Delisted #20: Zac Clarke - Delisted - 24/10

[BrunoV]

Yep. Was horrible but Goldy will destroy Smack and that robs our forward line.

Reckon he plays again which makes me sad.

Why is it okay for Goldy to destroy Clarke? There is no suggestion that Clarke is capable of bodying a more dominant ruckman to negate the potential advantage at clearances.

Clarke was beaten by Alir in the ruck in the first quarter (in the conventional hit out and follow up scenario). Sitting off the hit outs was a tactical change when they clearly realised that there was more beneficial for Alir to just sit off the contests.

It's a completely bizarre selection of a player who at best contributes nothing positively and at worst gets belted severely as he was today.

Sometimes sides need to lose and lose badly to gain the perspective of the "cold hard light of day". That Sydney butchered so many good opportunities entering 50 and kicking at goal papered over so many cracks today it isn't funny. Clarke is probably the most gaping of those cracks.

 

[fairbump_playon]

Dominant?

He took a contested mark.

Come now. In the last ten minutes Clarke had a centre clearance, won two ruck frees, took a big contested mark, and Alir Alir suddenly got no traction at all after doing as he pleased for 110 minutes..

I didn’t mean dominant in the game, I mean dominant in the ruck and I’ll stand by that I reckon.

 

[Goat Hird]

unless we are setting pick n rolls (woops wrong sport) we don't need Z Clarke

addition by subtraction for me

 

[BrunoV]

Come now. In the last ten minutes Clarke had a centre clearance, won two ruck frees, took a big contested mark, and Alir Alir suddenly got no traction at all after doing as he pleased for 110 minutes..

I didn’t mean dominant in the game, I mean dominant in the ruck and I’ll stand by that I reckon.

You're crediting a player with winning ruck free kicks?

In fairness to Clarke, Jesus could be a ruckman and he wouldn't be able to con a free kick out of an umpire at a ruck contests.

It's chook lotto.

 

[JuniorWatch]

Is tall.
That is all.
Literally handed Allir 6 clearances today and did SFA the rest of the time.
Hartley comes in. Hooker forward. McKernan ruck.
Please dear lord i can't watch that again.

 

[Vindicater]

Why is it okay for Goldy to destroy Clarke? There is no suggestion that Clarke is capable of bodying a more dominant ruckman to negate the potential advantage at clearances.

Clarke was beaten by Alir in the ruck in the first quarter (in the conventional hit out and follow up scenario). Sitting off the hit outs was a tactical change when they clearly realised that there was more beneficial for Alir to just sit off the contests.

It's a completely bizarre selection of a player who at best contributes nothing positively and at worst gets belted severely as he was today.

Sometimes sides need to lose and lose badly to gain the perspective of the "cold hard light of day". That Sydney butchered so many good opportunities entering 50 and kicking at goal papered over so many cracks today it isn't funny. Clarke is probably the most gaping of those cracks.

It is more to do with if we move Smack into the ruck I don't see him doing any better than Clarke against Goldy and we then lose his forward presence.

I think Clarke is deplorable but we don't have lots of other choices.

Having said that I am also happy to run with Smack in tthe ruck and bring in another runner to cut North up with.

 

[BrunoV]

It is more to do with if we move Smack into the ruck I don't see him doing any better than Clarke against Goldy and we then lose his forward presence.

I think Clarke is deplorable but we don't have lots of other choices.

Having said that I am also happy to run with Smack in tthe ruck and bring in another runner to cut North up with.

We can bring in a functional player.

The ruck contests are cooked anyway and McKernan works around the ground.

Put Hooker forward and reward Hartley for very good form. Zerk-Thatcher would not be out of player playing in defence either. s**t, Ridley is playing VFL football too.

 

[Flash10]

Agree. Clarke gave us nothing around the ground.
He had one ******* handball to 3/4 time!
And many of his hit outs today went to his ruck opponent.
Can someone tell me hit out to advantage from Clarke today?

 

[DERO]

Agree. Clarke gave us nothing around the ground.
He had one ******* handball to 3/4 time!
And many of his hit outs today went to his ruck opponent.
Can someone tell me hit out to advantage from Clarke today?

Don't need to man. He is 200 cm and the only ruckman on our list. Deal with it.

