Player Watch #20: Nick 'Souva' Larkey - '23 AA & '24 NM VC - plays game 100 v Hawthorn

[Mav]

He’s so down on confidence about kicking from more than 30 meters out he’s looking for the ball over the top instead of leading at the ball carrier.

 

[the flying ham]

Oh sorry - he had great game. I must be mistaken.

He was terrible today. But he isnt a plodder.
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[Johnny99]

He was p1ss weak and an embarrassment to the jumper.

His last quarter was pathetic.

He deserves to be dropped this week.

 

[gokangas]

did you just say he had a bad night? or did you say he's just a plodder?

Plodded today. Terrible game.

 

[Mjs94]

Absolutely no favours today by the blokes kicking the ball to him

 

[Caracas]

If Nick from last week had showed up today, WB would have been in all sorts of trouble…


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[king of the road]

Haven’t watched the replay, but from being at the game; I thought he tried hard, was close on occasion, could have been helped more by team mates and things just didn’t go his way. Some days are like that.

 

[amaz199]

Double, triple, quadruple-teamed at every opportunity.

Luckily Zurhaar was able to expose that by leading up 40m out.

Larks was our decoy in the last whilst we lowered our eyes. In saying that, that toe-poke was unforgivable and he simply didn't work hard enough to make the weighted kicks in front of him. He put his hand up, lead half-heartedly then complains. Get in front Souva!

He will learn from this or should.

Our disposal was shizen at times but there were kicks that hit Cam Z and others so I think rather than blaming the distributor, blame the bloke leading into 3 dogs defenders.

 

[Roosurgence]

He was p1ss weak and an embarrassment to the jumper.

His last quarter was pathetic.

He deserves to be dropped this week.

A bit harsh.

They were super organised down back and he wasn’t exactly receiving silver service.

Larkey is never going to be that one out forward, he needs a partner in crime to be at his best.

 

[Instincts]

People are calling for blood after one bad game, has been building and had an off day.

 

[King Corey]

Absolutely no favours today by the blokes kicking the ball to him

Nah this is the get-out that gets trotted out too much.

For some reason Nick is a favoured player for a few so his lesser efforts are usually ignored or explained away.

He's been largely ordinary this year and was very poor against the dogs.

Getting shifted easily, poor execution, going one handed for marks.

I get the whole forward dependence on delivery but you look at a far less talented player like Tom Campbell or even Josh Walker and watch the way they're at least trying to impose themselves on their contests even when their ability doesn't always enable it.

Nick is currently enjoying a golden ticket created by our complete lack of key forward alternatives on the list.

 

[roos_fanatic08]

Had a bit of a stinker, but the work rate was still there. He clocked up 14.5km in the game, which was 4th most of any player on the ground. On a couple of occasions where he dropped a mark or didn't quite get to to the contest he looked absolutely spent.

Far too often he was competing against 2 or sometimes even 3 opponents. he desperately needs some big body support up there.

At present he is trying to play FF, but they also have him working up the ground as outlet option long down the line. IMO, they need to simplify his role and let him get back to basics

 

[Devington]

Where are the leads? He was leading a fair bit last week and Cam's been leading a shitload recently. But where were Larkey's leads yesterday?

Copping attention from multiple defenders makes it harder, but so what, throw your ******* arms out and draw a free then. I don't get it.

 

[The Nostradamus]

If the eagles didn’t have such a tall forward line I’d move Walker forward to help Larkey

hopefully we can have that set up the week after the eagles

 

[AnEmptyChair]

The idea that he's not working hard enough is absolute bullshit. As r_f08 posted above, covered the best part of 15km and a couple of times during the call the commentary team made note of him effectively doing repeat wing sprints as we continually switched the ball to find an exit. He had a bad game after a really good month or so. It's not a big deal.

 

[Mjs94]

Nah this is the get-out that gets trotted out too much.

For some reason Nick is a favoured player for a few so his lesser efforts are usually ignored or explained away.

He's been largely ordinary this year and was very poor against the dogs.

Getting shifted easily, poor execution, going one handed for marks.

I get the whole forward dependence on delivery but you look at a far less talented player like Tom Campbell or even Josh Walker and watch the way they're at least trying to impose themselves on their contests even when their ability doesn't always enable it.

