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

[rickety]

Needs to lose kangalotto or whatever it is. Leave your hair alone for a moment big boy, and snaffle a chest mark.

 

[SammyRoo]

You would think that they would have Souva & Xerri rooming together 365/7/24.

Yeah.
Campbell has been getting better but surely Xerri get his chance soon ??

And Tristan has to grasp it with both hands ( literally! ) when it comes.

 

[SammyRoo]

Needs to lose kangalotto or whatever it is. Leave your hair alone for a moment big boy, and snaffle a chest mark.

I think the hair playing thing looks more like a sub-conscious nervous habit more than anything

 

[discodaddy]

He is literally the most accurate kick for goal in league history. He just needs another big body down there to assist in taking pressure off him.

It's no different to Brown/Petrie, or Larkey/Brown. It's why Xerri should be playing or in his absence, why I'm not annoyed that Campbell is down there either

Here are the stats:

AFL Tables - Player Statistics - Accuracy

It’s interesting to see so many current players in the top 30. I wonder if the current crop is more accurate than the long term average.

 

[big_e]

Some perspective from an article about Ben King: https://www.afl.com.au/news/603233/the-stat-that-has-gun-sun-on-track-for-goalkicking-greatness


"King has kicked 60 goals from his 37 games and is well advanced on some of the competition's best goalkickers at the same stage.

A quick comparison with Tom Lynch, Josh Kennedy, Jack Riewoldt and Tom Hawkins – all forwards slightly different, but with similar traits – shows King is faring well.

None of that decorated quartet had kicked even 50 goals through the same number of games, with Hawkins (47) the closest."

After 35 games, Larkey has 48 goals - ie more than Lynch, Kennedy, Riewoldt or Hawkins at the same point.


"Lynch, the previous great forward hope at Metricon Stadium, was far and away the best contested mark, hauling in 66, with Hawkins (46) and King (36) trailing."

Larkey has 37, ie more than King (in fewer games).

 

[Kangaroos4eva]

 

[Caracas]

Someone released one of the forward line's running patterns and they were complex and brilliant. The defense had no idea how to counter them.

Lol. They showed it during that Richmond game in Tassie where we won by 70+. Wright did his ankle that night and everything went downhill from there, as all our players fell over.


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[LB2Snake]

Any chance he can actually get in front of his opponent? Maybe its a genuine lack of strength but I am sick and tired of constantly seeing him being behind in the contest.

That’s fitness though....he ain’t fit.

 

[Snake_Baker]

He managed to outmaneuver both the push in the back and the block.

Well done Nick because there's no chance of the maggots giving you a kick.

 

[SonofSamsquanch]

He managed to outmaneuver both the push in the back and the block.

Well done Nick because there's no chance of the maggots giving you a kick.

Pity "Richo" wasn't commentating - he would have pointed out that the defender's arms around the forward are paid as a free 100% of the time. And the push. And the block.

 

[shimaburnsgrieg]

Some perspective from an article about Ben King: https://www.afl.com.au/news/603233/the-stat-that-has-gun-sun-on-track-for-goalkicking-greatness


"King has kicked 60 goals from his 37 games and is well advanced on some of the competition's best goalkickers at the same stage.

A quick comparison with Tom Lynch, Josh Kennedy, Jack Riewoldt and Tom Hawkins – all forwards slightly different, but with similar traits – shows King is faring well.

None of that decorated quartet had kicked even 50 goals through the same number of games, with Hawkins (47) the closest."

After 35 games, Larkey has 48 goals - ie more than Lynch, Kennedy, Riewoldt or Hawkins at the same point.


"Lynch, the previous great forward hope at Metricon Stadium, was far and away the best contested mark, hauling in 66, with Hawkins (46) and King (36) trailing."

Larkey has 37, ie more than King (in fewer games).

The difference with Larkey is that he kicks goals - not points - an often underrated skill for a key forward.

