Preview Round 4, 2021: North Melbourne vs Adelaide @ Marvel Stadium | Sunday, April 11 @ 1:10pm

[rickety]

Campbell is not the answer or future.

Definite no from me.

You're correct, but he might just be enough of a stop gap in a special guest star appearance. We can all see Larkey needs help, and old mother hubbard says there's sod all else in the larder.

 

[Kangaroos4eva]

Judging by the north website, Xerri should be right to go.

Atu, Taylor, Xerri, L Mac and Bonar are good in’s.

 

[ChoppyGun]

You're correct, but he might just be enough of a stop gap in a special guest star appearance. We can all see Larkey needs help, and old mother hubbard says there's sod all else in the larder.

Sure but I'd still pass on Campbell.

Just no as he's done and a massive backward step (I know a great guy and clubman)

 

[Only Forwards]

Judging by north website, Xerri should be right to go.

Atu, Taylor, Xerri, L Mac and Bonar are good in’s.

Hopefully Bonar can continue on from where he was.

For X it is basically make or break. We need him to show something, he needs to show something. Been on the for 4 years for 4 games.

I'd play Luke in the midfield.

If Atu and Bonar both play I expect that's where he'd go.

 

[Kangaroos4eva]

Hopefully Bonar can continue on from where he was.

For X it is basically make or break. We need him to show something, he needs to show something. Been on the for 4 years for 4 games.

I'd play Luke in the midfield.

If Atu and Bonar both play I expect that's where he'd go.

Big men take time and X has barely played at afl level. I would give him an extended run at it. Would keep Larkey out of the ruck and would kick more goals than Campbell.

Not against L Mac in the midfield with Bonar and Young’s addition, but I doubt it will happen.

 

[Devington]

Big men take time and X has barely played at afl level. I would give him an extended run at it. Would keep Larkey out of the ruck and would kick more goals than Campbell.

Not against L Mac in the midfield with Bonar and Young’s addition, but I doubt it will happen.

If there's ever a time for X to be "gifted" some games it's now.

1: We aint in finals contention
2: We need a second big lad up forward
3: We need to see what he has to offer after adjusting to the pace of the game
4: If he's considered a future lock in the 22, then given the above we owe it to him to pump some games into him.

 

[Only Forwards]

Big men take time and X has barely played at afl level. I would give him an extended run at it. Would keep Larkey out of the ruck and would kick more goals than Campbell.

Not against L Mac in the midfield with Bonar and Young’s addition, but I doubt it will happen.

I know there are reasons for Xerri and what not but if ever we needed someone to burst onto the scene. It is now. Agree on giving him an extended run. Vehemently agree on keeping Larkey out of the ruck with more overall support. Sticks out like dogs balls that he needs it.

I doubt we will see LMac in the middle but with Jed out, he'd provide a mature body capable of shutting down their best mid. Who knows we give it a crack and we might just see shades of his Hobart game vs the Crows.

 

[Val Keating]

Well that'd make him like every other forward we have. At least he'd take a tall defender away from young Nick.

It doesn’t work. We’ve tried it. Campbell is purely backup for Goldy. I get the frustration but there’s no point trying to pursue something that’s been tried and failed with two players in the twilight of their careers considering where our our list is at.

Goldy has always been better as the 90% ruck anyway.

 

[ChoppyGun]

Atu IN.

Give him a crack

 

[Gumble Frankieton]

Xerri needs to bring back the ‘Wolfman crossed with Steve McCann’ look. But yeah, first he needs to get a run of games.

 

[Psicosis]

It doesn’t work. We’ve tried it. Campbell is purely backup for Goldy. I get the frustration but there’s no point trying to pursue something that’s been tried and failed with two players in the twilight of their careers considering where our our list is at.

Goldy has always been better as the 90% ruck anyway.

May as well sign Pittard & Williams in the MSD while we are at it.

“Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.”

 

[big_e]

Given a choice between a 22 year old Tristan Xerri

38

Tristan Xerri

Age

25

Ht

201cm

Wt

99kg

Pos.

Ruck

Career

Season

Last 5

D

5.5

1star

K

3.0

1star

HB

2.5

2star

CL

1.0

3star

HO

2.5

5star

D

5.5

1star

K

3.0

1star

HB

2.5

2star

CL

1.0

3star

HO

2.5

5star

D

5.5

2star

K

3.0

1star

HB

2.5

3star

CL

1.0

3star

HO

2.5

5star

and a 29.5 year old Tom Campbell

38

Tom Campbell

Age

32

Ht

201cm

Wt

108kg

Pos.

Ruck

Career

Season

Last 5

D

9.1

2star

K

4.2

2star

HB

4.8

3star

CL

1.6

4star

HO

17.0

5star

D

5.0

1star

K

3.0

1star

HB

2.0

1star

CL

1.0

3star

HO

2.0

5star

D

7.2

2star

K

4.2

2star

HB

3.0

3star

CL

1.2

4star

HO

13.2

5star

, I know which way I'm going.

 

[Val Keating]

May as well sign Pittard & Williams in the MSD while we are at it.

“Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.”

My only concern is that we could be hurting Larkeys development by leaving him one out with spells in the ruck. He needs a chop out but with our backline depleted i don’t know were that comes from. Even if Walker goes forward Larkey still gets first priority defensive pressure. Tough ask for a kid that should probably be the second option KPF.

