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Robert Heatley Stand / Re: AFL Rd 7 2026 Post Game Prognostications Carlton vs Fremantle
Last post by ElwoodBlues1 -
Quote from: LP – on
Quote from: ElwoodBlues1 – on
Doesnt help either when our blokes are playing off their man and he gets to do a give and go with Switkowski who was unmanned and then Jackson just strolls into goal  ...set play?
Seriously @ElwoodBlues1 who is our 200cm player who can run with Jackson, or for that matter who is our 195cm player that can run with Jackson?

FWIW, is there another playing anywhere in the AFL that is comparable in size and can go with Jackson on the burst?
Its the unmanned Switkowski that was the problem, Jackson had that option to handpass then use that pace to get the ball back, how does a bloke have no opponent within cooee straight after a centre square ball up?
Agree Jackson is hard to match up on,unique and made for the modern game/rules so much so that Darcy is now a redundant Dinosaur and having to play Jackson 95% of the time onball has really improved Freo.
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Robert Heatley Stand / Re: AFL Rd 7 2026 Post Game Prognostications Carlton vs Fremantle
Last post by LP -
Quote from: ElwoodBlues1 – on
Doesnt help either when our blokes are playing off their man and he gets to do a give and go with Switkowski who was unmanned and then Jackson just strolls into goal  ...set play?
Seriously @ElwoodBlues1 who is our 200cm player who can run with Jackson, or for that matter who is our 195cm player that can run with Jackson?

FWIW, is there another playing anywhere in the AFL that is comparable in size and can go with Jackson on the burst?
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Robert Heatley Stand / Re: AFL Rd 7 2026 Post Game Prognostications Carlton vs Fremantle
Last post by LP -
Quote from: RiverRat – on
Williams has been pretty good in this area so far this year - as well as in defence.
It's the right way to use him @RiverRat, it makes sense.

Too many fans are incapable of seeing the difference between nuanced approached and an all in. Williams and others in pinch hit roles are one of several keys needed to break moments of opposition domination. You diminish the oppositions stability when you have pinch hitters display short periods of competence. It was the same for us in reverse last night with Bolton.

I don't think this is primarily a coaching problem, it's about getting players to buy into the and accept periods through which they aren't the big show. Moments when Cripps, Walsh, Cerra, Hewett are the support act.

FWIW, I think we can do the same with H and other forwards, at the moment H leads and we kick it to him, he can break that predictability by spending some time as a decoy forward. But he has to buy into it, he can't always lead expecting the footy. In this regard we are better off without Charlie, because technically we now have more roughly equal choices.
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Robert Heatley Stand / Re: AFL Rd 7 2026 Post Game Prognostications Carlton vs Fremantle
Last post by ElwoodBlues1 -
Quote from: LP – on
Some positives.

I thought in the end Reidy did pretty well against someone who when fit and in form is probably one of the leagues Top 5 players.

Finally, Williams showed us some glimpses of what he can do inside, it's been too long since we listened to the noise and gave up on him as a midfield rotation option. One stupid little bump off the ball and we decided the gig wasn't for him, I'd argue that's exactly what we've been lacking.

Walsh has now fully transitioned his game, to all the naysayers who keep claiming nothing changes, he's the A-Grade counter argument to your otherwise spurious claims. To think just a week ago certain AFL Special Comments types were potting him. Even some fans were potting him yesterday for missing a +50m running shot at goal by 1m. :o For me at least we pulled the trigger, the first few rounds we've been gun shy!

If you want to see what Kemp might be able to do as a mid-rotation watch Jackson yesterday, Jackson has gone full circle and now he is a weapon in every role he plays. Kemp has the acceleration and enough size to be a genuine transition type mid-fielder.

It pays not to pigeonhole players.