 

[DrZaius]

Some perspective from an article about Ben King: https://www.afl.com.au/news/603233/the-stat-that-has-gun-sun-on-track-for-goalkicking-greatness


"King has kicked 60 goals from his 37 games and is well advanced on some of the competition's best goalkickers at the same stage.

A quick comparison with Tom Lynch, Josh Kennedy, Jack Riewoldt and Tom Hawkins – all forwards slightly different, but with similar traits – shows King is faring well.

None of that decorated quartet had kicked even 50 goals through the same number of games, with Hawkins (47) the closest."

After 35 games, Larkey has 48 goals - ie more than Lynch, Kennedy, Riewoldt or Hawkins at the same point.


"Lynch, the previous great forward hope at Metricon Stadium, was far and away the best contested mark, hauling in 66, with Hawkins (46) and King (36) trailing."

Larkey has 37, ie more than King (in fewer games).

It's almost as if he stacks up well against all the successful modern key forwards so far in his short career

 

[shinboner magic]

Needs to get in front more , actually all our forwards do.

More movement is a good start

 

[gokangas]

That’s fitness though....he ain’t fit.

Its fitness, strength and smarts. He seems to lack in all three.

 

[LuvtheKangas]

Its fitness, strength and smarts. He seems to lack in all three.

And yet the stats quoted on this very page have him tracking better than many of the current gun forwards at the same age.

He's going to be quite something when fitter and stronger. And I don't share your view about his football smarts.

 

[roos_fanatic08]

Its fitness, strength and smarts. He seems to lack in all three.

Smarts wise he is fine. He has natural forward craft, which is why he was worked over some good opponents in his short career.

The thing is...is that he isn’t suited to being the number 1 because he is physically mature enough. He shouldn’t be getting the gorilla fullbacks this early in his career

 

[Kangaroos4eva]

Its fitness, strength and smarts. He seems to lack in all three.

His smarts is what made him stand out in the vfl with his smart leading patterns. He doesn’t have the tank, support or strength.

 

[Snake_Baker]

Needs to get in front more , actually all our forwards do.

More movement is a good start

Yeah, and just how is he meant to do that with one checking from the side, one dropping back on him from the front position, and another one ready to come over the top and punch the ball away?



Twerp!

 

[Harris 10]

Some really bad posts in this thread.

 

[shinboner magic]

Yeah, and just how is he meant to do that with one checking from the side, one dropping back on him from the front position, and another one ready to come over the top and punch the ball away?

View attachment 1113152

Twerp!

They play on 170 metre ground - there’s space to be found.
Our players don’t work hard enough to create space for each other.
Work for it - other teams aren’t going to gift it to him

 

[Devington]

They play on 170 metre ground - there’s space to be found.
Our players don’t work hard enough to create space for each other.
Work for it - other teams aren’t going to gift it to him

The lack of movement is endemic, and no where is it more obvious than when it comes to our forward entries. There's just not enough experience and in form players down there IMO, along with the glaring issue that is the makeup of our talls. It's not like it's all the forwards' fault either, our midfield also generally doesn't run hard enough. List demographics and availability of personnel have crucified us.

 

[Event Horizon]

Yeah, and just how is he meant to do that with one checking from the side, one dropping back on him from the front position, and another one ready to come over the top and punch the ball away?

View attachment 1113152

Twerp!

Campbell can lead to a different spot and take his man away for a start


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[LB2Snake]

Its fitness, strength and smarts. He seems to lack in all three.

Think he’s tracking ok in strength and particularly smarts. I think he’s gassed pretty early in games. It’ll come.

 

[Harris 10]

The way we set up, the way the ball comes in, the assistance he gets is why we are last with no wins.
He competes hard, he’s smart, he’s fit enough, but he’s just got no hope.

This week he’ll get slaughtered again by Lever and Tomlinson sagging off and killing our hack balls coming in.

I’m tipping a record number of intercept possessions in D50 this week.

 

[The Warlord]

He's really progressed this year in simply standing up when the heat is on and performing.

First few games he was just lost and despondent, he's moved past that.

he's not Wayne Carey take the game by the scruff of the neck just yet, but the improvement has been noticeable.