26 possessions. His last three AFL games before his foot issues were 32, 30 and 30 possessions at 73 per cent efficiency, 89 per cent efficiency and 66 per cent efficiency.

13. The other draftee​

Had a look at Riley Hardeman’s 15 touches in the VFL again on the weekend. He’s the club’s No.23 pick in last year’s national draft. His left foot is a weapon to behold. He went at 92 per cent efficiency in the VFL and, while he needs to build his game after three senior contests averaging 10 possessions, in time that left foot will be extremely damaging for the senior side.

14. The Corr value​

Aidan Corr is having a more consistent season. He’s no world beater but when he has a strong-bodied defender like Charlie Comben to play alongside and he isn’t getting wind burn from the ball entering the 50m arc at warp speed he is finding a way to impact games.

He is averaging only one intercept mark but 5.5 spoils and 4.8 intercept possessions.

He has kept Aaron Naughton to two goals, Jake Waterman to two goals, Max King to one and Kyle Langford to one.

[PLAYERCARD]Zac Fisher[/PLAYERCARD] has been a big recruiting win. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos

Zac Fisher has been a big recruiting win. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos

15. Zac Fisher

The AFL did the Roos a disservice by handing them a pair of end-of-first-round picks in the 2024 draft they had to trade and were at risk of losing if they improved this year. It immediately devalued those selections, but the Roos swapped them around to improve their 2023 draft hand and also secured Fisher. He has his shaky moments in defence.

But he is only 26 and he’s averaging 405 metres gained and kicking at 78.9 per cent efficiency. There are plenty of long kicks in there, which boost efficiency, and he takes some kick-outs. But he has overlap speed to get through the middle of the ground, as shown by his handball receive and long kick to set up Cam Zurhaar’s early goal against the Dogs.


16. Paul Curtis​

The stats gurus love stats like forward 50 ground ball gets.

Curtis is a master of them. Like when he crumbed the pack against the Dogs early and kicked a superb left-foot snap around the corner. He had five of those F50 ground ball gets against the Dogs, has 21 goals for the year, is a nice partner in crime with Eddie Ford.

His hard-won contest at the 50m arc against the Dogs saw him slip a lovely handball to Ford for a left-foot snap that was only denied by a wicked bounce left in the goalsquare.

Neither of them will ever be Brent Harvey but in Ford and Curtis the Roos have a pair of crumbers who have room to improve. Curtis is only 21 and has already played 57 games and Ford is only 22.

Zane Duursma is set for great heights. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos

Zane Duursma is set for great heights. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos

17. Zane Duursma’s future​

Zane Duursma’s best is very good. He showed that early in the year and in the pre-season when the No.4 pick flew from everywhere for marks around the ground.

If Zurhaar left, the Roos would still need cover to help Larkey, but you could imagine days when Duursma dominated, Sheezel ran amok playing half forward and Ford and Curtis went to work with their pressure. Now that would be a sight for sore eyes, as Duursma currently works on his craft in the VFL.

18. Will Phillips​

You can forgive Roos fans for cheering Logan McDonald’s long-range miss against Fremantle given they have been reminded so often McDonald is a Sydney saviour while their bloke taken ahead of him is a draft dud.

Who knows where that decision ends up, but Phillips at least has given himself a chance to stay on the list. As a tagger he needs to turn into James Rowbottom – capable of cooling an opponent but still winning plenty of the ball. In his last three games he has won only 13, 12 and 13 possessions, even if he was subbed off at three quarter time against the Pies. But his career at Arden Street has a pulse, which isn’t something you could say six weeks ago.
 
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giantroo said:



Wreck It Ralph: 18 reasons why North Melbourne will play finals under Alastair Clarkson’s tenure​

It’s official – footy’s most irrelevant side is finally getting its act together, writes JON RALPH. The cut-price Ben McKay replacement, Charlie Comben, headlines a list of definitive signs that prove it.

