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Robert Heatley Stand / Re: AFL Rd 6 2024 Post Game Review Carlton vs GWS
Last post by madbluboy -
ANATOMY OF A FORWARDLINE IN FLOW
It was the six-pack in just over six minutes that won Carlton the game in a seesawing clash with GWS, and a perfect reflection of how the Blues forwardline works when at its best.

While missing Sam Taylor, the Giants had the tall timber to at least keep the Blues in check, with Jack Buckley, Harry Himmelberg and Leek Aleer all in defence.
The six-goal burst – all kicked by the big three Carlton talls – that won the match in the third quarter last week came thanks to separation.

Curnow kicked the first goal, with small Corey Durdin putting in just enough of a lead – a “duel-threat pattern” – to not allow Himmelberg to come over the top, creating room for Curnow to mark over Buckley.
About a minute later, Blues Matt Cottrell and Blake Acres pulled away from the dangerous room in front of McKay, allowing him to lead into open space and a chest mark, while Curnow kept well clear in the goalsquare.

The next goal came after McKay forced a turnover on the wing, with Curnow the deepest forward and with acres of space to use and mark in the goalsquare.

By now, De Koning had moved from the ruck to the forwardline and the Blues had their preferred centre bounce combination of Sam Walsh, Patrick Cripps, Marc Pittonet and George Hewett in the guts.

That quartet won 12 centre bounces and lost just one last weekend, leading to nine inside-50s and five scores.

Walsh ran clear from the bounce and De Koning kept his opponent away for just long enough for McKay to earn a free kick in a one-on-one contest with Himmelberg.
Goal No.5 saw McKay and Curnow again keeping their distance, standing 20m apart inside 50, and Orazio Fantasia could clearly see Curnow in a one-on-one with Buckley.

The kick was a scrubber but Curnow was good enough to pick it up and snap truly on the left as a frustrated Buckley threw his mouthguard to the turf.

Curnow became the highest tall forward for the final goal, leaving McKay and De Koning deep and isolated, with De Koning marking on his chest after a quick rebound from defence.

In six minutes of gametime, the Blues erased a 20-point deficit and now led by 17 thanks to three Curnow goals, two to McKay and one to De Koning.

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Robert Heatley Stand / Tom, Charles and Harry
Last post by madbluboy -
When Charlie Curnow calls “iso”, look out.

Much like how LeBron James may clear out the floor on an NBA court, telling his teammates to get their direct opponents away to let him go to work, Curnow does the same when he is feeling it.

Having kicked 165 goals in his last 54 matches, Curnow is the league’s scariest forward, and he knows when to tell others to scram.
“Charlie sometimes calls ‘iso’ for himself and we open up some space and let him have one on ones,” fellow forward Tom De Koning said.

“When he is on a roll he is hard to stop. I would hate to be a defender against him when he is on a roll, he can score so quickly and just the energy he brings is amazing.”

It hasn’t always been smooth forward of centre between Coleman medallists Curnow and Harry McKay, as well as giant De Koning.

But the Blues have found their mojo with their tall attack, as shown last weekend when their forwards took down the GWS Giants in the second half of a tight encounter.

All three talls kicked three goals in the win and De Koning said the focus upfront was to run “dual-threat patterns” to get the power forwards good looks.

That terminology generally means two forwards leading in different directions to create multiple options for kickers going forward, and to ensure they separate opposing defenders.

“We are trying to run those dual-threat patterns and give them looks one-on-one because we know how good they are in one on ones and we have seen time and time again what they can do and how much they can affect our team scoring,” De Koning said.

“Those two big boys have such a big presence and when they are playing well it is hard to beat us.”

When the three talls all share a forward line, the Blues score off an extremely good 62 per cent of their inside-50s, well above the league average of 43.5 per cent.
Carlton leads the competition in scores per inside-50, at a usual level of 49.1 per cent.

In past years when the three all shared one attack, the Blues battled, scoring with 36 per cent of entries last year and 35 per cent in 2022.

But this year, the taller they are the better, with Carlton scoring off 51 per cent of attacks with two talls and just 42 per cent with one big man inside-50.
Curnow has been in 20 attacking one-on-one situations this year and won 42.9 per cent of them, while McKay has won 44.4 per cent of his 18 isolated battles.

The league average winning rate is just 27 per cent.

Carlton’s forward line faces a stern test on Saturday against a miserly Geelong unit who boast the league’s best defence, even with All-Australian Cat Tom Stewart out.

The Cats are top of the AFL in losing just 14.1 per cent of their defensive one-on-one contests.


Carlton's score per inside-50 percentage when Charlie Curnow, Harry McKay and Tom De Koning play forward.

No. of talls playing forward   
2022      
One   38%   
Two   43%   
Three 35%   

2023
One 38%
Two 45%
Three 36%

2024
One 42%
Two 51%
Three 62%
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Ladies Lounge / Re: VFLW 2024
Last post by crashlander -
The girls play the Bulldogs this week on Sunday 17 11:00 in Footscray. Our line-up:

B: Octavia Di Donato (51)  Gen Lawson-Tavan (27)
HB: Layla Prince (58)  Yasmine Duursma (11) Steph Demeo (66)
C: Darcy Vescio (3)  Meg Robertson (15) Hannah Bowey (64)
HF: Mel Staunton (55)  Mia Austin (22) Izzy Khoury (52)
F: Simone Mooney (78)  Sophie McCarthy (54)
FOLL:  Emily Hurley (61)  Lily Goss (20)  Keeley Sherar (25)
INT: Amy Trindale (62)  Isla Baldwin (70)  Eliza Wood (50)  Katie Prendergast (77)  Isabella Parnell (59)

EMG: Danika Di Santo (76)  Natasha Phipps (74)  Evie Lee (71)  Asha Turner-Funk (53)

In: Isabella Parnell, Katie Prendergast, Mel Staunton, Amy Trindale

Out: Marianna Anthony, Mimi Hill, Lila Keck, Georgia Tait
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Robert Heatley Stand / Re: AFL Rd 7 2024 Pre Game Prognostications Carlton vs Geelong at the MCG
Last post by ElwoodBlues1 -
Quote from: DJC on
We did OK with Weitering missing at the start of the season.

As good as Hawkins is, he does rely on players up the ground and, if we can get on top, he can be starved of opportunities.

Cameron is a different kettle of fish with his ability to win the ball and create opportunities up the ground.  While it's not an ideal match up, Young is probably best able to go with him.  Alternatively, Kemp runs with Cameron when he plays up the ground and Weitering or Young pick him up inside 50.

Vossy seems very confident that both Williams and Weitering will play.
Agree...think the only way to negate the Cats forwards is not to let the ball get down there end too often, its a very talented forward line with good variety and no obvious matchup for Cameron imho.
Young on Hawkins would worry me more than Kemp on Cameron.....this is a game where McGovern providing that second man up or having the ability to run with Cameron will be missed....never thought I would say we would miss McGovern but its credit too him he has become a key cog in how our defense works.
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Robert Heatley Stand / Re: AFL Rd 7 2024 Pre Game Prognostications Carlton vs Geelong at the MCG
Last post by WASurfer -
Agree with you DJC.....Kemp runs with Cameron if he's up around the wings etc and then hopefully Young can just spoil like he does when it goes deeper.

Fingers crossed on Weitering though.....I think Durdin will be exposed for lack of games at this level.

Geelong backline looks a bit bare too though without Stewart and our height could be a worry. If we get it on our terms like we did last week just before half time I think we can win it.