Carlton Supporters Club

the main difference between this week (and all of our poor games or parts of games) is that the players made a concerted effort to run with intensity to pressure opponents with the ball and to pressure opponents in a position to receive a hand pass - instead of trying to corral an opponent without pressuring him or cruising along and hoping the opponent trips over his boot laces (e.g. SPS). 

As good as he can be, Weitering had little or no chance against Larkey last week and was similarly ineffective early against King until the rest of the team stood up to create pressure on the opponebts who were delivering the ball.

As good as he can be, Weitering had little or no chance against Larkey last week and was similarly ineffective early against King until the rest of the team stood up to create pressure on the opponebts who were delivering the ball.

I thought his positioning against King for those first few goals was ordinary, one (the third maybe?) was a hold from memory. For the rest of the game, both he and Jone played him more from in front and King struggled. They removed his opportunity to run and jump at it.

Statistically Jones is actually the best one on one defender in the comp.

I thought his positioning against King for those first few goals was ordinary, one (the third maybe?) was a hold from memory. For the rest of the game, both he and Jone played him more from in front and King struggled. They removed his opportunity to run and jump at it.

I think king went out of it after the umpire who was doing his area in the first Qtr and gave 3 free kicks to him was not in his forward 50 after that.  Be nice when we rise up the ladder more and we get the better umpires!

When the mids aren't doing their job defensively....no defender has much chance!

I think those statistics need to be qualified because the bulk of his marks come as the 3rd man up with the other defenders allowing him to leave his opponent and fly or gain front position and beat his opponent to the ball. I'd even go as far to say one on one wrestling he one of our weaker defenders, and in games when he has been average it's because opponents block his run at the ball.

They have been qualified. He has had more one on one contests than anyone and won a higher percentage than anyone.

For a guy that always asks for data why do you always question it?

Random thoughts

A lot of the skill of a player like O'Brien has to do with the quality of the opposition.
If we're on top, O'Brien has a bit more time and is able to produce those quality disposals.
Under pressure and they're not likely to be so accurate.

I question it because I have bothered to check what the statisticians call a contested mark, a contested mark is not what fans think of as contested.

If an opponent is travelling to the ball within 2 or 3m of the player marking it's a contested mark, there doesn't even have to be physical contact, it can just be inferred pressure.

When someone like Hawkins pushes off a defender and takes a mark without contact 2 or 3m clear of the defender that is a contested mark.

If Jones floats across the front of two players wrestling at the fall of the ball and takes a mark without any physical contact, that is a contested mark.

We've covered this over and over again here on this very forum.