It would be stupid to make permanent changes to rotations, but it's just as stupid to say never, variety is the spice of life!
Walsh gets plenty of the ball but isnt a good kick and that goes for most of our midfield...
Jackson has that basketball background and his skills transition over, its like having another midfielder but one who is 200cm.
Doesnt help either when our blokes are playing off their man and he gets to do a give and go with Switkowski who was unmanned and then Jackson just strolls into goal  ...set play?
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Robert Heatley Stand / Re: AFL Rd 7 2026 Post Game Prognostications Carlton vs Fremantle
Last post by RiverRat -
Quote from: LP – on
I thought in the end Reidy did pretty well against someone who when fit and in form is probably one of the leagues Top 5 players.

Finally, Williams showed us some glimpses of what he can do inside, it's been too long since we listened to the noise and gave up on him as a midfield rotation option.

Reidy does show some potential around the ground but not so much in centre circle contests - even in the VFL he has struggled to get elevation - maybe the AFL will need to change the ruck rule again.

Williams has been pretty good in this area so far this year - as well as in defence.
7
Robert Heatley Stand / Re: VFL Rd 5 2026 Carlton vs Tasmania in Hobart
Last post by LP -
At the moment having Saad and Hewett is distorting the performances of the rest a bit. Opponents are loathed to leave either with too much space to work in, and they both hold their position well, it makes a huge difference to the players around them. I wonder what our MC want from them in terms of change or evolution. Hewett looked to be a step up on Cerra yesterday, the only negative I can see is that both Hewett and Saad tend towards safe options, they have become a bit turnover gun shy. But AFL 2026 style no longer allows you to "safe yourself" to a victory, it's not soccer and a 1-0 ain't going to cut it!

2026 is being defined by attacking momentum bursts, not stoic defence.

The Tassie side is pretty raw, lots of young talent, aggression, energy, living off the excitement, but it's all a bit naivé.
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Robert Heatley Stand / Re: VFL Rd 5 2026 Carlton vs Tasmania in Hobart
Last post by Lods -
Quote from: kruddler – on
From what i can see, Wilson didn't have to do a lot of defending, so we'll see how that goes in the 1's.

I'm also a bit unsure about Wilson's 'defending' side.
He's a bit like Saad in that respect.
He's an 'attacking' defender.
But he doesn't make a lot of tackles, and a couple of times last night he failed to stick ones he probably should have made.
On the other hand he doesn't shirk the contest...so that may be a watch if he's given a senior opportunity.
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Robert Heatley Stand / Re: AFL Rd 7 2026 Post Game Prognostications Carlton vs Fremantle
Last post by LP -
Some positives.

I thought in the end Reidy did pretty well against someone who when fit and in form is probably one of the leagues Top 5 players.

Finally, Williams showed us some glimpses of what he can do inside, it's been too long since we listened to the noise and gave up on him as a midfield rotation option. One stupid little bump off the ball and we decided the gig wasn't for him, I'd argue that's exactly what we've been lacking.

Walsh has now fully transitioned his game, to all the naysayers who keep claiming nothing changes, he's the A-Grade counter argument to your otherwise spurious claims. To think just a week ago certain AFL Special Comments types were potting him. Even some fans were potting him yesterday for missing a +50m running shot at goal by 1m. :o For me at least we pulled the trigger, the first few rounds we've been gun shy!

If you want to see what Kemp might be able to do as a mid-rotation watch Jackson yesterday, Jackson has gone full circle and now he is a weapon in every role he plays. Kemp has the acceleration and enough size to be a genuine transition type mid-fielder.

It pays not to pigeonhole players.

It would be stupid to make permanent changes to rotations, but it's just as stupid to say never, variety is the spice of life!
10
Robert Heatley Stand / Re: AFL Rd 8 2026 Pre Game Predictions Carlton vs St. Kilda at Marvel
Last post by LP -
Quote from: Professer E – on
Maybe if blokes could get to his feet wed do better, not enough from the small blokes. But then again, out kicking into F50 isn't suburban standard.
I think part of the problem is that we are continually outnumbered at the fall because opposition seem to know where it is going before our own blokes know!

When you are at the ground and not ball watching it becomes obvious, we are always second to react, we've been that way for a long time. I think partly we could get away with it having twin KPFs, at least when they were fit and firing they knew were to lead. Now with H solo it's become a major weakness.