Carlton Supporters Club

I've made this point before, but as repetition is one of my core competencies, I'll say it again. What we see as fans (i.e SPS being soft etc.) may be symptomatic of our own biases and assumptions. I've heard Teague say on more than one occasion that he wants a balance of some players in the contest and others on their feet ready for the receive and distribution. Teague has said a few times he doesn't want too many getting sucked in to the ball. That's the only legit thing I can think of as to why SPS plays the way he does. He is one of our better distributors, and he may simply be playing to instruction. I don't personally believe that Teague or Bolton or anyone else would tolerate not putting in, I do not believe that SPS would have survived this long, and I don't believe he would continue to get senior games  if that were the case. I don't believe the coaches are blind, and I don't believe he is a protected species.

I must be watching a different player to the coaches, he missed Murphy last night from 10-15m away, he doesn't this all the time IMO. I don't share everyone love for this bloke, never have. SPS epitomises where we are at, we have too many that don't contribute enough for long enough..................................................

Dislikes
1. Dow - went quite/missing in the 2nd half after a promising start.

An associate went last night, I was interested in a comment he made mostly because Hodge mentioned much the same during the broadcast.

My associate can't understand why we pressed forward so aggressively when we were a couple of goals up. He says Nthmond flood back so hard so quickly they were basically out-numbered behind the ball. We often had 2 or 3 spares in our defensive half.

We could have taken all the time in the world to move the ball sideways or backwards to make our next move forward, we could rotate players in and out of the F50 and pick the kicker. But he thought we rushed it into attack and turned it over, when there was no need to go forward in a rush at all!

In that moment behind the footy, we need a Stocker type, someone who can kick the lights out!

I think the answer is this, Richmond don't give you time. If you chip chip switch sideways etc with them, they will pressure and harass you into a TO all day long and make you pay. Move it quick against them and you're a chance. I noticed when we won quick ball out of the centre and got it into the F50 direct and fast, their defenders were exposed. We kicked a couple in a row doing it at one stage. We didn't win enough ball in the middle IMO.

Felt a lot like Groundhog day watching that - to my eyes there was way too much of the same old bad stuff from too many players. I liked the games of Saad and Fogarty simply because it was different [and better] than the stuff from usual suspects.

Interesting stat for me was the inside 50's - it was 22-24 at half time our way. Second half was 53-17 and we got run over the top of and could hardly move the ball past the centre. Our defence actually held up pretty well when you look at the weight of possession and territory they had in the second half, and the fact that we were so close mid way through the 4th qtr was actually incredible. But if you give any team 75 looks inside 50 & 39 shots on goal you are likely to get around 20 goals scored against you and you are no chance of winning. We were very efficient inside 50 [and missed a bunch of sitters as well] which was encouraging.

Overall - more negatives than positives for me.

Yes we struggled much of the time getting good ball out of the middle, in fact Crippa was well held after halftime. Maybe Williams and to a degree Martin will improve us here.

I think the answer is this, Richmond don't give you time. If you chip chip switch sideways etc with them, they will pressure and harass you into a TO all day long and make you pay. Move it quick against them and you're a chance. I noticed when we won quick ball out of the centre and got it into the F50 direct and fast, their defenders were exposed. We kicked a couple in a row doing it at one stage. We didn't win enough ball in the middle IMO.

We really lack leadership don’t we.

What team gets to within a goal of the best team in the comp with 10 mins to go and yet at that very stage looks shot and like there is no spark or energy to will themselves to every contest to cause the upset.
There was under a goal in it with only half a quarter to go yet we looked flat. HTF does that happen? We were calling for someone to impose themself yet apart for Walsh and maybe Saad no one else seemed to be willing to gut run at the end. Never going to beat a team like tigers unless you take your opportunities and when the moment is there you lift up and give everything you have to take it.
Cripps was flat as a tack too and I was disappointed in our captain in the middle during the second half of the last quarter. Give us nothing.
Yeah I know the kids were bad no argument there but when your so close so late yet never really look like they will do anything to win, that’s the big disappointment and concern going forward for me.