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Topics - Raydan

1
Robert Heatley Stand / Teague - Selecting Battlers over talent.
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!
3
Notice Board (Visitors Enter Here) / New Direction on CSC
It’s been a testing few weeks on here, members who should know better and have been told before, have continued to hi-jack threads, with tired messages and personal tirades about the board, club, admin and players. They have now been excluded from the site.

This is the Carlton Supporters Club, and our club is year 1 of a rebuild that could last for 5 years before we see results. So we don't want to see this style of posting dominate the forum for that time period. It’s fine to have a negative view on things and post when you are unhappy about the performance of anything at the club, but the stuck record way of posting adopted by some will not be tolerated.

We can see members signing up, that may post only once or twice as their voice is being drowned out by the same repetitive drivel, that doesn't give threads the air to breathe and develop before they turn into the same as every other thread. It is our job to fix these issues, but when you need to delete posts and alter nearly every thread, we have decided to get rid of the cause rather than deal with the illness.
4
Robert Heatley Stand / NAB Challenge - Carlton v Hawthorn @ Aurora Stadium
Two weeks to go until we unfurl Carlton 2016. Just lining up to get tickets and from the line there it will be a Carlton home game crowd wise. It was nine years ago when last Carlton graced Tassie's premier football stadium, Waite was playing CHB on Buddy and Dick Pratt was newly appointed as President, there was a serious amount of optimism going round about the Blues. I remember Carlton supporters walking up to Pratt and shaking his hand, thanking him for taking over.

So maybe it's a Launceston game that signals a reset for the club.  ;)

Anyway, sounds like the ground will be sold out and 80% will be blues fans, roll on Feb 18
5
Blah-Blah Bar / Star Wars - SPOILERS
I can't believe, given the age demographic of the site, that there has been no comment about it yet?

Saw it last night with my eldest son (7) proud Dad moment, and it was awesome.

I can't understand the negative comments about it, the plot has some holes and it will never win Academy Awards for its acting but it was a fun story in the vein of the first three movies.
6
Robert Heatley Stand / 2016 Ladder - Going Early
Time to stick necks out and see what you think of 2016 before it happens.

1 - West Coast

Have a lot very good players right in the golden part over their careers. Home games means they have 11 games where they start heavy favorites. Redden and Jetta help with depth and speed and McKenzie with join McGovern down back to give genuine key defenders.

2 - Hawthorn

A year older and some significant retirements make them drop, however I can't bring myself to drop them any lower than here. Lake and Hale hurt their structure, Fitzpatrick may be a solid player down back, but that's two Melbourne defenders the last two years....

3 - Freo

Hardest team to read, like WC 11 home games puts them in a good spot, but Sandilands and Pavlich are already old, McPharlin is gone and their key position stocks are thin. Bennell is a talent but is he disciplined enough to get them the next step?

4 - Bulldogs

I rate this side, talent galore, young leaders and a core group that wants to be more than just AFL players. Suckling and Adcock are strange additions, pretty much replicating what is already there. If Boyd can stop thinking he's the greatest player and start playing like one then they are a scary proposition.

5 - Port

Another hard team. I like what they have done since Hinkley has come along, Wingard is my favorite non Carlton player in the league. They have a great starting centre square, a quality forward half and now a stud with Dixon at FF that has been missing since Marky Mark retired. 

6 - Gold Coast - Their improvement comes from returning players and cutting away some cancers. If they can get their best players on the park then they are a 12 win team at least. They young KP players are now starting to come into their own at both ends, not sure How Grant and Rosa fit in but they will give depth.

7 - Collingwood - Any team that gets Treloar at that sort of money has to serious about finals. It used to be Pendlebury or bust in the middle but Treloar addition will give opposition coaches a nightmare. Swann and Cloke are sliding away from their best, Moore is a gun in the making and Howe should give a hard to match 3rd tall.

8 - Sydney - A transition year, Goodes, Pyke, Bird and Jetta gone and who knows what will happen with Buddy. Richards down back is OK Talia helps but he's no star. Aging stars, young guns coming through but nothing too flash. One and done for the finals.

9 - Richmond - The joy of being a Carlton supporter is to put Richmond 9th on a speculative ladder. Yarran will probably star in 2016 (2017 will be another story) but they haven't addressed their failing and that's heart Yarran has none and very few of their players have shown any when it counts.

10 - Geelong - Yes they have Dangerfield but this side is finally broken. Their future hall of fame players are gone or the wrong side of 30, Selwood seems battered, Hawkins is basically an old man with his back, Clarke could break down at any time and their list is so fragile injury wise I can't see them getting more than 10 wins.

11 - North - Dads Army. When your most dangerous player is nearly 40 and the forward line is closer to retiring age than birth you have problems. Little speed around the ball and average disposal skill is still Norths problem, I wonder who their coach will blame when they finish 11th?

12 - Giants - Consolidation year. They lost some players and other want out, not a great way to start a year when your pushing for finals. Still have question marks down back and Stevie J may struggle with the kick it long to the gun forwards game plan.

13 - Adelaide - Loss of Dangerfield and the rest of the quality mids are aging. Third head coach in 3 years, so more learning. Might be a bit harsh with this position as they have some nice developing flankers but the missed draft picks will be starting to hurt about now.

14 - St Kilda - Probably a bit low but I need to see if Bruce can reproduce 2015 and Riewoldt still can do it too. Nice players around the ground and Carlisile really helps stiffen up the defense on paper at least. If Freeman gets healthy and plays it adds a dimension they don't have either.

15 - Melbourne -  Has the makings of a very good team. Solid defense, building a blue chip midfield and could have a very dangerous forward line with Hogan and Wiederman. Just need Roos to get out of the way and let the men play.

