Autopsy Reverse streak v dees. Continues.

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It’s not so much fitness, but what’s between the ears.

Our blokes either don’t have the footy IQ or confidence to be proactive on the field, they are always a step behind.

A lot of it comes from our s**t ball handling skills, because if blokes instinctively take off they know there is a big chance of a fumble and getting burnt the other way.

Clarko actually needs to ingrain in them that’s it’s ok to get burnt if you are proactively trying to make the play, to the point where they will instinctively go and not hesitate. Sheezel is the perfect example, he doesn’t react he is already proactively positioning himself where he thinks the ball will be, while most of the others are waiting to see where the ball will go.

A lot of it is confidence in your teammate. Melbourne players were prepared to run and make space because they were sure 90% of the time they would be rewarded.

It’s the same when you run defensively, you just have to go and try and proactively get into a position where the play will end up. If you wait for it to unfold you will always be a step behind and look unfit and lazy.
This is a quality post.

We have blokes who play checkers whilst everyone else plays chess.
 
It’s not so much fitness, but what’s between the ears.

Our blokes either don’t have the footy IQ or confidence to be proactive on the field, they are always a step behind.

A lot of it comes from our s**t ball handling skills, because if blokes instinctively take off they know there is a big chance of a fumble and getting burnt the other way.

Clarko actually needs to ingrain in them that’s it’s ok to get burnt if you are proactively trying to make the play, to the point where they will instinctively go and not hesitate. Sheezel is the perfect example, he doesn’t react he is already proactively positioning himself where he thinks the ball will be, while most of the others are waiting to see where the ball will go.

A lot of it is confidence in your teammate. Melbourne players were prepared to run and make space because they were sure 90% of the time they would be rewarded.

It’s the same when you run defensively, you just have to go and try and proactively get into a position where the play will end up. If you wait for it to unfold you will always be a step behind and look unfit and lazy.

I don’t think we’re anywhere near as fit as Melbourne.
 
Same.

I love it actually.

he speaks well and he seems to know exactly where we are and isn't panicking. If he has a picture in his mind of where we need to be and a pathway to get there then good. I get that impression from him.

There's a trick to the way he speaks. I've done it at fires when there are people there spinning out and worrying what will happen. Even in potentially the worst situations if you talk that way and sound like you have a way out of the situation people calm down and listen, then act on what you recommend. Its not something you can do if you don't know what your plan is tho, people pick up on that uncertainty, so based on that I think he's got a plan.

I think we're worse than his best case scenario but within his worst case scenario.

🤣I’m just imagining if Clarko was a member of this board. Every week, we’d have six changes in direct conflict with the previous week. JZ would never have gotten on the park this season. All our young players would have gotten chances and then gotten absolutely baked if they didn’t measure up within 2 weeks. Then, he’d start abusing Viney and call Sonja “woke”.


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I don’t think we’re anywhere near as fit as Melbourne.
Fitness is relative. You can be the fittest person in the world but if you run to the wrong spots or are reactive you will always be behind.

It’s just as much about being smart and running to the correct spots than being super fit.
 
Of course it matters. He’s rebuilding and experimenting and it’s important that the coaches are ckear-eyed about what and who works and what and who doesn’t. Fans are allowed to overreact and throw their hands up and say it’s all irredeemable, but we‘ve got him and his experience in at this very low ebb so he won’t do that.

btw if anyone has taken his comments from an article or tweets I’d recommend watching the press conference. I find them and him reassuring.
I mean this in the sense that even if we get even inside 50s, the next step in the chain (getting the ball to a North forward) is completely fubar in this team ATM. Anyone who consistently has decent disposal and decision making (Cunners, Sheezel, idk who else) is too slow / isn't positioned to run through the center square with the ball, and the ones who recieve handballs to kick inside 50 are absolute butchers (Scott, Howe, etc.).

Not to mention Larkey (is he injured?) trying to play like Cody Weightman the past few weeks, with no other KPFs ready to mark, or even bring it down to our oversized "small" forwards (Stephenson & Curtis).

To fix these issues we probably need a minimum of like 6 decent players, and by the time we get these six players, Cunners, who was our only really influential mid yesterday, won't be here. Simpkin, LDU and maybe Wardlaw (could very well just be another Taylor Garner), can't carry the entire team and Powell / Phillips, WTF happened to them? Did they both get their talent stolen Space Jam style?
 
Tarryn Farkin Thomas. Where the * are you? We farkin need you...
This is what I don’t get. The club putting its neck out for him numerous times and he is radio silent with support for the club which - had he been behaving professionally and not illegally - would not currently be as far down in the doldrums.
 
It’s not so much fitness, but what’s between the ears.

Our blokes either don’t have the footy IQ or confidence to be proactive on the field, they are always a step behind.

