Carlton Supporters Club

I'd like to see Faulkner replace Bailey at 6. I like Bailey but not at Test level, great in the limited over game.
Watson still doesn't impress me and would prefer Doolan or Marsh at 3. I'd also take Bird.

I think Pratty has it fairly right as there is not much chance for others to push for a spot before tour. Names coming through but not quite ready yet, Silk, Head, Burns, Lynn, Maddison, Behrendorff, Sayers & Zampa.

I think Siddle may struggle with Bird, Pattinson, Starc & Cummins all back soon (or now) as well.

Quote from: jeza on December 11, 2013, 03:10:47 pm

Huge year for Kreuz, Murphy, Thomas and Judd. All 4 should be elite.

Agree with three of them but not Judd. He will decline again. I also don't trust Kreuz most definitely a wait and see.

Quote from: DJC on December 03, 2013, 12:47:36 am

Quote from: Baggers on December 02, 2013, 11:10:11 pm

Quote from: Thryleon on December 02, 2013, 10:28:49 am

Quote from: ElwoodBlues1 on December 02, 2013, 10:02:53 am

Cookie ....Remember when he got drafted the comments were that the club know the LARS wont hold up and I get the feeling with Menzel the club are waiting for him to do his knee and then get it done the non LARS way and take it from there....
He is a very classy player as you said but will have some competition from Reynolds and Johnson for his spot down the track IMO which is good for the club...

I remember thinking every time I saw him play last season that he lacked agility, and had issues with the ball below his knees which is my only concern about him.

The rest he looks good.  Physical, Competitive, skillful, accurate and a good decision maker.  Now hopefully the body holds up and we are onto a winner.

The Menzel boy has a great, really great footy brain. Some of his gives to advantage this year were absolutely sublime... he reads the play like a bona fide champ. His attack on the aggott and man is also first rate. His foot disposal is excellent though his shots on goal are just above average.

If the club thinks his knee will not stand up then they should just put him in for standard surgery and write off 2014 for the kid. But maybe this lars surgery has been a real success and all he needs is experience to be the player he can be.

I admire your optimism Baggers but you have seen an awful lot in a bloke who only averaged 7 touches and 2 tackles a game.

I hope you're right but I'm reserving judgement until I see him get his share of the ball, and stay on his feet.

Im with Baggers here.  His stats are skewed somewhat by being subbed, and being made sub a couple of times, and its not the number of things you do, its what you do when you get involved that counts.

Every single action he made when involved in the play was good.

My issue is the agility when the ball hits the deck.  For me, its not that he goes to ground too often, its the way he straightens his leg out when going to ground.  obviously lacking confidence in that knee.  Its almost like he is "stiff".  I have seen many other knee recoverers do the same thing, but they dont do it forever.  They usually do it for a couple of seasons and then return to "normal".

I just had a bit of a play and came up with this !!

It's not really a best 22 or a rnd 1 22, TBH I'm not really sure what it is !! Probably more so what I would like to see at some stage.

Carlton 22

FB, Simpson, Jamison, Everitt
HB, Touhy, Henderson, Docherty
C, Thomas, Gibbs, Yarran
R, Kreuzer, Bell, Murphy
HF, Menzel, Waite, Judd
FF, Walker, Casboult, Garlett

INT, McLean, Armfield, Cripps, Robinson

Northern Blues

FB, Bootsma, Watson, McInnes
HB, Duigan, Giles, Scotland
C, Lucas, Curnow, Buckley
R, Warnock, Carrazzo, Graham
HF, Temay, Rowe, Holman
FF, Ellard, White, Reynolds

INT, Woods, Cachia, Johnson, Sheehan

Emg, Bryne

A few thoughts;

There is some really good flexibility in our 1st team, I think MM would be happy with that.

I would love to see Judd spend a lot more time out of the centre square. If the likes of Bell and Cripps can step up in that area, I think it might really help Juddy's game.

While Walker and Everitt are interchangeable, I think I prefer Walker forward and Everitt back.

I'm hoping that Docherty can come in and play Yarran's run and carry role off half back straight away. Yarran to play on the wing or forward of centre.

No Scotland or Carrazzo in the 1st 22, they will need to force a younger player out to get a game, either way it's healthy competition !!

I think we have a really potent forward line, Caboult as a stay at home FF, Waite and Walker as the leading forwards. Menzel and Garlett are both class, and a number of goal kicking mids to fill the last spot.

The backline has height, flexability and experience. My biggest issue with our backline this year is it's coach !! Barker.

From the NB's, Buckley stood out to me as the player I would really like to press hard and make a claim for a spot in our 1st 22