Re: Post Game Passion: AFL 2019 Rd : Carlton vs. Western Bulldogs
Reply #121 –
Won't say too much as I risk sounding like Cliff from Clematis, but I was talking to an old footy-going acquaintance who I sat next to yesterday. He's attending more games again this year, having been missing for a while. He has a connection with the club through an iconic Carlton figure. Reckons the possibility of letting Murph go at the end of last year was considered but rejected. A major factor he said was that it would have been a very bad look for the club. Anyway, take that for what it is - I cannot verify it but the guy who told me is not a trivial character.
What I noticed yesterday was that the new era midfield is now starting to emerge with the younger guys rapidly becoming its core. Murph added value without doubt, and probably will for rest of the year, but it is clear now that his era has passed.
Yet the mutual decision for Murph to sign on for another year was made mid-season
The then-Carlton skipper had read the article [by Bob Murphy and published 27 June 2018]and thought it had some merit. He told the ex-player he enjoyed the read but what he did not tell Bob was that he had already made the decision to remain a Blue before the article was written.
"I had a look at it knowing I had made that decision. I bumped into him and we had a brief chat about it," Murphy said.
"I couldn't tell him at the time that I had signed but I told him I enjoyed the article."
Murphy had a defensive role on Hunter (along with O’Brien) and limited his input as well as amassing a lot of the ball himself. I wouldn’t be too tough on O’Brien as tag-teaming with Murphy to put the brakes on Hunter at stoppages was apparently his primary role.
I think that the 6-6-6 rule has been good for Murphy as he invariably is on the wing for centre bounces and isn’t getting crunched nearly as much as in the past. With Cripps, Samo and Fisher getting the job done, why not?