OK, well its time for our latest installment of this and this may be the most difficult one for the year.
Assume all players are fit unless mentioned otherwise above.
Plenty of kids showing some talent coming through of late, and plenty of players on the injury list who would probably walk back in. So who do you keep out?
Looking at some other stats on our big 3 forwards... Charlie - Harry - TDK 29 - 24 - 7 - Goals 18 - 12 - 8 - Behinds 50 - 45 - 16 - Shots on goal 3 - 9 - 1 - Complete misses 58% - 53% - 44% - Goal accuracy % (from total shots on goal, including misses)
28 - 29 - 10 - Marks inside 50.
49 - 43 - 73 - Targets leading to shots on goal (%) 31 - 29 - 33 - Targets leading to goal (%) 29 - 35 - 48 - Targets leading to marks inside 50 (%)
OK, so thats the facts. What does it all mean.
Lets make a couple observations - Charlie is our best shot on goal. Harry has improved remarkably, but still misses completely more than he should, but even with those misses, is more likely than TDK to kick a goal once he has a shot. - Despite being targetted less, we are more likely to get a shot at goal, an actual goal and a mark inside 50, when we target TDK. This should be common sense really. Everyone knows we go to Harry and Charlie the most, so they get the best defenders and they get the 3rd man in helping out as well. So, by default, TDK (and everyone else in the team) get lesser defenders and less attention paid to them.
So, my take home point is this. SPREAD THE LOAD! Our scoring will be better if we learn to target other players.
Stop directing the ball to Harry and Charlie constantly and try and use some other forwards more often. We have been lacking a 3rd tall most of the year (remembering TDK playing #1 ruck first half of the year) and not having Jack Silvagni available....and not having Jack Martin available much either. I'd really like to see us target this area ASAP or shoehorn someone into this role ASAP - Kemp, McGovern, Marchbank is 1 too many '3rd talls' to play down back. Try one up forward??
If there is enough interest, i might do some comparisons of other forwards (teams?) and see how we compare.
There's a band i like, that nobody has ever heard of called The Zutons. The only song people seem to know is one that Amy Winehouse did a cover of - Valerie, but there is plenty worth listening too.
One of my favourites is called Pressure Point.
When watching Carlton play over the last 20-odd games, there is a section that comes to mind which i think would be good for backing music in a highlight reel see below. (I've started at the part of note in this instance)
Pressure acts. A stat that doesn't get much attention, but all hell breaks loose when you are lacking in that area, not least of which is the pressure on the coach intensifies. Its been no secret that the more you pressure your opponent, the better off you will be, in terms of the contest and the overall result.
So how have we gone so far this season and who is getting the job done? Looking at last 2 weeks for a start.
A few people have suggested that Hollands has been down on form and Cunners has been underperforming as well.
Personally i've been happy with both and i was looking through some stats to see if my eyes were telling the truth. They were.
FWIW, Carlton had 296 pressure acts. Richmond had 293.
Best for carlton.... Newman (24) Hewett (23) Cripps (22) Hollands (19) Cuningham (17) McKay (17) Acres (16) Cerra (15)
Last week it was Carlton 279 vs Lions 264 Last week, the best for Carlton was.... Cerra (30) Hollands (29) Cuningham (18) Hewett (17) Kennedy (16) Fogarty (16)
So total so far.... Hollands (48) Cerra (45) Hewett (40) Newman (37) Cripps (36) Cuningham (35) Boyd (28)
So there it is, Thats my Zutons factor and highlighting a few boys that i think deserve some credit for their pressure.
Seems we are linked with every (wo)man and their dog.
My request for a clone of bri moody is likely to come true with us trying to get her twin sister Celine accross from the dogs.
Pies Father/daughter Tarni Brown is another recruit likely to come over.
Duursma sister wants to come over.
Pritchard and Arehns also possibilities.
Unfortunately, Mua Laloifi is set to leave. For whatever reason her performances last season were not up to scratch. Add that to her multiple concussions and perhaps thats why the club are not offering her another contract? Will be hard seeing her in another uniform as she was universally loved.
