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

[Friday Night Lights]

You tell em W80

 

[King Corey]

Jarrad Waite urges former club North Melbourne to back-in young tall Nick Larkey

APRIL 11, 2019

Jarrad Waite says he would have considered playing on into 2019 if the club had offered him a contract at the end of last season.

But as the winless Roos forward line woes continue, the 377-goal veteran has urged North Melbourne to back in two-game key tall Nick Larkey to play alongside Ben Brown.

Waite, 36, kicked 32 goals in 13 games last year but was not prepared to go through an entire trade/free agency period before the club made a decision on whether to hand him a new deal.

Waite made his VAFA debut for St Kevins on the weekend, kicking three goals after barely missing a training session over summer.

Mid-sized forward Mason Wood has been unable to fire since signing a significant deal in 2016 while Taylor Garner is exciting but injury-prone.

Waite told the Herald Sun he wasn’t the answer to the club’s woes, adamant 198cm key tall Larkey can make an impact if backed in to play regularly.

“If there had been a contract I would have had a think about it,” Waite said.

“I had waited the year before (until October) and I wanted the run out with the kids and if I hadn’t said goodbye I might have been a bit frustrated with the end of it.

“It’s a nice compliment being thrown around but how long does it last for?

“They have got Nick Larkey who really played well in the VFL on the weekend. With where the club is at they need to start playing a few of the young players and almost throw them into the deep end.

“That’s the way teams learn. It’s the way every key position player learns.

“I think they will see real benefit in playing the likes of Larkey and getting continuity with him and Benny Brown.”

Coach Brad Scott admitted to selection mistakes in recent weeks, having tried Tom Campbell as a foil alongside Brown.

Waite said the Roos’ forward line might almost have to take a small forward to go forward with a second tall alongside Brown.

“Ben and I came in when Drew (Petrie) was playing, so he had a massive influence on us working together.

“You can only play games together to get that continuity. There might be a few teething issues at the start but they will be fine.”

Kangaroos great Wayne Carey this week lashed the club’s forward line under full forward Brown.
“He’s never laid a tackle because he can’t, he’s not nimble enough,” Carey said.

“Ben Brown has to look at himself in the mirror and ask himself whether he wants to be a star of this competition or one-dimensional.

“If he doesn’t mark it, he’s deemed useless — he has to get a couple of other tricks up his sleeve.”

Jarrad you'll lose your North media gig if you keep veering off party line like that.

 

[DesertRoo]

Jarrad Waite urges former club North Melbourne to back-in young tall Nick Larkey

APRIL 11, 2019

Jarrad Waite says he would have considered playing on into 2019 if the club had offered him a contract at the end of last season.

But as the winless Roos forward line woes continue, the 377-goal veteran has urged North Melbourne to back in two-game key tall Nick Larkey to play alongside Ben Brown.

Waite, 36, kicked 32 goals in 13 games last year but was not prepared to go through an entire trade/free agency period before the club made a decision on whether to hand him a new deal.

Waite made his VAFA debut for St Kevins on the weekend, kicking three goals after barely missing a training session over summer.

Mid-sized forward Mason Wood has been unable to fire since signing a significant deal in 2016 while Taylor Garner is exciting but injury-prone.

Waite told the Herald Sun he wasn’t the answer to the club’s woes, adamant 198cm key tall Larkey can make an impact if backed in to play regularly.

“If there had been a contract I would have had a think about it,” Waite said.

“I had waited the year before (until October) and I wanted the run out with the kids and if I hadn’t said goodbye I might have been a bit frustrated with the end of it.

“It’s a nice compliment being thrown around but how long does it last for?

“They have got Nick Larkey who really played well in the VFL on the weekend. With where the club is at they need to start playing a few of the young players and almost throw them into the deep end.

“That’s the way teams learn. It’s the way every key position player learns.

“I think they will see real benefit in playing the likes of Larkey and getting continuity with him and Benny Brown.”

Coach Brad Scott admitted to selection mistakes in recent weeks, having tried Tom Campbell as a foil alongside Brown.

Waite said the Roos’ forward line might almost have to take a small forward to go forward with a second tall alongside Brown.

“Ben and I came in when Drew (Petrie) was playing, so he had a massive influence on us working together.

“You can only play games together to get that continuity. There might be a few teething issues at the start but they will be fine.”

Kangaroos great Wayne Carey this week lashed the club’s forward line under full forward Brown.
“He’s never laid a tackle because he can’t, he’s not nimble enough,” Carey said.

“Ben Brown has to look at himself in the mirror and ask himself whether he wants to be a star of this competition or one-dimensional.

“If he doesn’t mark it, he’s deemed useless — he has to get a couple of other tricks up his sleeve.”

Yep the club drank it’s own bath water before trade period even begin.Waites contract should’ve been a no brainer.
Were we going to put our faith in Maj who hasn’t shown anything up forward?
Was gaff going to play centre half forward?

We haven’t learnt lessons from the past, nothing happens till it’s signed, amateurs.

But Waite is right, play Larkey, he’s the one who’s been training and staring in the twos.

 

[scooby1279]

Good to hear the truth surrounding Waite finally come out. How Larkey didn't get games last season when Waite was injured is mind blowing, he would have had some senior experience and coming into this season he would have had confidence in his ability.

 

[King Corey]

Good to hear the truth surrounding Waite finally come out. How Larkey didn't get games last season when Waite was injured is mind blowing, he would have had some senior experience and coming into this season he would have had confidence in his ability.