Nick is currently enjoying a golden ticket created by our complete lack of key forward alternatives on the list.

Disagree. I was behind the goals on L3 last night. One of two things were happening:

1. We chipped it around behind play way too much (I can understand us wanting to deny them the ball and halt their momentum) and there was no movement from anyone up ahead, allowing the dogs' zone to shift and cover us easily and also not allowing any leading lanes.
2. If we were able to move the ball forward it would result (in the first 3 quarters) in the ball being bombed on our forwards' heads. That isn't Nick's go.

His best quarter last night was the last when we started moving the ball with speed. He also needs another genuine key forward up there with him too and Xerri isn't it.

 

[King Corey]

Disagree. I was behind the goals on L3 last night. One of two things were happening:

1. We chipped it around behind play way too much (I can understand us wanting to deny them the ball and halt their momentum) and there was no movement from anyone up ahead, allowing the dogs' zone to shift and cover us easily and also not allowing any leading lanes.
2. If we were able to move the ball forward it would result (in the first 3 quarters) in the ball being bombed on our forwards' heads. That isn't Nick's go.

His best quarter last night was the last when we started moving the ball with speed. He also needs another genuine key forward up there with him too and Xerri isn't it.

Good thoughts. Re point 1- was Nick part of the problem in not providing any movement or was that happening (or not happening) away from his station?

 

[Mjs94]

Good thoughts. Re point 1- was Nick part of the problem in not providing any movement or was that happening (or not happening) away from his station?

It was generally a kick ahead of Nick, which is why there was a fair bit of chipping it in the back pocket between Ziebell, Tarrant and Hall. In saying that, he could have definitely contributed more and in no way am I saying there is no room for improvement on this year - just that his teammates could be making his life easier.

 

[Psicosis]

Tough afternoon for him off the back of some really pleasing form.

We were obviously very cautious with our ball movement in the first 3 quarters, no surprise that he got more involved in the last. Could have easily kicked 3 and we'd be saying how good he was.

At the ground I noticed two things - Keath was all over him + his leading lanes were zoned very well by the dogs defensive set up/our more reserved ball use.

 

[Johnny99]

A bit harsh.

They were super organised down back and he wasn’t exactly receiving silver service.

Larkey is never going to be that one out forward, he needs a partner in crime to be at his best.

He was soft.

You should never drop your head because it is "all too hard"

Because that is the attitude that will keep us on the bottom, for the next 5 years...eg. Melbourne.



He didnt compete hard enough in that last quarter, when we were coming....

At least, compete and bring the ball to ground.

He missed shots he should have got too.

 

[Johnny99]

I’d move Walker forward to help Larkey

hopefully we can have that set up the week after the eagles

We are a team in rebuild.

So why not try things.....?

Why cant you play McKay or Tazza or Walker forward for a quarter.

And play Larkey CHB if he is struggling up forward ?

 

[Yianni]

He's still young, only 23.

I don't think he'll ever be our number one forward, but neither was Mark Roberts. He's only falling short if you're thinking he'll be our Tex Walker. He won't. But say Jacob Edwards turns out great in 4 years time, or we get or Callum Coleman Jones from Richmond who's kicking 50-60 a year just as our team is peaking, Larkey could play off him and kick 40. Having two good talls changes the whole dynamic up forward.

Needs support, plus any forward in the wooden spoon team will be inconsistent. Teams are bottom because they're not great at getting it into their 50. If they were better at it, they wouldn't be last.

 

[the flying ham]

We are a team in rebuild.

So why not try things.....?

Why cant you play McKay or Tazza or Walker forward for a quarter.

And play Larkey CHB if he is struggling up forward ?

He has played a great month of footy. We played a really mature and well drilled side. Sometimes player have off days, Keath is in good touch. That is more than enough to suggest he is in ZERO danger of being dropped and nor should he be.

Not working hard enough? he is clocking up midfielder kms trying to get on the end of one as we switch it and switch again.

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[The Nostradamus]

 

[AnEmptyChair]

He's having quite a good year and going under the radar. On track for ~40 goals as the number 1 key forward in the bottom-ranked team.