Jon RalphSports Reporter


@RalphyHeraldSun

10 min read
July 1, 2024 - 2:09PM
News Sport Network




North Melbourne chief executive Jen Watt said it best on Saturday about the hardy breed of Roos diehards who have lived through so much these past years.

“North Melbourne supporters are incredibly loyal and have a sense of duty,” she said of a small fanbase which still rocks up and buys memberships year after year.

They have endured a nightmarish near-decade long period where their only finals campaign since 2016 was a 10-goal elimination final defeat, and their win-loss record has included tallies of 6-16, 3-14, 4-17-1, 2-20 and 3-20.

They have watched Jason-Horne Francis flee the joint, wondered if they botched the Will Phillips-Logan McDonald draft in 2020 and wondered if the wheel would ever turn.

Yet, footy’s most irrelevant side is finally getting its act together. The win-loss tally stands at 1-14 this season, but as a former Roos coach would say, you would have to be blind Freddy not to see the improvement.
Denis Pagan always said a coach was made by the cattle out on the field. So here are the 18 signs that North Melbourne will again play finals under Alastair Clarkson’s tenure.

Will that happen by the end of his first Roos coaching contract, which runs to the end of 2028? Let’s hope so, because the Roos are doing so much right in a stretch that has seen them beat West Coast, lose to the Pies by a point and Melbourne by three points, and push the Bulldogs to a 17-point margin.

Charlie Comben has been a revelation in defence. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos

Charlie Comben has been a revelation in defence. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos

1. The cut-price replacement​

Charlie Comben might not be the 22-and-under key back you would take if you were building a back line, but he’s at least in the conversation.

It would be hard to go past Gold Coast’s Mac Andrew, but remember the Roos’ key back has only been a defender for a dozen weeks and has only 21 total games under his belt.

This year, he’s taken on some big opponents and he hasn’t won all of them – Jeremy Cameron towelled him up with four goals in 26 minutes. But he has kept Taylor Walker to one goal, Joe Daniher to two and conceded only one goal to Sam Darcy and Jamarra Ugle-Hagan on the weekend. He’s racking up an exceptional 3.7 intercept marks a game, has 15 spoils in the past fortnight alone and, along with Aidan Corr and the returning Griffin Logue, gives the club a trio to build on. The club drafted 201cm key back Will Dawson last year and, while he injured his shoulder playing forward, he gives them cover at either end.

Since Round 4, Comben has taken the third-most intercept marks in the competition and also has the third-most intercept possessions.

The Roos were happy for Ben McKay to leave given they turned that compensation pick into Zane Duursma. Comben might be on half of Ben McKay’s $800,000 salary this year (McKay’s front-ended deal means he’s actually getting $1.4 million this year).

The question has to be asked. Is he a better player than McKay at half the cost?

The answer has to be yes. Comben was recently re-signed to 2027, so he will have got a contract bump in future years, but, regardless, the Roos are getting the best of both worlds.

4+ intercept mark matches in 2024​

Harris Andrews9
Charlie Comben7
Liam Jones7

Is Charlie Comben a better player than Ben McKay?​

Yes
No chance
Maybe for the price

2. The weapon​

Harry Sheezel doesn’t need to be Harley Reid or Nick Daicos. He just needs to be North Melbourne’s version of that kind of weapon. He uses the ball beautifully, he racks it up, he senses the moment (his late goal against Melbourne a perfect example). And he’s only 19. He also has seven goals in his past five games. He can be the Roos version of the striker, the mid-forward who creates maximum impact. He shifted from the backline in round 8 and now he’s winning 50 per cent of his ball in the front half. It’s a great mix.

Eddie Ford leaps high against the Bulldogs. Picture: Daniel Pockett/Getty Images

Eddie Ford leaps high against the Bulldogs. Picture: Daniel Pockett/Getty Images

3. Eddie energy​

Eddie Ford is more than just a role-playing forward. He is averaging a goal a game, he has 12 tackles in the past four weeks. Champion Data actually rates the 22-year-old officially poor for pressure, but to the eye, he’s always involved. Ford has over 15 disposals in each of his last three weeks and, early in the year, the club sent him to James Sicily and Tom Stewart, so the club backs him to play that defensive forward role when needed.

