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Robert Heatley Stand / Re: AFL Rd 0 2026 Pre-game Prognostications Carlton vs Sydney in Sydney
Last post by Lods -
Quote from: kruddler – on
Quote from: Lods – on
I have high hopes of improvement for this season
Jump a place and we play finals ;)
But I expect it to be a gradual build, as players get to understand and work with one another under the 'real' pressure of an AFL game.

We really don't know a lot about our side, and how they'll gel.
Practice games are only as good an indicator as the effort that's actually put in by both sides
This is the test.
I reckon 3-4 goals will be acceptable, as long as the effort is there.
Swans were a superior side to us in 2025.
They had a bad start to last year and suffered some significant injuries, but finished the season with 8 wins out of the last 11 games
They are on their home ground.
Talking them down and raising expectations is actually the kind of thing that brings pressure on a coach if we fail to beat this "mediocre" side.

A win is not out of the question and much will depend on how the side comes together with a number of new players.
3-4 goals (with effort) will be a reasonable first up result.
It will be the manner of the result that will lead to pressure on players and coach.
What we don't want, and can't afford is a blowout, or a lapse where they pile on the goals after we make a good start.

I'm struggling to see some of the logic in peoples opinions on this match.

For months i've heard we won't miss charlie and the incomings will cover the loss of the outgoings.
I've heard we expect to jump a position.
Which all makes sense.

Until you look into that with....
1. The incomings and outgoings mirror sydney. That is Charlie, Florent and Hayward swapped. Our incoming, covers the outgoing. Which suggests the opposite for them.
2. We finished 11th last year, Sydney finished 10th. THEY are the position we expect to jump up into
3. We are relatively fit, with most of our injuries to fringe players. Jagga back is an upgrade on anything we have out.

So why do the people who have been saying these things, things a 3-4 goal loss is 'about right' ?


If we won't miss the players that left and the team is improved with the players coming in and we expect to improve on last year, then why doesn't that translate into a win against Sydney??

Because first games of the season are completely unpredictable.
They are even more unpredictable with quite a few players playing their first game together.
We'll build connections as the season goes on.
Charlie left us a bit of a wreck, he looks to be up and firing.

1.-Here's the part you seem to struggle with...
The assessment of the loss of Charlie was never about Charlie in good shape. It was about the 2025 version of Charlie.
And we didn't lose a lot losing 'Charlie 2025.'
We only have to cover 'Charlie 2025' to be better

2.We're not taking the Swans 10th spot...we're going to take the 2026 team that would fill that spot if we don't take it.
That's who we have to beat.
Swans are tipped to go top 4, and while I'd  like that spot...probably not this year.

3. It will take our side a while to gel and Jagga in particular will get a bit more attention this week.

In spite of the fact I think we'll have a better season, the Swans are currently third favourite for the flag so beating them would be  a pretty good achievement.
2
Robert Heatley Stand / Re: AFL Rd 0 2026 Pre-game Prognostications Carlton vs Sydney in Sydney
Last post by Thryleon -
Sydney had one off year and were grand finalists the year before.  They havent gone too far backwards is my only logic.  Its possible we both rise this season, and they experience a greater rise than we do, which is the result of head to head perhaps a win for them.

Personally, im tipping us to win in a narrow affair, as there wasnt much between us last year, and there isnt much between us this year.  They likely have more continuity, and we likely have more newness.  Both are factors that could tip it either way imho.
3
Robert Heatley Stand / Re: AFL Rd 0 2026 Pre-game Prognostications Carlton vs Sydney in Sydney
Last post by kruddler -
Quote from: Lods – on
I have high hopes of improvement for this season
Jump a place and we play finals ;)
But I expect it to be a gradual build, as players get to understand and work with one another under the 'real' pressure of an AFL game.

We really don't know a lot about our side, and how they'll gel.
Practice games are only as good an indicator as the effort that's actually put in by both sides
This is the test.
I reckon 3-4 goals will be acceptable, as long as the effort is there.
Swans were a superior side to us in 2025.
They had a bad start to last year and suffered some significant injuries, but finished the season with 8 wins out of the last 11 games
They are on their home ground.
Talking them down and raising expectations is actually the kind of thing that brings pressure on a coach if we fail to beat this "mediocre" side.

