Carlton Supporters Club

We kicked 8 from free kicks, is that umps reaming them?

Yes, Q1 was diabolical but think about it: they didn't know until late Wednesday they were actually playing then seeing the empty MCG must have been a h.,... f...? I dont buy that, Club was preparing to play so not a valid excuse, Richmond came to play

Sure Dow, Setters, Gibbons were poor but hey, they're on a learning curve.How long is this learning curve gonna last?

And with a bit better conversion we could have snatched it.Yes 100%

The positives (Martin, Weiters, Crippa) easily outweighed the negatives imo.Yep, add Doc and Cas to that trio

I think it's time to give Willo a go - at the expense of Newman or Simmo.I'd give Willo and Stocker a go, their disposal is excellent and will only compliment Docs coming out of the back line

As an aside, I've seen reference made to Dusty kicking one of our players in the head? When was this alleged incident?

Glass half full, glass half empty. I thought what killed us in the first quarter was our disposal and our inability to lay a tackle. In the second it was our shots on goal, Martin, McGovern and Dow missed shots they should have kicked and Murphy should have kicked the goal rather than handing it off to Plowman under pressure, while losing Newman and McGovern to injury in that quarter along with Kreuzer for the match, led us to tiring and allowing Richmond to kick four late goals, which was the margin in the end. I thought the third quarter we really put pressure on them, physically taking them on and Richmond didn't like it one bit. We didn't get much reward early and Richmond got a couple of goals out the back, but we persisted and started getting rewards. In the last we were on top again but once again a couple of goals from our mistakes, Newman kicking blindly and one over the top to Rioli killed us. Four goals flattered them in the end after being up by nine I think.
What I took from the game was Carlton's mid-field is better than Richmond's, our disposal is still poor, Martin is a great get and I can see why Gold Coast wanted a first rounder for him but they should have taken the second rounder being offered rather than losing him for nothing, our back line is solid though could do with a bit more pace and our forward line with the two Jacks, Eddie, Levi, McGovern, McKay and Curnow when finally fit will be dangerous, however there needs to be more synergy between the group.
I thought it was interesting that the top side played the 16th side from last year, won by four goals and went to the press conference and complained about the umpires. I also think it is a truism that Richmond we will want to be playing their best football at the end of the season, but I also think every other side would be doing that as well. I think their is a bit of bravado at Richmond and a sense of entitlement and that first quarter was as much about the massive confidence that winning a Premiership brings. They played without fear in that first quarter but they struggled a bit during the third quarter when they were held to account.
Cunningham kicked two goals as a small forward but could have done more, Fisher got better as the night wore on, Dow kicking lets him down and should spend some time in the Northern Blues to help develop his skills, Samo was great and Setterfield seemed to be playing a very defensive role.

I don’t understand why we were continually relying on our players beating their immediate opponent in a contest.  What has happened to our team defence?

Hindsight is a wonderful thing but the decision not to play De Koning hurt.  Apart from an undersized forward line competing against one of the best marking defences, McGovern in the ruck was a huge ask.  At least he was competitive ... and Levi was outstanding!

Anyway, there were some positive signs.  We just need to set up better and add some grunt, eg Stocker, to the mix.

No NB's right now for Dow to develop anything. He might struggle to keep his spot this week.

Philp might be close. TDK should come in for Kreuzer.

Near the boundary line,  Dusty got up from a tangle and dropped his knee towards slightly  the bloke on the ground, making contact with his shin.  It wasnt a typical kick or stomp and probably not worth a week but I saw it,  it's clear what his intention was and its not on.  It probably happens in the burbs every weekend but it's sly and I've seen massive fights start over it.  He should at least receive a chip over it.  There was a lot of marginal stuff in the game,  Dusty in particular likes to tackle high and fends high.  Some day somebody is going to say enough's enough and he might find an elbow buried in his larynx during a fend off.

When Riewoldt wiped his snotty nose on Cripps back I was hoping Crippa would throw a right elbow back, damn the consequences!

I know I'm backing over this issue one more time,  but can someone give me a rational explanation as to why we picked DeLuca over Picket in the mid season draft??? A glaring difference between us and Richmond last night was speed/class and decision making, they have play makers all over the mark changing the courses of plays, Marlion being one of them.

I know I'm backing over this issue one more time,  but can someone give me a rational explanation as to why we picked DeLuca over Picket in the mid season draft??? A glaring difference between us and Richmond last night was speed/class and decision making, they have play makers all over the mark changing the courses of plays, Marlion being one of them.