 

[Thewlis Dish]

Given a choice between a 22 year old Tristan Xerri and a 29.5 year old Tom Campbell, I know which way I'm going.

I think most would go Xerri, but it's clear one of them has to play.

 

[Thewlis Dish]

My only concern is that we could be hurting Larkeys development by leaving him one out with spells in the ruck. He needs a chop out but with our backline depleted i don’t know were that comes from. Even if Walker goes forward Larkey still gets first priority defensive pressure. Tough ask for a kid that should probably be the second option KPF.

It's not just Larkey's opponent, it's the way the second and third tall defenders can also get over to the contest he's in because they don't need to worry about any other aerial threat.

 

[Psicosis]

My only concern is that we could be hurting Larkeys development by leaving him one out with spells in the ruck. He needs a chop out but with our backline depleted i don’t know were that comes from. Even if Walker goes forward Larkey still gets first priority defensive pressure. Tough ask for a kid that should probably be the second option KPF.

Hard to fix short term, in time they will.

 

[amaz199]

We just need to isolate Larkey or get him space somehow.

We saw what happened when he got some separation and it will only get better with another tall. We need to somehow decoy Xerri (or Campbell) so when it does come in, there's more room for the kick to work. Space means Larkey can either lead or he can lead and double back for an easy goal. We seem to like the kicks to space rather than pinpoint inside 50.

Decoy forward hits contest (Larkey awaits the play if the ball is received by flankers or midfielders) and gives hands, (Larkey should start getting some separation) player looks up and kicks to space either for Larkey to double back or on the lead.

Pretty much as simple as it gets. There must be constant movement.

 

[Devington]

Given a choice between a 22 year old Tristan Xerri and a 29.5 year old Tom Campbell, I know which way I'm going.

May as well sign Pittard & Williams in the MSD while we are at it.

“Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.”

And if X's corky is worse than expected or he gets injured etc?

Do we continue with the dysfunctional forward line that's grinding Larky into dust, or do we bite the bullet and play Campbell for everyone else's sake?

 

[ChoppyGun]

How about Larkey finally learn to get a kick on his own FFS.

Quality players find a way. People say "Carey would make no difference" in our team.

Absolute nonsense. A top quality fwd would actually straighten us up, give other fwds a person to feed off, and still kick goals.

 

[Heaps of fun]

Campbell wouldn't solve a thing. He's too immobile to play forward at the top level.

 

[Psicosis]

And if X's corky is worse than expected or he gets injured etc?

Do we continue with the dysfunctional forward line that's grinding Larky into dust, or do we bite the bullet and play Campbell for everyone else's sake?

Oppo defenders won’t be decoyed by Campbell. IMO Larkey will get minimal relief by TC playing.

 

[Only Forwards]

Campbell wouldn't solve a thing. He's too immobile to play forward at the top level.

We require something we don't have waiting in the wings. A forward with presence.

Our forward line has worked the best when we've had 2-3 KPF drawing players away from each other.

Right now we have Larkey and?

And Larkey is just a kid.

It is mildly amusing that Xerri at just turned 22 is in need of a string of games, but Larkey at 22 & 9 months should be capable of holding a forward line together on his own while being double teamed because defenders sag off our makeshift almost forwards.

*oh edit - and playing in the ruck for some reason.

That 9 months difference sure gets a kid a lot of slack.

 

[Devington]

Oppo defenders won’t be decoyed by Campbell. IMO Larkey will get minimal relief by TC playing.

Maybe, but I'm worried about what might happen if we don't change that forward line structure up sooner than later. I'd rather Noble try something than try nothing, whether that's Campbell forward or Goldy forward while Campbell rucks. Obviously, and ideally, I would love Xerri in but if for some reason he is unable to play then I'd be quite disappointed to see us continue with just Larkey down there.

 

[rickety]

It doesn’t work. We’ve tried it. Campbell is purely backup for Goldy. I get the frustration but there’s no point trying to pursue something that’s been tried and failed with two players in the twilight of their careers considering where our our list is at.

Goldy has always been better as the 90% ruck anyway.

I know. Was just flicking through the cards we have to play. If X doesn't play, or even Campbell, well we're just doing the same thing again and expecting a different result, as mentioned exactly about playing Campbell. Larkey needs help, he could be as good as he likes, but with 2 or 3 opponents, as we see each week, he will struggle.

 

[Psicosis]

Maybe, but I'm worried about what might happen if we don't change that forward line structure up sooner than later. I'd rather Noble try something than try nothing, whether that's Campbell forward or Goldy forward while Campbell rucks. Obviously, and ideally, I would love Xerri in but if for some reason he is unable to play then I'd be quite disappointed to see us continue with just Larkey down there.

Noble has shown three rounds in that he will move the magnets around more then any other coach we’ve had.

He would recognise the issues Larkey is currently facing and will try some things I imagine. Think he’s probably got bigger concerns currently up the ground and how we bring it in though, so expect those to be addressed first.

I know. Was just flicking through the cards we have to play. If X doesn't play, or even Campbell, well we're just doing the same thing again and expecting a different result, as mentioned exactly about playing Campbell. Larkey needs help, he could be as good as he likes, but with 2 or 3 opponents, as we see each week, he will struggle.

No Talia this week will help him.