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Nick Larkey says North Melbourne’s All-Australian recruits have given the Kangaroos’ pre-season program their approval, in a confidence boost for the struggling AFL club.
The Kangaroos spearhead was upbeat about the team’s prospects in 2025, having lured some much-needed experience to the club.
Fellow forward Jack Darling has joined from West Coast, while former Sydney star Luke Parker and Western Bulldogs defender Caleb Daniel are also on board at Arden Street.
With the Kangaroos finishing in the bottom two on the ladder since 2020, Larkey said not winning had “worn super thin”.
Luke Parker is a new arrival for the Kangaroos. (Photo by Daniel Pockett/Getty Images)
But he said the belief that they were on the rise had been reaffirmed by the veteran trio.
“It’s been good having some of the older guys come in, Parks (Parker), CD (Daniel) and Jack Darling in particular, and get a bit of affirmation from them that what we’re doing actually stacks up with some of the great teams that they’ve been a part of,” 26-year-old Larkey said on Monday.
“Parks, captain of grand final sides, played in a flag, same with CD and same with Darling – all three, All-Australian premiership players.
“They’ve been impressed … with the standards and how we go about things, how we talk to each other, the culture of the place, so it’s good to know it stacks up.
“The next step is obviously making it click on field and building confidence, and that comes through winning games and playing good footy.”
Larkey has been the Kangaroos’ leading goalkicker for the past four seasons, but said he was happy to have an “old head” in 298-gamer Darling join him in the forward line.
“I’m looking forward to learning a lot off him, but he’s already been great … he’s a big unit and he’s super fit and he just knows the patterns, knows where to run, it’s like a player you’ve been playing with for years,” he said.
“Our forward line has been super young in the past few years, so it’s also nice to have another leader there to direct.
“I don’t have all the answers on the field … so it’ll be nice to have another guy who’s been there, seen what it’s like at the top level – and at the bottom level as well.”
Larkey has also been impressed with draft pick Matt Whitlock, with the 18-year-old swingman unafraid to make his mark at training.
The pair went head to head for a period during a match simulation and Larkey said he liked the youngster’s competitiveness.
“He’s obviously got some real good attributes, he’s super athletic, agile, got a good leap on him, and he’s got a great build, so once he fills out he’ll be a pretty big, strong, athletic player,” Larkey said.
“But what I love probably most is his competitiveness.
“I had a drill last week where I was about 100 metres from the ball, and he was playing on me and I go to reset, and he gives me a massive crack right in the back.
“But I like it, that’s what you want in training.”
Ruckman Ivan Soldo’s return to Port Adelaide has been seamless with teammates dismissing any suggestion of carrying a grudge for his failed trade request.
Soldo wanted a trade to Victoria after his first season at the South Australian club, but a deal couldn’t be struck.
The 28-year-old is back at Alberton for pre-season training without any awkwardness, Power forward Mitch Georgiades says.
Ivan Soldo competes with GWS ruckman Kieren Briggs. (Photo by Jason McCawley/AFL Photos/via Getty Images)
“No, not at all, it happens every year, there’s people come and go,” Georgiades told reporters on Monday.
“I don’t think there’s any grudges or anything like that can be held, so nice to have him back.
“It hasn’t been addressed at all – nothing. He has slotted back in nicely which is good.”
Georgiades is relishing being in the midst of his first full pre-season since being selected by Port in the 2019 national draft.
“It’s probably my first actual proper pre-season where I’ve haven’t had to have surgery, I haven’t had to sit on the sidelines,” he said.
“It’s nice to be back now and feeling good.”
Georgiades underwent a knee reconstruction in April 2023 and played just two AFL games that year.
Last season, the West Australian-born forward returned and played 20 games and kicked a career-high 44 goals.
“I took a big step forward in my career last year,” he said.
“So for me to keep building on the park, off the park, by having a strong off-season, that’s going to put me in good stead.”
The strong-marking forward is embracing expectations of being the centrepiece in a revamped Power attack without retired veteran Charlie Dixon.
“I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want to be the man,” Georgiades said.
Port traded in Jack Lukosius from Gold Coast and small forward Joe Richards from Collingwood while also drafting tall attacker Jack Whitlock and highly-rated goalsneak Joe Berry.
Pressure forward Sam Powell-Pepper will also return to action next year after just three games last season before requiring a knee reconstruction.
Sam Powell-Pepper. (Photo by James Elsby/AFL Photos via Getty Images)
“We haven’t talked too much about the actual ins and outs of the way the forward line will work,” Georgiades said.
“It’s obviously going to be slightly different with no Charlie and we’re pretty mobile up there, so I think the way we might move the ball is going to be very fast.
“Each session we have, we’re learning about each other better which is great.
“We’ve got a lot of different parts there now … we’ve got a lot of different pieces up there.
“As we get into a bit more match play throughout the pre-season we’ll figure out a bit more what that looks like but I think the strength of our forward group is there’s a lot of versatility.”
Meanwhile, Port’s home-town rivals Adelaide have already suffered an injury blow with back-up ruckman Kieran Strachan sidelined for four months because of a foot injury.
Strachan, the understudy to first-choice ruck Reilly O’Brien, has had surgery on a stress fracture in his right foot.
© AAP
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