Autopsy North vs. Sydney - smashed in last quarter

[FlyHigh18]

Duck and I have survived Sydney. On our way back. Highlight was the first half of the VFL match. Low light was those stupid fan clappers they have at the SCG. Moving onto next week.

 

[muttley45]

Just an opinion, but to me, all of Parker, Curtis, Zurhaar, and Sheezel look to be carrying some kind of injury, no excuses, if you put your hand up, be prepared for feedback on performance.

 

[archereleven]

Despite having physical tools that few others have, I think we have to move beyond our idea of LDU being the jewell in the “crown” of our midfield.

His 2025 campaign has seen him regress at an alarming rate.

I know that oppo players can hang off him all day, but we are fools if we think he will be the player to stand up in finals or a must-win game.

He is a support act, not the main event. I just don’t know who is headlining atm? Kerch maybe?

LDU, Sheezel, Powell, Simpkin have all been either inconsistent or poor this year.

And really, it’s not good enough.

Maybe things would be different if he played along side quality mids like most other 'stars' do...

Parker, good but past it
Jy, junk
Powell, vanilla, inconsistent and a bit lazy
Wardlaw, a headless chook 60%
Phillips, 60%

Imo, LDU would be an A grade star if you slotted him into more experience side with other weapons...

After spending so much draft capital, we are here lol

What a balls up.

 

[FootySmartSimpson]

Maybe things would be different if he played along side quality mids like most other 'stars' do...

Parker, good but past it
Jy, junk
Powell, vanilla, inconsistent and a bit lazy
Wardlaw, a headless chook 60%
Phillips, 60%

Imo, LDU would be an A grade star if you slotted him into more experience side with other weapons...

After spending so much draft capital, we are here lol

What a balls up.

There are star players who play in mediocre teams. Look at Merrett at Dons, he is a champion because no matter the spuds he plays with he gives 100% 100% of the time, and makes his teammates better.

LDU has so many tools that Merrett simply does not have. But Merrett is twice the player because he simply does not give in. He is mentally stronger.

 

[ferball]

Gees no X, Larkey, LMac, Wardlaw and Archer and while we lost it was a better result than I expected. Last quarter was no good but the first 3 quarters was pretty good especially some of our connection from defense to forward. I thought we changed the game plan a bit and we were more daring. Our team was way younger and inexperienced than the Swans.

Really liked the games of some our younger blokes in Hardeman, FOS, Harvey, Dawson and McKercher who was tagged by just about the best in the business.

Pink was fantastic and Teakle was good in the second half. I also thought Logue was very good.

Our forward line let us down with quiet games from Chom, Zurhaar, Curtis and Darling.

I hope Clarko continues on letting the team play with the dare of the first 3 quarters. This is what Mitchel did with the Hawks in his first 2 years and now they are reaping the benefit. Let them play

It wasn't really their fault given some of those turnovers and general poor delivery.

 

[ferball]

You dont think inside 50’s impacted our forwards ability? The ball broke down across half forward.

I would suggest the pressure from the forwards was elite in the first 3/4.

Your argument is flawed.

Its coaching.

Not all of them.

 

[Ardent Roo]

Maybe things would be different if he played along side quality mids like most other 'stars' do...

Parker, good but past it
Jy, junk
Powell, vanilla, inconsistent and a bit lazy
Wardlaw, a headless chook 60%
Phillips, 60%

Imo, LDU would be an A grade star if you slotted him into more experience side with other weapons...

After spending so much draft capital, we are here lol

What a balls up.

There's 2 quality midfielders, McKercher and FOS bench-warming in the backline and our best kick Sheezel similarly in the forward line, yet numb nuts Clarko won't run them through the middle when that lot are battling.

 

[archereleven]

There are star players who play in mediocre teams. Look at Merrett at Dons, he is a champion because no matter the spuds he plays with he gives 100% 100% of the time, and makes his teammates better.

