‘Thought they were through this’: Great torches ‘listless’ Roos as $1.4m deal called out

A Kangaroos great has lamented the club’s “listless” 65-point loss to Sydney, saying he thought his old side was past such down performances.

Dual premiership Kangaroo David King has lamented the club’s “listless” 65-point loss to Sydney, saying he thought his ex-side was past such down performances.

The Roos were blown off Marvel Stadium by an undermanned Swans missing several players from their best 23. Alastair Clarkson’s team was picked apart defensively, conceding 10 goals to three in a particularly ugly second half.

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North, who’s without its 2025 first-round draft selection after a pick swap with Richmond, fell to 1-3 after there was hope the Roos had turned a corner in a win over Melbourne in Round 2.

But Saturday night’s dour showing has King concerned about the state of the Roos in year three under Clarkson as the club looks to avoid a sixth-straight bottom two finish.

“I thought they were through this, to be honest,” King said on Fox Footy.

“You thought maybe this has changed now. Starting to trade out future first-round picks, you’re thinking the list is complete they don’t need anymore talent to progress from here.

“But if you can’t defend, you can’t compete. If you can’t stop the opposition moving the ball, you can’t compete.

Watch David King’s North criticism in the video above

North had a very poor game against the Swans. (Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

David King wasn’t impressed with his old side. Photo: Michael Klein

“I hate to say it, but it looks like as soon as the opposition win the ball, they’re listless and have no answers and have no way of competing.”

King bemoaned North conceding 117 points to Sydney after the Roos had given up 100-plus points on 18, 12 and 17 occasions respectively over the last three seasons.

“You can’t compete when that’s the case ... when you score seven times on intercept turnovers for the night — that is dire,” he added.

“The last 10 years there hasn’t been a lot of joy or success. That’s their 12th-worst performance on turnover in 10 years — and there’s been some bleak times.

“The rooms would be maybe a little bit shell-shocked with what’s gone on.”

Chief Herald Sun reporter Jay Clark expects North Melbourne to “get the blowtorch” this week ahead of a Gather Round showdown with the unbeaten Suns.

“They got the credits in the bank after the win over Melbourne, but they’ve lost all those tonight,” he said.

“On form, Gold Coast will destroy them next week. It’s going to be a big week for the North Melbourne Football Club.

“The big picture would be worrying for their fan base watching tonight, they’ll be seething and Alastair Clarkson should be furious.

“The third year under Alastair Clarkson, that’s when they were meant to pop, that’s what happened at Hawthorn.”

It comes after Clark reported earlier on Saturday that star Roos free agent Luke Davies-Uniacke was expected to re-sign on a new deal worth up to $10 million over seven years.

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And King called for Davies-Uniacke to show he’s worth his big-money contract by helping shift the direction at Arden Street.

“There’s chicken and the egg argument here. If you are the $1.4 million player we think you are, go and separate a game like (against Sydney),” King said.

Luke Davies-Uniacke is expected to re-sign with the Roos on a deal worth more than a million per season. (Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

“They’re craving leaders to take control. I understand the point that you have to re-sign this guy and endorse the program and you can’t afford to lose players of that talent, but you need them to impact as well.

“I’ve got no doubt he’s a good player. But there’s a dozen good players.

“It has to turn, when is it going to turn? We’re losing a bit of faith here as North Melbourne fans desperate to get out of the doldrums.”

Tigers champion Jack Riewoldt meanwhile feared what another heavy loss could do to the mentality of the young Roos group.

“There’s no set way or blueprint of getting out of a rebuild,” Riewoldt said.

“I’m more worried about the mental load. If you’re a bad side for long enough and you think you’re a bad side, you’ll continue to be a bad side.

“Can they lift themselves out of the doldrums of just being a side that finishes bottom four?”

Originally published as ‘Thought they were through this’: Great torches ‘listless’ Roos as $1.4m deal called out