Re: AFL Practice Match 2021 Carlton vs the Drug Cheats
Reply #129 –
Watched the game again and found a number of things to be pleased about or just plain interesting. These observations are framed with the full knowledge this was a practice match.
Strong improvement in disposal by foot, especially after qtr time.
We have a number of blokes who can quickly switch direction and wrong foot opponents: Zachery, Saad, Dow, Murphy, Williams, Betts, Jones (sometimes with our hearts in our mouths), Doc, SPS... etc.
That goal coming from a Dow lightning hand off to Saad who ran through the middle and kicked truly to Crippa in the goal square was bloody awesome.
Multiple goal kickers.
Zachery is coming along beautifully as a small forward and is so quick that the defensive area of his game will panic/pressure many a back line opponent.
For mine the biggest difference in the game of Dow was his confidence. It looked like he knew he fitted in whereas, in the past, there was a kind of hesitation. This bloke will only continue to improve... and he has the tricks.
Pitto may not have had A grade opponents against cheats.com.au but I love what he brings to our ruck division - hardness and a genuine love of the contest. Just a dash of Wow Jones about him.
Assigning Murphy to the role of small forward is playing him to his remaining elite strength - he is deadly around goals and can create them from nothing.
Cuningham still worries me. Oozes skill but still vanishes for extended periods. All between the ears with this kid.
Liked SOJ's game. Reads the game so well and has a fair-dinkum dip. You can just tell he loves the club.
We have a bona fide midfield mix that will trouble the best.
Yes, just a practice match but certainly one of the much better performances I've seen pre-season in quite a while. And I am well aware that 'one swallow does not a summer make.'
Great summary Baggers, Ill add just one thing from my observations:
Two way running was very good. Mids, wings and fwds ran hard to the backline to lend support. Setters, Dow, SOS, Fish, Ed to name a few all made their way quickly to the back line when required. Whether they were trailing their man or left him to get there I am not sure but there was effort to get back and lend support.