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Messages - RiverRat

1
Robert Heatley Stand / Re: AFL WC#1 2026 Post Game Prognostications Carlton vs Melbourne
One feature of the team's improved performance after the coaching change seems to be the willingness and commitment to forwards selflessly kicking the ball back into the corridor within the forward 50 arc to set up better goal-scoring opportunities - just as well as the forwards still miss goals that they should kick.
2
Robert Heatley Stand / Re: AFL WC#1 2026 Post Game Prognostications Carlton vs Melbourne
Quote from: cookie2 – on
Excellent all round effort by the boys to incrementally and systematically contain Melb. Very professionally done. Loved Pitto’s effort in eventually nullifying Gawn who looked spent to me as the 2H unfolded and also a great effort by Lord in largely nullifying Kosie. We are becoming a very professional outfit. Loved it!!
Kudos to the MC and/or coaching team who pulled all the right reins with team selection and planning - not just yesterday but to turn around the disastrous start to the season.
4
Robert Heatley Stand / Re: AFL WC#1 2026 Post Game Prognostications Carlton vs Melbourne
Just as well Pickett was busy being a show pony - flying for big marks and trying to kick goals whenever he was inside the 50 metre arc - we might have been behind at 3/4 time if he had managed to kick some of the goals

Hollands earned his place today and will be hard to displace next week.

Best game from Cottrell for many a moon - shame he kept narrowly missing the goals.

Young did his job but could still be omitted for Derksen next week - Wonder if Hayward and/or Newman might be available next week.

5
Robert Heatley Stand / Re: AFL First Wildcard Final 2026 Pre Game Predictions Carlton vs Melbourne at the G
Quote from: Baggers – on
Quote from: DJC – on
I was sure that we already had a thread for this game but I can't find it.

One change for us; Nick Haynes comes in for Wade Derksen who has been demoted to emergency.

Wade is stiff to miss out but Melbourne relies on its small and medium forwards - as well as Gawn drifting forward.

Yep, understandable. Keeping Lewis Y in the side is also a good move.

Derksen doesn't deserve to be dropped but credit to Lewis Young (and the need for a back-up ruck) for turning his season/career around under Fraser.
6
Robert Heatley Stand / Re: AFL Rd 24 2026 Post Game Prognostications Carlton vs Fremantle at Marvel
Quote from: Thryleon – on
Florent is the sort of player who has many facets to his game, and his contribution is imho invaluable around the back of stoppage.  Watch he polices the back of it, and often is the second posession at the source using it well.

Charleson might be good enough, but there is a leadership, experience and multi faceted component to his play. 

A lot of his knockers have egg on their face. There was no shame not being able to get a gig at sydney. They'd love to him right now.
Florent serves a similar role to how Saad used to carry the ball through the lines, but he is much more poised because he does not always run to the left to set up a left foot kick, which cuts down the attacking options, plus he is a more reliable kick and uses effective hand passes to bring teammates along for the ride.
9
Robert Heatley Stand / Re: AFL Rd 24 2026 Post Game Prognostications Carlton vs Fremantle at Marvel
Quote from: LP – on
Quote from: DJC – on
I think that it's time to concede that the new ruck rules, as flawed as they may be, haven't disadvanteaged Pitto and he's probably playing the best footy of his career.
He has adapted well, deserves a lot of kudos, and I'd suggest he has been very well coached because we are seeing now that even if he is beaten to the tap he's capable of creating a clearance by controlling the space around the contest, and that is far far more important.

Getting beaten in taps doesn't mean being beaten in the contest.

He's got Fraser and Kreuzer to feed off, should we expect any less from our rucks?

Even Young and Harry are looking better, both of them compete, especially in F50 and then immediately spread to become a target. In the past they would compete then stand watching.

Credit to Pitto for adapting to the new ruck rules, which severely disadvantaged him earlier in the year.

Credit to Lewis Young for his development into something resembling a ruckman and playing better football than he has shown since his initial season with the club - I guess playing second fiddle to Weitering as a defender severely restricted his capabilities.

Speaking of Weitering, I noticed that he seemed to be limping at various times during the game and spent all or most of the final quarter on the bench - hope he is okay for next week.