At least this year we've learned from our mistakes and are piling in the senior minutes into Larkey and McKay in recognition of what is probably a development year.

Hang on..

 

[tazaa]

Waite should be playing.
Its a f***ing no brainer. I hold Scott accountable solely for the lack of foresight and the stupidity to not offer a player in form a contract.

 

[Moti]

Yep the club drank it’s own bath water before trade period even begin.Waites contract should’ve been a no brainer.
Were we going to put our faith in Maj who hasn’t shown anything up forward?
Was gaff going to play centre half forward?

We haven’t learnt lessons from the past, nothing happens till it’s signed, amateurs.

But Waite is right, play Larkey, he’s the one who’s been training and staring in the twos.

9 goals in 10 quarters. Maj would have been good.

 

[DesertRoo]

9 goals in 10 quarters. Maj would have been good.

It’s also a robbing Peter to pay Paul situation. We really needed to play both Waite and Maj. Since we topped up to go deep in the finals.

 

[Billy Not Really]

So not only does the club not prepare Larkey properly for when Waite retired, we could've played him last year before he retired when injured to prepare for this if the club KNEW it wasn't going to offer him a new contract at the end of the year.

Geez, we're an absolute debacle. I swear we have no clue what we're doing until its too late and we're forced to make moves. But even then we don't even play Larkey for what would've been the most like for like replacement of Waite.

 

[ferball]

It’s also a robbing Peter to pay Paul situation. We really needed to play both Waite and Maj. Since we topped up to go deep in the finals.

W80 would have got injured at s**t for Players Stadium in Perth r1 qand still been out and we'd have been bemoaning the wisdom of signing a 35 year old injury prone player again.

 

[King Corey]

W80 would have got injured at s**t for Players Stadium in Perth r1 qand still been out and we'd have been bemoaning the wisdom of signing a 35 year old injury prone player again.

..or he'd have provided a great foil for Brown while being a star player demanding opposition attention in his own right.

Fwiw I was pro Waite retiring on the assumption our list was moving to a younger profile.

When we stocked up with 4x 26yo recruits particularly a couple who filled a need for run, carry and quality disposal, Waite came back into the frame (as mentioned at the time).

 

[ferball]

Why would he be less prone to injury this year after being another year older?

Tho I'd have mentioned that recruiting to him after trade week. Really it wouldn't have surprised me if he'd had enough and was relieved to not be playing. Whatever he's doing now is not the same intensity of AFL footy.

 

[Only Forwards]

Jarrad Waite says he would have considered playing on into 2019 if the club had offered him a contract at the end of last season.

Can we take him in the mid season draft?

As to Larkey, hope he kicks 15 on the weekend.

Kick the f***ing door down mate, make it undeniable.

 

[Heaps of fun]

Can we take him in the mid season draft?

As to Larkey, hope he kicks 15 on the weekend.

Kick the f***ing door down mate, make it undeniable.

You can't take delisted players that haven't applied to be in the draft since delisting. Not sure about retired. Probably the same rule.

 

[Twinkletoes]

Can we take him in the mid season draft?

As to Larkey, hope he kicks 15 on the weekend.

Kick the f***ing door down mate, make it undeniable.

Jesus that’d be a massive lift for us supporters if he came close to doing just that.

 

[Istanbul Roo]

Not to rain on the parade here that condemns the club for not playing Larkey, but really he was not ready last year. The one game he did play the year before was a debacle. Sometime the selection committee makes the right choices.

And he may not play this year as well, he's still really skinny, and may not run out the game.

 

[Devington]

Not to rain on the parade here that condemns the club for not playing Larkey, but really he was not ready last year. The one game he did play the year before was a debacle. Sometime the selection committee makes the right choices.

And he may not play this year as well, he's still really skinny, and may not run out the game.

I can think of one really effective way to find out how he would go in the seniors...

 

[muttley45]

Onya Waitey, absolute quality bloke. Listen to him Scott.

 

[mouncey2franklin]

I generally don't like it when the AFL makes up rules on the fly, but hear me out.

We are down one key position player due to unforseeable and near-tragic circumstances beyond our control.

If you could ever make a case for bending the 'had to nominate for the draft' rule, this would be it.

Somebody get on the phone to Euge and tell him to get on the phone to Gil and make it happen.

Waitey returning for a swan song second half of the season would put bums on seats, make no mistake about that.

Not averse to re-signing Boomer, either.

 

[ferball]

Boomer is coaching some other side.

But I agree - if he's up for it get w80 back!

He could finish his career with a flag.

 

[Kimbo]

Waite should be playing.
Its a f***ing no brainer. I hold Scott accountable solely for the lack of foresight and the stupidity to not offer a player in form a contract.

I'm sure your BF posts cause him to stay awake late at night.

 

[Billy Not Really]

This is the second week in a row he's done this in a dour game and he manages to get something out of it.

 

[giantroo]

This is the second week in a row he's done this in a dour game and he manages to get something out of it.

Should have 5. Has passed off another two shots.

 

[Devington]

If Wood Spuds it up again with his efforts and it's not a straight swap for Larkey...

 

[glenn2479]

Yep the club drank it’s own bath water before trade period even begin.Waites contract should’ve been a no brainer.
Were we going to put our faith in Maj who hasn’t shown anything up forward?
Was gaff going to play centre half forward?

We haven’t learnt lessons from the past, nothing happens till it’s signed, amateurs.

But Waite is right, play Larkey, he’s the one who’s been training and staring in the twos.

This is the most accurate typo I’ve ever seen.