Those 3 are stocking fillers at best, and should only be in the team if injuries force them to be used. Durdin and Motlop both need to be moved on asap (together with all the other dead wood and perpetually injured on this list that should be moved on, but will get new contracts, to heap more misery on supporters for another year or two plus)
I think a fit Durdin has promise, but Fantasia is past it (we did get him cheap though, was worth a shot) and Motlop continues to underwhelm.
Lining up against the Hawks to kick off the season on Sunday. No Brooke Vickers or Tarni Brown and of course Erone is out for the season. Vickers pace in particular will be missed as we seem to be a hard working team lacking dash and polish. Captain's run on Saturday morning is an open session for those interested.
No Owies this week unless they appeal the tribunal. As a lawyer I can't see how they grade the impact as medium when the player basically gets up and goes about his business, no concussion test and plays out the game. Appeal on the grounds of manifest error in the grading and even unreasonable decision grounds would seem to me to have legs. Whether they take it on is another matter.
One thing I would do this week is play Crippa out of the goal square at FF, lets see how the Saints deal with that.
Don't mind the idea of resting him at FF swapping with Kennedy but we need him to be prominent in the middle if we are to get on top. Maybe start him in the square just to stop the tag from the outset. My concern is that the mids and half forwards might just target Crippa all the time a la the way they can do with Charlie and allow the intercepting defenders to have a party.
On any way of looking at this it will be difficult. The Tigers have 11-13 on the injury list themselves, but that 4 to 6 extra AFL-listed players make a world of difference in that they will be the comparatively class players out there and something like 6-8 "class" players to 2-3. Obviously can be different if the quality of top-ups is much stronger on our side but I don't expect that to be the case.
Lord is strong, defensively accountable. not quick but hard running and high endurance, sound skills. His defensive accountability is his most valuable asset in terms of what Carlton lack in the existing lineup. He doesn't bring pace or sublime skills but he brings grit, sound skills and defensive workrate.
Didn't get to see the game yet but it sounds like Lemmey and Lord stood out. Young's stats look OK - Ipresume he played back given the intercepts? - and Mirkov got plenty of taps. I take it Marchy didn't come back on? Wilson and Binns just okay by the numbers, but Wilson only coming back and Binns probably still tired from last week's numbers. Can't dominate every week. Like both of them but do wonder how Binns hurts sides at the higher level. Will never know if he doesn't get a shot.
On Lord it seems to me he has a defensive edge and whilst certainly not quick isn't slow and those traits might well help our problem with being destroyed out of the middle if we don't win it clearly.
Can't see anyone pushing hard for inclusion next week, but Lord, Carroll, Young if we lose a tall, Binns if we decide to rest Ollie and even Wilson if we want to add outside pace could be around the mark. And obviously Cowan could go back into the ones fresh from a rest assuming there isn't a late change.
On Martin I think the only thing that saves him is a big finish to the year. When fit he has quality you don't just give away, but with the salary cap squeeze, his injury history and the fact that there may be some trade value to go West I think unless he shows his wares to best advantage - as he did late last year - you would think him gone. Carroll I suspect in the same boat. McMahon and and Will White I both think worth a look at as rookies. both very light but can play.
Beaten by a narrow margin again. This time 79-88 we blew it when we gave up 4 goals in time on in the 3rd to go from an 8 point lead to a 16 point deficit. Hewett and Carroll got leather poisoning (and Hayes again) and Lewis Young and Sam Durdin both stood up well as key defenders. If they drop Marchbank - and he should be dropped on last night's performance, but maybe they want to give him 2 in a row - then both are showing decent form. Young has probably been better the last 2 weeks but poor b efore that, Durdin has been more consistently decent. Maybe if Weiters needs a break they could both come in. Carroll was off for a while in the last - hopefully nothing to worry about but I don't see him pushing into the team anyway. Orazio went off injured in Q1 and Jack Martin was activated. Jack didn't do much but first game back after a long lay-off. Other than Hewett, Hayes Carroll and Lewis Young no-one cracked 20 possessions. Motlop only 13 possessions but did look dangerous when he got it and his 9 tackles was second only to Hewett's 10. Binns and Lord were quieter than they have been, Moir busier (still only 13 possessions) but none seemed to be knocking the door down for selection in the ones. Cuningham only 18 possessions and not as silky with them s usual. My view is either Young or Durdin for Marchbank - maybe both if Weiters needs a rest or they decide against the Pitto/TDK combination. Hewett or maybe Jack Carroll if we want more grunt in the middle - prefer Hewett but question is whether we need more one-paced mids, even one as good as Hewett. Maybe Kennedy may need a spell and either of them could cover his midfield role but neither has his marking presence. Williams was subbed off in the ones but unless they bring in Motlop or gamble on Jack Martin off only a short game back I don't know we have a like-for-like replacement.
