Coach Alastair Clarkson - where is the pressure?

[Foucault1989]

Looks a shell of his former self. Can't see this lasting long. It's the problem with the washed up messiah. Lightening often doesn't strike twice. The magic isn't there. North have 3 more years at least at the bottom because of their poor key position depth.

 

[HavUEvaSeenTheRain]

Lack of tall’s isn’t why they are getting smashed in the fashion that they are atm so even though that needs to be addressed at the end of this season I think it’s a completely different issue.

 

[bzparkes]

Lack of tall’s isn’t why they are getting smashed in the fashion that they are atm so even though that needs to be addressed at the end of this season I think it’s a completely different issue.

It doesn't help that they have nobody to defend the big KPFs of other teams.

Also doesn't help when they handball directly to the oppo constantly either.

I understand they wanted an experienced coach after the Shaw and Noble fiascos but they should've aimed for an experienced assistant instead of a bloke who is obviously well past it.

Still, it's early days. I think we forget he didn't coach most of last year, so this is really his first proper season in charge.

 

[HairyO]

To be fair to Clarkson, what can you do with a midfield of kids (even if talented) and THAT backline. I just don’t understand the logic behind almost entirely avoiding spending any decent pick or KPPs through this entire rebuild. Even two of the ones they traded in (Corr and Logue) they didn’t spend any actual draft capital on.

Like, Freo has Davies, Murphy and Draper as KPDs to develop AND picked up McDonald (RIP his season) to back up Cox, Pearce and to a lesser extent, Ryan.

The list management has been atrocious IMO

The drafting rule with top picks is always take the best available player no matter the position.

But when you have a dozen picks in 2 years surely you use some on KPP.

 

[HavUEvaSeenTheRain]

It doesn't help that they have nobody to defend the big KPFs of other teams.

Also doesn't help when they handball directly to the oppo constantly either.

I understand they wanted an experienced coach after the Shaw and Noble fiascos but they should've aimed for an experienced assistant instead of a bloke who is obviously well past it.

Still, it's early days. I think we forget he didn't coach most of last year, so this is really his first proper season in charge.

It certainly doesn’t but the way they played last night I don’t think it would’ve made a single bit of difference. They were just a mess

 

[Chadwiko]

Clarkson's job is probably the safest in the AFL this year.

There's 0.000% chance he gets fired in his first full and uninterrupted season at the helm during an obvious rebuild.

 

[rye]

the standards were honestly higher in noble's first year than they are currently under clarkson.

watching ldu, simpkin, zurhaar, corr and other senior players put in half assed efforts isnt because the teams in a rebuild. these guys are in their prime and should be delivering consistently. its a coaching issue.

 

[Mr Magic]

the standards were honestly higher in noble's first year than they are currently under clarkson.

watching ldu, simpkin, zurhaar, corr and other senior players put in half assed efforts isnt because the teams in a rebuild. these guys are in their prime and should be delivering consistently. its a coaching issue.

One can see why JHF wanted to bail in hindsight, probably a smart move

 

[Daka]

How many games were North winning with Noble? compare that to Clarko's 2 years and you have your answer if there are less wins or the same wins than he hasn't improved them.

Considering they have got some great kids since Clarko took over & more games into their previous players they should be more advanced.

 

[Jim Prideaux]

We were s**t yesterday, but we have had a pretty tough draw to start the year TBH.

Have to agree, both North and Hawthorn have had a pretty rough start to the season in terms of the fixture. If they are still winless come the halfway point, then the blowtorch can be fairly applied, but I’d be waiting for now.

 

[Giant Pete]

Unbelieveably poor list management.

 

[Outtatym]

I'm unimpressed with the lack of improvement but for a bit of clarity

- We have played 3 prelim finalists from last year. Losing the way we have is not good, but they are good sides.
-He's coached what- 15 games?
-With the current lack of KPP, who could get more out of this list? No matter how good of a coach you are if you don't have the cattle, you don't have it.

 

[Purple7x08_24]

I think Hawks COULD get 8-11 wins with good footy, but will probably end up with 5-6. Less than 5 and the boiler is on.

 

[Spud11]

I think Hawks COULD get 8-11 wins with good footy, but will probably end up with 5-6. Less than 5 and the boiler is on.

