Autopsy Not even a yelp v hawks. Imagine if it was dry.

[William Caresser]

The end to this season is the result of a fragile, unprofessional culture and just a plain lack of ability.

They took half the season to get match fit, competed for about eight weeks and then went to absolute pieces.

The midfield - it's a serious, serious problem. We've used up so many picks on mids but aside from Sheezel and LDU they perform at barely C grade level. We need to cut out losses, trade and delist and unfortunately we actually have to use more draft picks on mids and hopefully bring some in from other clubs.

Then there's the unprofessional culture - thanks captains but all the footy trip bonding didn't work. Can we try the Xerri and Sheezel approach of acting like professional athletes over the offseason? Unfortunately the lazy, unprofessional culture is so ingrained it's hard to know how it gets changed.

 

[lockheed]

And no staggered starting dates for ‘senior’ players.

Isn't that set by the players' agreement?

 

[Only Forwards]

I wonder if Clarko gave them an old fashioned rimming after the game.

If by rimming you mean a bake he did that two weeks ago. 220 points later fair to say I don’t think it worked.

If not a bake then maybe? Who knows, I’d prefer not to.

 

[Themanbun]

Isn't that set by the players' agreement?

Give them the choice the voluntarily be proper professionals. Note those who don't and find them new homes the following year. It's make or break now.

 

[DrZaius]

I'm sorry but this is something akin to battered wife syndrome.

How many seasons do we need to watch essentially the same list get demolished regularly before we acknowledge that the list is the issue?

When have you ever heard of a 1st year kid come in and not only instantly look like the best player, but win the BnF in his rookie year and very likely go back-to-back in his 2nd year? That's both an indication of how special Sheezel is to be sure, but also a massive indictment on the state of our list.

People who deny our list is bad are putting their heads in the sand and ignoring the inconvenient truth, holding on to hope that some sort of magic beans will turn this around quickly.

It's not the same list. We have regularly turned over/replaced players and will likely do so this off season.
From the 112 point Geelong loss in 2022 that sealed Nobles fate only 9 players from that team played today.

To me the magic beans are just replacing some players and that somehow magically making us the 20 goal better side that we would've needed to be to beat Hawthorn today (yes being a better side would mean we wouldn't have needed to overcome such a significant margin but you get my point).

I do agree that the main issue is the players, just not for the same reasons as you.

 

[archereleven]

LDU (pick 4)
Wardlaw (pick 4)
Simpkin (pick 12)
Phillips (pick 3)
Powell (pick 13)

Absolutely trounced by:

Newcombe (MSD pick)
Worpel (pick 45)
Mackenzie (pick 7)
Nash (Cat B)
Moore (pick 67)
Maginnes (pick 27)

If you think draft picks are getting us out of this hole you're in for a shock.

I brought this up a week or two ago.
No other team has spent as much draft capital on the midfield, and most want to use pick 2 on another, lol

Add in Sheezel at pick 3 and Will Day pick 9(I think) to complete both teams, and it's even more diabolical.

On SM-G991B using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[Whippet1]

To read Scottywipers comments re the players giving up after the West Coke game, and to hear Clarko say similar, is maybe the biggest kick in the guts I have had as a NMFC member for many years. What the actual fugg are they saying? We sooked up coz we lost? Our boys were depressed coz of the way we lost and then dropped their bundle? I am gobsmacked. Is this under 13s? I just cannot believe it. Would rather it have remained unspoken.

It’s a really immature list unfortunately. Not just young, but immature. Apart from a couple of obvious exceptions, there is barely a hint of senior footballer mindset amongst them. Whatever passes for leadership development at North has to be turned on its head cos it’s not working.

 

[tazaa]

He is captain, and he stepped up beautifully for the last two of the first three years of sustained shitness, which is why he was voted in as captain. Concussion *ed him this year and last year, yet he was one of the only ones trying today, on what was in my opinion the darkest day of this entire era. Telling him to * off is, quite frankly, bullshit. Not even his fault. We didn't know that Webster would murder him and therefore couldn't pre-emptively strip him of the captaincy in the knowledge that his footy would suffer. I challenge anyone to look at the way he plays now and say that his neurons haven't been altered.

LMac, you have an argument.

Sonja piloted the club through the TT stuff and the ongoing Clarko saga while there was already scrutiny on the club about our onfield performance, and got her tone and messaging just right. Tackled both delicate issues well and gave TT enough chances, in conjunction with the other administrators, to turn himself around without making the club look desperate. The job of the President is not to kick the ball through the sticks, so she gets a resounding pass.

I'm angry too, but take a breath, bro. You're yelling at clouds

Again with the Jy defence.
Jy's performance today isnt the issue. Its his leadership since taking over as captain with the other donkey.

I have no issue with his game and praised the fact he did well as a forward. Who would have thought. But change is needed.