LDU has so many tools that Merrett simply does not have. But Merrett is twice the player because he simply does not give in. He is mentally stronger.

And....

Has played 2x the amount of games, has a good defensive midfielder along side him and captains the side, therefore exspected to set the tone...

Parker is pretty much all LDU has and he is slow as ****. The rest are boys among men.

Durham would be the 2nd midfielder picked every week if he played for us.

 

[The Dingrel]

Gee, I'd be very disappointed if I was a swans fan, pretty much dominated most stats, no Xerri, Larkey, Wardlaw, Archer, McDonald etc, plus our captain handing the ball back to them with 6 clangers and 10 turnovers, and playing on their home deck. Overall I thought we battled it out pretty well.

Teakle found a way to have an impact around the ground despite the obvious hitout lopsided stats. Hope he earns another year at least as back up but also shown he can be a threat up forward. Cooper Harvey, 4 touches and 2 goals from very limited opportunities.....his 2 games suggest he's the small forward we've been crying out for. Huge positive for me too is FOS, that kid is so calm and cool under pressure, and just hits targets time and time again. 1 t/o and 1 clanger for the game. I'll say the same for Will Phillips, while not racking up massive numbers, he makes few clangers or turnovers, tackles and plays smart football. I'll take that all day every day over any player getting 30 touches, but half of those result in clangers and turnovers!

 

[TennisPlayerAndy]

And....

Has played 2x the amount of games, has a good defensive midfielder along side him and captains the side, therefore exspected to set the tone...

Parker is pretty much all LDU has and he is slow as ****. The rest are boys among men.

Durham would be the 2nd midfielder picked every week if he played for us.

There isn’t another midfielder in the league expected to the be the teams offensive threat and defensive animal at the same time.

It’s not possible.

 

[archereleven]

There isn’t another midfielder in the league expected to the be the teams offensive threat and defensive animal at the same time.

It’s not possible.

Pass mark -

35 possies, 22 contested, 11 clearances, 9 tackles, 35 PAs, 2.0

Fail mark -

28 possies, 13 contested, 7 clearances, 3 tackles, 21 PAs, 0.2

Its hilarious really.

The above and our other mids are sub 20s with 3 or 4 tackles each and not a single player chipping the 2 oppo players scragging and hanging off him all day lol

 

[JGreezy]

Maybe things would be different if he played along side quality mids like most other 'stars' do...

Parker, good but past it
Jy, junk
Powell, vanilla, inconsistent and a bit lazy
Wardlaw, a headless chook 60%
Phillips, 60%

Imo, LDU would be an A grade star if you slotted him into more experience side with other weapons...

After spending so much draft capital, we are here lol

What a balls up.

I also don't think that Xerri does LDU a lot of favours.

LDU was better off reading Grundy's taps than playing with Xerri. He likes to read the play and burst through. But Xerri's thing is mucking up the ruck contest.

I think that a developed Goad getting a run through the ruck would be good for LDU. An actual tap ruckman.

 

[archereleven]

I also don't think that Xerri does LDU a lot of favours.

LDU was better off reading Grundy's taps than playing with Xerri. He likes to read the play and burst through. But Xerri's thing is mucking up the ruck contest.

I think that a developed Goad getting a run through the ruck would be good for LDU. An actual tap ruckman.

They'll gel at some point. The fact that hes mauled at every stoppage is his biggest hurdle.

Agree that he used to shark taps better with Goldy. Imo, his whole role changed from '24-'25.

 

[DuckYeah]

Not all of them.

Of course it isnt and Jy is the greatest skipper and player known to man kind. Deserves a contract extension

 

[DuckYeah]

So your elite forward pressure created 5 goals in three quarters on a dry deck. Not to mention the smallest deck in the league.

The main function of a forward is to kick goals from memory.

Kicking the ball to a forward instead of the opposition would start to improve the forwards ability to score.. dont you think?

