The Tackle: Jay Clark’s likes and dislikes from round 22

Jay Clark gives his likes and dislikes in The Tackle.

DISLIKES

1. ESSENDON’S DEVASTATING DEJA VU

It’s the Essendon revolving door.

At the end of 2020 when it lost four important players including father-son gem Joe Daniher, the Bombers conceded there was an environment issue.

Daniher and Conor McKenna (who went home to Ireland first and came back) won a flag at the Lions, Adam Saad joined Carlton, and Orazio Fantasia headed to Port as part of the exodus.

And when the Bombers parted ways with former coach Ben Rutten the club said it had to get things right internally to stop the outflux of talent.

But history is repeating at a club which hasn’t won a final in 20 years as ace ruckman Sam Draper weighs up a fresh start at a new club, Jayden Laverde fights for a new deal, Jordan Ridley’s frustration mounts, and Kyle Langford and Darcy Parish try to work back from their soft tissue dramas.

And now Fremantle’s Patrick Voss looks like the ultimate September wildcard after getting the boot from the Bombers two years ago.

But the biggest worry for Essendon is if Draper walks to Brisbane or Adelaide as it is widely expected at season’s end, how far have the Bombers really come in the five years since Daniher did the same thing?

It’s a disastrous sense of deja vu at Tullamarine.

For all the talk about standards rising at Essendon, young talent and a bumper draft hand this year, Draper’s exit would be a shattering blow for Zach Merrett and Parish who are yet to taste finals success in red and black.

Massimo D’Ambrosio was somehow let go at the end of 2023 and became an All-Australian contender at Hawthorn and now Voss, who was delisted after winning the Bombers’ VFL best and Fairest in 2023 as its leading goal kicker, has become a crucial cog in attack at Fremantle.

The Bombers’ fan base would have watched him help drag Fremantle over the line on Saturday night wondering how on earth they let another one slip?

He’s got spunk, Voss.

He’s the powerhouse forward nicknamed the “Prancing Pony”, who dangerously waved goodbye to Port Adelaide fans a little prematurely with five minutes remaining in the Dockers’ thrilling win on Saturday night.

Perhaps, he should put the wave away, as Caleb Serong suggested after the win on Fox Footy, but he’s got some box office swag and he hunts the ball, hard.

But it’s Voss’s extroverted nature which gives the vanilla Dockers a bit of spice they have previously lacked.

Some unpredictability and strength. An edge.

If they make finals, Voss looks like a bloke who certainly won’t shy away from the moment, a bit like Jack Ginnivan and Nick Watson at the Hawks. They want the spotlight.

Teammates say Voss has a bit of Hayden Ballantyne about him.

But it’s not only his celebrations that are a bit different.

Saints’ great Stephen Milne used to tell his St Kilda teammates he was really a big man trapped in a small man’s body.

Voss might be a small man trapped in a big man’s body.

He was let go at Essendon, in part, because he was never a particularly good contested or overhead mark or for a strong 195cm key forward.

He averaged 0.8 contested marks a game which is below average for his position.

But he is aggressive on the hunt for the Sherrin at ground level and he is a nice leading option, and, in any case he has booted 31 goals from 17 games playing on peanuts as part of a free hit for Justin Longmuir’s men.

They would be the cheapest 31 goals in the league and when you consider first-year sensation Murphy Reid also bagged two goals and delivered the handball of the season on Saturday night over his head, the Dockers have hit the jackpot.

The Rising Star challenger Reid has 22 majors for the year and combined with Voss’s haul, the Dockers have got 50 goals from two forwards on minimum chips in 2025.

Peter Wright leads the Bombers goal kicking on 25, ahead of Nate Caddy, on 20, who also has some of the Voss swag.

But the worry for Essendon is that good players leave Tullamarine.

Essendon legend Matthew Lloyd said the quiet bit out loud at the start of the season about the trend.

And he said Jake Stringer wasn’t the problem, even though Stringer himself said he felt like he was the scapegoat for the club’s problems at times.

“I don’t think the environment has been good enough for players to thrive and prosper,” Lloyd said on Channel 9.

“Culture, environment, development, the connection piece. The whole club hasn’t been right. I don’t know why.

“Of course he (Stringer) is not the only problem.”

And that was only six months ago. There’s a chance if Laverde doesn’t sign at Essendon he could end up at GWS Giants in place of Leek Aleer.

But if the environment has been off at Essendon for whatever reason, whose job is it to get it right and how much have things changed this year?

The injuries have been a disaster and the club will appoint a new high performance chief to help sort things out.

But Draper couldn’t only be considering walking away because of an unlucky Achilles injury, surely. Or his groin issues?

The question Draper has got to ask himself is does he believe in the vision and trajectory of the club?

Because if the gun ruckman – who was playing the best footy of his career earlier this year before he got hurt – does depart at season’s end, it points to a bigger problem than just the injury issues at Essendon.

The club would receive a draft pick as compensation for Draper’s departure but it would be a kick in the guts if it is an end-of-first round selection for a prime big man in a weak draft class which would shuffle back into the 20s.