16 - Carlton - A fresh voice that will hopefully let the tight grip on the players go. Quality additions with Kerrdige and Wright and the GWS quartet could be anything, Gorringe from GC has talent but has he got it between his ears?

17 - Brisbane - With a team full of mids they went and got more Bastinac and Bell but at least added Walker to give a big body up forward while their young KP players develop. Their list looks like Sydney on paper mainly mids with a few KP but the class is not there.

18 - Essendon - I can't see why people are expecting a big leap from Essendon, their best players are 30+ Heppell aside, Carlisle's gone and Daniher might by all hype and no substance. Very solid down back but slow through the midfield and bereft of talent up forward.
7
Robert Heatley Stand / 2016 - Awesome, Good, Bad, Ugly, Disaster
What are your scenarios for 2016?

Awesome - Weitering beats his opponents while becoming the backline general, Plowman become that 3rd defender we haven't had since Laider and Cripps goes to a new level and win Brownlow.

Good - Murphy, Gibbs and Thomas all find top form, giving the younger guys genuine leadership.

Bad - We start the season 0-8 with Levi kicking 5 goals 15 behinds and 10 OotF

Ugly - The GWS 6 all end up playing 2s while the seniors have to use players off the rookie list.

Disaster - Murphy again goes into his shell, Kruezer and Thomas break down again and Cripps wants to leave at seasons end.
9
Robert Heatley Stand / Is Judd stopping Cripps' Development?
Patty has now played two games where he looks like a champion in the making.

St Kilda and Sydney.

Both have had Judd not in the side. I took note this week at Patty and when the ball goes up, he is on he move, where last week he played a stationary game.

Should Juddy retire now and allow Cripps to be the number 1 extractor?
10
Robert Heatley Stand / Worst Leaders in the AFL!
Another year same piss weak leaders going out with a whimper. When the side is sliding it's up to the leaders to control the game.

Murphy - Let Chaplin waltz through him, which lead to a goal. Jogs after his player when they have the ball. Just a rubbish game.

Gibbs - Did he actually do anything positive? How many kicks did he completely stuff up?

Henderson - Every game he get's into position to mark and drops it. He is a terrible forward, pure and simple. When your one highlight for the night is a knock on to Menzel as a number one forward it's just poor.

Jameson - Is not a team player. He will worry only about his player and if he gets out of position, oh well, I'll still get picked next week.

Rowe - A battler at best, found a home at CHB and because of a stupid selection had to pushed all over the ground covering ruck, KP back because Jaksch was too light for Griffiths.

I was howled down for asking should we trade Murphy, Gibbs. I'm saying now we should!

We will go no where with those two cruisers leading this club. I thought last year they both turned the hardness corner but soft as butter.
12
Robert Heatley Stand / Re-Tooling a team starts at defence.
All ball sports preach defence first and foremost. There's a saying that the best offence is a good defence and so on.

I've heard that you get your best ball users and decision makers behind the in soccer (happy to be corrected by our round ball followers on here)

With this in mind why are we trying to change Henderson into a forward? He could be an AA CHB, he teams beautifully with Jameson who seems more confident down back with Lachie than he current running mate in Rowe. Sure he's good to have up forward but when we don't win the ball Henderson is near useless and only kicked two garbage goals against Collingwood. I used to love Hendo with the ball at the back of the square, bauk his kick and run and extra 15m giving our forwards motion as they were running to get to another position following the extra ground gained.

Malthouse has flagged a rebuild so why not start by solidifying our back 6.

Henderson and Jameson are the two pillars that we should start with. Third tall is just as important at the moment White is battling and McInness is in the dog house. I hope we see a bit of Giles.

Buckley has given us a glimpse of his ability, while still young and light he has shown enough to be stencilled into the back half. Docherty in his first game showed glimpses of what may come, his kicking was very good, his hands were sure and decision making was also good, plus his pace looked good.

I'd like to see a back half of

Buckley, Jameson, White/McInness
Docherty Henderson Touhy/Giles after the bye.
14
Robert Heatley Stand / Stick Your Neck Out
One thing that you think will happen this season to Carlton on or off field.


Levi Casboult will lead the league is contested marks and kick 50+ goals.
15
Robert Heatley Stand / Rookies and Kids Snapshot for 2014
29 - Heath Scotland -  Games 264 – Turn 34 in July

Great servant for the club, came to us when we were at our lowest point.

37 – Jarrad Cachia – Games 14 – Turns 23 in May

Much better the second time around. Good insurance should we lose some midfield players. Must provide protection for our young players at VFL level.

Cameron Wood – Games 64 – Turns 27.

Insurance and now with Duigan being place on the injured list should be elevated. 204 cms can mark and kick for goal. Just not aggressive enough but maybe a year out will give him a bit of hunger.

Ciaran Byrne – 187cm Irish Speedster.
Ciaran Sheehan – 188cm Irish Speedster.
Luke Reynolds – 188cm Forward.
Blain Johnson – 187cm Forward

Patrick Cripps – 193cms ball winning midfielder.

Not expecting to see much of Cripps in 2014, big bodied mids often take a couple of seasons see Kouta, Watson and Kennedy. Plus I think he grew late as well so I doubt he’d have much fitness or core strength. Needs a couple of pre seasons and VFL time.

Cameron Giles – 195cm Key Position

Good size and seems to have very good agility. May see him this season as his weight indicates he could handle the crash and bash as a third tall.

Nick Holman – 189cm inside mid.

Good size for a mid and has that junk yard dog mentality. Get his to hang round with Mitch a bit. Again a year or two at VFL level get some strength and maybe then.