AFL The Tackle Round 13: Jay Clark names his likes and dislikes

Things aren’t going great on the field for Essendon but the Bombers’ 150th celebration was brilliant – and a huge step for a footy legend. Read this week’s Tackle.

Jaidyn Stephenson’s career is at a crossroads.

Round 13 might have only had six games, but it provided many talking points.

Jay Clark wonders where Jaidyn Stephenson and James Worpel are at, while praising Brisbane’s engine room and the return of James Hird to Essendon.

Read all of Clarky’s likes and dislikes in this week’s The Tackle.

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DISLIKES

Gun Roo’s body language slammed

Jason Horne-Francis’ frustration boiled over on Sunday when he whacked GWS Giant Josh Kelly to the chin. The No. 1 pick came in with a swinging arm in an incident which is certain to land him in hot water with match review officer Michael Christian. The Kangas have the bye this weekend and Horne-Francis could be suspended for the clash against Adelaide the following week. The Crows are preparing to try and poach Horne-Francis at season’s end, if not next year, and North Melbourne legend Wayne Carey didn’t like the young star’s body language midway through the third term on Sunday. “I don’t think he looks all that interested,” Carey said on Triple M. Former Fremantle and St Kilda coach Ross Lyon added “It would be demoralising what he has experienced in his first 10 games of AFL footy,” Lyon said. The first-year forward is already a jet and his signature is pivotal to the Roos’ rebuild.

If I acted the way JHF did today while playing junior tennis, I’d have copped a massive spray from Mumma Yoannidis. Kids these days 🤷🏼‍♀️

— Nat Yoannidis (@NatYoannidis) June 12, 2022

JHF that’s 2-3 weeks surely

— Drew Jones (@DrewJonesFOX) June 12, 2022

These are bad signs for North fans hoping to hold onto JHF. Seems incredibly frustrated constantly. And not super invested in the game. #AFLNorthGiants

— Tim Rosen (@timrosen35) June 12, 2022

Tensions boiling over a bit between JHF and veteran Todd Goldstein after a dire first half for North? 😤

📺 Watch #AFLNorthGiants on ch. 504 or stream on Kayo: https://t.co/taRN8p1y07
✍️ BLOG: https://t.co/kwhV4pHdvz
🔢 MATCH CENTRE: https://t.co/s9fpvz08qYpic.twitter.com/41TVvtKgDr

— Fox Footy (@FOXFOOTY) June 12, 2022

Does Horne-Francis have anything to worry about after this swinging arm to Josh Kelly? 🤔

📺 Watch #AFLNorthGiants on ch. 504 or stream on Kayo: https://t.co/taRN8p1y07
✍️ BLOG: https://t.co/kwhV4pHdvz
🔢 MATCH CENTRE: https://t.co/s9fpvz08qYpic.twitter.com/Xu2Azcic6p

— Fox Footy (@FOXFOOTY) June 12, 2022

Jaidyn Stephenson was back in North Melbourne’s team on Sunday.

Former Pie at career crossroad

There was outcry when Collingwood let go Adam Treloar and Jaidyn Stephenson at the trade table and Treloar has made his move to the kennel a winner. But Stephenson’s career looks like it is at the crossroads after gathering only one possession in the first half against GWS Giants on Sunday. It was a low point for the No. 6 draft pick who played deep forward early but seemed lost and was pretty easily thrown off the ball on one occasion on the forward flank late in the second term. What now for the former Magpie who returned from a stint in the VFL in place of Tarryn Thomas? He was brilliant gathering 33 possessions in his first game for North Melbourne last year and had a blinder against West Coast with 38 but he is a shadow of his former self. At Collingwood the Magpies brought in Patrick Lipinski from Western Bulldogs with some of the salary cap room they controversially created in 2020.

Melbourne needs Steven May at his best when he returns from suspension.

Dees need May to repay faith

It is an easy decision to make for Steven May who needs to give away the booze for the rest of the season after fight night at Entrecote restaurant. The premiership hero made a dill of himself spraying teammates over steak and chips on Sunday night but can help make amends on and off the field upon his return to the team next week. Already, coach Simon Goodwin has helped May and Jake Melksham clear the air after Melksham clobbered him outside the restaurant. The Demons need May back out there leading the defence and the redemption process can begin with May giving up the grog.

James Worpel has found himself out of the Hawks team for much of the year under Sam Mitchell. Picture: Michael Klein.

What’s happened to forgotten Hawk?

Will be interesting to see if clubs such as Geelong start making inquiries in out-of-favour Hawthorn onballer James Worpel. The best and fairest winner remains out of the team as Sam Mitchell looks to others to power the Hawks’ onball machine. Once a lock to play every week, others have skated past Worpel at Hawthorn since he was dumped to the twos in Round 9. His possession numbers have taken a big hit this year with the tough nut playing a defensive midfield role at times. Mitchell would say Worpel’s form has dropped off, hence the omission. He had 12 and 15 touches in his past two senior games. The Cats seem best suited to make a play for the clearance-winner, if he remained on the outer. It would have to be a tempting offer for Hawthorn to consider a trade as clearly Worpel, 23, has his best footy ahead of him and is contracted for another year.

Ben Brown is feeling heat from fellow key forward Sam Weideman.