A pick in the 20s for Draper is a dud deal, which is why good judges are saying it is crucial Essendon keep the unrestricted free agent.

And it could be another tough September if another discard such as Voss helps steer the Dockers deep towards a flag.

LIKES

1. This was Sam Darcy’s Nick Riewoldt moment.

Riewoldt was only in his fourth season when he took that unforgettably brave mark running back with the flight in 2005 and on Sunday Darcy flew back into the unknown in not dissimilar circumstances with the most courageous grab of his career.

The game was still on the line when he steamed in from 25 metres away with eyes only on the ball in the last minute in the Dogs’ win.

We have seen his spectacular athleticism, skill on both sides of his body, and sky scraping reach.

But this was next level ticker from the key forward.

The Dogs survived a major scare and it was another stunning midfield performance from Ed Richards, Marcus Bontempelli late, and another five goals from Aaron Naughton which was the difference for the Dogs.

There was calls from everywhere to send Naughton back into defence this year to fix the Dogs’ biggest flaw but he has emerged as one of the best key forwards in the game in 2025.

The win keeps the Dogs in the finals frame and the final-round clash against Fremantle at Marvel Stadium will have everything riding on it.

It must have been a tough watch for former Melbourne coach Simon Goodwin who was sacked this week.

He was axed, and suddenly the Demons looked electric in their ball movement, Clayton Oliver gets some of his power back, and Jacob Van Rooyen showed the aerial presence they had been missing.

They moved the ball quickly and there was risk in the transition which is what Goodwin had been desperately encouraging.

And the first game he watches from the couch there it is.

Against St Kilda before the capitulation it was evident too and last week they steamrolled West Coast.

But this was perhaps why he was still so optimistic about the path the club was on before he copped it in the neck.

It is why it will be such an enticing job for the next Demons’ coach because as much as they frustrated the fan base, there is some top-line talent there.

Harvey Langford had a couple of big moments late with a lightning handball and strong mark in attack to underline his quality in his first season.

Expect the new coach to step in before the exchange period starts so he can help put his stamp on the group ahead of 2026.

2. A RAY OF LIGHT

There was another ray of sunshine on another dark day for North Melbourne.

The club has been desperately hoping to find a co-pilot for Nick Larkey in attack and on Sunday debutant Cooper Trembath showed he could yet be the man.

But the club is only two games away from rounding out an incredibly disappointing third season under Alastair Clarkson and the same sort of performance won’t be acceptable in season four next year.

Four wins and a draw is well below par for the Kangas this year and unless the Roos genuinely rise up the ladder next season then Adam Simpson will be on the club’s radar.

Simpson looks like a man who will return to the coaching fray at some point after winning a flag at West Coast in 2018.

But for now, Trembath showed he could be the one to become a key plank for Clarkson in the Roos’ 2026 plans.

Larkey has carried a ridiculously heavy load in recent seasons and the banged-up goal kicker is out sidelined with a PCL injury.

The 194cm Trembath was taken in the mid-season draft had some clever moments kicking three goals on a day when the Giants dominated the first half as expected.

In a season where some of the development of the young players appears to have stalled, this was the day when a genuine key forward prospect emerged for the first time in a long time for the Roos after some encouraging VFL form in recent weeks.

GWS was too slick in Canberra as the club looks go deep in September, so the mismatch between a genuine premiership contender and the second-last Roos was stark.

And it is unclear what the future holds for former top-three best-and-fairest finisher Bailey Scott who was used as a sub on Sunday.

But the next fortnight is important for Clarkson’s men as they look to

Last year the Kangas were pummelled in their last two games of the season by 96 points to Western Bulldogs and 124 points by Hawthorn.

That was embarrassing, and Clarkson will be calling on the troops to show some pride against Richmond and Adelaide in the final fortnight to help finish a poor year on an encouraging note.

3. HE’S JUST KEN

Ken Hinkley is about to become one of the most sought-after men in the game after his final-round farewell from Port Adelaide.

The man who has led the Power to a 59 per cent winning record across 13 seasons will lead Port for the final time against Carlton at Marvel Stadium on Saturday and then against Gold Coast at Adelaide Oval in round 24.

And despite never winning the ultimate prize, they have been one of the most consistent sides in the game, winning double-digit games in every season under Hinkley until this year (eight wins).

When the season ends, he will have a break of several months as part of a hard-earned holiday.

But as many as seven clubs are believed to have made informal inquiries about his services for next season in a variety of roles.

A senior coaching gig is not believed to be in his thinking.

But a coaching director gig or football manager role could appeal depending on his discussions with family at season’s end.

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Hinkley’s seventh grandchild is on the way and he has strong family ties in Adelaide which could keep him in South Australia if he doesn’t want to commute back and forth to help a Melbourne club next season.

Carlton has been tipped to make an inquiry as part of a football department shake-up after standing by coach Michael Voss for next season.

Hinkley has said he isn’t in a rush to make a decision on next year as he attempts to finish the 2025 season on a high with Port.