As for the leadership of the club, come off it. Sonja, Jen, Brady, they are all under the microscope. I didn't single just the one out.

The excuses of its Clarkos first full year, the Hawthorn saga, Thomas's exit - how many f***ing excuses does the club want?

I feel the same way today as I did back in 2020. That isn't right.

 

[Gasometer]

Get a powerbrick

Better still

A Power point

 

[Gasometer]

Again with the Jy defence.
Jy's performance today isnt the issue. Its his leadership since taking over as captain with the other donkey.

I have no issue with his game and praised the fact he did well as a forward. Who would have thought. But change is needed.

As for the leadership of the club, come off it. Sonja, Jen, Brady, they are all under the microscope. I didn't single just the one out.

The excuses of its Clarkos first full year, the Hawthorn saga, Thomas's exit - how many f***ing excuses does the club want?

I feel the same way today as I did back in 2020. That isn't right.

2020…..? You sure

 

[Uncle_Leo]

If by rimming you mean a bake he did that two weeks ago. 220 points later fair to say I don’t think it worked.

If not a bake then maybe? Who knows, I’d prefer not to.

Clearly these weak minded fools who run out in our colours are too weak to hear some home truths

Pathetic

 

[LETSGOKANGAS]

The hawks signings from last year? Chol, D'Ambrosio and Ginnivan? Hardly big names, almost the opposite in fact. Difference is they bought into the gameplan and clearly there is proper leadership at Hawthorn. There is nothing that makes it more clear that our standards are shit than having Luke McDonald as our captain

They got their players and have them peaking.

Teams flying.

 

[Lomas]

Isn't that set by the players' agreement?

They are not bound to agree to it. Ju rocked up earlier from memory. Bloody unions (shakes fist at clouds)

 

[Hearts to hearts]

The last two weeks have been truly disappointing, it's like the final 5 minutes against the Weagles was the final kick in the guts for the players and they have switched off, waiting for the season to end.

I hope the players believe in the form they showed in the preceding two months and can go into 2025 feeling confident that they are improving, and results will start to go their way next season.

Could also have something to do with playing the last two games without Sheezel, mostly without Comben, and with some critical in game injuries both weeks as well as poor depth with replacements. We aren’t anywhere near strong enough right now to play well when we are undermanned. And we were up against the two form sides of the second half of the season. Players may well have felt deflated after dropping the Eagles game but there are also reasons the last two games have gone so badly.

 

[Wels Eicke]

I assume LMac managed to get Shiels off the ground without dropping him. About the only useful thing he's done this year.

Not one for throwing the baby out with the bath water, but apart from Sheezel, Xerri, & Archer, (Larkey, Wardlaw & Comben too), the rest can be on the trade table, as I don't think they have the stomach for the fight.

I'm excited by our young players, but our lack of leadership is holding us back. Have to sort that out before anything will change. I'm not optimistic it will happen though.

 

[Roostorm]

Stick it on the locker…all summer….horrible which ever way you look at it.

 

[zoomba23]

Again with the Jy defence.
Jy's performance today isnt the issue. Its his leadership since taking over as captain with the other donkey.

I have no issue with his game and praised the fact he did well as a forward. Who would have thought. But change is needed.

As for the leadership of the club, come off it. Sonja, Jen, Brady, they are all under the microscope. I didn't single just the one out.

The excuses of its Clarkos first full year, the Hawthorn saga, Thomas's exit - how many f***ing excuses does the club want?

I feel the same way today as I did back in 2020. That isn't right.

His leadership has been patchy, but to be fair he's been good at kicking important goals and hasn't dropped his head during games, despite having cause to. He hasn't exactly consistently led through his football, that's very true; his clangers and turnovers are enough to give you palpitations. It's a low bar but he has always cracked in, unlike the rest of the midfield unit. Still, the sooner Sheezel's ready for the job, the better.

I know you didn't single the one out, but you specifically mentioned all of them, so I saw fit to dispute your claims about one of them. Leadership isn't a blanket term that can't be broken down. Different people bring different strengths, and I'd say Sonja has brought the right strengths for a club in our state.

Depends whether you see a certain factor as an excuse or a reason. TT's exit is an excuse. I'd argue the Hawthorn saga is a reason. I think it's still weighing him down and he hasn't been able to give us the full Clarko package deal.

I feel the same way, and don't think it's right, but yelling and screaming for all in Sunbury to be delisted and/or sacked and/or executed won't achieve anything. How many cleanouts, in some form another, have we had since 2020? More than any other club, I'd wager, and we're still stuck here.

