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Karl Langdon labels West Coast Eagle Nic Naitanui ‘virtually useless’ if he’s away from a ruck contest

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Catherine HealeyThe West Australian
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Premiership Eagle Karl Langdon has unloaded on West Coast star Nic Naitanui, labelling him “virtually useless” away from a ruck contest.

Speaking to SEN SA, Langdon was critical of Naitanui’s lack of influence away from the centre bounce.

“At the moment, he doesn’t get the ball in transition,” Langdon lamented.

“He averages one mark a game.

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“He doesn’t go forward and take big pack marks or lead up like Sean Darcy did on the weekend for Freo and look like he’s going to kick five goals.

“Nic Naitanui doesn’t do that.”

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Langdon said the fact the Eagles could not cover the loss of midfield stars Elliot Yeo and Luke Shuey in the loss to St Kilda should ring alarm bells.

“You look at West Coast, they don’t have Yeo and don’t have Shuey – their best two midfielders — and their midfield got absolutely destroyed,” Langdon said.

“Naitanui’s effectiveness is in confined space.

“If he doesn’t serve the ball to his midfielders on a platter in that 10 to 15-metre radius in a contested situation, he is virtually useless.

“Tim Kelly’s been up and down, inconsistent, a bit like his team.

“He was really good against Port Adelaide and last week he flopped like a lot of his teammates.”

Nic Naitanui prepares to ruck against Bulldog Stef Martin.
Camera IconNic Naitanui prepares to ruck against Bulldog Stef Martin. Credit: Dylan Burns/AFL Photos

Ruck legend Corey McKernan was quick to defend Naitanui’s output in matches, but admitted he’d prefer to see the big man “average four or five marks a game”.

“I do love watching him and the impact he can have on the game,” he said on SEN.

“He’s probably the favourite I watch.”

Host Dwayne Russell agreed Naitanui’s output around the ground wasn’t everything.

“He can be an All Australian ruckman even though he’s only taking 1.7 marks a game.”

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