A win is not out of the question and much will depend on how the side comes together with a number of new players.
3-4 goals (with effort) will be a reasonable first up result.
It will be the manner of the result that will lead to pressure on players and coach.
What we don't want, and can't afford is a blowout, or a lapse where they pile on the goals after we make a good start.

I'm struggling to see some of the logic in peoples opinions on this match.

For months i've heard we won't miss charlie and the incomings will cover the loss of the outgoings.
I've heard we expect to jump a position.
Which all makes sense.

Until you look into that with....
1. The incomings and outgoings mirror sydney. That is Charlie, Florent and Hayward swapped. Our incoming, covers the outgoing. Which suggests the opposite for them.
2. We finished 11th last year, Sydney finished 10th. THEY are the position we expect to jump up into
3. We are relatively fit, with most of our injuries to fringe players. Jagga back is an upgrade on anything we have out.

So why do the people who have been saying these things, things a 3-4 goal loss is 'about right' ?


If we won't miss the players that left and the team is improved with the players coming in and we expect to improve on last year, then why doesn't that translate into a win against Sydney??

4
Robert Heatley Stand / Re: AFL Rd 0 2026 Pre-game Prognostications Carlton vs Sydney in Sydney
Last post by Lods -
I have high hopes of improvement for this season
Jump a place and we play finals ;)
But I expect it to be a gradual build, as players get to understand and work with one another under the 'real' pressure of an AFL game.

We really don't know a lot about our side, and how they'll gel.
Practice games are only as good an indicator as the effort that's actually put in by both sides
This is the test.
I reckon 3-4 goals will be acceptable, as long as the effort is there.
Swans were a superior side to us in 2025.
They had a bad start to last year and suffered some significant injuries, but finished the season with 8 wins out of the last 11 games
They are on their home ground.
Talking them down and raising expectations is actually the kind of thing that brings pressure on a coach if we fail to beat this "mediocre" side.

A win is not out of the question and much will depend on how the side comes together with a number of new players.
3-4 goals (with effort) will be a reasonable first up result.
It will be the manner of the result that will lead to pressure on players and coach.
What we don't want, and can't afford is a blowout, or a lapse where they pile on the goals after we make a good start.
 

5
Robert Heatley Stand / Re: AFL Rd 0 2026 Pre-game Prognostications Carlton vs Sydney in Sydney
Last post by ElwoodBlues1 -
Quote from: Lods – on
Quote from: madbluboy – on
Who is going to win?

Love us to give it a kick start...but I think it will be the Swans by 3-4 goals.

I'm looking to this year as an improvement on last year, and while that result may seem contradictory it actually aligns with their 2025 ladder positions.
They only finished one spot above us, but had three more wins.
Add to that its on their home ground.
If we win this one it will be a great start.

Not sure Voss or the Fans will tolerate a 3-4 goal loss to a midpack team even on their home ground.
Thats going to start the timber being ordered for the gallows...I think the time has passed for accepting honorable losses.
6
Robert Heatley Stand / Re: AFL Rd 0 2026 Pre-game Prognostications Carlton vs Sydney in Sydney
Last post by LP -
Quote from: Gointocarlton – on
Jagga and Dean official
Changes to the outside of stoppages that make us seem so much faster, let Walsh, Cripps, Hewett work inside where they are best, and let the blokes with elite leg speed and acceleration do the run, gun and chase part. No point exhausting Cripps, Walsh and Hewett by having them chase blokes they have zero chance of catching.

I expect us to get some free kicks off the footy if the umpires are switched on, because the Swans will be desperate to stop our fresh leg speed linking up with the inside feed. So expect plenty of scrags, blocks and holds on the outside coming from the Swans midfield and flanks.

I watched the Origin and Cripps was looking pretty good despite being surrounded by extreme opposition talent, the Swans do not bat that deep.