A lot of it comes from our s**t ball handling skills, because if blokes instinctively take off they know there is a big chance of a fumble and getting burnt the other way.

Clarko actually needs to ingrain in them that’s it’s ok to get burnt if you are proactively trying to make the play, to the point where they will instinctively go and not hesitate. Sheezel is the perfect example, he doesn’t react he is already proactively positioning himself where he thinks the ball will be, while most of the others are waiting to see where the ball will go.

A lot of it is confidence in your teammate. Melbourne players were prepared to run and make space because they were sure 90% of the time they would be rewarded.

It’s the same when you run defensively, you just have to go and try and proactively get into a position where the play will end up. If you wait for it to unfold you will always be a step behind and look unfit and lazy.

Fantastic post. This 💯. We are legit just not working hard enough. Waking around to every contest, no intensity, no pressure, looks like we don’t want to be out there. Can you imagine working your ass off, you tackle, get the ball, look up and there are 3 melb players with your team mates walking around allowing to tackle you, you can’t even kick to anyone because no one is running to space. It’s ALL about effort.

We are not playing for our coach or north. We are just as lost out there as last year tbh.

Something has happened after that Carlton game. Ever since we just don’t put in any fight what so ever.

******* hell, we are fit enough, we have shown that in the first 3 rounds. It’s all between the ears. You don’t lose all that in 6-7 days. Melbourne shown effort, guts and determination to win at all costs, you could see it in the first minute.

I’m done with the excuses. Something mentally is going on
 
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This is what I don’t get. The club putting its neck out for him numerous times and he is radio silent with support for the club which - had he been behaving professionally and not illegally - would not currently be as far down in the doldrums.
He is too busy checking his bank account. Apparently he earns 10 times more than a lot of the fans, who are the members and pay his wage.

And in return, we get to watch him be a gangsta and make a fool of himself, while the club we love, is getting smashed on and off the field.

Even if he does return. If he does finally wake up. I won't be cheering for him. * him. His burnt this bridge.
 
Well, some 5 weeks ago, I was sitting in the armchair cheering like a madman as we ground out a tough, hard fought win over Freo. Last night, sitting in the same chair, had to settle for "cheering" our late flurry of goals that brought the margin below 100. How expectations change so quickly.

Don't get me wrong, I wasn't expecting us to fly up the ladder from that Freo win. But I thought the very least we would see would be us becoming tough to beat. If our opponent won, we would make them earn it. The past 2-3 weeks though has been far too easy. And add to that the injury to Chom. Really feel for him. One of too few out there giving it everything, but just not having any luck. Hope he comes back OK. But I fear our lack of KPF recruiting over the past few years is really going to bite us now.
 
Fitness is relative. You can be the fittest person in the world but if you run to the wrong spots or are reactive you will always be behind.

It’s just as much about being smart and running to the correct spots than being super fit.

True, but even when we were going ok earlier in the year we faded away towards the end of the games.
 
We really need a dangerous small forward. The ball gets out the back so often and we're just not there to pounce. There's just so many issues that we need to address it's impossible to feel any optimism that things will change this season. Got a feeling it will be largely like this for a while.
 
True, but even when we were going ok earlier in the year we faded away towards the end of the games.
I think you are right Val, even if all of the other points are also correct. North players don't look to be as fit nor as strong as many of their opponents. You often see one of ours with hands on hips, leaning forward and breathing hard after a chase or a run. Red faces and bedraggled, slumping. All signs of being under-conditioned. Opposition (at least from the top teams) look fitter and stronger even after running half the length of the ground and more. From Melbourne, only Oliver looked like a cooked lobster by quarter time, although to be fair, he had a few possessions in Q1.

Some of the North players have good muscle tone and well built physiques, but I'd still bet that if they lined up face to face with their most equivalent sized Melbourne opponent North players would not win too many arm wrestles or a team tug of war (harking back to the old days on World of Sport with that one).

North fade-outs have been a thing for quite a few years now - back in the old days (i.e. 90s) North could hold off most late surges and often won with their own come-backs, but for at least 5 or 6 years the team have struggled to hold a 5 goal 3/4 time lead.

I know that the stats show blokes like Larkey and Taylor run 13 or 14 KM per game (doing what is another story) but I still think they look buggered by half way through the games.
 
We really need a dangerous small forward. The ball gets out the back so often and we're just not there to pounce. There's just so many issues that we need to address it's impossible to feel any optimism that things will change this season. Got a feeling it will be largely like this for a while.

To be fair, Clarko has told us that from the get go. We just keep forgetting each passing weekend.


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We really need a dangerous small forward. The ball gets out the back so often and we're just not there to pounce. There's just so many issues that we need to address it's impossible to feel any optimism that things will change this season. Got a feeling it will be largely like this for a while.
And a lead-up marking tall forward. And a second effective forward to force the oppo defenders to be accountable, plus one at least who can nail tackles and potentially give the team a second crack if the opposition win the ground ball.