 

[Only Forwards]

Going through the motions

This is true of the entire club.

We have transitioned from defiant to subservient.

We are far too accepting of everything. We readily accept losing. We readily accept being stepped on by the league.

 

[DuckYeah]

LOL yeh it was our forwards fault. Lol FMD

 

[Passmore]

There isn’t another midfielder in the league expected to the be the teams offensive threat and defensive animal at the same time.

It’s not possible.

Surprised he's copping it from yesterday. Genuinely looked like one of the few that would get a game at Sydney.

 

[nelroo]

The reality is that we were/ are coming from so far back when Clarko and Viney have come in. The place was a shambles on nearly every front.

I do however refrain from giving this group an out because reality is where we are now is not good enough. There is still so much dead wood on the list.

Who is doing everything in their power to move the needle ? Who is genuinely sick and tired of losing ? Who genuinely wants to be the best they can be?

How can some of our players still lack basic skills , fitness and decision making across the board in comparison to other teams.

Sure we have made mistakes with some drafting and trading but so does every club.

I hope to god something clicks soon as we turn the corner for good but I dont have a lot of confidence of this happening any time soon.

 

[nelroo]

There are star players who play in mediocre teams. Look at Merrett at Dons, he is a champion because no matter the spuds he plays with he gives 100% 100% of the time, and makes his teammates better.

LDU has so many tools that Merrett simply does not have. But Merrett is twice the player because he simply does not give in. He is mentally stronger.

This.. The question is do we have to hang onto him now and hope to god McKercher , FOS and Sheezel etc elevate to the elite level and LDU can cruise around and be the icing or do we have the balls to have an honest conversation with him about our situation and see if a mutual beneficial trade could happen.

 

[archereleven]

This.. The question is do we have to hang onto him now and hope to god McKercher , FOS and Sheezel etc elevate to the elite level and LDU can cruise around and be the icing or do we have the balls to have an honest conversation with him about our situation and see if a mutual beneficial trade could happen.

Lol

Trade LDU out and we wont even be competitive. We'll be smashed in the midfield every single week and wardlaw or sheezel tagged out of the game every single week

 

[DuckYeah]

Lol

Trade LDU out and we wont even be competitive. We'll be smashed in the midfield every single week and wardlaw or sheezel tagged out of the game every single week

LDU should be the last person traded out.

Trade Jy

 

[nelroo]

Lol

Trade LDU out and we wont even be competitive. We'll be smashed in the midfield every single week and wardlaw or sheezel tagged out of the game every single week

Unless you are Wayne Carey or Gary Ablett type , in our current state, no player is indispensable. If we are a serious club we would leave no stone unturned to get ourselves out this shit.
I would argue we would be more competitive to trade him for two ready made, consistent B graders who have the will to win at all costs, than holding onto him and expecting him to suddenly be the man to lead us. It wont happen.

 

[Passmore]

This.. The question is do we have to hang onto him now and hope to god McKercher , FOS and Sheezel etc elevate to the elite level and LDU can cruise around and be the icing or do we have the balls to have an honest conversation with him about our situation and see if a mutual beneficial trade could happen.

We signed him for 7 years only a couple of months ago. I can't see anyone looking to break it off this soon.

 

[The Anvil]

Unless you are Wayne Carey or Gary Ablett type , in our current state, no player is indispensable. If we are a serious club we would leave no stone unturned to get ourselves out this shit.
I would argue we would be more competitive to trade him for two ready made, consistent B graders who have the will to win at all costs, than holding onto him and expecting him to suddenly be the man to lead us. It wont happen.

A lot of the mess we are in, is due to having an unbalanced player profile.

We have kids that need to be the contributors as they learn, and we have great players who's best has passed where they provide leadership but they are far from their best days (aka can't carry the team).

Players with experience and at the peak of their powers is what we need more of, LDU is one of the few we have. If we are serious about winning we need more LDUs, or less.