Player Watch #38: Tristan Xerri - has signed a 4 year contract extension to the end of 2029

[Errol Street]

One mark, more than normal. Would be nice to sometimes send the ruck forward but he just doesnt mark it does he

 

[Gumble Frankieton]

If I was doing a profile write-up for Xerri I'd describe his ruck work as 'somewhat agricultural'.

But for all the stick his tap-work cops I do think that he has started to mix it up a bit more over the last 2 games. Also, he only grabbed it out of the ruck a couple of times today. Clearly he needs to improve his overhead marking as well.

I can see why people would point to his ruck work and length of contract as problems but I wouldn't put them in the top 30 problems that the club is facing. He has a crack every week and is clearly trying to make the most out of what he has. There's a dozen or more players at North that can't say the same thing.

 

[apollo_creed]

If I was doing a profile write-up for Xerri I'd describe his ruck work as 'somewhat agricultural'.

But for all the stick his tap-work cops I do think that he has started to mix it up a bit more over the last 2 games. Also, he only grabbed it out of the ruck a couple of times today. Clearly he needs to improve his overhead marking as well.

I can see why people would point to his ruck work and length of contract as problems but I wouldn't put them in the top 30 problems that the club is facing. He has a crack every week and is clearly trying to make the most out of what he has. There's a dozen or more players at North that can't say the same thing.

Agree except for working on his overheard marking. If he doesn’t have it now he never will. He’s a very limited ruckman who is our best option at the moment.

 

[ferball]

That is a good analysis but I think blaming it on X is misguided.

Having a look at the still

View attachment 1961843

Rick attributes much of the blame to Xerri's positioning. To me that is the least of the issues here. How could X have been positioned and where could he hit the ball that would be to our advantage? Geelong own all the dangerous space. The best he could do is grab the footy or hit it to his feet.

Its Mckercher and Wardlaw in there in that cb. Less than season's games between them while the effort being made to impede LDUs run into that space is bordering on illegal. McKercher being held too. But when he's three season's stronger and a little faster that won't be as easy.

 

[perplexed]

Its Mckercher and Wardlaw in there in that cb. Less than season's games between them while the effort being made to impede LDUs run into that space is bordering on illegal. McKercher being held too. But when he's three season's stronger and a little faster that won't be as easy.

Teams are regularly scragging LDU at centre bounces this year because he is easily our biggest weapon in there. They try and neutralise Luke at clearances, and then exploit him on the spread. It's been working and he needs to find a way around it. Normally if a player is being regularly scragged they would try and block for a team mate so we get a free player. He hasn't been doing that, or at least I haven't seen it.

 

[LB2Snake]

Have we had a worse ruckman as far as hitting to advantage? Maybe he needs glasses.

 

[LuvtheKangas]

Steampunk is awesome.

 

[SunnyBoner]

Did we really need to give him a 4 year deal?

 

[hotchilli]

Did we really need to give him a 4 year deal?

4 years seems to come pre-filled on the contract templates.

 

[northbergs]

Another Rawlings special. Joke!


On iPhone using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[giantroo]

 

[archereleven]

View attachment 1974115

There's nothing like a scraggy clearance off a ruckmans boot or hand.

I fail to see how it's 'good for the game'

On SM-G991B using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[DocSholl]

It's good for Supercoach

 

[chubbspeterson]

How did we look better with Larkey in the ruck? Mids have no idea what Xerri is going to do in there.

 

[justroyal]

So we’re all not going to talk about that spoil out of the boundary and into the 12th row when there was a clear chest mark to be taken?

 

[Ruckle]

So we’re all not going to talk about that spoil out of the boundary and into the 12th row when there was a clear chest mark to be taken?

Yep. I have bruising from the face palming during the game , this moment contributed to the injury. However, if 5 or 8 others tried as hard as he does we'd be marginally better off. (I think). As someone above said, in a calamitous organisation he is down the list of probs.

