I thought everything about their "game" wasn't sustainable last year until it was.
They laid 88 tackles last night, their season average is 67.6. Their 2023 season average for tackles was 64.1. You won't be laying 88 tackles very often in one season. The link between their high tackle numbers and the I50 differential seems pretty clear in my non expert opinion.
Collingwood's game tally for tackles, and tackles I50 were significantly above their season averages. Their tally for I50's and clearances was also well above their average.
They played out of their skins on the tackling side of things, and that level of commitment and effort is not sustainable.
What Zac Williams needs more than anything is some luck and the BOD. No doubt his career to date at Carlton has been a little underwhelming, but that's not surprising, given the significant professional and personal setbacks he's dealt with. It's hard enough firing on all cylinders in an elite performance environment when things are going your way.
I think certain supporters, tipsters and media types have been drinking the kool aid. Daniel Hoyne has been saying there are concerns around our game the last few weeks. I think in that time we have been the fifth worst team defence.
I tend to agree Lods. You wouldn't want players carrying that extra load over the long term. It's sustainable (more or less) over the short term. We were not playing great footy, yet scores were level with one minute to go, and it took some magic from a super player to seal the deal for them. I can understand why Voss gave the presser that he did.
Very strange game. I don't know what to take away from it. 10 or so lead changes, both teams held the lead for roughly the same amount of time. We were smashed in tackles and I50's, lowered our colours slightly in the clearances, everything else pretty much in our favour.
A pretty scrappy affair IMO. Neither team played great footy.
Yes agree BluePhantom. We need a few of our good players back and playing most of the season if we are to string together enough wins for a top 4/8 finish.
I'd say the defensive issues are mostly personnel related. We were 4th in points against last season. With 16 injuries including Fogarty, Docherty, Saad, McGovern, Martin, Cerra etc. we are struggling. Those are big outs. The "next man up" mantra only takes you so far, eventually you reach a tipping point where the b graders and top ups cannot do the job required over 4 quarters, week in week out. I was expecting those injuries to have a greater impact than they have, although the dam wall may burst later if we don't get those guys back
The pile-on that Zac is experiencing probably won’t help 😡
He may not be at his best but he’s not far off and his class and ability show out. All of our defenders are under extra pressure with the absence of Saad and McGovern but I’m more than happy to back them in. Vossy and Sammy will make changes if necessary and Zac may need to freshen up or tweak his role. Either way, he’s a vital cog in our defensive structure.
14, 9 ,0 and 7 games in 3 and a bit seasons.
He's had no continuity in his game, and one could reasonably surmise that the ill fated attempt to turn him into a full time / mostly full time mid would have also knocked him off his trajectory.