Positives - Durdin, looks to be a player. We got another game into Stocker, TDK, Dow, Kemp, Honey and Charlie, who, BTW back would be killing him as Alir had two hands planted in it all night.
Umpiring was fair, until they realized that Port was behind, how Boak got the free kick for a dangerous tackle when it was his momentum that took him over and Fantasia took a massive dive when Stocker gave him a forearm after he kicked it, but Butters punches two players one after he kicks the ball to the head which send Saad off holding his jaw and nothing call is beyond me, but as I've always said it's very easy to give a free kick to the team that's supposed to win.
Today showed the lack of imagination Teague has as coach. McGovern has played back before, when we were under siege, he should have been swapped with Kemp to give Weiters and Plowman a chop out with a big senior body. TDK looked spent but no Casboult to take a bit of pressure off in the second half.
Murph could have gone down and clocked Butters for his gutless punch to Saad, but alas no.
This was always going to happen, as most, if not all of the assistants would have been told by now that they don't have their job next season, so their hearts not in it. I'm guessing that Teague would have been told by now, especially after challenging the club, ask Malthouse how that worked out for him. But if the unlikely does happen and Teague keeps his job, what sort of assistant coach would we get? As the industry knows that Teague is a dead man walking, so no coach would want to come and be cleaned out at the end of next year. BTW I feel sorry for Teague, he is just not cut out for a head coach roll, and by taking over after Bolton he lucked himself into the job.
Negatives - We've got one more game left, let's just hope that Covid shuts next week down and we can write this train wreck of a season off.
Sayers must get this club in order, MLG has done a good job off the field, but the next coach must be a hit within two seasons or their will be carnage.
I don't think Willo has done much wrong since he was recalled ... and he can play tall.
I'll argue that point, Williamson is shocking overhead, in both spoiling and marking. He is not the player I thought he would be, and this trying to break tackles and fend off is not working for him.
Cottrell 2.0 tackles per game O'Brien 1.4, so every two games Cottrell lays an extra tackle.
I'll disagree with O'Brien about his chasing, he runs all day and his skills are better than Cottrell's however you have to stretch your memory. The end of 2019, which was his last meaningful games he was running from half back and hitting targets plus, running past players to receive, then running hard back on turnovers. BTW I'm no O'Brien fan, but I don't understand why Cottrell gets a game over him when their stats are so similar yet Lachie has more tricks to his game.
Yes Dows kicking can be off, however the start to his last game before he got poked in the eye looked promising, with kicks and handballs hitting targets, he looked different, and at the moment I'm sure it's only injury keeping him out anyway.
Gibbons is badly out of form, so is SPS but I want Samo to be given a shot on a HFF rather than buried in the backline. He has more skill and talent in one finger than Gibbons has in his whole body, plus he wins the ball, something that Gibbons seems unwilling to do now.
Owies is a pressure forward and in my opinion should keep Fisher out when he's fit. In fact I can see us trading Fisher in the off season. In fact I hope to see an Owies / Durdin combination in years to come.
They will be hauled over the coals by Clarkson for an inept loss to North, so we'll catch them with a point to prove, we'll come out and play the same way we always do, yet Clarkson will have devised a plan and will cut us up.
At least Teague will calm the members down in his after game conference by saying that's not how we want to play
We need someone other than Harry that comes at the ball, Jack does but must be underdone after missing games, SPS does but has had confidence stripped away from him.
Actually when you consider what our forward line should look like with Charlie, Martin and McGovern all missing it's not wonder we can't kick a score. All three lead at the ball carrier, which would open up of forward 50 and give space to Harry and Eddie to operate.
Take McDonald, Brown and Fritsch out of Melbourne's forward line and let's see how they go.
I'm with Krud, the reason why Cottrell, Gibbons, Parks, Newnes, Owies etc have got games is because those highly rated other players like SPS, Setterfield, Obrien, Dow, Cuningham and Williamson(yes later pick I know) have been putrid, both in skill, in effort and sticking their gonads into places where they might get hurt. Teague cant trust those higher rated players to turn up and play with any intent or passion......its that simple.
and this is what's wrong with selection. I'm sure if you put anybody who a Carlton member out there they would have passion, but passion doesn't win you game. Ball control and skill does. Most of the season we've had Newnes on one wing and Cotrell on the other, neither gives you more than 12-15 touches a game, sure Cottrell runs around all game long, but is tirelessly predictable as he runs in straight lines. How can we win with inept wings, when the game has progress into a play on game and a quality wing is very important.