4. Jackson Archer’s determination to never be beaten​

Like his old man Glenn, Jackson has already learned the hard way that it actually happens quite a lot playing on the elite small forwards of the competition. Norm Smith Medallist Bobby Hill got a hold of him with most of his five goals and Cody Weightman kicked three goals on him on Saturday.

But he kept Bayley Fritsch and Liam Ryan goalless – no mean feat.

So, he’s had enough wins along the way for the Roos to believe he can be the new Luke McDonald, playing on the troublesome elite small forwards.

As a side note, when will Luke Beveridge take his opponent Cody Weightman aside to tell him the theatrics and the milking free kicks are a stain on his reputation?

He might kick goals from them, but it will backfire in the end for one of footy’s most talented small forwards who doesn’t need the fakery to thrive.


5. Tristan Xerri​

We wrote about him last week. No ruckman in the competition is more physical. He’s only 25 years old. The best part of his makeup after knocking over Max Gawn and Tim English is that his bad games are still reasonable because of his physical pressure.

Against the Dogs he had 20 touches, 140 ranking points and a goal but also six tackles.

His last five games go like this: six tackles, 10 tackles, six tackles, 10 tackles, six tackles.

Josh Smillie is a No. 1 pick contender in this year’s draft. Picture: Paul Kane/AFL Photos

Josh Smillie is a No. 1 pick contender in this year’s draft. Picture: Paul Kane/AFL Photos

6. Josh Smillie​

He could be the No.1 pick in the national draft this year and, on current ladder order, he could go to the Roos. He’s probably still an inside mid but he is trying to develop a range of skills. At 194cm, he hasn’t shown he can play as a key forward but he is adding goalkicking to his repertoire. In his last Eastern Ranges game, he had 34 touches, five clearances, two goals and two tackles. The Roos already have plenty of mouths to feed in their midfield, which is why Jy Simpkin often starts forward. But you can never have too much elite talent in a draft that gets better by the week.


7. Finn O’Sullivan and Jagga Smith​

Unlike last year, this isn’t a season in which it would be catastrophic for the Roos to lose the No.1 overall pick. They also aren’t asking for a priority pick, so winning games in the back-end of the year isn’t too costly.

Given the Roos have home games against Richmond and West Coast, they could easily notch a handful of back-end wins. Victorian star mid O’Sullivan has been injured for much of the year, while Smith is averaging 30 possessions and 6.3 clearances in his three U18 championships games for Vic Metro.

Here is the question. If they do retain the No.1 overall pick, would they throw it open for all suitors? Here is pick one, what have you got for us? Would the Roos consider trading the pick for Max King, turning him into a centre half-forward and second ruck to play alongside Nick Larkey? King might not want to go to Arden St, but he’s doing his career no good right now at Moorabbin. Would they offer Richmond pick 1 for Noah Balta as a 24-year-old elite swingman to allow the Tigers the first two picks in the draft? Richmond might need him more than another mid, but, at least, throw that No.1 pick open for suitors in a midfield-stacked draft.

8. Cam Zurhaar​

He’s finally hit his stride. He might say it’s because he’s finally getting some good delivery. But in his past three weeks, he has kicked three, four and two goals with 23 total score assists and four direct score assists. The small and medium forwards like Tyson Stengle and Will Hayward keep getting taken off the trade board. It will probably take a $900,000-a-year deal to get first round compensation for him if he does leave.

What if he can keep recording his three and four-goal tallies? Is there any chance a club would offer him that? It might get the Roos another top three pick. Just saying …

9. Luke Davies-Uniacke​

David King says he is talented enough to be the best player in the competition. He didn’t have to come out last week and tell the Herald Sun he wanted to be a one-club player. That deal might still take until next year to broker. But what it did for the fanbase and his teammates in terms of morale and solidarity is extraordinary.