It’s looking likely.

 

[RandB]

Only 177cm according to wiki.

 

[Purple7x08_24]

It’s looking likely.

to get how many?

10 games with 5 (50/50 or more 40/60) games, the others are likely losses

so I'm tipping 6 wins. I don't think they'll win games against Adelaide in Adelaide. Richmond is still a tough match. I think the pendulum will dictate whether Hawks pass or not. Do they get those games, or do they lose them.

 

[TheKanga]

We have the youngest list in the AFL
who haven't played a heap of footy together and we severely lack big bodied players and key position players.

Clarko is on his first full season, we have to give him time.
Next year I expect to see more evidence of improvement in wins but I will be patient.

 

[TheKanga]

How many games were North winning with Noble? compare that to Clarko's 2 years and you have your answer if there are less wins or the same wins than he hasn't improved them.

Considering they have got some great kids since Clarko took over & more games into their previous players they should be more advanced.

Well here are the stats

Noble:

2021 - 4 Wins & 1 Draw
2022 - 1 Win
(Won one more game after he was sacked under Adams)

Clarko:
2023 - 3 Wins

I still think we can pick up 4-5 wins this year especially later on when our fixture gets easier.

We have definitely improved as we were getting flogged much more regularly under Noble.

 

[Spud11]

Well here are the stats

Noble:

2021 - 4 Wins & 1 Draw
2022 - 1 Win
(Won one more game after he was sacked under Adams)

Clarko:
2023 - 3 Wins

I still think we can pick up 4-5 wins this year especially later on when our fixture gets easier.

We have definitely improved as we were getting flogged much more regularly under Noble.

We have improved but my question would be - is this due to Clarkson?

Improvement should be inevitable given the high draft picks we had from last year and the year before all having another preseason under their belt. Add to it the players we got this year. Slight growth should be a base level expectation.

We defeated Freo at this stage last year, showed we could defeat Gold Coast. I’ll look at the W/L column later in the year before I make a call.

I don’t know if Clarko could go into a team of role-players and get them to win a few games. Our middle-aged backbone is either still underperforming, some have even regressed. Not what I was expecting.

Noble was hopelessly out of his depth. Clarko is a multiple premiership winner. Incremental improvements aren’t that impressive.

How much do we put
1). The young players making us slightly better
2). The older players still being poor
3). Selection
4). Skills
5). List

…on Clarko?

 

[Snuffaluphagus]

The drafting rule with top picks is always take the best available player no matter the position.

But when you have a dozen picks in 2 years surely you use some on KPP.

Yeah and I’m big on not taking KPDs very high in the draft but I’d break that rule for Norths situation.

 

[Cyber_punk]

We were s**t yesterday, but we have had a pretty tough draw to start the year TBH.

This. I'm surprised people are surprised. We've played 4 premiership contenders to start to the year and we're the youngest team in the comp again after losing 1500 games of experience with the departures of the older players last year. These results were always going to happen.

After we play some lower 8 teams then we'll have a better idea. If we get flogged by Hawthorn, Adelaide, W.C in perth (very possible) then that will tell us a lot

 

[Taper]

Clarkson's job is probably the safest in the AFL this year.

There's 0.000% chance he gets fired in his first full and uninterrupted season at the helm during an obvious rebuild.

Nope.
Clarkson will get fired before Hinkley, and Clarkson's successor will probably get fired before Hinkley as well.

 

[Spud11]

Nope.
Clarkson will get fired before Hinkley, and Clarkson's successor will probably get fired before Hinkley as well.

Wait… who’s that reflect most poorly on? Us for our coaches never working out, or Port always sticking by Mr. Donut Decade?

 

[kriles76]

Lake, lol, no more FA's ?

Lake was traded in, and not FA. None of those guys listed were FA.

 

[Johnny Bananas]

The drafting rule with top picks is always take the best available player no matter the position.

But when you have a dozen picks in 2 years surely you use some on KPP.

They did get Taylor Goad this past draft, though I'm not sure if he's a ruck/forward or just a pure ruck. I think they've used their top picks on the best players available for the past few years, except back in 2020 when they inexplicably took Phillips over McDonald.