We have O'Brien who has proven that he is a two way runner, and a much better kick than Cottrell, but when he gets a low disposal game, he's dropped, in fact he's played two game over the past two seasons, hardly a fair go for a former pick 10 to prove his worth.
That being said his papers may be stamped, but if that's the case why didn't we trade O'Brien last season when Collingwood came knocking for him?
I like Owies and think he has something, but Gibbons doesn't play with passion and his games this season have been poor, Parks is not an AFL Level player yet and possibly won't ever be, but because he has passion he gets a game? No wonder we're at the bottom of the ladder again.
I let out a cheer when I saw Stocker in the middle and paid close attention to his kicking, which I thought was passable, good decision making and you can't question his toughness around th eball.
One thing I was disappointed in was when he kicked his first goal, not many game over the celebrate with him, just makes me think, on the back of him leaving the bubble last year, is he a valued member of the club?
I suspect Williams will be back in the midfield before long, I noted they ran Doc in the midfield a couple of times at the weekend.
and looked good doing it. For me Williams stays at half back with Saad, which is not that different to Docherty and Saad. Try and find a third defensive tall in the mid season draft possible.
I don't agree he's looked fine to me, what is expected from a 5th gamer?
Seriously?
He was pushed off the ball with ease, his kicking is ordinary at best. He was bought into the side as an intercept marker, which apart from his first game, I haven't seen. Luke has done two memorable things, the tackle on Lukosius and the tackle on Tippa. Other than that he's been well below par.
@raydan... Sorry mate but you seem to be suffering from memory loss. Go back and rewatch R2 vs the Pies and then you'll see why we play the players we do.
That side have no effort in r2 and was filed with a bunch of primadonnas. Since then teague had been pushing the effort gets you games barrow....and with good reason. We cannot accept substandard effort.
Once the players you talk about give that effort then they will be back in the side. I wouldn't hold my breath though.
Looking the Collingwood game, only one player got omitted the next week and that was Williamson, who did play a stinker, but Newnes, Gibbons, Murphy were just as poor, they just got a bit more of the ball but none of that three gave the effort you speak of.
My post is we have some talent on the twos who at their worst play as well as the rookie listed players we are currently playing, why not get them in and back them, give them a block of games now and say this is your time. Then guide them through their mistakes, rather than just drop them.
SOS once said in an interview, that it’s easy to put a side together that finishes 8th. That comment has always been in the back of my mind when looking at out playing list. When I look at our team, we put on the ground against Melbourne I can see what he means. When we are putting players out there who were chosen as rookies / after pick 50, and leaving our high picks in the twos, I question the team selection and the coaches bias for a particular type of player.
Cottrell, Gibbons, Parks, Owies all rookie players over the past 3 years, all getting games ahead of more highly talented players. Add to that Pittonet who was taken at 50.
Look at the rookies this week, Cottrell 15 poss, 2 tackles, 330 Mg. 79% game time while playing on the wing Runs all day, gives his all, but disposal is average and is a straight-line player with no tricks.
Parks 5 poss, 0 tackles, 113 Mg, 77% game time, playing Back Pocket. Lukes worst game and was shown up for what he is, a tryer at best. All he’s done of note is laid two good tackles while playing seniors. Seemed lost all day and is too easily pushed off the ball. Supposed to be an intercept marker but has only taken 2 in a game and only 1 mark this week, with plenty of ball coming down all game long to be involved.
Gibbons, 9 poss, 4 tackles, 1 goal, 160 Mg 71% game time, playing half forward. While I realise he was the sub, Gibbons still played just under ¾ game time. Seems to be too busy telling everyone else what to do and not getting involved in the play himself.
Owies 6 poss, 7 tackles, 1 goal 2 points, 86% game time. I actually like Owies and think he has another couple of step to go up. This game was a poor one though, good pressure, but must take a clean ball when it sits up in front of goal, and has to make the easy set shots.
When you have Dow, O’Brien, SPS, deKoning even a Ramsay, dare I say Williamson not playing seniors, you need to question quite a few things.
Are these players desperate enough to lift their games?
Is the coach only picking players who are battlers because that’s the type of player he was?