 

[IHurley]

We can bring in a functional player.

The ruck contests are cooked anyway and McKernan works around the ground.

Put Hooker forward and reward Hartley for very good form. Zerk-Thatcher would not be out of player playing in defence either. s**t, Ridley is playing VFL football too.

It's staggering there is anybody defending his game - let alone calling for him to stay.

His game can best be described as "self-sabotage".

 

[Knox Harrington]

I was at the game today and sat toward the back of the top level.
One thing that hit me was as many have said how many of his taps were rovws by alir.
Secondly he was just awfully slow around the ground.
When I was at primary school we had a kid who had callipers on his legs to help him walk and Zac's glacial movement around the ground reminded me of this poor kid.
Given how poor Zac was today I think the coaches need to get creative with the ruck situation.

 

[TheGreatBarryB]

We can bring in a functional player.

The ruck contests are cooked anyway and McKernan works around the ground.

Put Hooker forward and reward Hartley for very good form. Zerk-Thatcher would not be out of player playing in defence either. s**t, Ridley is playing VFL football too.

We need Hooker back to help with Brown. Hartley’s not up to it. Need McKernan up forward. Clarke plays

 

[ant555]

I was one that was okay with him coming in mainly because he is a back up ruck and I did not want to see Hooker playing ruck again. He was well below average and in fact we where much better with McKernan in the ruck. Have no idea what has happened to his form from last year in the WAFL where he was good but right now he looks like a bloke who has never played footy before this year. Do not want to see him again next week.

 

[Bunk Moreland]

I’ve always thought that if you’re 6’9 or taller and Australian, it’s actually harder not to have an AFL career than it is to have one.

Few prove this theory more than big Clarkey.

 

[BrunoV]

Poor game. Those saying Smack ruck next week, need I remind you of this:

AFL Match Statistics : North Melbourne defeats Essendon at Marvel Stadium Round 16 Friday, 17th July 2015

North Melbourne defeats Essendon at Marvel Stadium Round 16 Friday, 17th July 2015 AFL match statistics

www.footywire.com

T Goldstein: 27 disposals, 8 marks, 4 tackles, 56 hit outs
S McKernan: 15 touches, 2 marks, 1 tackle, 16 hit outs

Nightmare scenario

I need you to explain what it is Clarke will do that will impact on the result. Because I don't get it.

He going to negate Goldy around the ball? Run with him to reduce his possessions around the ground?

What did he do today we couldn't have dragged Tristan Cartelege out of retirement to do?

 

[Maddogm]

He would have been tapping the ball OK except he had no power in the taps so all Aliir had to do was not jump and he was in prime position to get to the drop. Maybe that won't be a problem per se against actual rucks if he can't tap to advantage almost uncontested I'd hate to think how he'd go against Goldstein and the like.

 

[Jobe Watson]

I actually think Clarke could be one of the worst players to ever play 3 or more games for Essendon. If he was 10cm shorter his AFL career would've been over 5 years ago.

Smashed in the ruck by a full time defender. Good Lord.

 

[yaco55]

Think he'll survive another week because Mckernan VS Goldstein is not a good match up - And of course Mckernan was an excellent forward today.

 

[VelvetSledge]

I miss Draper, and he hasn't even played yet

 

[Vander18]

For me Smack has to play forward predominantly, even if Hooker switches.

Not sure how to achieve that and not play Clarke? Maybe give Hartley a run at it. In theory you’d think he’d find a way to offer more than Clarke.

 

[boncer34]

We're unbeaten every game Zac has been #1 ruck.

Some of you are hard to please.

 

[BrunoV]

Don't need to man. He is 200 cm and the only ruckman on our list. Deal with it.

I prefer more nuanced trolling Dero.

 

[DERO]

I prefer more nuanced trolling Dero.

I'm slipping.

Love you man...

 

[Doss]

I can't help but wonder if he is carrying something. He's just not playing with any sort of confidence.

He really doesn't deserve another game, but coming up against Goldstein next week, I don't think we have much of a choice.

 

[Old Campaigner]

I can't help but wonder if he is carrying something. He's just not playing with any sort of confidence.

He really doesn't deserve another game, but coming up against Goldstein next week, I don't think we have much of a choice.

Play Stringer in the ruck, Aliir style