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Robert Heatley Stand / Re: 2026 Last Practice Match Carlton vs Geelong
Last post by DJC -
Quote from: LP – on
The AFL got the ruck rules wrong starting two years back when Scott complained about TDK, it was wrong again last year and instead of admitting a mistake it has doubled down.

And as I have been warning, that could easily have been BigH hobbling off instead of Neale.

No, Harry knows what he’s doing at ruck contests and has been taught how to look after himself.  Neale would have benefited from sessions with Matty K.
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Robert Heatley Stand / Re: 2026 Last Practice Match Carlton vs Geelong
Last post by LP -
The AFL got the ruck rules wrong starting two years back when Scott complained about TDK, it was wrong again last year and instead of admitting a mistake it has doubled down.

And as I have been warning, that could easily have been BigH hobbling off instead of Neale.
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Robert Heatley Stand / Re: 2026 Last Practice Match Carlton vs Geelong
Last post by LP -
Quote from: DJC – on
I probably should have mentioned Cooper Lord before.  He’s your quintessential blue collar worker whose efforts lead to chains of possessions and disrupt opposition plays.

He’s a player who is easily overlooked and/or undervalued.
More than blue collar, and is making the most of his opportunities, that is all we can ask of some, don't waste the opportunity.
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Robert Heatley Stand / Re: 2026 Last Practice Match Carlton vs Geelong
Last post by Lods -
I think Lord is a definite starter next week
Wilson didn't play in either the AFL or the VFL so I suspect he was injured. I doubt it would be 'managed' at this stage of the year
Either way he'll probably start the year in the VFL.
There are probably still a couple of half-back/ wingers ahead of him.
I'm not so sure he'll be playing VFL by the end of the year.
He's still very young and on the improve.
A replacement for Saad in my opinion.

You may need to have one elite aspect to your play to have a long AFL career...but I'm not even sure about that.
We have numerous young players on our list who don't carry the elite tag in any of the key stats.
I'm not sure an improving 20 year old needs it...yet
Doesn't mean they're not on the way.

Now the test will be that youngsters won't have great games every week (unless they're Jagga).
They'll have down days.
But if you address the poor games then you have to acknowledge the good games...and Lord gave us plenty tonight.
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Robert Heatley Stand / Re: 2026 Last Practice Match Carlton vs Geelong
Last post by DJC -
I probably should have mentioned Cooper Lord before.  He’s your quintessential blue collar worker whose efforts lead to chains of possessions and disrupt opposition plays.

He’s a player who is easily overlooked and/or undervalued.
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Robert Heatley Stand / Re: 2026 Last Practice Match Carlton vs Geelong
Last post by kruddler -
Quote from: DJC – on
I believe that the AFL has conceded that the free kick against Pitto was wrong.

....and the other 2 against reidy i think where he had a foot on/over the line as he jumped?

If the umpire wants to influence the game, just throw the ball to one side and penalise the ruck for going over the line to get access to it. Its bollocks.
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Robert Heatley Stand / Re: 2026 Last Practice Match Carlton vs Geelong
Last post by kruddler -
Quote from: Lods – on
Quote from: kruddler – on
I think Lord has continue to be underwelming as well.....but in Cerras absence, probably plays.


EDIT: Lord had 13 tackles, easy to miss some of them....even outtackled Atkins who had a mere 9.
Hewett had 30 touches and 8 clearances.....so wasn't bad, but i don't think he was quite as influential as the other 3.

Yep
I'm guessing you've got a bit of a set  against Lord.
A bit like Wilson.

You need to watch them a  bit more closely.
Lord was good last week and even better this week.
His tackling was elite...not just in number but in quality.

Nothing against lord, just is easier to see players with the ball than without. With the ball, or simply getting the ball, he has not been doing anything noteworthy. Similar to binns last year....both do 'ok' but nothing that makes you go 'wow'. At least lord has a defensive game though.

Wilson obviously didnt play, but it's the same with him....what about him and his play is elite? Shifter sheahan always said you need to be elite at something at afl level. I dont see what that is.
Throw in chesser...
Theres plenty on the list. Nothing personal, just calling it as I see it.

Doesnt mean they are useless to us, just means they are replaceable.

Given we are trying to play more free flowing, fast moving, good ball movement style, lord stood out as someone not performing as well in that area. As mentioned, great at tackling.... but so was fogarty last year, and that didn't really translate into goals.
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Robert Heatley Stand / Re: 2026 Last Practice Match Carlton vs Geelong
Last post by DJC -
Not sure what to make of that.  Both teams were concentrating on managing players but getting the W was still front of mind.

While we didn’t put all of our eggs in the Jagga basket, the eggs we did put in were well worth it.  He adds a different dimension to our midfield and will make life easier for Cripps, Walsh, Hewett and whoever else gets a midfield gig.

Harry Dean is a ripper and Wade Derksen showed tonight that he can do a job on key forwards and shifty bastards like Danger. 

The Hollands brothers were great and Lij’s ability to play different roles was impressive.

Kempy’s growth as a key forward is evident and his willingness to get up the ground to provide a marking target or help out in defence is a positive.

The player who surprised me tonight was Campbell Chesser.  He got plenty of the ball, defended well, and kicked a classy goal.  I had him pencilled in as a depth player but I suspect that he’ll play more AFL games than VFL games.