Skip to main content ↑ ↓

Show Posts

This section allows you to view all Show Posts made by this member. Note that you can only see Show Posts made in areas you currently have access to.

Messages - DJC

2
Robert Heatley Stand / Re: AFL 2026 EF #1 Carlton vs Geelong Pre Game Prognostications
Geelong has five players out with injury, one of whom, Max Holmes, is a test to play.  Apart from Holmes, their most significant out is Rhys Stanley.  Geelong has also lost Tyson Stengle who used to cause us headaches.

We have eight players out with injury, two of whom are inactive and have been replaced on our list, so effectively six players out.  Two of those player, Nick Haynes and Wilbur Hayward, are tests to play.  Both are important to our chances but aren't irreplaceable. Of the others, Matt Carroll and Nic Newman were best 23 when they were injured but I think that we have more than adequate replacements in the team now.

The six day break probably isn't ideal but our high performance staff know what they're doing and an extra day isn't going to make much difference.  Geelong's week off could well be a negative 🤞
3
Blah-Blah Bar / RIP Tony Mundine
One of my mates used to get free tickets to TV Ringside (my second date with Ms DJC was an evening at TV Ringside - she was definitely a keeper!).  Bouts between Tony Mundine and Kahu Mahunga were classic contests; Mundine was a clever boxer with a KO punch.  Mahunga could absorb punishment and, if he hit you, you stayed hit.

I met Tony at a NAIDOC ball (I met Lynda Stoner that same night) and what I remember most is how soft his handshake was.  Well, that’s not entirely true; I remember how humble he was and how willing he was to share his story with a white fella that he didn’t know from a bar of soap.

Sadly, Tony’s achievements in the boxing ring, and as an advocate for his people, are overshadowed by some of the foolish comments by his son, Anthony.

RIP Tony, a great boxer and a great Australian.
6
Robert Heatley Stand / Re: AFL WC#1 2026 Post Game Prognostications Carlton vs Melbourne
Quote from: Thryleon – on
Quote from: DJC – on


I didn't think that Melbourne was on top at any stage.  They were certainly on top on the scoreboard in the first quarter but we were playing better footy. 

The player who I thought really got us going was Cotters with his link up work.  If only he hadn't kept aiming at the posts  ::) 
Thats not how I saw the game, but I was sitting on a half forward flank on one side of the ground.  For mine, I though Ainsworth was the main difference maker early. 

I want to also dot point something.  The demons finish better they may very well have put the game beyond us early.  I know we finished quite poorly ourselves, but they were 4.3 at quarter time to our 1.3, and whilst we bettered them in the second, the third was a knife edge with them kicking 2.4 to our 3.3. 

The final quarter was one way traffic, but I didnt really feel comfortable until then due to the fact that we were struggling to generate scores from our posession chains, and the ball was getting turned over on the kick into forward 50.

Once again, Frankie evans was clamped down on, and once again we struggled.

I didnt start calling him the barometer for nothing!

Obviously, different people see things different ways and I was looking at our dominance in all stats apart from clearances and goals in the first quarter, as well as watching our ball movement and confidence in taking the game on.  Our game style means that we will have significantly more possessions than the opposition.  A turnover after a long possession chain can appear worse than it is, particularly when our defence is more than likely to win possession back.

Melbourne had 49 turnovers to our 47 but, when you look at total disposals, we were going at one turnover every nine disposals to Melbourne's one turnover every six and a half disposals.  We were also more efficient when we got the ball inside 50, partly due to some heads up ball use when we got inside 50.

I don't think that Frankie was clamped down on at all.  He had 11 disposals, eight tackles, five inside 50s, one goal assist, four score involvements and kicked one behind.  The week before he had 11 disposals, two tackles, one goal assist, two inside 50s, nine score involvements and kicked five goals.  He was just getting the pill a little further up the ground and, if anything, his tackles and inside 50s more than made up for not troubling the scorers.  Fraser's comment about Frankie doing "what needs to be done for the team" is spot on.  One week it might be kicking goals, the next week it might be tackling and hitting targets inside 50.
7
Robert Heatley Stand / Re: AFL WC#1 2026 Post Game Prognostications Carlton vs Melbourne
Quote from: Thryleon – on
Hollands and Ainsworth deserve additional Kudos as they were swimming against the tide when melbourne were well on top IMHO.  Of course, Dean and Weitering were no slouches in this regard, but still sometimes to get going you need a few good soldiers who just keep on keeping on.

