Coach Alastair Clarkson - NMFC Senior Coach - Coaching & Football Discussion II

[Spud11]

It's much more likely to be us

So it damn well should be. But I’ll believe it when I see it.
We’re still the specialists in honourable losses (that we never look like winning), the odd blowout for no reason, and beating up on west coast and Richmond. It’s gotta change next year. It’s just gotta.

Or else there will be consequences*













* the “consequences” being me doing an angry post on the night of each loss, getting over it quickly and looking forward to next week

 

[DrZaius]

I’m not enthusiastic about simmo replacing Clarko.

We’ve seen the simmo/rawlings movie play out

In fact I want a moratorium on the old boy network

Agreed

 

[Possession]

So it damn well should be. But I’ll believe it when I see it.
We’re still the specialists in honourable losses (that we never look like winning), the odd blowout for no reason, and beating up on west coast and Richmond. It’s gotta change next year. It’s just gotta.

I feel ya. I just think we're actually starting to see some fruit from all the 'just pump 50 games into these kids' conjecture from a couple years ago, and more will likely come on next year too. PC for instance has quickly become a handful for any team to match up on. Richmond and West Coast are still collecting their kids at the draft.

 

[Possession]

Agreed

New profile pic for 2025?

 

[tazaa]

The bloke who was in charge of setting up the mids, just got the sack as he was way too one dimensional and barely up to standard.

That was true again as we scored 10.6 from stoppage yesterday. But then what?

This isn’t the modern game in 2025.
No matter how talented or fit the list is, if you can’t score from transition or back half turnover you are irrelevant.
Our mids just get lost and run to the wrong areas when we try and move the footy.

How many times did Adelaide pick us apart from inside our forward 50. It was brilliant to watch.

There was a kick out to Fogarty that opened us up like Bonnie Blue and then that Dawson dart that set up Walker’s only goal.
Unstoppable.

That’s the difference between 1st and bottom 4.
These campaigners are in for the fight of their lives this summer.

 

[rickety]

 

[Only Forwards]

These campaigners are in for the fight of their lives this summer.

People can argue all they like about when this shit started. We've been out of finals for 9 seasons.

Bottom 2 for 5 seasons followed up with such marginal improvement that only sees us barely above that, simply not good enough.

Something has to give in some of our FD becasue as it stands we have a bunch of players who are wasting their careers waiting for it to turn.

 

[roos_tt29]

The bloke who was in charge of setting up the mids, just got the sack as he was way too one dimensional and barely up to standard.

That was true again as we scored 10.6 from stoppage yesterday. But then what?

This isn’t the modern game in 2025.
No matter how talented or fit the list is, if you can’t score from transition or back half turnover you are irrelevant.
Our mids just get lost and run to the wrong areas when we try and move the footy.

How many times did Adelaide pick us apart from inside our forward 50. It was brilliant to watch.

There was a kick out to Fogarty that opened us up like Bonnie Blue and then that Dawson dart that set up Walker’s only goal.
Unstoppable.

That’s the difference between 1st and bottom 4.
These campaigners are in for the fight of their lives this summer.

So the question is - who is the next mids coach who can bring this in?
Is it Barlow? Is it someone else.

Very keenly watching this space over the next few months.

 

[roos_tt29]

Defensive full forward. Keane didn’t get near it.

Exactly - scoring was way down the list for the role his was in.
Actually did his job. Can't fault his application or effort, but interested to see where he sits following pre-season.

I don't think he's had a full pre-season at the club yet and has always been a slow starter because of this.
Still think he's a solid 2nd/3rd defender until we can actually find some real quality.

 

[tazaa]

People can argue all they like about when this shit started. We've been out of finals for 9 seasons.

Bottom 2 for 5 seasons followed up with such marginal improvement that only sees us barely above that, simply not good enough.

Something has to give in some of our FD becasue as it stands we have a bunch of players who are wasting their careers waiting for it to turn.

We’ve been rebuilding for so long and been so patient - this dawned on me recently.

Nick Larkey and Cam Zurhaar turn 28 next year.

So the question is - who is the next mids coach who can bring this in?
Is it Barlow? Is it someone else.

Very keenly watching this space over the next few months.

Barlow being promoted seems the likely succession plan, but I really hope we go out and poach an assistant coach like Nigel Lappin or Matty Boyd or Kade Simpson.

One of the bigger losses we had cause of the soft cap was Ratten. Hawks have gone strength to strength the past 24 months.

 

[King Corey]

We’ve been rebuilding for so long and been so patient - this dawned on me recently.

Nick Larkey and Cam Zurhaar turn 28 next year.