Part of my post which i didn't really include (that i was using to make my arguments) was everyones age.
That is.... The 4 oldest players on are list are... Newman - 31y5m Docherty - 30y8m Saad - 29y11m Williams - 29y9m
so in a couple years, they may all be gone. Then we would be left with the following players who will all be 2 years older than their listed age here.... Cincotta - 27y6m Boyd - 25y9m Cowan - 19y7m ...and even if you include Billy Wilson - 19y you can see what i'm talking about.
Remove the top 4 from our 'best 22' and suddenly we are in all sorts We need to ensure we have a couple lockdown players available to go in a couple years time. Cincotta will be 29-30 by then, so its not really a viable option long term either.
Well that is another matter, I was thinking pretty much of the now. Agree that there isn't a lot in the small defender basket to come through. Cowan is young and Wilson younger. One or both of the Camporeale twins might end up running off a back flank. As we lose the older 4 over the next couple of years we will have the opportunity to bring players in and small defenders aren't the hardest roles to fill through trading.
How do you take someone who is not quite up to fulltime AFL standards, but has the leadership quality you need, and keep them happy playing VFL?
Making the Club somewhere you don't want to leave helps, but these guys are professionals so it is very difficult if there are weaker teams out there that could offer them a regular run in the firsts. However if they are genuinely not quite up to fulltime AFL such that they don't have those sorts of offers they may be prepared to hang around for the prospect of injury or somesuch opening up a spot. In another thread I just mentioned Scott Howell, 39 games in 6 years but a last-minute injury call up in 1981 makes him the only player in VFL/AFL history to be the third generation to play in a premiership (his father Carlton Hall of Famer Jack "Chooka" Howell Jnr winning one in 1947 and Jack senior being BOG for the Swans when they downed Collingwood (God bless them) in 1918). So just maybe if regular seniors service isn't on offer back-up in a flag-contending team might be preferred.
"Small defenders are scarce." Don't agree, largely for reasons that you identify in the remainder of your post. "Docherty is out." True "Williams is now a forward." Yes, but if we need a small defender more than his current role he can slot back in. "Cincotta is a tagger now." Ditto Williams comment. "We have Boyd and Saad who are more of the blokes you want going up the field disposing. Then you have newman and cowan playing more of a lockdown role." So there's 4 small defenders just there, plus Williams and Cincotta. "Looking through the rest of the list, and that's about it. Cupboard is bare behind them." Pretty true, though Billy Wilson looks a likely prospect not quite ready yet, ditto Lord although he is more a mid I could see his determination and defensive nous translating into defence as long as he isn't matched up on someone with pace as he isn't quick. There's also a few more players who are more naturally suited to other parts of the ground who can be pressganged into service if need be. Even if you mean quality small defenders are scarce I would disagree. Saad and Newman are clearly quality. I am a big fan of Boyd, we should be using his lovely kicking more. Cincotta was doing a great job as a lockdown defender before getting shifted on-ball. Williams has shown in the past he can be a weapon of half back, albeit he was badly out of form before being moved forward. I am a rap for Cowan though he is still young and has some rough edges. It's not the 1981 brigade (Hunter, Klomp both reigning All-Australians, Doull,, English, and Austin, with G Whitnall in reserve and Harmes and McConville available to shift into defence if needed - the talls being reigning All-Australian Geoff Southby, Woof Perovic, and Tatts Bortolotto with Scott Howell slotting in as a late replacement for Southby in the GF to stand Peter Moore quite effectively and Swan McKay able to swing back if needed. Any wonder we were in the middle of 3 flags in 4 years?)
The Dogs are 3rd, but on the decline. Their losses have all been recent. Have we improved enough to challenge them? I wouldn't think so. Too many guys not producing enough. Monahan, Moir, Sam Durdin, Akuei, Mirkov, Lemmey: too many doing not enough.
