Out of those mentioned players, you could argue that Durdin is the only player that has performed better after leaving Carlton. Holman is a stretch but the rest have not. No need keeping players longer than necessary that won't improve the team. All subjective of course but hey, it's an opinion.
Never would have believed it at the time but Holman has made it 153 games.
Sadly, we keep 'giving away' players because we think they won't work in our team, and they become solid contributors for other sides.....
M.Kennedy J.Martin Durdin Stocker Holman
I am therefore very loathe to consign Brodie Kemp to the scrap heap.
He has now played 67 games, only 25 or so of those as a forward. He has regularly been the lone marking target in the F50 during that time with big absences from Curnow and McKay last year, so he has often drawn the best defender. Tough way to learn the craft as a mid-sized forward.
Once he finally gets his shot as the third banana (which is about where his size demands he should play), I think you might find he will become very dangerous. Of course, we need to recruit another first or second banana at the end of the season......
Personally, I think he should play a little further up the ground so that we don't have a half-forward line of midgets every week. He could be very useful as the lead-up half-forward. He's got good hands and is actually a pretty good field kick - it's the sticks that paralyse him right now.
If we sacked every player who developed the yips in front of goal, we wouldn't have many left. Even our superstar captain hasn't got that bit right.
Out of those mentioned players, you could argue that Durdin is the only player that has performed better after leaving Carlton. Holman is a stretch but the rest have not. No need keeping players longer than necessary that won't improve the team. All subjective of course but hey, it's an opinion.
I want what ya'll are smoking. He's the weakest link in our forward line. He's serviceable when defending by a mile at the moment. I wonder who would come knocking if we put him up for trade. Donuts I reckon.
Kemp is a good utility player being asked to perform a role he has performed for approximately less than 15 games at AFL level and is currently doing a pretty good job of it, with some warts on his game.
Give him some time to sort those out. He is a reliable enough kick, its possibly the first time in his career he has a monkey on his back. The fans jumping on him for lack of finishing wont help him, there is no reason he cant be our Jack Gunston.
Every time I see Kemp behind the ball, he is effective. Time to see if he can play on a wing as I feel he could make an impact there. Our defense is building so no need for him there, and I don't think he is suited for a forward role. Last chance or he will need to get given his marching orders after contract runs out.
Crippa was good in the last quarter, the first 3 quarters were bang on average with his confidence looking shot. He found a way though and showed the way. Carroll BOG for mine with Harry not far from it. More movements in-game which was something Voss was unable to do, or didn't want to do. We have something to work with, provided we have a good coach and better recruitment to support it.
Fair enough about Aaron. Who are the names that could be those types of players? Oscar Allen maybe? With Morris doing so well at Brissie, could Allen be worth a shot. Scored 53 goal just two years ago. I'm not so sure about him but just throwing names out there.
BR, Allen has been offered six years at Brisbane on decent money and lacks a bit of intensity imo for the contest. Brisbane can have him for that type of contract, as I said Id be looking at cheaper options who can provide a bit more teamwork down forward and be creative as well as kick a few goals themselves.
Most players would lack appetite with that mob. Just hoping we're seriously speaking to other players. They haven't addressed the midfield issues which would likely mean they were happy with the list. Jagga wasn't the instant remedy and now we're paying for it. Seems obvious from the outside and maybe they have tried without luck but it certainly doesn't look like it which infuriates me.
Naughton as Prof said is on big bucks and is unreliable kicking for goal. With Jamara probably on the way out I'd expect Naughton to be a required player to pair with Darcy. We need to get a Mihocek, cheap, reliable, and effective. If you want to have good smalls then you need good bigs who can work with them and be unselfish and that's why Elliott, Hill etc at Collingwood prosper with a FF who is prepared to support his teammates.
Fair enough about Aaron. Who are the names that could be those types of players? Oscar Allen maybe? With Morris doing so well at Brissie, could Allen be worth a shot. Scored 53 goal just two years ago. I'm not so sure about him but just throwing names out there.
Try McNaughton is on one of biggest, longest term contracts on the league.
Cheers, am wondering if dogs would pay some of his contract to move him on. JUH is likely to leave and they'll need to pay Darcy what he's worth so Naughton may be surplus to needs. His salary may be just too much and thanks to those who brought this up but this is an example of how clubs with current good culture leverage to get players in. We need to get creative before Tassie comes in otherwise a premiership tilt could be 2 decades away
Naughton is on huge money and is under pressure for not delivering, kicks a lot of points.
So we can get him for nothing as long as we fit the bill? How big is that bill, has it been made public? Not disagreeing but this is the sort of stuff we don't do well as a club.