I didn't think that Melbourne was on top at any stage.  They were certainly on top on the scoreboard in the first quarter but we were playing better footy. 

The player who I thought really got us going was Cotters with his link up work.  If only he hadn't kept aiming at the posts  ::) 
8
Robert Heatley Stand / Re: AFL WC#1 2026 Post Game Prognostications Carlton vs Melbourne
SEN's "team of the week" has seven Bluebaggers and Josh is the coach.  With only two games, having seven of our players named isn't all that surprising, but it's still good recognition.

The seven players are Dean, Weitering, Cerra, Smith, Walsh, Hollands and Ainsworth.  I was pleased to see Cerra included.  After reading some of the comments here, I was starting to think that I must have watched a different game  ::)

Three defenders, three midfielders and one forward is a pretty good representation of how we performed.  It would be nice to have another couple of forwards doing enough to be named.
10
Robert Heatley Stand / Re: AFL WC#1 2026 Post Game Prognostications Carlton vs Melbourne
Quote from: kruddler – on
Quote from: Baggers – on


I believe the Weiters trade talk came about through those speculating that the only way we can get Cody W is to trade 'a Weitering' to get the draft picks necessary. Fuelled by the fact that in the past GW has traded 'names'. So then these cabbageheads put two and two together and come up with cottage cheese.

We'll just have to wait to find out what the club strategy is to land Cody. Buckle up.

Before all that, there was a story about north are throwing huge money at Weitering.

The 2 were logically linked as a result.

It actually started as a hypothetical proposed by a Fox Footy bozo that was comprehensively dismissed by Drew Petrie as not going to happen.

Most of these trade scenarios are hypotheticals with no basis in fact.
12
Robert Heatley Stand / Re: AFL WC#1 2026 Post Game Prognostications Carlton vs Melbourne
Quote from: Lods – on
Anyone else find 'Happy Weitering' a bit scary. :D  :D

Seriously, over multiple interviews he seemed absolutely thrilled with the result and the performance of some of the youngsters, especially Dean.
Even saw him having a deep and meaningful with Young.
Didn't look like someone the least bit interested in moving to another club.

Talk of Weitering wanting a trade, the club wanting to trade him and/or his alleged demoralising presence in our backline is just baseless "supporter" speculation.

Weitering hates losing games and one-on-one contests but he has never been one to hide his emotions when we win or when one of his teammates does well.

It was quite moving seeing Weiters and Crippa leading the team into the rooms last night  :'(
14
Robert Heatley Stand / Re: AFL WC#1 2026 Post Game Prognostications Carlton vs Melbourne
Quote from: kruddler – on
I thought despite being behind in the first, we looked like the better team. They couldn't miss, we couldn't kick straight.

I think there was a part in the second/third when they clearly looked better and we managed to ride it out without issue.
From there i think we had it in the bag.

I thought that we were the better team for the whole game.  Both teams were a little fumbly and tangle-footed in the first quarter and I don't know whether that was the occasion or the conditions, but both teams settled down fairly quickly.  Melbourne worked really hard to disrupt our short-kicking, possession game and we played into their hands with a couple of poorly-executed kicks and by taking some overly-ambitious options.  Gawn rucking for the entire first quarter gave them an edge when Pitto was off, but that came back to bite them on the butt later in the game.  Our actual and perceived pressure was excellent and, although Melbourne laid more tackles, ours were often at critical moments, seemed heavier, and yielded vital free kicks.  Melbourne did have a crack in the third quarter but I thought that we rode it out quite comfortably and always looked confident.

Melbourne missed some easy goals, and our defence saved several more, but we really should have had a few more goals on the board; five posters  :o  Our ball use and pressure inside 50 has been a feature of the second half of the season and it was outstanding last night. 

While I'm at it, some of our lesser lights or "bottom six" players made excellent contributions to complement the work of our guns.  I'm talking about Cerra, Cottrell, Lord, Wilson, Acres, Hollands, McGovern, Young and Evans.  Byrner had a quiet game but still played a role in our forward pressure and team defence.
15
Robert Heatley Stand / Re: AFL WC#1 2026 Post Game Prognostications Carlton vs Melbourne
I thought that both coaches spoke very well in their pressers.  Minimal cliches, no excuses or whinging and good, honest appraisals of their team's performance.

I know that Pitto would have us believe that it's because they're ruckmen, but how refreshing is it compared to what the Scotts, Lyon, Hardwick and Kingsley serve up?