Re: Rd 10: Post Game Prattle: Carlton vs North Melbourne
Reply #27 –
Just got back from the game. Greats seats... the usually sedate Mrs Baggers was ready to kill the umps by the midway mark of the 2nd qtr!
I love it when we get the chance to go to a game as you get to see who's working hard off the ball. Sumner showed glimpses and probably deserves another chance, but, sheesh, he'd want to make the most of that one.
Casboult was on a hiding to nothing being the only tall marking target up forward. SOJ has to make way for a Mackay, Jones or Kerr.
Don't think we had the experience to newbie ratio correct. Macreadie for Rowe didn't work and neither did Sumner for Thomas. In hindsight Boekhorst or Armfield would have been better replacements for Thomas.
Positives:-
The comeback from 45 pts down.
Gibbs was sensational as a player and leader on the ground helping to wake us up in the second qtr. No way we let him go to Adelaide at year's end.
C Curnow is a ripper and will only get better... has attitude and intensity and legit ability. Works hard.
Willo rapidly becoming the recruit of the year for us, closely followed by Marchbank.
ACOS is a rock in defense and won't stand for a team mate being badly treated. Leadership written all over him. Must be promoted to senior list.
Tractor Kreuzer created so many opportunities. The best big man on the ground by a mile. Sensational.
Docherty becoming a real general down back, makes a couple of mistakes from time to time but will take over from Simmo when the time is right.
Plowman did some very, very important things. Growing.
Some very exciting cameos from Cuningham.
Crippa.
Matty Wright does so much hard stuff off the ball, best thing we've gotten from SA in a long time.
Negatives:
First qtr and a half umpiring.
Our mistakes. Gee we gave the Kangabies some easy goals.
When we got in front it was like we cr@pped ourselves and didn't know how to press on... you could sense it at the ground. Our pressure and commitment and intensity had the Wallaroos on the ropes. I don't think it was tiredness but rather a lack of killer instinct. You could palpably see us slow once we had the lead... this is between the ears stuff.
Weitering. Half the player he was last year. If his name was Smith and he was pick 77 he'd probably be rested.
SOJ. As for Weits. If his surname wasn't Silvagni would he be getting a game? Many folks there were asking the same question at the game. Couple of young girls cracked it that anyone could question SOJ... sorry, but his strengths at present are work rate and for the marketing dept. No-one works harder but he's just not impacting the game enough.
Cuningham's work off the ball. Just too slack.
Samo does some amazing things but is fumbling too much and not hurting the opposition enough. Links well. He and ZF (and probably SOJ and Weits) need some NBs time.
Murph wasn't his usual self. Couple of very costly clangers.
(at one stage our clanger count was 5 times the number of Wallaroo errors.)