Just a wee bit harsh on Durdin, but the others I agree with. Monahan very much a project player, Moir and Lemmey young and show a bit but both need to get some fire in their belly if they are going to make it, theu have the tools. Mirkov and Akuei experiments coming to a close I would think, although the last 2 weeks Dom has shown more than in his entire previous career, but his problem is I think he has to come off category B rookie status and I don't think he has done enough to warrant a standard rookie much less main list place. Would love to see him keep up the good work and make me eat my words, and his form of the last 2 weeks replicated consistently might just do that.
Are we not able to let our more project players develop at a suburban club? Or do those not picked for the 2s have to sit the round out?
A few players might be sore , but assuming everyone comes up as seems to be the clubs position the players it seems to me under pressure to keep their spots this week are Fantasia Cottrell Kemp and O Hollands. Possible ins (assuming Martin comes back via the 2s as he should) Binns, Carroll. Cunningham, S Durdin, Hewett, Lord, Marchbank, Motlop, Pittonet, Wilson & Young. .I can't see anyone else. Hewett I think has to come back. Of the other possible ins I would say no to Durdin and Marchbank on their performances in the 2s both this week and overall, likewise Motlop though he was much better this week. Lord and Wilson impressive but want to see more of them. I think Wilson not ready for firsts yet and Lord I just need to see more of. Not a lot of hurt factor I suspect but a goer and works hard defensively which would help in the firsts. Not quick though. Binns and Carroll I don't think are much of an upgrade, good seconds players and deserve a look at at some stage, not this week for mine. Pittonet I don't think against the dogs despite their height they don't have the crash and bash ruckman. That leaves Cuningham and Young, both of whom have traits we need but issues that worry me. Both were good against the Giants after being ordinary previously. Both have shown they have the talent but not produced consistently. But this week I would take the chance on both. Cunners body holds up and he is an upgrade on most of our smalls. Maybe as sub if concerned about his ability to run out a full game. I think we need a second tall defender and we simply haven't been playing one. It bit us badly against the Giants when Weiters was hampered and Kemp outsized as you would expect. Perhaps should have tried McGovern or Weiters (despite the corkie) on Hogan but really showed up the risk of going into a game with only 1 genuine key defender. Problem is of course lack of a quality second option. Marchbank more of a third tall again and looking a mile off it at the moment, Durdin has been a good seconds player but not looking in particularly good form at the minute and Young unrecognizable from his 2022 self, but did have a much better game this week. I say seize the moment and give him a shot. He also is a relief option in the ruck if we don't want to have Harry out of the forward line too long. Not expecting much but I would throw him the chance and say there's a spot for you if you perform. So if Hewett Cuningham and Young are the 3 ins, who of the 4 possible outs keeps his spot. That is a tough one. Hollands was busiest but too often ineffective. Fantasia ineffective again and has really only the one good performance. Cottrell was poor but first up after a long break probably should have come back via the 2s, Question is having had the run do you back him to step up or do you send him back to the 2s to get miles in the legs. Kemp slaughtered but shouldn't have been asked to stand Hogan, so I give him a Mulligan and he is the one who survives - besides which we probably need the extra height especially for the doggies so even though the changes aren't like for like I think that is actually a good thing.
Without looking at the Bulldogs lineup to contemplate specific matchups something like: Newman McGovern Young Saad Weitering Kemp Acres Cripps E Hollands Cincotta McKay Williams Kennedy Curnow Owies TDK Hewett Walsh Boyd Cerra Cowan Fogarty Cuningham
If Weiters injury bad enough to rest him I'd bring in Durdin (been in better form than Marchbank and more genuine key position) and let him and Young compete for the 2nd KD spot. If both fall flat the incentive is there for Marchbank or we just live with the single KD structure for want of anyone putting their hand up.
One of the real problem with Akuei's growth and development has been the fact that he's played back, forward, ruck, even the wing, and not been able to settle into a position. He's a slow burn type of player. He's gone to the back line and ruck for this year, what's his position? Perhaps keep playing him as a second ruck for the rest of the year? Arguably with O'Keeffe out of the side, it may have came out of necessity. But this means he doesn't play permanently as a defender. Still, it looks like he's really showing something there. If he keeps going the way he is in that role, then he's a real chance of becoming a category a rookie next year. Clearly he was going to take time to develop, but the signs are there that as a second ruck, he's showing some promise.
I would love to see Dom show out enough to justify keeping, this game is the first I have seen him doing that. But is it a outlier or the start of a breakthrough? Prior to this game I had him out the door, it will take more like this week to save him but I'm rooting for him.