Although not on this thread, I have been very negative about our list with my blues group for the last 3 years. This included our great run. The decider for me was being 30 points in front at the quarter break against Brisbane in the prelim only to taper out so easily. I was glad we didn't make the GF that year as we would have been embarrassed and would have taken us at least a decade to recover from it. I have said for many years that our midfield is slow and one paced and we have never addressed it. I've mentioned this on this site that we need to get rid of two of our top 5 players that can garner really good picks but as usual this is met with trepidation. We have no currency as it stands in trading mid tier players so we have to give away players with actual currency and yes this is either Curnow, Walsh or McKay. I am resigned to TDK leaving so there's no point mentioning him. That leaves us with one of the mentioned three to leave and get picks back and use them for quality speedy players that can have an instant impact. We need to remove the forward coach and any that are not performing. Keep Voss if he is accepting that his gameplan doesn't work and hold up in modern day footy, and he immediately starts working on a more aesthetic brand of football because currently we are the most boring team to watch in the AFL. If he thinks he is not up to reinventing himself, then we would need to find a replacement. If we happen to keep Walsh, let's hope his body is right and has a great uninterrupted pre season. Possibly make him captain as Cripps is on borrowed time. He has been enormous for the club but relieving him of the the pressure will be good for him and Walsh can step up and lead the club as we all think is capable of. Keep playing kids and decide who stays. In terms of our forward line, it is not working and need to find an established player outside of the club who may not have the absolute talent, but one that is willing to give his all for the jumper. I know I'll get roasted for this but has anyone enquired about Naughton from the dogs? He wouldn't cost us much too I reckon. Or I may be completely off there but I hope the club is looking at things like this as this is just not sustainable the way we are operating at the moment. I pay a lot of money for my family's membership and this is the first year I have contemplated in downgrading it to cheaper seats as I feel I am wasting my hard earned. After all I am the consumer and if I don't like the product, then it's on me to do something about. No point wondering if the club is actually doing what's right by our members because i feel they are taking the piss. Rant over, sorry.
All i was saying is we need two players out with currency (as above). One is likely Walsh who has gone backwards and two would be Harry or Curnow but Carlton won't. They'll just let TDK go for peanuts and have another ordinary year. Curnow has no dog in him. He is supremely talented but just does not do enough. Our entries can be poor but i see the leads from our forwards live each week. No wonder the entries are as bad as they are. Hard work beats talent. Just look at Collingwood
I'm not a panic merchant with knee reactions. You're not getting rid of your best players to get them. Charlie has 2 Coleman's, would have been a 3rd last year without the ankle injury and still will kick 50+ this year even without a pre-season. Start giving away your best players and you find yourself going no-where. In the end one has to score to win. Just pure panic. Like I said, we lead the half time ladder comfortably, so we can play. Things go ok then and we score. Scores are often in the 50s or close to it. What happens in the 2nd half then didn't happen in 2023 and up to round 19 2024 until injuries killed us? Basically the same side. Possibly the game plan? Attitude of the team as a whole? Play the wrong side?
TDK will get us top 8 compo as it stands. We could use that or even split it. Plus Harry Dean and the NGA prospect Ison.
Buddy left Hawthorn, Grundy left Collingwood, Cameron left Giants and all did well. I can argue GWS could have won 2023 and 2024 premierships if not for brain farts. Our two forwards have hit their peak and are shot in my opinion but they still carry a lot of currency to bring in some hungry talent that can make a difference. TDK will leave so this will rule out the club saying goodbye to Harry and Charlie. Walsh is the obvious choice to dangle but the club just won't make those tough calls. I was knee jerk when Ratten was coach. That has long passed and I am just done with excuses year after year.
So you're happy with Curnow's input? With Harry's? With Walsh? I am not and they all have currency right now to get very good stock back with immediate effect. Any later and we're stuck with them. I was with my 17 year old son at the game. In the last quarter 5 mins to go and Curnow has a shot to ice the game. I said to him "The great players kick this goal, let's see if he's a great player". Sure enough he misses badly and game is still on a knife's edge. We can get rid of players that aren't great and Curnow, McKay and Walsh are not great players. They are very good with potential to be great but they have had enough time to be great and unfortunately they will not hit that mark.
Have been their whole careers. Harry's work in the 2nd ruck this year around the ground has been terrific even if not hitting the scoreboard. Match winner against Geelong. Charlie missed his pre-season, still on target for 50+ while Walsh also missed a chunk of pre-season and still not 100%. Form is temporary, class is permanent. I'm not soft enough of mind to throw the baby out with the bathwater at the first sign of panic and a slight drop in champion player's form. Those sides above I mentioned didn't and reaped the rewards.
Maybe for the forwards issues are the worst delivery imaginable going into the F50. Notice how much better they perform earlier in games when the ball comes in more easily. Hence we are on top of the half time ladder, 10-2, 130%, a significant, telling stat. Says to maybe blame elsewhere with what happens after half time. It's not just the gun forwards, it's up the ground. Hard enough for the like of Charlie when he is fit, let alone half fit.
All i was saying is we need two players out with currency (as above). One is likely Walsh who has gone backwards and two would be Harry or Curnow but Carlton won't. They'll just let TDK go for peanuts and have another ordinary year. Curnow has no dog in him. He is supremely talented but just does not do enough. Our entries can be poor but i see the leads from our forwards live each week. No wonder the entries are as bad as they are. Hard work beats talent. Just look at Collingwood
Without being controversial, we need to think about two of either Walsh, Curnow, McKay and TDK (likely FA). No one else will have the currency needed to instantly improve the team. We're in desperate need for a speedy midfielder and I have been saying this in years yet they have not addressed this deficiency. That is unforgivable in my opinion.
TDK will probably leave. That's it. Puts us back in the first round. We'll land a very good F/S with Harry Dean too. No point hitting the panic button. Geelong didn't in 2006, Richmond didn't in 2016, and were 37 years without a flag, virtually like us now in every way, and the Pies in 2017. A few structrual tweaks for a bit more run and we'll be ok. Then comes down to our attitude.
So you're happy with Curnow's input? With Harry's? With Walsh? I am not and they all have currency right now to get very good stock back with immediate effect. Any later and we're stuck with them. I was with my 17 year old son at the game. In the last quarter 5 mins to go and Curnow has a shot to ice the game. I said to him "The great players kick this goal, let's see if he's a great player". Sure enough he misses badly and game is still on a knife's edge. We can get rid of players that aren't great and Curnow, McKay and Walsh are not great players. They are very good with potential to be great but they have had enough time to be great and unfortunately they will not hit that mark.
