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Player Watch #12: Jy Simpkin [Part II] - staying at North in 2026 + won't feature in leadership group as Larkey set to be named captain

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I can also get Jy's perspective.

Wardlaw is not fit. Powell refuses to chase. LDU refuses to chase. Harry lacks in transition chasing. Parker struggles to cover ground outside of the stoppage

Coach bangs on about the need for two way runners. You need to make up for these deficiencies but not from the actual midfield. Oh and you're a forward so we need you getting to the forward 50 as well.

OH and now late in the year you're a winger from now on.

It's a shit role that I have never seen it implemented and not leave the poor campaigner doing it pissed off.

I have seen plenty of times Jy hasn't chased, or Ashcroft, or Neale. The reality is that if we want to improve we need to have better players in the middle and that is not Jy. He is a better 2 way runner but I thought LDU, Powell and even George improved their defensive running this year. Still need an impactful 2 way runner though that can really put pressure on the opposition.
 
Clarko certainly had his back when Jy got laid out in the practice match against the Saints last year. It cost him $20K from the Woke AFL. Perhaps the relationship has deteriorated progressively (Coach and Board) and Jy’s actions are him not being able to contain his frustrations anymore.

I am not sure if we have used the Leading Teams outfit, which is meant to allow for these type of situations to allow for robust debate and coming to a common understanding of what is best for the TEAM.

I agree with Hodge that we needed a Jeff Kennett type in the club who could stand up to him and challenge him in the role.
I agree with that.

I think what we might start struggling with is players having confidence that our current staff actually knows what's best for the team.

They signalled significant improvement this year and annihilated our draft hand doing it. Then redrew the goal posts. Then told everyone it's all about bedding down a system. And now, at least according to someone here, if true, they've had to hire externals to tell them wtf defensive system they should be using.

Comben is a back then a forward then a back. Pink is a back then a forward then a back. Caleb Daniel can't play back but we'll keep him there because we paid up big for him. Powell gets the whole year in the midfield, then at the last moment gets pushed out. Harvey shows form as a back, gets brought in, plays forward, kicks goals, now might not get a contract.

We're starting to see some fracturing, IMO
 
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I can also get Jy's perspective.

Wardlaw is not fit. Powell refuses to chase. LDU refuses to chase. Harry lacks in transition chasing. Parker struggles to cover ground outside of the stoppage

Coach bangs on about the need for two way runners. You need to make up for these deficiencies but not from the actual midfield. Oh and you're a forward so we need you getting to the forward 50 as well.

OH and now late in the year you're a winger from now on.

It's a shit role that I have never seen it implemented and not leave the poor campaigner doing it pissed off.
Shouldn't the captain have some sort of influence on these players on and off the field and demand better of them if this were true?
 
Shouldn't the captain have some sort of influence on these players on and off the field and demand better of them if this were true?
What makes anyone think he hasn't tried? It's on record, he comes back in the best condition of anyone frequently, got Powell doing extra gym sessions, etc.

I imagine it would be very hard to influence if you're doing your best and those players get rewarded by coaches anyway. Standards are always, always determined at selection.
 
What makes anyone think he hasn't tried? It's in record, he comes back in the best condition of anyone frequently, got Powell doing extra gym sessions, etc.

I imagine it would be very hard to influence if you're doing your best and those players get rewarded by coaches anyway. Standards are always, always determined at selection.
maybe,,, either way suggests he lacks true leadership capacity if players ignore him....thats not a slight on him at all, there's innate leadership traits, and those which can be learnt....either way he was probably the best available to be captain in a difficult period for the club, but I think relinquishing that role as a start would probably do his footy a world of good ....(Coniglio I think a good example).
 
Oh bullshit

Jy has been given a role it’s on him to either play that role, ask for a trade or play vfl

He has no divine right to make demands about where and how he has been used.
Divine right? LOL

This isn't just a matter of a player having a sook about where he is played. I'm sure if Jy had a clear role on the wing where he got to organise the midfield in transition it would be fine. Instead, he was pushed out of the midfield by an aging Parker and was used to plug holes as they appeared from half-forward. He spent the year doing donkey work to try and cover the weaknesses in the midfield he was pushed out of - basically trying to do Parker and Powell's running for them. It would drive anyone nuts.

Jy is captain, his role isn't to meekly do whatever the coach wants. He is part of leadership group and the most important link between the players and coaching staff and executive. He gives feedback on what he and the players think is and isn't working on field and why. He has clearly been giving this feedback and been being ignored. As a result we watched our midfield get smashed in transition all year whilst our best two-way mid and captain was sidelined. Yay Clarko!

If the coach and captain aren't on the same page they are likely both to blame. But because Clarkson seems to have issues with all his captains, I have my suspicions that he is the main problem. If we want to be successful, we can't have Clarkson's 'my way or the highway' bs. It is clear that a lot of Clarko's way just doesn't work.
 
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Surely we are past going to the draft now. We need players or we ain’t getting any better.
A young player would be good, but we can't do much about it if players don't want to come to us.
We've got to make the most of these next two drafts before Tassie comes in from 2027, so I'm okay with picks.
 
Interesting that the Nose comes out and says they haven't received a formal offer. So Collingwood's media manipulation of Morris and others to say oh we can't see the Pies paying a first rounder etc is just pure trash. Submit an offer you cowards
 
A young player would be good, but we can't do much about it if players don't want to come to us.
We've got to make the most of these next two drafts before Tassie comes in from 2027, so I'm okay with picks.
Yeah definitely see your point about needing players to want to come to us. I just worry the rebuild will never end if we keep going to the draft, particularly future picks where we don't even get access to the player for another 12 months, then they need however many years of development before they contribute, at which point LDU, Larks, Xerri etc are getting on.

As much as Jy has his shortcomings, I wouldn't be letting him go for anything less than massive overs. He is best 23, played well on the wing at the end of the year, battle hardened and works his arse off.
 

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Yeah definitely see your point about needing players to want to come to us. I just worry the rebuild will never end if we keep going to the draft, particularly future picks where we don't even get access to the player for another 12 months, then they need however many years of development before they contribute, at which point LDU, Larks, Xerri etc are getting on.

As much as Jy has his shortcomings, I wouldn't be letting him go for anything less than massive overs. He is best 23, played well on the wing at the end of the year, battle hardened and works his arse off.
I'd be trying to get another team involved that brings any future picks forward into this year.
 
Not sure if this has been discussed, but there’s a chance his contract would have been heavily front loaded. I hope that’s not the case because I think it’s really shithouse for players to request a trade while they’re on contract if it’s been front loaded.
I assume all our contracts are front ended else how in the f*** are we meeting the minimum?
 

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I’d be asking for this guy as part of the deal, two years on their list, yet to debut has been playing half-back and mid in the VFL, had 36 disposals against us.

“An explosive athlete with speed to burn, Harry De Mattia is just as dangerous bursting out of congestion as he is hunting down opponents.”

View attachment 2451376
My brain is trying to suggest to me that he looks like Jack Mahony with hair and a moustache.
 
We might be holding out for this promising u/19 player too....
Carlton Fc Celebration GIF by Carlton Football Club
 

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Player Watch #12: Jy Simpkin [Part II] - staying at North in 2026 + won't feature in leadership group as Larkey set to be named captain

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