Are we putting faith into our younger players and letting them play through their mistake?
Lets face it, finals are pretty much out of the question and when we start getting players back from injury they will take the sports of the rookies, when really it should have been our young draft picks.
Put SPS on a half forward flank instead of Gibbons, at least you know he will come at the ball off half back. The look to do something with it.
Get Williamson in the backline and back him in, take away his run out at all costs attitude that seems to have taken over his game. Use his boot and natural aggression to stick a man all game long.
Use O’Brien on a wing get him running up and back, he is a genuine two way runner which we need. He is a confidence player so back him in, say Lachie he’s a block of 4 games, barring injury you will play all four and we will judge you on the four, so play through mistakes and use your one wood which is your run and link up and let’s see the skill that got you taken at 10.
Dow is a quality player who doesn’t have the coaches confidence. Look back at 2019 and Paddy was up around the 20 touches a game while Bolton was coaching, Teague takes over Paddy gets put to a flank and his production dies. He was drafted as a midfielder play him there. Look at Melbourne midfield, all capable of bursting away from the pack, us, Walsh as two on him, Cripps got caught a lot, where that’s Dows strength.
The sooner we get deKoning into the senior side the better!
If Cripps does have a back issue, and is receiving injections to play, then that explains his lack of flexibility and not being able to bend down to pick the ball up and double grabbing etc. The club needs to have a hard look at itself as he is not playing well at all and we need to give game time to the younger mids. I'm sure Setterfield would relish some Cripps free midfield time.
If he does not have a back issue, then my original post remains unaltered, he must be moved on, as the game appears to have passed him by.
I’m fast losing faith in Teague’s assessment of the side and with that Teague as a coach. His statement that we are a flexible team could not be further from the truth, and that starts with Cripps, he is a clearance player only, sure he may be big (not that he is currently playing like it) but his one touch pickups are gone, his vision to get the ball to our advantage by hand has also let him. Instead he wants to burst away from a pack all himself and be the hero. Compare that to Pendulbury or Bont and both are happy to give a little handball if it gets their other players into space.
Cripps is a one dimensional cut out of his former self, and with the game speeding up thanks to a few rule changes over the last couple of seasons, is not going to get any better. In fact if you look at the game against the Dogs, to win the ruck hit outs and to then have a C grade ruck in Pitto win the clearances just shows how far Cripps has sunk. It’s with this in mind that I think if he wants to go at the end of the season via free agency, provided we get a first rounder back for him, then let him go.
While many will howl at the idea, it will go a long way to fix our team. We have two players who attend most centre bounces that struggle to play any where else, Cripps and Ed. Ed is limited but does a great job negating the best clearance player on the other side, while getting the ball himself, not that it’s a great possession most of the time. That leaves one spot vacant which Walsh is the logical choice, because of his level of play this year. So where do we fit Cunningham, Dow, SPS, Setterfield, Stocker, Williams, Fogarty etc? At the moment they are sent to a flank pocket or wing and given 5 minutes a game in the middle, leaving us with the question, why aren’t our young players better. The answer is because of the one dimensional play of Cripps and Curnow.
Obviously Cripps is not going to be dropped or put on a flank, but his time should be diminished in the middle and he put in the goal square for 10 minutes a quarter. Ed needs to be able to tag of a flank or wing, but very rarely should we use both in the middle at the same time.
If Cripps is in use a combination of two faster players like a Walsh Dow Cunningham, if Ed is in then look at a Stocker Setterfield to win the ball inside and move it forward. If neither then that’s when SPS and Fogarty or even Gibbons get a look in.
Down back we are pretty good, however this needs a change too, Williams has been a non event in the middle and should be moved to the HBF to regain form and confidence, Doc I would move to the wing and drop Newnes who is a real list clogger. 12-15 touches a game equals a seconds player who gets a game for injury or bad form of another player. I would also want to see Newnam in as soon as possible, which would mean moving Stocker to the bench.
Up forward we have seen how ineffective Fisher has been when compared to Owies who over the last 2 games has given us 5 goals plus pressure and the biggest thing I saw was Owies rushing a point last weekend, he wasn’t playing on ball, so to be to see him on the last line of defence means he must of followed his opponent into out backline, something that Murphy, Fisher, Gibbons just doesn’t do. Owies should not be dropped for the foreseeable future. That being said, we have no spot for Fisher, he is a forward by circumstance not by choice and to me is tradeable, because he will not get a spot in out midfield. Murphy should be an injury sub on or two times this season, just to get his tally closer to 300 without getting him on the field.
