Big talking points out of Round 23 of the AFL season

September success has eluded St Kilda again, despite the much-vaunted trade feats of 2019. Max King reckons the kids are all right, but Sam Landsberger is still expecting a list overhaul.

It’s been a huge week in the AFL world and the big talking points continue to arise as the home-and-away season draws to a close.

Sam Landsberger delivers his likes and dislikes from the weekend.

It’s time for the Saints to add more teenage talent alongside impressive first-year midfielder Marcus Windhager. Picture: Getty Images

DISLIKES

Saints cull coming?

Get the feeling St Kilda is set for significant list changes. The 2019 trade bonanza has proved a sugar hit but not a September hit, and it is time to stockpile teenage talent. Asked Max King about the club’s bright youngsters and he said: “Some of the first-year boys – Marcus Windhager, whose tagging at the moment but will develop into a really good midfielder – and Mitch Owens as well. Both just unbelievably competitive for first-year (players) and have had a very big impact, which we probably haven’t seen in a few years for first-year players.” There’s just not enough in that bracket. Bradley Hill could be traded, Mason Wood, Jack Bytel, Tom Highmore and Tom Campbell are all out of contract and Dean Kent, Paddy Ryder, Dan Hannebery, Jarryn Geary and Josiah Kyle are retiring.The Saints need to re-sign South Australian Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera before adding more young guns, alongside Owens and Windhager, in that demographic.

Lions coach Chris Fagan and Cam Rayner after the loss to Melbourne. Picture: Chris Hyde/Getty Images

Brittle backline

What’s more of a mess – Brisbane’s defence or Essendon’s hierarchy? The leaky Lions are so far from premiership standard behind the ball it has cost them the double chance. Since round 10 they rank 15th for points against, 15th for opposition scores per inside 50 and 17th for opposition points from the defensive half. That’s a profile in the North Melbourne and West Coast bracket rather than Geelong and Sydney’s. Friday night was the Lions’ ninth-biggest loss under coach Chris Fagan and they conceded 9.2 (56) from the back half, the fourth-most under Fagan. The exceptionally-efficient Melbourne’s 13.3 (71) halftime score – it was 5.2 (32) after just 22 minutes – was also the biggest score Brisbane had conceded at the Gabba since 2017, when the Lions were last on the ladder. Inside 50s were equal at the main break, but once the ball hit the deck at Brisbane’s end it was all Dees in the contest. Carlton and Richmond have also slammed on eight goals in rapid bursts against the Lions in recent weeks. Finals are seldom shootouts so if Brisbane doesn’t tighten up it will be quickly bounced out … again.

It could be former AFL captain Dayne Zorko soon. Picture: Chris Hyde/Getty Images

Ashamed Dayne

Dayne Zorko is a 33-year-old AFL captain who should be deeply embarrassed. Soon it might be former AFL captain, given Harris Andrews shapes as the next skipper and Jarrod Berry is a kid with leadership qualities. What Zorko said to Harrison Petty – a 22-year-old in his workplace – doesn’t belong on the field, in the pub or down the street. Zorko appears frustrated, out of form and suddenly out of favour with the football world, despite Friday’s post-match handshake and Saturday’s apology statement. In 2019, Zorko refused to shake Touk Miller’s hand after being beaten in a Q-Clash and he’s not the most popular star, according to rival players and even some umpires. A decade ago, the Dogs suspended Will Minson for one-match for crossing the line sledging Danyle Pearce, but the AFL, with Melbourne and Petty’s support, were happy to close the book on the Zorko saga on Saturday. Both clubs handled it well, but you can’t imagine Chris Fagan was thrilled at having to counsel his veteran captain as the Lions licked their wounds.

LIKES

Won’t be shallow under Al

Alastair Clarkson was at Marvel Stadium on Saturday – in cardboard cutout form, held aloft by revitalised fans – and a buzz went around Marvel Stadium at the 10-minute mark to celebrate No.10 Ben Cunnington’s return from cancer. It was a heartwarming sight before the Suns soured the party with a crushing win. But North’s two-win season with a percentage of 55.8 is a false measure of where this club sits. The Roos’ percentage probably belongs in the 70s, but they played so far below par under David Noble that results regressed.

