‘Non-competitive’: Great’s call for Roos selection statement as ‘disrespectful’ efforts laid bare

A great has called for Alastair Clarkson to make a statement at selection after the Kangaroos were trounced by Carlton on Good Friday.

Two-time North Melbourne premiership player David King urged changes in the defensive half after glaring errors in the Roos’ 82-point loss, which saw the Blues pile on 15 goals in the second half alone.

The 241-game goalkicker posed whether Clarkson had the same “conviction” as Melbourne coach Simon Goodwin, who last Thursday dropped out-of-form forwards Bayley Fritsch and Jacob van Rooyen before the Demons’ Round 6 upset of Fremantle.

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Specifically, King shone a spotlight on the less-than-ideal efforts of senior defensive players, suggesting they be culled at the selection table as a consequence.

“They’ve got some selection dilemmas down back. You’ve got to make statements; you can’t live like this,” he said on Fox Footy’s First Crack.

“You can’t have guys down back that are non-competitive or just cough the ball up.

“I mean, some of these efforts are insipid. You can’t play Zac Fisher if (he’s) not prepared to put (his) head over the ball the first time and you want to paddle it instead of taking contact.

“All well and good to fight the fight and all this rubbish afterwards, but you’ve got to put your body on the line for the cause.”

King placed the onus on the senior leaders to take responsibility in the defensive half, highlighting the lack of concentration in multiple instances.

“Aidan Corr, you’re a high-priced recruit, you’ve got to be better than that,” King continued. “You’ve got to set the tone down there, you’re playing on the big boys, you’ve got to play a big man’s game.

“Settle the troops, calm the farm, you’ve got young players around you everywhere. If you can’t lead, you’re out of the team, for some of these guys.

“What are you doing here, Griffin Logue? Where are you going? You’re caught in no man’s land, it’s your job there to defend, obviously stay in contact with your player.

“It just happens so regularly; I could show 100 of these.”

King suggested some may need a stint in the reserves in order to be better equipped to play at the top level.

“(Colby) McKercher, (I) don’t even know if you’re ready for AFL footy at the moment — I think he nearly has to go back to VFL, get some form, come back,” King said.

“There’s nothing wrong with developing at the next level down if they’re not ready; Geelong has done it for years.

“(North Melbourne) conceded a goal from every third entry inside the defensive 50. Understand some of that stoppage stuff (from Carlton) was coming down pure, but they’re just non-competitive down back.

“(But) I’d rather die with kids that are learning the caper than senior players (making those errors), and I’ll throw Caleb Daniel in there as well — the way he plays is disrespectful to the back six.”

King finished by asking whether the coach could make the requisite tweaks at selection.

“They’ve got some decisions to make, and I think it has to start at selection,” he said on Fox Footy.

“Simon Goodwin was brave enough to do it and have the balls to drop some of those key forwards that have left them down.

“Does Alastair Clarkson have the same conviction to do that down back?”

In their next three fixtures, the Kangaroos face Port Adelaide, Essendon and reigning premiers Brisbane.