It's broken. It's all broken. This playing group have had plenty of disharmony; an acceptance of woeful standards; an attachment to losing; Noble forcing some kid to crawl around on the ground barely clothed, Shaw's breakdown during the hub; Clarko's lack of continuity and relationship strains last season; the decision to whinge about getting a spray instead of vowing to get better (twice); fifteen billion coaches in six years. It's the club's job to fix it, not ours. If the club survives at all. I just hope Wardlaw, Sheezel, McKercher, whoever we draft, and by some miracle Duursma realise that the club is theirs, and can drag it back from this precipice. It's appalling to rely on young players so much, but that's where we are now. If the young players get on and drive standards, some of the senior players will follow. Sheezel, Arch and X need help. I pray someone can give it to them

 

[RossHenshaw]

Don’t tell me …
Without even hearing the presser from Clarko ….
He said “ we know we are at , the opposition are a good side”
Specifically named all the good players on the opposition side by their name, said we had the youngest lost , lick our wounds .. etc
Clarkson - GGf
You owe us $1M for your output this year

 

[RossHenshaw]

Don’t worry stay tuned to preseason on who’s flying , all the new draft picks news & what a good job the coaches are doing ,… emails from the club …
Enough before u blink to get your next membership payment taken out of your savings ….
Bring on 2025 …
Wash rinse repeat…

 

[QueenslandRoo]

Genuine question, has anyone shed a tear after today's loss or is it just a feeling of, oh well?

I watched the game with my 19-year-old son who, like me, loves the club.

We just kinda shrugged at the result and, with wry grins, agreed it was about what we were expecting.

The sad part is that I suspect it's also about what the players were expecting.

 

[ferball]

Again with the Jy defence.
Jy's performance today isnt the issue. Its his leadership since taking over as captain with the other donkey.

I have no issue with his game and praised the fact he did well as a forward. Who would have thought. But change is needed.

As for the leadership of the club, come off it. Sonja, Jen, Brady, they are all under the microscope. I didn't single just the one out.

The excuses of its Clarkos first full year, the Hawthorn saga, Thomas's exit - how many f***ing excuses does the club want?

I feel the same way today as I did back in 2020. That isn't right.

Why are you surprised by this tho?

In his time at the club who would he have learnt anything about resilience and back to the wall, stand up and fight like your life depended on it, "come on boys if we're going down we're taking most of these bastards with us" toughness off?

He was drafted after we sacked Boomer, Drew and Spud Firrito.

I posted this in another thread where Larkey talked about the most important thing Carko did was bringing a sense of stability to the club:

(something about the youngest guys) ... because they haven't spent every season since 2019 with a different coach or football system.

2019 - Bard -> Shaw.
2020 - Shaw at hub then gone.
2021 - Noble with Roos.
2022 - Noble without Roos -> Patch (Clarko coming).
2023 - Clarko -> Ratts -> Clarko.
2024 - Just Clarko.
ideally..
2025 - Just Clarko.

That will be the first time since 2017-18 that we the same coach without turmoil for two seasons. Ie since Bard sacked Boomer and co.

Basically since Larkey Jy joined the footy club.

What we're seeing now is the result of this shit for years.

You can say "that's just an excuse" till the cows come home but its not an excuse - its the ****en reality. These things don't magically fix themselves. They take years of stability.

There is no quick fix. (If anyone should know that its us.)

If you or anyone else isn't up for that then take a few years off footy cos the only way thru this is to be mentally tough enough to deal with it. If you're not capable of grinding thru shit ... again (!!!) ... then have a break for your own mental health.

It will turn (It is now, very slowly) but we won't be doing what Hawthorn did till we have the sort of leadership and experience they have (compare their players today who were 27 and older to ours.) I was hoping that would be next year but it'll probably be at least 2026 now.

 

[travelli]

Don’t tell me …
Without even hearing the presser from Clarko ….
He said “ we know we are at , the opposition are a good side”
Specifically named all the good players on the opposition side by their name, said we had the youngest lost , lick our wounds .. etc
Clarkson - GGf
You owe us $1M for your output this year

You said you were going to keep quiet for a week.

Nobody likes the "I told you so" guy

 

[Ball Dont Lie]

Just glad we cut that cancerous Tarryn Thomas

26

Tarryn Thomas

Age

24

Ht

190cm

Wt

83kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

11.0

3star

K

5.3

2star

HB

5.7

4star

M

2.1

2star

T

3.3

5star

CL

0.9

3star

D

7.8

2star

K

4.0

1star

HB

3.8

3star

M

1.3

1star

T

3.2

4star

CL

0.2

2star

D

12.8

4star

K

6.2

3star

HB

6.6

4star

M

2.8

3star

T

3.8

5star

CL

0.4

3star

out of the club when we did. You got to set the standards to let the culture thrive.

 

[ChopChopDigDig]

Stick it on the locker…all summer….horrible which ever way you look at it.

This is why Larks will never be captain. This and his playing for frees and bitching when they don’t come his way instead of working harder for his teammates.

 

[RossHenshaw]

You said you were going to keep quiet for a week.

Nobody likes the "I told you so" guy

Tell me I’m wrong