 

[Merlin007]

So we’re all not going to talk about that spoil out of the boundary and into the 12th row when there was a clear chest mark to be taken?

it's the kind of 'safety first' thing players do when the/their team is down on confidence - he's not the first, won't be the last

 

[DocSholl]

it's the kind of 'safety first' thing players do when the/their team is down on confidence - he's not the first, won't be the last

Thank you Brady

 

[chubbspeterson]

So we’re all not going to talk about that spoil out of the boundary and into the 12th row when there was a clear chest mark to be taken?

Lack of communication from teammates as well. Happened with Biggie as well last week. They don't talk.
Same with the Simpkin run down tackle. George has to tell him the threat is there.

 

[The Law]

So we’re all not going to talk about that spoil out of the boundary and into the 12th row when there was a clear chest mark to be taken?

That happens all the time in games. The only players that never tend to do that are the Stewart, Sicily, Taylor, Andrew types. The ones that are confident in the back half and in their marking ability. More of a lack of communication if anything. Be thankful that it didn't skim of the back of his hand and slip out the back. We've seen that enough from our defenders (was a Durdin special).

 

[King Corey]

How did we look better with Larkey in the ruck? Mids have no idea what Xerri is going to do in there.

All I know is Larkey in the ruck is all kind of ****ed.

I'd rather see Luke McDonald taking the centre hitouts.

Why on earth you'd risk the one key AFL grade key forward on the entire list in there is insane.

 

[swaeney]

Yep. I have bruising from the face palming during the game , this moment contributed to the injury. However, if 5 or 8 others tried as hard as he does we'd be marginally better off. (I think). As someone above said, in a calamitous organisation he is down the list of probs.

I actually think he’s trying too hard. If he just tapped the ball instead of trying to claim it and stat peddling, we’d be better off.

 

[Better Loosen Up]

Locked in until 2029

Tristan Xerri: Big Roo pens new deal

North Melbourne ruck Tristan Xerri is the latest Roo to put pen to paper

www.nmfc.com.au

View attachment 1971311



North Melbourne ruck Tristan Xerri is the latest Roo to put pen to paper, signing a four-year contract extension.

Xerri was set to come out of contract and enter free agency next year. However, his new deal will see him remain at Arden Street until at least the end of 2029.

A lifelong North Melbourne supporter, Xerri has played 38 games since he was selected with pick No.72 in the 2017 AFL Draft.

The 25-year-old spent two years developing at VFL level before he made his AFL debut in 2020 and became the Roos’ primary ruck in 2023.

He has enjoyed a strong start to 2024, currently ranked third in the competition for total hitouts (average of 34.2 per game), second for tackles (8.3 per game) and fourth for clearances (7.7 clearances per game).

North Melbourne head of football talent Brady Rawlings said the club was excited to have Xerri join the likes of Jy Simpkin (2029), Nick Larkey (2029) and Harry Sheezel (2030) by signing on long-term.

“Tristan is a very important pillar in the club’s plans for the future, so we’re rapt to add him to the list of players who have re-committed long-term,” Rawlings said.

“He’s worked hard to establish himself as our No.1 ruck over the past 18 months and has not only developed his ruck craft well during his time at Arden Street but also his ability to impact the contest in the air and at ground level.

“We look forward to watching him take his game even further over the coming years."

Look at all those taps to LDU!

 

[chubbspeterson]

All I know is Larkey in the ruck is all kind of ****ed.

I'd rather see Luke McDonald taking the centre hitouts.

Why on earth you'd risk the one key AFL grade key forward on the entire list in there is insane.

Yep I agree but it shows the connection between Xerri and the mids isn't there just yet.
Xerri needs to tap into the rubbish bins like Max Gawn does.

 

[FootySmartSimpson]

Teams are regularly scragging LDU at centre bounces this year because he is easily our biggest weapon in there. They try and neutralise Luke at clearances, and then exploit him on the spread. It's been working and he needs to find a way around it. Normally if a player is being regularly scragged they would try and block for a team mate so we get a free player. He hasn't been doing that, or at least I haven't seen it.

I don’t know if Luke has the smarts/selflessness to do that sort of role.

He would be thinking I just need to try harder to be faster and powerful darting towards the ball.

If we set up right, we could help Luke more to use his strengths, but it probably mean sacrificing the game of the other two mids to create space and block for him. Also we don’t have the side inside to do that at present.