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Robert Heatley Stand / Re: AFL Rd 13 2026 Pre Game Predictions Carlton vs Essendon at MCG
Last post by DJC -
On paper and form, this should be a certain win.  However, it has become the case that any team can beat any other team, regardless of ladder position, form, or history.  All it takes is for the underdog to play to its full potential and the favourites to be just a little off their best.

As others have suggested, this will be a real test for us.  We could serve up a thorough shellacking but I won’t be surprised if it’s a fairly tight contest.

While I accept that Newey and Worpa might benefit from sitting this one out, “managing” players could well contribute to overconfidence, as well as weakening/unbalancing the team.  I reckon that Geelong is regretting “managing” Jack Martin.
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Robert Heatley Stand / Re: AFL Rd 12 2026 Post Game Prognostications Carlton vs Geelong
Last post by Baggers -
Quote from: DJC – on
Quote from: LP – on
Watching the replay McGovern was almost playing the decoy lead-up game, he made lead after lead that was ignored or the opportunity was missed through hesitation. At least twice he was inside F50 tens of metres clear of his opponent and we held the footy too long to hit him up as an open target,

Now fans who ball watch will say he didn't touch it all night, but in reality he was doing a lot of hard work that was either sacrificial or not being honoured.

The other thing I noticed, between Gov and Hayward they seemed to be waxing about who would draw the opponents, several of Haywards marks are one on one contests because Gov drew the opponents out of the F50 and Hayward benefits.

I don't think that Gov was a decoy.  He took five marks and, of our forwards, only Hayward took more.  His kicking for goal has been excellent this season but he had an off night.  He also wasn't as effective as he has been when the ball hit the ground and didn't get the handball receives.  An average performance in comparison to his other games but he was still a threat and demanded defensive attention.  His running patterns, and his scoring potential, made it difficult for his opponents to drop off and provide help defence ... and you could probably say the same for all of our forwards.

I'm a bit late to comment on the game - everything has been covered in depth - but there's one thing that I don't think has been raised previously; Jack Ison's two goal assist handpasses to Young and Hayward were like lightning.  Quick thinking, great decisions and elite execution!



Yep. The strong footy IQ of Jack Ison didn't escape Jason Dunstall's eyes, he made a point of highlighting those, and other, lightning choices and disposal -- hand and foot -- by the young fella. I think we've got a ripper there.
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Robert Heatley Stand / VFL Rd 11 2026 Carlton vs Drug Cheats away
Last post by crashlander -
This game is set for Sunday afternoon at Windy Hill :( at 14:05.
We've lost our way the last couple of weeks, while the Drug Cheats won last week.

No idea yet as to what our lineup will be like. But one of our Emergencies will definitely not play, maybe 2.
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Robert Heatley Stand / Re: AFL Rd 13 2026 Pre Game Predictions Carlton vs Essendon at MCG
Last post by crashlander -
Our lineup for the moment:

B:   35 Harry Dean   23 Jacob Weitering   26 Nick Haynes
HB:   24 Nic Newman   14 Oliver Florent   15 Billy Wilson
C:   5 Adam Cerra   18 Sam Walsh   13 Blake Acres
HF:   19 Will Hayward   11 Mitch McGovern   12 Ben Ainsworth
F:   17 Brodie Kemp   10 Harry McKay   44 Francis Evans
R:   27 Marc Pittonet   9 Patrick Cripps   7 Jagga Smith
Int:   2 Lachlan Cowan   29 George Hewett   45 Flynn Young   39 Talor Byrne   30 Jack Ison   6 Zac Williams   36 Cooper Lord   47 Wade Derksen

I guess we'll have to wait to see if Nic Newman plays. He has been good in recent weeks.

1 ruck vs 2: Bryan has played well on Pitto before, but he is coming off a serious injury. But this is a structural issue we cannot do much about with our 3 rucks. Hopefully, we can recruit a jumper this year.
Blakiston ... I haven't seen enough of him to know if he is any good, but he is a jumper.

Historically, we haven't done so well when we've been expected to win. I hope he can reverse that trend.

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Robert Heatley Stand / Re: AFL Rd 12 2026 Post Game Prognostications Carlton vs Geelong
Last post by DJC -
Quote from: LP – on
Watching the replay McGovern was almost playing the decoy lead-up game, he made lead after lead that was ignored or the opportunity was missed through hesitation. At least twice he was inside F50 tens of metres clear of his opponent and we held the footy too long to hit him up as an open target,

Now fans who ball watch will say he didn't touch it all night, but in reality he was doing a lot of hard work that was either sacrificial or not being honoured.

The other thing I noticed, between Gov and Hayward they seemed to be waxing about who would draw the opponents, several of Haywards marks are one on one contests because Gov drew the opponents out of the F50 and Hayward benefits.

I don't think that Gov was a decoy.  He took five marks and, of our forwards, only Hayward took more.  His kicking for goal has been excellent this season but he had an off night.  He also wasn't as effective as he has been when the ball hit the ground and didn't get the handball receives.  An average performance in comparison to his other games but he was still a threat and demanded defensive attention.  His running patterns, and his scoring potential, made it difficult for his opponents to drop off and provide help defence ... and you could probably say the same for all of our forwards.

I'm a bit late to comment on the game - everything has been covered in depth - but there's one thing that I don't think has been raised previously; Jack Ison's two goal assist handpasses to Young and Hayward were like lightning.  Quick thinking, great decisions and elite execution!

7
Robert Heatley Stand / Re: AFL Rd 13 2026 Pre Game Predictions Carlton vs Essendon at MCG
Last post by Gointocarlton -
Quote from: LP – on
This weeks MC will be most interesting, because I suspect in the absence of injury Fraser would be starting to think "we don't want too much change", it's a natural consequence of having some recent success.

But on the flipside, you could make a valid argument that it's selection changes bringing some of the benefit, you could even argue it was dropping Hewett for a couple of weeks that was the trigger for our new level of intensity.

Acres come in last week with wares to sell. Ison, Byrne and Young in the weeks prior, something to show.

Too many changes can be bad, not enough can be just as bad.
If Walsh has sore shoulder no point flogging him, give him a rest. If Newman has a broken finger rest him also. They can come back in 2 weeks against the Giants. 
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Robert Heatley Stand / Re: AFL Rd 13 2026 Pre Game Predictions Carlton vs Essendon at MCG
Last post by LP -
This weeks MC will be most interesting, because I suspect in the absence of injury Fraser would be starting to think "we don't want too much change", it's a natural consequence of having some recent success.

But on the flipside, you could make a valid argument that it's selection changes bringing some of the benefit, you could even argue it was dropping Hewett for a couple of weeks that was the trigger for our new level of intensity.

Acres come in last week with wares to sell. Ison, Byrne and Young in the weeks prior, something to show.

Too many changes can be bad, not enough can be just as bad.
9
Robert Heatley Stand / Re: AFL Rd 12 2026 Post Game Prognostications Carlton vs Geelong
Last post by LP -
Watching the replay McGovern was almost playing the decoy lead-up game, he made lead after lead that was ignored or the opportunity was missed through hesitation. At least twice he was inside F50 tens of metres clear of his opponent and we held the footy too long to hit him up as an open target,

Now fans who ball watch will say he didn't touch it all night, but in reality he was doing a lot of hard work that was either sacrificial or not being honoured.

The other thing I noticed, between Gov and Hayward they seemed to be waxing about who would draw the opponents, several of Haywards marks are one on one contests because Gov drew the opponents out of the F50 and Hayward benefits.