Dynamo forward needs to recapture form

The stakes are high for Ben Brown in the Queen’s Birthday blockbuster against Collingwood as he attempts to snap his goalless streak. Brown hasn’t slotted a major in each of his past three outings and needs to find form quickly with Sam Weideman desperate to take his spot and return to the senior side. Brown has had only six touches over the past two games which Melbourne has lost to Fremantle and Sydney Swans. Collingwood’s defence has been much improved since they copped a touch-up from Richmond and Darcy Moore and Jeremy Howe will look to keep the clamps on the premiership spearhead on Monday at the MCG. Collingwood captain Scott Pendlebury started the year in the back line but has returned to the midfield since about the Round 10 win over Fremantle when the Pies have been better out of the middle. Collingwood is aiming for its fourth-straight win and Craig McRae’s high-pressure style has the ability to stifle the out-of-form Demons.

It wasn't the ideal conditions for key forwards but Sam Weideman shone anyway.

Watch the best of his three-goal performance in our 39-point @VFL win over the Swans on Saturday pic.twitter.com/7QNmLJyQk5

— Casey Demons (@CaseyDemonsFC) June 5, 2022

Bargain find Liam Baker is the type of player North Melbourne would love. Picture: Michael Klein.

LIKES

North should target Tiges’ recruiting success

In the bowels of Arden St there will be a whiteboard somewhere with some gun AFL recruiters’ names on it. And Matthew Clarke, the man who has helped hand-pick Richmond’s premiership dynasty, should be right at the top of the Kangaroos’ hit-list. Riding shotgun alongside list guru Blair Hartley, Clarke has unearthed a long list of stars with some middle and late picks and the clean – as-a-whistle pocket rocket Liam Baker is the latest to look like a superstar, steering the Tigers to thrilling win over Port Adelaide on Friday night. His pick-ups in tight spaces were electric, and, for a 173cm utility he has a thunderous kick. Baker was taken with pick 18 in the 2018 rookie draft, Shai Bolton arrived at pick 29 in 2016, and Marlion Pickett lobbed in the mid-season draft. Clarke, the Tigers’ talent-spotter, who crossed from Melbourne in 2009, has been there for it all and would loom large for North as the Roos attempt to rebuild their talent identification team following three recent departures. The club wants the new team in place for the national draft in November.

Brisbane’s midfielders responded to a below-par outing against Fremantle.

Hayden Young is one of the new stars emerging at Fremantle.

Lions midfielders live up to tough task

This was the statement Chris Fagan wanted from his midfield group. One week ago against Fremantle, the Lions conceded 58 points from clearances and lost the takeaway count overall 47-36. For a unit featuring Lachie Neale, Brisbane are a lot better than that at the coal face. And on Saturday night against the Saints, Fagan got the uplift he spoke about throughout the week as they tightened right up, conceding up only three points from clearances. The Lions won the count overall 34-25. It was a brave effort from the Saints who lost three players to injury including powerful midfielder Zak Jones to a hamstring issue. But the 21-point margin might have flattered St Kilda as Brisbane butchered some opportunities in front of goal, slotting 10.18 as Joe Daniher nailed three in his comeback.

Dockers no longer reliant on Fyfe domination

Nat Fyfe has carried a huge load for a long time at Fremantle, but now the superstar can enjoy being the cream on the cake. Fyfe made a handy return on Saturday gathering 22 disposals including 10 contested possessions. For all the talk about his best position, Fyfe eventually played a perfect 50-50 split in time spent between the midfield and forward lines. But the reality is the midfield keys belong to the other young stars at Fremantle now. Andrew Brayshaw, aged 22, had 37 touches, Caleb Serong, 21, had 33, and damaging half backs Hayden Young and Jordan Clark (21) had 31 and 25 each. The Dockers have played second fiddle to West Coast for a long time in the west but the next generation of Fremantle stars point to a bright future as the Dockers attempt to have a genuine crack at this year’s flag. And if defence is still what wins big finals, Justin Longmuir’s men are well-placed with the second-best defensive record in the competition behind Melbourne.

James Hird’s return was one of the special moments from Essendon’s 150th celebration. Picture: Michael Klein.

Hird’s return a sight to see

It was an emotional night for James Hird on Friday when the Essendon legend stepped back into the public spotlight to help celebrate the club’s 150th year. Hird, who is normally incognito when he watches his son Tom in the VFL under a cap and sunglasses, was warmly embraced by fans and former teammates alike as part of the wonderful pre-match show. It was a big step for Hird who was banned from the game as part of his role in the supplements scandal but could yet consider a senior coaching comeback. While that is unlikely to be at Tullamarine, he has been lauded for his work at GWS Giants. Regardless, it was great to see him back and the club could have hardly pulled off the 150th celebrations any better than what they delivered. Bravo.

COGS REPAYS THE FAITH

Stephen Coniglio would have felt embarrassed when he was dumped from the team in his first season as captain. After signing a bumper deal to stay at GWS, his stocks plummeted quickly amid the axing in 2020 with questions about his speed and disposal. But the No. 3 draft pick has rediscovered some of his best form with another powerful and prolific effort on Sunday as the Giants ran rampant against the struggling Roos. Always dangerous in the forward half, Coniglio slotted three majors to go with another 30-possession haul. The Giants were clipped for overpaying Coniglio, but after the very public snub the Western Australian is delivering for stand-in coach Mark McVeigh.

Originally published as AFL The Tackle Round 13: Jay Clark names his likes and dislikes