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Alastair Clarkson was at Marvel Stadium in cardboard cutout form. Picture: Michael Klein

Luke Davies-Uniacke was impressive again on Saturday. Picture: Daniel Pockett/Getty Images

More importantly, they will take George Wardlaw with the No.1 pick and should get No.19 as a priority pick. Wardlaw is a powerful, goalkicking midfielder in the Dangerfield-Petracca mould while debutant Josh Goater’s laser kick allowed Jason Horne-Francis to set up Bailey Scott for the club’s first goal against Gold Coast in a nod to the future. Goater looks a goer, Tarryn Thomas looked a star 12 months ago and will get there while Luke Davies-Uniacke is showing the qualities of a future Brownlow Medal contender. Jy Simpkin is a gun, Jason Horne-Francis will be a genuine superstar, we haven’t seen No.3 pick Will Phillips because of glandular fever while Nick Larkey has kicked bags of goals in the worst team and Ben McKay has blossomed as an intercept defender. Witches hats against Gold Coast, but that is a young nucleus that arguably out-rates Essendon, and the Clarko coup changes everything for these young men. They would’ve loved hearing how Clarko observing Golden State Warriors plot to stop Denver MVP Nikola Jokic lit the fire to coach next year. The Sonja and Goliath tale – eloquent president Sonja Hood secured Clarkson – is a magical moment in this club’s history.

Kangaroos president Sonja Hood and CEO Ben Amarfio sit in the Kangaroos cheer squad. Picture: Daniel Pockett/Getty Images

Oliver’s twist

Wonder if Clayton Oliver snatched the Brownlow Medal from Lachie Neale’s grasp on Friday night. Oliver has had 30 disposals in 15 games, 20 contested possessions in seven games and 10 clearances in seven games this season. He has been a targeted man in recent weeks but Oliver’s form has hardly wavered and he might have the league’s fastest hands. Those numbers should translate to a stack of votes and Angus Brayshaw’s efforts clamping on Neale in the pumping win should keep the Lions’ star out of the votes. Luke Jackson’s substitution with a tight calf might’ve helped, too, given the ground ball-hunting ruckman was producing a vote-worthy 50th game while Roo Curtis Taylor curtailed the other hot medal chance in Touk Miller on Saturday. The awkward champion for the AFL would be Patrick Cripps, who should power to the lead early in the count. Make no mistake – league bosses led by Gillon McLachlan remain furious the two-match suspension offered to Cripps by the match review officer and validated by the tribunal was overturned on appeal. They don’t believe the Carlton captain should be lining up against Collingwood on Sunday or eligible for its best-and-fairest.

Star Demons Luke Jackson and Clayton Oliver celebrate after the final siren. Picture: Russell Freeman/AFL Photos

Mature Melbourne

Football boss Alan Richardson moving to diffuse the Dayne Zorko saga at three quarter time was another example of Melbourne’s stunning leadership. With emotions running hot under the Friday night lights the Demons were proactive and showed instant care for their rattled youngster, Harrison Petty. Elsewhere, they have been quietly speaking to rival coaches in recent weeks about filling midfield coach Adem Yze’s vacancy should he win the senior job at GWS. But Yze will see the September campaign through regardless and they have also handled Luke Jackson’s looming departure with maturity. It’s a slickly-run organisation. Yes, there has been turbulence this season, but the Demons are humming and healthy heading into the real stuff. It is a credit to the culture created by Richardson, coach Simon Goodwin and chief executive Gary Pert. In fact, Pert’s review post-2020 – where he studied the cultural pillars of premiership heavyweights including Melbourne Storm, Richmond and Geelong – was one of the key factors that drove this club’s transformation.

Fit finalists

Christian Salem will replace Jake Bowey in the qualifying final but Tom McDonald won’t play, despite the premiership forward set to return with big VFL minutes next week. That’s the early mail out of the Dees, who are comfortable with their front-half production. Jeremy Cameron and Rhys Stanley are likely to replace Esava Ratugolea and Jon Ceglar at the Cats while Tom Atkins, Mitch Duncan and Sam Menegola should also come in. Brandan Parfitt, Mark O’Connor and Zach Guthrie could be the nervous Cats.