Carlton Supporters Club

You can have all the plans in the world, but you can't execute the plan on the players' behalf. You can be quite certain the coaching group understood the ruck disparity and understood what Gawn can do, and I have no doubt that they planned for a few things, including rucking to his tap outs. But if the players don't get it, refuse to do it, or simply can't do it, there's little a coach can do IMO.

Loved the previous two posts from Pauly and Blue Moon. Good to see strong conversation about our players in terms of above the shoulders.

If you look over recent years there is an ingrained habit of performing poorly in one qtr... which has cost us so many games (and BB his career). For years the Tiggers had something similar. So it can be turned around... question is when and how long can we wait. Every game where we 'drop a qtr' compounds the problem.

Gawn was no longer on top after the first quarter. Whatever was whispered in Pittonet's ear at quarter time worked and they were even at worst, and Pittonet on top for the rest of the match. The coaching wasnt the issue last night, not the game day coaching at least.

Oliver had Cripps covered and the coaching panel dont know what to do when Cripps is manned up tight and its always the move to Full Forward which never works because Cripps isnt in the middle so the ball never gets to him and if it does he cant kick straight anyway...same old same old every game.
The coaching panel need to up their game IMO....

Interesting points made by Pauly and Blue Moon.  I agree that "above the shoulders" plays a very important part in a team's culture. 

However, surely that is affected directly by the ability  - or lack of -of the players.  How many times in recent years have we seen forward thrusts fail because of the inability of players to kick properly, or failing to kick  to the forwards advantage or to
make the right choice, only to have the ball turned over and our backline hammered once again.

During the Covid break I watched all of the 1995 Carlton games, and the contrast with today's team stood out like the proverbial.  No wonder our players stood tall.  They had a belief in themselves to win because they had the mental attitude brought about by their skills.

The players were able to control a game because they could retain possession of the ball and use it to best advantage.

I suppose it's the chicken or the egg question, but I believe without skills so many opportunities are squandered, games are lost with monotonous regularity, and it's not possible to develop that essential positive mental attitude.

Interesting points made by Pauly and Blue Moon.  I agree that "above the shoulders" plays a very important part in a team's culture. 

However, surely that is affected directly by the ability  - or lack of -of the players.  How many times in recent years have we seen forward thrusts fail because of the inability of players to kick properly, or failing to kick  to the forwards advantage or to
make the right choice, only to have the ball turned over and our backline hammered once again.

During the Covid break I watched all of the 1995 Carlton games, and the contrast with today's team stood out like the proverbial.  No wonder our players stood tall.  They had a belief in themselves to win because they had  the mental attitude brought about by their skills.

The players were able to control a game because they could retain possession of the ball and use it to best advantage.

I suppose it's the chicken or the egg question, but I believe without skills so many opportunities are squandered, games are lost with monotonous regularity, and it's not possible to develop that essential positive mental attitude.

Interesting points made by Pauly and Blue Moon.  I agree that "above the shoulders" plays a very important part in a team's culture. 

However, surely that is affected directly by the ability  - or lack of -of the players.  How many times in recent years have we seen forward thrusts fail because of the inability of players to kick properly, or failing to kick  to the forwards advantage or to
make the right choice, only to have the ball turned over and our backline hammered once again.

During the Covid break I watched all of the 1995 Carlton games, and the contrast with today's team stood out like the proverbial.  No wonder our players stood tall.  They had a belief in themselves to win because they had  the mental attitude brought about by their skills.

The players were able to control a game because they could retain possession of the ball and use it to best advantage.

I suppose it's the chicken or the egg question, but I believe without skills so many opportunities are squandered, games are lost with monotonous regularity, and it's not possible to develop that essential positive mental attitude.

It might not help much, but I've heard a few players say that when they do match simulation and skills work at training, they never miss a target. Clearly that's not much good when you're playing for 4 points, but if it's true (I'm sure it is), then the skills are there, but clearly there's a subtle shift in mindset that occurs on match day, because when it comes to the game, things don't go smoothly.

I think some of us (those that don't see it regularly) would be quite surprised at the actual skills these players show at training.
I've no doubt the skills are there
It's probably not so much a different mindset as a different level of pressure that players experience under match conditions.
Under pressure the skills fall apart, disposals are rushed and erratic.
When we are able to apply our own level of high pressure suddenly those skills wont look so bad....but that will require players going hard and supporting one another for 4 quarters...not just two and a half.

Lods to me you are describing the difference between confident, battle-hardened professionals and probably well trained players but whose past lack of positive reinforcements has left them tentative, lacking in confidence and without poise.

That comes with long periods of playing together and gaining an understanding of our team-mates strengths and weaknesses
I think one of the major problems of the rebuild process we've undertaken is that with the constant list changes we haven't had a settled side for the last five or so years.
Again this year our team is not yet settled with the introduction of new players and injuries.
Until we get a core group playing together consistently I don't have high expectations.
What I do want to see towards the end of the season is a more settled side.