Barlow being promoted seems the likely succession plan, but I really hope we go out and poach an assistant coach like Nigel Lappin or Matty Boyd or Kade Simpson.

One of the bigger losses we had cause of the soft cap was Ratten. Hawks have gone strength to strength the past 24 months.

I've had that same sinking feeling about Larkey and Zurhaar for a while. Before we (and they) know it their careers will have come and gone without scratching the surface of what they could've experienced in a team.

At least the guys in the Laidley and Scott eras had enough stability and list quality around them (from each previous coach) to have their moments in the sun.

These guys will have a dead rubber over Gold Coast as a career highlight if things don't pickup in the next few years.

 

[ferball]

That wasn't the only one he kicked that day was it?

 

[tazaa]

I've had that same sinking feeling about Larkey and Zurhaar for a while. Before we (and they) know it their careers will have come and gone without scratching the surface of what they could've experienced in a team.

At least the guys in the Laidley and Scott eras had enough stability and list quality around them (from each previous coach) to have their moments in the sun.

These guys will have a dead rubber over Gold Coast as a career highlight if things don't pickup in the next few years.

Yep, I keep thinking that their kids and it feels like the 2016 draft was yesterday.

But that was 9 years ago. And our last finals appearance was 9 years ago.

Just a massive reality check for how poor we have been.

 

[Only Forwards]

Just a massive reality check for how poor we have been.

Yep.

Clarko came in and talked about the dash and I wonder how many players have been able to put the bits together that they are actually wasting theirs waiting for some ethereal point in the future.

No more waiting, no more wasting time. Come in and be ready to give everything or f*** off.

 

[TennisPlayerAndy]

Has been given far too much rope for the output that has been shown.

Any other professional league would’ve shown him the door a year ago.

 

[tazaa]

Yep.

Clarko came in and talked about the dash and I wonder how many players have been able to put the bits together that they are actually wasting theirs waiting for some ethereal point in the future.

No more waiting, no more wasting time. Come in and be ready to give everything or f*** off.

I've pondered over this repeatedly and come the conclusion it’s not about how comfortable you can make your players feel at the club, but about how uncomfortable you can make them when it comes to performance.

The comfort should come when you do well, but in the meantime get the **** to work.

It’s a competition.

People will argue it’s shifted towards recognising a list spot as a full time job first and as an AFL player second.
And that may be a good thing for the bigger clubs, but particularly at North - players have viewed us getting a free pass for far too long and we’re sick of it.

 

[Cyber_punk]

Didn't someone say Clarko is only planning to be here for the 5? Perfect time to put the succession plan in place for Simmo to take over and lead us to the promised land.

Clarko isn't the sort to walk away unless there is overwhelming opposition to him, as we saw at Hawthorn. He'll want to see this rebuild through.

 

[giantroo]

Ch7 understands North Melbourne are keen to acquire services of [PLAYERCARD]Luke Breust[/PLAYERCARD] next year in an “off-field role”

View attachment Messenger_creation_06D7FA6C-A1CB-4667-90C9-2BD2D70FB704.mp4

 

[kool kangas]

Ch7 understands North Melbourne are keen to acquire services of Luke Breust next year in an “off-field role”

View attachment 2413794

Barlow becomes midfield coach and Bruest comes in as player development coach maybe..

 

[TheNorthFan]

Would be a good move to get Bruest in as a player development coach. Barlow has done a decent job thus far as head of player development so would be a surprise if he moves into being the midfield coach. Unless, Choco comes in as head of player development. Would be reluctant to take Barlow away from the head of player development role as it stands currently.

 

[Passmore]

Bruest as a forward coach might go OK. Been doing it from the sub bench at Hawthorn.

 

[giantroo]

 

[Arthur Cloke]

Clarko isn't the sort to walk away unless there is overwhelming opposition to him, as we saw at Hawthorn. He'll want to see this rebuild through.

For the sake of his superannuation. I honestly thought Prof Clarko would take NM to the land of milk & honey. Unfortunately, he has become a rambling mess. When he got struck by lightning in the Blue Mountains a few years back, that may have been the catalyst.

 

[King Corey]

Wonderful.

There's at least 40% of his 2026 press conference content sorted then:

40% faff about Tassie
40% Hawthorn
10% Opposition quality
5% Brisbane
4% Adelaide
1% Nobody said it would be easy

 

[Dinkers]

Ch7 understands North Melbourne are keen to acquire services of Luke Breust next year in an “off-field role”

View attachment 2413794

Wow best goal celebration I ever did see, was this after he kicked his seventh against us and the wee wiz wizard watto wee watson is pretending to put a medal around his neck.