So a team I’d like to see this week;
FB Plowman Jones Newnam HB Williams Weitering Saad C E.Curnow Cripps Docherty R Pittonet Walsh Dow HF Fogarty deKoning Cunningham FF Betts McKay Owies I Parks, Stocker, SPS, Cottrell IS Murphy E Setterfield, Newnes, Williamson
Dare I say that SPS coming onto the ground was when the game changed? His reading of the play on several occasions and clean hands with efficient disposal through the centre seemed to calm the team down.
Walsh was just tough, skilful and relentless. I wish he'd lower his eyes around goals though.
Owies was what we needed up forward, pressure and toughness from a small. Good return for a second gamer, who wasn't over awed by the big crowd.
Eddie was good, but played the same game as last week, he just kicked the goals this week.
McGovern was better and did present well, chased and competed. Loved the jumper punches, but now he's gone again.
Good to see Harry actually get some holding call for a change, happens every week, but I bet he doesn't get them against the Bulldogs. Another 5 to equal his year high tally and it's only round 7.
Cuningham was a difference maker in the middle, his movement and pace was something that Essendon did not handle well.
Saad and Docherty were very good, but there is little chemistry between them, unlike Simpson and Docherty who seemed to know where each other is at all times.
Jones lowered his colour for the first time this season and Weitering was guarding a decoy to closely. Plowman is always on a hiding to nothing. Tipper got two of his goals from running ahead of the play and hoping, Plowman was setting up in defence playing the percentages, they get a lucky win around the contest twice, the ball is kicked into space Tipper runs into an open goal. If Plowman stand right on him then the ball goes through the right space and we get opened up more often.
Parks, alright in the air, seems lost around a stoppage and very ordinary when the ball in on the ground. Poor kick as well, if we are thinking Parks is the answer, then we're in real trouble.
In fact we had; Parks, Owies, Gibbons, Cotteral, all playing this week, when our high draft picks are in the two's, yep sure these guys give effort, but they are just average players, add to the the other averages out there like Newnes and Casboult and this is why we are an average team.
Which brings me to the elephant in the room Cripps. He is a liability. He does not hunt the ball like he used to, Walsh now does that and what Cripps should be doing is blocking for Walsh and occasionally getting the ball. If we do not get the ball and the oppositin clear it we are playing one man down. As was happening a lot today, you wait til next week when the Dogs have their set up, with two quick handballs and then everyone scampers. Cripps cannot be played anywhere else, so that's why we don't have midfield rotations, that's why SPS and Stocker are playing down back, Setterfield and Kennedy are playing in the twos and other mids, like Ramsay will be lucky to get a look in. It's fortunate for Cuningham and Fogarty that Williams is injured or they wouldn't get much of a look either. For Carlton to blossom we have to get rid of Cripps.
Dow and McGovern out through injury, Newnes, Gibbons and Casboult should be out as well as they have been crap for weeks.
SPS for Dow, deKoning for Casboult, Philip for McGovern, Ramsay for Gibbons and Setterfield for Newnes. Start Setterfield/Cuningham at CHF and have him swap with Cripps after the centre bounce, that way Wood has to pick Cripps up rather than float as a spare against Harry. It won't happen but it should, David King has said it for a while now, we are being too nice at selection, a ruthless dropping of many may shock these under achievers into gear.
Dow and Setterfield need to be dropped. Just a stat to show how woefully out of form they both are. Kennedy in the 10 ish minutes had more meters gained that both Dow and Setterfield combined and I think from memory he had more tackles too.
I'm not saying they should be taken out the back and shot, but both are out of form and need to find it, which should be done in the twos. Get them both getting first touch in the centre bounce then dominate opposition, get the feel for the game, then after 3-4 games of that get the hopefully inform players back into the senior team, that's what the VFL is for.
Silvagni - Kennedy Dow - Stocker Setterfield - Williams (if fit) if not Owies and more mid time for Fogarty.
We are lacking midfield rotation lets bring in mids who are inform.
Casboult plays cause we need a second ruck. McGovern gets another run in the twos to get game touch.
