Right now, i'd drop Young for Cincotta. Give Kemp the lockdown role and allow Cincotta to cover the intercept role, which adds more run.
When the game starts getting wetter, you'd think about dropping one more tall. We'll wait and see who is out of form at the time. The decision is made easier right now because we don't have Silvagni available, or any other option for 3rd tall.
There was never any doubt about their 'styles of ruck' or that they compliment eachother. The issue was they they were both doing not very much around the ground.....at all. TDK was lacking in ruck area, and performing worse than Silvagni as a forward......but better than Pittonet as a non-ruck option. Pittonet was performing better in the ruck, but not doing enough around the ground.
BOTH of them are not only performing better around the ground, but both are being genuine options around the ground and up forward. Pittonet kicked a goal first game back. TDK kicked 3 last week, and 0.3 this week. I showed stats on pittonets ruck AND around the ground work and how it was the same or better than both rucks combined....and even 2 mids combined in clearances. That kind of form from both of them was nowhere to be seen last year. THAT is what has changed......and thankfully its changed when the cupboard is very bare behind them.
However, Once we start getting players back, if you want to play both rucks in your 22, you are leaving out someone like Kennedy, Cottrell, Hollands (x2), Williams.....etc.
That would be sad (the bit in bold) but maybe necessary…because right now both Rucks offer more than most (if not all) of those mentioned in terms of game influence. The other thing is that it assumes all those players are in form and uninjured. If we only need to lose one to play the two rucks it probably won’t be an issue. The important thing is both our Ruckman continue to stay healthy and maintain a degree of form. They will no doubt have a poor game here or there, but it would probably need to be a patch of multiple poor games before one loses their spot. DeKoning is still improving, and time together can only develop the combination and understanding with Pittonet
Wet weather during winter may be an issue and it may be a time when the one ruck option is looked at. But it won’t rain all winter, and games at Marvel are a ‘non-issue’ as will be most of the interstate games.
There’s a bit of a contradiction in your post. A lot of it is about the ‘future’(when it rains, when players return from injury) and what might happen, yet the judgements made on the two-ruck situation were made in the ‘present of 2023’ when there were aspects of both players not up to scratch, and both struggled a bit with injury at stages during the season. Judging in the present is also one of the issues with statistics. They are a measure of the past, (even last weekend’s statistics). A string of good games by a player and those early season statistics can alter dramatically.
We don’t know what will happen in the games to come and a whole lot of variables will come into play. The team we’re playing at ‘present’ may be completely different to the side that takes the field at the end of the year. We may get players back… and/or (perish the thought) we may lose important players. There’s not a lot of point predicting a line-up with a full side to choose from, because that’s a pretty unlikely scenario.
If we do have a full side to choose from, they might as well just give us the cup.
Yes, can't help but agree totally. Where was the Carlton player whose job was to wear Cameron (Geelong's most dangerous forward) like a skin? At least Binnsie tried to man up, but hardly his role. Feel for our coaches watching on such inept defensive work
Ab
No doubt Voss was disppointed with the whole defensive effort, but that one would have been particularly 'triggering' just prior to the after match presser.
Plenty did and kept saying how useless those stats were and how he does nothing around the ground too.
Can't hear any of that now.
Even i underestimated his abilities.
Its imagine what a player can do when he gets back to full fitness.
My preference is still to play 1 ruck and have another player give a chop out, but that other player needs to be able to hold down another spot on his own merits. Currently, TDK is doing that with the absense of a 3rd tall in Silvagnis mold. The moment TDK drops off up forward is the moment he or Pitto needs to be dropped.
Then its a matter of who you think is best and why.
....and thats the part people cant agree on because different people weigh up different areas differently.
That's the thing though Pittonet and Tom 'are' very different ruckmen.
And both would be well within the best 22 at the moment. Would you drop Pittonet or Tom to add 'one of' Cincotta, Binns, Durdin, Owies, Carroll, Cowan, either Hollands etc etc.
I don't know what Cincotta has done or said but his card appears to be marked. I think i had him in my best 22 at the start of the year or at least next in line. He has been an emergency just about every game, and it doesn't how many injuries we get, he still remains an emergency.
The problem that's now been created is that he hasn't been playing football on a regular basis for a while now at any level...so will essentially come in cold.
I don't normally give a lot of weight to umpire failings....I'd lose too many televisions if I did, but... There has been a bit of noise around Carlton getting a good rub of the green so far this year.
There are lots of memes around from opposition supporters about preferential treatment for Carlton, and especially Cripps.
You'd like to think some of the 'odd' decisions yesterday weren't a bit of a square up. But a few probably need a 'please explain'
The Cripps and Harry debacle standing the mark. and The 'inconclusive' score review of a mark on the line. Unless there was other vision for the reviewer, the goal post obscured the important part of the play.
We all know our defence is a bit decimated at the moment, but it was awful yesterday.
If Weitering is the general down there.... then yesterday was his Waterloo. He held Hawkins well, but his troops failed all around him.
Young is so hesitant that on one of the few occasions he did attack the ball with some intensity to take a mark it stood out like a sore thumb.
Kemp hasn't progressed (gone backwards in fact) and as soon as McGovern and Saad are back he should go forward where his marking may be of benefit.
Newman looks a bit flat and at times frustrated. I suspect with regulars missing he's being required to do a bit extra.
Cowan is still finding his feet, but doesn't seem to have made a lot of progress, and will be playing mostly VFL.
Williams...bad outweighed the good.
Probably the most damning vision from yesterday was one of the last.
In what Fkn situation, when momentum was with us, is the only player close enough to put any pressure on Jeremy Cameron (the most dangerous opposition player).... Jaxon Binns.
TDK in an interview interview told of how when Charlie calls "iso", he wants them to clear the space and give him room (ie I assume iso means isolate). For me, divulging tactics in the media in any way shape or form is a no no. I get it, opo coaches know stuff about you already, but let them find it out themselves, dont give the info to them. Attention to detail.
Probably not a great idea to talk tactics in an interview but Curnow would only have to do it once or twice and the opposition would see what's going on. and be aware.
Vossy is filthy with the performance. Not a happy man knows the Presser.
Voss very unhappy with the defensive side of things. And the defence in general which I thought... lacked confidence, understanding, was unsure and structurally all over the shop.
How do we feel about S Durdin, Lewis and Kemp being in charge of looking after Cameron and Hawkins?? Simple answer, cut off their supply!! Easier said than done. If Weitering is out, our 'next man up' mantra will be tested to the max!!!
Concerned
If those big forwards are off the leash then Curnow may be required back to help out a little more than just the cameo.
Hopefully fingers and toes crossed Weitering gets up.
