Re: Rd 20: Pre Game Anticipation: Carlton vs St Kilda
Reply #72 –
Two forwards are always better than one for structural purposes no matter how good they are. The worse they are the more you need (up to two). One is only ok if you have the likes of Fev, who could carry a defence on his own, even then two is way better. Like I said both take men. Don't respect Casboult and Jones and they'll still hurt you. If there's one the defence all go to him. With two they split them, allows Casboult gets up the ground where he can play, takes defenders with him, opens the 50 and we score. Everitt was able to kick plenty in that period for the same reason, space and the fact the two key forwards had taken the opposition defenders. He too has been no good since we went back to one key forward. While Casboult and Jones didn't kick many but allows many others too, including Everitt. Can't argue with the scoreboard.
We are undefeated with Jones and Casboult in the side and kicked much better scores. Casboult averaged 1.5 a game, and alot of marks, last year as either a permanent 2nd ruck or key forward/ruck, while we had a 2nd key forward, Henderson, who while playing poorly but certainly needed defenders. Any club would take that. Note that allowed Everitt to kick 31 goals. Casboult's game this year, forward backing Kreuzer, who was rucking alone, 11 marks, 7 contested, 3 goals. Good reason clubs were interested in him last year. Moral there is to player average players to their strengths or they struggle.
Against Geelong, Goringe, a forward/ruck more than the other way around, got 14 touches, 7 marks and 2 goals against Geelong. Same argument applies. He actually played on the wing in the VFL the other week.
There may be a few reasons the MC are not selecting the team as you have suggested Jim:
1. The ultimate game plan they are trying to implement, and lets face it we don't know the intricacies of it, doesn't suit that type of selection;
2. They are trying to implement a game plan structure which involves unpredictability in the fwd line;
3. They are selecting a side which is defensively minded (being the main focus in year 1), competitive (effort) but doesn't necessarily win too many games in year 1 (ie position ourselves for decent 1st round draft picks).
If you don't agree with 3, then its mainly 1 and 2.
They are my thoughts.