Tellingly he did it because he saw Nick Larkey, Jy Simpkin and Sheezel do something similar as they signed long-term deals.

After a white-hot six-week purple patch he was well held by the Dogs but he still got involved defensively with six tackles.



10. The message​

LDU spoke on Thursday about Clarkson simplifying his messaging to winning the contest and then dictating terms from then on in. In the past five weeks, the Roos have won the contested ball count every time and won clearances in three of those matches. They have invested their draft capital in that area of the ground and it’s paying off. In the past six weeks, they are the fifth-hardest team to score against going inside 50, which suggests pressure around the ball and good one-on-one defending. In the past six weeks, they rank 10th for points against – so they are getting harder to play against.

They still rank 16th in points for and 18th in points against across the entire season. But they have prioritised an area of the ground and it is paying dividends.

11. George Wardlaw​

God love him. He bounces around like a human pinball, the club has got his troublesome hamstrings in check, he’s only 20 years of age. A joy to watch.

George Wardlaw in action against the Demons. Picture: Dylan Burns/AFL Photos

George Wardlaw in action against the Demons. Picture: Dylan Burns/AFL Photos

12. Colby McKercher​

The first-year Roo wants to stay at the club. It might take some time to get that first contract extension done. A one-year extension would make heaps of sense for him so he comes out when Tasmania comes into the competition. But those who know suggest he likes the big smoke. He isn’t in any rush to return to Tasmania. The Roos didn’t rush him back from foot soreness this weekend as he again dominated in the VFL with two goals and 26 possessions. His last three AFL games before his foot issues were 32, 30 and 30 possessions at 73 per cent efficiency, 89 per cent efficiency and 66 per cent efficiency.

13. The other draftee​

Had a look at Riley Hardeman’s 15 touches in the VFL again on the weekend. He’s the club’s No.23 pick in last year’s national draft. His left foot is a weapon to behold. He went at 92 per cent efficiency in the VFL and, while he needs to build his game after three senior contests averaging 10 possessions, in time that left foot will be extremely damaging for the senior side.

14. The Corr value​

Aidan Corr is having a more consistent season. He’s no world beater but when he has a strong-bodied defender like Charlie Comben to play alongside and he isn’t getting wind burn from the ball entering the 50m arc at warp speed he is finding a way to impact games.

He is averaging only one intercept mark but 5.5 spoils and 4.8 intercept possessions.

He has kept Aaron Naughton to two goals, Jake Waterman to two goals, Max King to one and Kyle Langford to one.

Zac Fisher has been a big recruiting win. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos

Zac Fisher has been a big recruiting win. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos

15. Zac Fisher​

The AFL did the Roos a disservice by handing them a pair of end-of-first-round picks in the 2024 draft they had to trade and were at risk of losing if they improved this year. It immediately devalued those selections, but the Roos swapped them around to improve their 2023 draft hand and also secured Fisher. He has his shaky moments in defence.

But he is only 26 and he’s averaging 405 metres gained and kicking at 78.9 per cent efficiency. There are plenty of long kicks in there, which boost efficiency, and he takes some kick-outs. But he has overlap speed to get through the middle of the ground, as shown by his handball receive and long kick to set up Cam Zurhaar’s early goal against the Dogs.


16. Paul Curtis​

The stats gurus love stats like forward 50 ground ball gets.

Curtis is a master of them. Like when he crumbed the pack against the Dogs early and kicked a superb left-foot snap around the corner. He had five of those F50 ground ball gets against the Dogs, has 21 goals for the year, is a nice partner in crime with Eddie Ford.

His hard-won contest at the 50m arc against the Dogs saw him slip a lovely handball to Ford for a left-foot snap that was only denied by a wicked bounce left in the goalsquare.

Neither of them will ever be Brent Harvey but in Ford and Curtis the Roos have a pair of crumbers who have room to improve. Curtis is only 21 and has already played 57 games and Ford is only 22.

