AFL 2025: Alastair Clarkson on concussed young gun George Wardlaw
North Melbourne coach Alastair Clarkson says he won't take 'take the beast out' of hard-nosed midfielder George Wardlaw despite yet another concussion setback.
Wardlaw sustained a third concussion in 12 months during the Kangaroos' disappointing loss to Hawthorn on Saturday.
He will enter the concussion protocols but could sit on the sidelines for longer as North Melbourne prioritises the health of its young star.
Wardlaw was seemingly in good health at training on Tuesday, completing some running away from the main group.
Clarkson says every footballer runs the risk of injury and has no intention of changing the way Wardlaw attacks the contest.
'He's been asked this question plenty of times, what do you change with him? He's habitual, it's the way he plays his footy,' he said.
'You just hope over time he gathers a bit more awareness, a little bit more luck, a bit stronger in his body, perhaps.
'I try to take the beast out of the way that he plays and you won't have the same George Wardlaw.
'That's the risk we all have when we play the game, hope he gets a good run of luck.'
George Wardlaw was concussed early in the match against Hawthorn. Picture: James Wiltshire/AFL Photos via Getty Images
Wardlaw was not the only Roo away from the main group on Tuesday, with Luke Parker absent from the track.
Clarkson says the short turnaround between the Hawks and Western Bulldogs this Thursday is forcing the Roos to limit the training of a few sore bodies.
North Melbourne trains again on Wednesday and will put several players through a fitness test ahead of selection.
'We've got a whole heap of guys because it's such a short break, we trained today and most of those guys were able to do something,' Clarkson said.
'It's just getting them moving a bit, we'll train tomorrow and then select our side tomorrow night.
'(Parker) is one of those guys that we need to test tomorrow, some of them didn't come out on the track at all today or they did very, very light duties on the side.
'They'll present tomorrow with another 24 hours of recovery (and) see how we go. We'll have a couple of certainties out … George and Jack Darling.
'We'll test a couple others tomorrow, see how they pull up and if they're no good we'll just go in with fresh guys.'
Originally published as AFL 2025: North Melbourne coach Alastair Clarkson on concussed young gun George Wardlaw
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The Advertiser
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It's just a tragedy: Walsh lauded a decade after death
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"Phil's dead," Dangerfield, then a star Crow, was told by the club's football manager David Noble. "For that day and for the next few days I didn't cry," Dangerfield has said. "It was just total and utter disbelief ... you couldn't comprehend it." Ten years later, the AFL cohort in Adelaide are treading a fine line around Phil Walsh, who was stabbed to death by his son Cy on July 3, 2015. How best to acknowledge Walsh without creating further pain for his family? No-one quite knows. Just as no-one quite knew 10 years ago how to handle the death of the 55-year-old who was in the midst of his first season as the Crows' head coach. "It was a big washing machine for the next week," Walker has said of the emotional fall-out. Walsh had joined the Crows from arch rivals Port Adelaide, where in 2014 he was an assistant coach under Ken Hinkley. "His knowledge and his love of the game was real," Hinkley said this week. "It's just a tragedy, obviously everyone knows that, with what happened. "But there's a time when you reflect on the knowledge and the brilliance of his mind, which was amazing from a football sense." Walsh's renowned intensity left an imprint on all. "His game-day stuff, like his intensity and his willingness to try and win everything and make sure his team was so prepared," Hinkley said. "The players who would have played under Phil would say there was no stone unturned when it came to being ready to play football. "His footy knowledge ... no-one better." As a player, Walsh featured in 122 VFL/AFL games for Richmond, Collingwood and Brisbane from 1983-1990. In 2014 under Hinkley, Walsh was in his second stint as a Power assistant - he also held the role from 1999-2008. Walsh filled the same job at West Coast from 2009-13 before returning to South Australia. When Adelaide sacked Brenton Sanderson as coach in September 2014, the Crows' powerbroker and playing great Mark Ricciuto sought out Walsh. "I feel like I have been robbed," Ricciuto wrote in an open letter published five days after Walsh's death. "In fact, we have all been robbed. (Walsh's wife) Meredith, (daughter) Quinn and the family and their friends, I'm sure, are all feeling the same. "Why robbed? Because I think the Phil Walsh story was going to end as a fairytale. I could see him one day being a premiership coach ... and I do not say it lightly." Lifeline 13 11 14 beyondblue 1300 22 4636 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732) Men's Referral Service 1300 766 491 A decade ago, Adelaide captain Taylor Walker reluctantly answered his phone at 4.45am. "Phil's been murdered," Walker was told by the Crows' chief executive Andrew Fagan. Patrick Dangerfield answered a knock on his Adelaide door at 5.30am. "Phil's dead," Dangerfield, then a star Crow, was told by the club's football manager David Noble. "For that day and for the next few days I didn't cry," Dangerfield has said. "It was just total and utter disbelief ... you couldn't comprehend it." Ten years later, the AFL cohort in Adelaide are treading a fine line around Phil Walsh, who was stabbed to death by his son Cy on July 3, 2015. How best to acknowledge Walsh without creating further pain for his family? No-one quite knows. Just as no-one quite knew 10 years ago how to handle the death of the 55-year-old who was in the midst of his first season as the Crows' head coach. "It was a big washing machine for the next week," Walker has said of the emotional fall-out. Walsh had joined the Crows from arch rivals Port Adelaide, where in 2014 he was an assistant coach under Ken Hinkley. "His knowledge and his love of the game was real," Hinkley said this week. "It's just a tragedy, obviously everyone knows that, with what happened. "But there's a time when you reflect on the knowledge and the brilliance of his mind, which was amazing from a football sense." Walsh's renowned intensity left an imprint on all. "His game-day stuff, like his intensity and his willingness to try and win everything and make sure his team was so prepared," Hinkley said. "The players who would have played under Phil would say there was no stone unturned when it came to being ready to play football. "His footy knowledge ... no-one better." As a player, Walsh featured in 122 VFL/AFL games for Richmond, Collingwood and Brisbane from 1983-1990. In 2014 under Hinkley, Walsh was in his second stint as a Power assistant - he also held the role from 1999-2008. Walsh filled the same job at West Coast from 2009-13 before returning to South Australia. When Adelaide sacked Brenton Sanderson as coach in September 2014, the Crows' powerbroker and playing great Mark Ricciuto sought out Walsh. "I feel like I have been robbed," Ricciuto wrote in an open letter published five days after Walsh's death. "In fact, we have all been robbed. (Walsh's wife) Meredith, (daughter) Quinn and the family and their friends, I'm sure, are all feeling the same. "Why robbed? Because I think the Phil Walsh story was going to end as a fairytale. I could see him one day being a premiership coach ... and I do not say it lightly." Lifeline 13 11 14 beyondblue 1300 22 4636 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732) Men's Referral Service 1300 766 491
ABC News
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