A few who are reliable kicks from 25 to 45 meters out would also help.

Ideally, players who can remind us of the likes of Drew, Harvey, the Postman and Lindsay. That isn't wishing for too much is it (I am not expecting Longmire and Carey)?
 
Games where North's 1/4 time score was less than the opponent's final score. (2010- )
Round 7, 2023 - NMFC 7.7-49 v Melbourne 8.2-50 (22.7-139)
Round 8, 2022 - NMFC 3.6-24 v Fremantle 5.1-31 (15.12-102)
Round 7, 2020 - NMFC 2.11-23 v Richmond 4.3-27 (11.11-77)
Round 2, 2010 - NMFC 6.2-38 v St.Kilda 8.1-49 (23.5-143)

Worst 10 quarter time margins (2010- )
49 points - Round 2, 2010 - NMFC 0.0-0 v St.Kilda 8.1-49 (38-143)
46 points - Round 19, 2022 - NMFC 0.3-3 v Hawthorn 8.1-49 (75-121)
46 points - Round 21, 2016 - NMFC 1.0-6 v Hawthorn 8.4-52 (57-96)
45 points - Round 5, 2022 - NMFC 1.0-6 v Western Bulldogs 8.3-51 (71-139)
44 points - Round 7, 2023 - NMFC 1.0-6 v Melbourne 8.2-50 (49-139)
43 points - Elimination Final, 2012 - NMFC 0.3-3 v West Coast 7.4-46 (66-162)
37 points - Round 17, 2017 - NMFC 2.0-12 v Port Adelaide 8.1-49 (57-127)
36 points - Round 7, 2014 - NMFC 1.4-10 v Gold Coast 7.4-46 (77-120)
34 points - Round 17, 2016 - NMFC 0.5-5 v Port Adelaide 6.3-39 (77-105)
32 points - Round 9, 2022 - NMFC 1.3-9 v Port Adelaide 6.5-41 (46-115)
 
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We really need a dangerous small forward. The ball gets out the back so often and we're just not there to pounce. There's just so many issues that we need to address it's impossible to feel any optimism that things will change this season. Got a feeling it will be largely like this for a while.

We need at least 3 dangerous smalls down there. We've had years to address this after the first Richmond flag made it obvious you need these types. We're actually fairly competitive in inside 50s, but have got to be the worst in the comp at keeping it in there when the balls goes to ground.
 
Best part of tonight was meeting some big footy royalty after the game at Maccas. Head says we are years away, heart says give clarko a year to sort it out.
Yeah I saw 3 bozos at Macca's wearing Gimp Masks. Clearly it was them. :stern look
 
It’s not so much fitness, but what’s between the ears.
This, and it's been said ad nauseum. I said it myself about 2 years ago and I'm no more an expert than anyone else. It's not about fitness, it's about decision making. Roosurgence is right. It's a low football I.Q. On the odd (some would say rare) occasions we do move the ball efficiently, we don't look slow at all. and on the one occasion we did last night it resulted in a goal to Zurhaar. But eventually becomes the inevitable turnover and it wouldn't matter if we were playing Melbourne, Collingwood or the Caulfield seconds, it's not going to change until the decision is made to alter a few home truths about the team.
 
🤣I’m just imagining if Clarko was a member of this board. Every week, we’d have six changes in direct conflict with the previous week. JZ would never have gotten on the park this season. All our young players would have gotten chances and then gotten absolutely baked if they didn’t measure up within 2 weeks. Then, he’d start abusing Viney and call Sonja “woke”.


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Not if he was you tho ... maybe he is going by what Will Phil said on that tv show.
 
Well, some 5 weeks ago, I was sitting in the armchair cheering like a madman as we ground out a tough, hard fought win over Freo. Last night, sitting in the same chair, had to settle for "cheering" our late flurry of goals that brought the margin below 100. How expectations change so quickly.

Don't get me wrong, I wasn't expecting us to fly up the ladder from that Freo win. But I thought the very least we would see would be us becoming tough to beat. If our opponent won, we would make them earn it. The past 2-3 weeks though has been far too easy. And add to that the injury to Chom. Really feel for him. One of too few out there giving it everything, but just not having any luck. Hope he comes back OK. But I fear our lack of KPF recruiting over the past few years is really going to bite us now.
I have been a little concerned about this beleiving possibly we have appeared to have bet the farm on chom. but i comforted myself beliving these folk running the club are professionals so surely they no more than me.

Now i fear i may have misjudged the wisdom of our administration.
 
Who had trouble sleeping ? C'mon, hands up.

Hustling Ian Mcshane GIF by American Gods


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