Zane Duursma is set for great heights. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos

Zane Duursma is set for great heights. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos

17. Zane Duursma’s future​

Zane Duursma’s best is very good. He showed that early in the year and in the pre-season when the No.4 pick flew from everywhere for marks around the ground.

If Zurhaar left, the Roos would still need cover to help Larkey, but you could imagine days when Duursma dominated, Sheezel ran amok playing half forward and Ford and Curtis went to work with their pressure. Now that would be a sight for sore eyes, as Duursma currently works on his craft in the VFL.

18. Will Phillips​

You can forgive Roos fans for cheering Logan McDonald’s long-range miss against Fremantle given they have been reminded so often McDonald is a Sydney saviour while their bloke taken ahead of him is a draft dud.

Who knows where that decision ends up, but Phillips at least has given himself a chance to stay on the list. As a tagger he needs to turn into James Rowbottom – capable of cooling an opponent but still winning plenty of the ball. In his last three games he has won only 13, 12 and 13 possessions, even if he was subbed off at three quarter time against the Pies. But his career at Arden Street has a pulse, which isn’t something you could say six weeks ago.
Click to expand...

Look, it's nice, but we've only won one game. I'm reasonably confident about the future but this might be a touch too soon.
 
Well done to Charlie 👏👏👏
ld take him every day and then some… humble, grounded and leaves it all out on the feild. 💙🤍🍺👏
Classy and screams leadership…those RCH visits 🥲
Miles better person and player than what’s his name being paid 1.4 mill this year..🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Ah Braddles you do sure know how to pick and pay for “premium”players.
We win this trade …Absolutely 👏👏🍺
 
big_e said:
Look, it's nice, but we've only won one game. I'm reasonably confident about the future but this might be a touch too soon.
Click to expand...
We're currently on track to surpass the previous Greatest Ever Wooden Spoon Team which was: North Melbourne 2021.

We also won the non-finalists best team 2018 so it's been a good few years.
 
berniemccarthy said:
So 2 out of the last 40 haven't been as good as the others and delivery to him last week was abysmal and you want to bake him ? Thats shite - you should delete it.
Click to expand...
Not baking him, maybe he can go on the footy show after he kicks his next bag of goals in a win.
 

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Larkey has been incredibly good as a lone target in a team that is so poor going forward. But it's not exactly incorrect or a hanging offence to say his last 11 quarters haven't been very good.

At the same time, he was probably booked to go on the Footy Show the moment his Barrett impersonation became a thing about a month ago. Unfortunately by chance it coincided with a couple of quiet weeks.
 
I found this bit interesting…

The AFL did the Roos a disservice by handing them a pair of end-of-first-round picks in the 2024 draft they had to trade and were at risk of losing if they improved this year. It immediately devalued those selections,

That’s gotta be the first time anyone has admitted this. Now if they’d admit that the entirety of the compensation we have received has been terrible we can get that on official record.
 
Only real part of Ralphy's article I disagree with is the Sheezel portion.
Almost doing his best to minimise just how good he's been. "Oh he's no Reid or Daicos"

Otherwise a good read.
 
Marstermind said:
Larkey has been incredibly good as a lone target in a team that is so poor going forward. But it's not exactly incorrect or a hanging offence to say his last 11 quarters haven't been very good.

At the same time, he was probably booked to go on the Footy Show the moment his Barrett impersonation became a thing about a month ago. Unfortunately by chance it coincided with a couple of quiet weeks.
Click to expand...
QED


That booking coincides perfectly with the drop in form.









Tiberius - you might need to help the plebs out with the latin.
 
Sphynx said:
The pricks are just putting these articles to print so they can jump on the bandwagon in 12 months time.
Click to expand...
🤣 We’re never happy…
 
Isn’t it fair enough for the media to say we’re playing better - when we’re playing better? No ifs or buts.
 
Caracas said:
Isn’t it fair enough for the media to say we’re playing better - when we’re playing better? No ifs or buts.
Click to expand...
Fair enough isn’t sexy.

Whatever sells.
 
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