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11
Robert Heatley Stand / Re: AFL Rd 11 2026 Post Game Prognostications Carlton vs Port Adelaide
Last post by crashlander -
Quote from: laj – on
Quote from: ElwoodBlues1 – on
Carroll has been a real improver and wingman who kick goals are gold, very sad for the young man and lets hope he gets back to his good form when he returns next season...do we take a MSD pick now as he should be a LTI status?
re: Flynn Young...Im a fan of what he brings in terms of skills and being selfish is what all the good small forwards are and he should be encouraged to back himself in.
Finally got a good, young wingman and the happens.
We don't take many tricks on the injury front. And this year has been our best for decades!
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Robert Heatley Stand / Re: VFL Rd 9 2026 Carlton vs Coburg at Coburg
Last post by crashlander -
I guess we had to have a down game at some point, but this was a shocker. Far too many Coburg players got far too much of the ball.

Statistically:
[1] The Good:
Ben Camporeale: 29 disposals, 7 clearances, 4 tackles and goal.
Harry Charleson: 29 disposals, 9 marks, 0 tackles.
That was the good.

[2] The bad:
Joel Trudgeon: 28 possessions, 7 clearances and 2 goals
Heath Ramshaw: 27 possessions.
That we allow 2 ex-players to dominate was bad, but they were just the tip of the iceberg. Coburg had 6 of the 8 top possession getters on the ground.

[3] Leadership:
Leadership looked to be lacking today. Missing the effect of having senior players available? Possible, There were any Saads or Acres or Isons today, which was probably telling. Chesser, Cottrell and Boyd were not as prominent as we need them to be.
To be honest, Ben Campo is probably our only clearance getting mid, which is something. Is it why Reidy thinks he has to do it all himself?

[4] Ruck:
It isn't that the Coburg boy dominated, but he made Reidy inoffensive. O'Keefe was probably a better option today.
Reidy: 10 possessions, 14 taps, 3 clearances
O'Keefe: 7 possessions, 19 taps, 5 tackles, 3 marks

compared to:
Keogh: 11 possessions, 16 taps, 6 clearances, 4 tackles

[5] Forward targets:
We had Moir, but that was about it. When we don't dominate in the middle, our structural issues become more apparent. And Moir has to up his workrate. God knows he can make a difference when he gets the ball. But he doesn't get the ball enough. Simple as that. We had Warburton at CHF, which shows how devoid of options we were.
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Robert Heatley Stand / Re: AFL Rd 11 2026 Post Game Prognostications Carlton vs Port Adelaide
Last post by Professer E -
What has changed since Voss had the reins?

1.  Playing Harry as second ruck/forward.  Coincidentally his best two games this year have been the last two.
2. More on ball time for Smith.
3.  Clear directive to hold the ball until better options emerge. Less hack kicks forward.
4. Selection of kids over veterans. No Saad, Acres, Young. Big roles given to kids like Dean. Clearly some have had their cards marked.
5. Selection of Ison who looks like a very accomplished player.
6. Selection of kids like Billy who kick hard, flat and through the corridor.
7. Timely return to form of senior players and Hewitt back in seniors.
8. Playing struggling sides who we really should be beating regardless of who is coaching.


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Robert Heatley Stand / Re: AFL Rd 11 2026 Post Game Prognostications Carlton vs Port Adelaide
Last post by ElwoodBlues1 -
Quote from: shawny – on
Quote from: ElwoodBlues1 – on

Port are tanking, strange moves, odd selections. Good to win for sure but perspective required and the Voss vs Fraser comparison is silly, I think Voss could have coached both games with the same result.
The big change for me has been Cripps form , suddenly he has 4th quarter energy and is back to brownlow form?

EB sorry mate but cant agree with this one. You were equally positive in the pre game threads of the north pies saints melb and maybe even a few more games tipping us to bounce back and win

We fell apart the same way and lost all of them so im not as confident as you that the last 2 weeks would have been wins if everything stayed the same.

Anyhow the one thing beyond dispute is the changes in game plan use of ball going into 50, lowering the eyes, lower kicks kicking to advantage and keeping control of the ball out of defensive 50. the predictable long kicks to the wings are not anywhere near as common as they were.

We are finally beating the teams we should beat. I said all along the list is mid table imo so i expect to beat the bottom tier teams, 50/50 ratio with the mid tier and push the top teams.

Be interesting to see next week if we revert back to the contested style as Geelong is one team it worked well against.

Finally heard Haywood in an interview on sen the main difference with Fraser is he is massive on the fundamentals and not over thinking or over complicating things but purely focus on doing the basics the best you can.

Also love someone to challenge Kane on if he still thinks Cripps is finished as a footballer. Could get 9 brownlow votes in last 3 weeks. Last night after the game he criticised the port coaches for not putting more time into him. unbelievable.





Shawny, Its a forum for opinion and you could well be right on list and coach. I did tip the team to rebound a few times as I thought the players might lift for the coach given they knew his position was on the line but they showed no spirit and let me down.  The Timing playing a injury hit Bulldogs and a tanking Port has helped Fraser imo and players being let off the leash is what David Teague did so Im not sold on Fraser being any type of genius .Far easier to coach with no pressure or goals set other than to play kids and hope a few show something imho.
As you know I wasnt and am still not an advocate for Voss as a senior coach but his position and ending was a calculated plan from Wright imo and the demise of Austin pre planned to coincide with Voss departing is all to convenient.
I think if the club had any faith in the list then Austin would still be employed so I will respectfully disagree on our list being mid table and imo it along with the coaching prowess of Voss has been a combined failure .
On the question of Cripps future and abilities.....given his last two weeks, his media interviews, Id be questioning his commitment to to the club, which I know most wont agree with. He is now running out last quarters, kicking goals, skippering with gusto and looks reborn, all in the space of a week. Where was this form and energy when the team was down?
Wouldnt be because he is now on the market and trying to show other clubs he still has what it takes and worth the big money he would want to change clubs? Im also not convinced on Weitering's commitment despite his media talk and how loyal he is to the cause going forward, heard some conflicting reports on his attitude also....
Dont expect to win vs Geelong as they have more to play for and are in red hot form but dont expect a drubbing either as we usually go ok vs the Cats...
17
Robert Heatley Stand / Re: AFL Rd 11 2026 Post Game Prognostications Carlton vs Port Adelaide
Last post by Baggers -
Quote from: PaulP – on
Quote from: Baggers – on
Less than two weeks ago Brisvegas only got us by two kicks after our horrendous first half. Freo three kicks. The Pussycats won't be taking us lightly and will do their homework on us... so our response will be something of a test.

So, in Vossy's last game, we could see things coming together and moving in the right direction, against the two time reigning premiers, on their home patch ? Hmm.......


Totally agree. If you recall I was acknowledging just that a few weeks ago. Please don't think I'm in the 'it's all Frase's doing' camp. Nuh.

The biggest differences I notice are 1. Better four qtr performances. 2. Risk with kids (MC getting their act together - reward for effort in the Magoos). 3. On-field leaders performing as leaders and not trying to be heroes (perhaps fuelled by guilt!). 4. More leg-speed going through the middle. 5. More punishing on turn-over. 6. More run and spread/boldness/risk. 7. H to 2nd ruck & 8. Newbies allowed to play to their strengths & starting to feel at home... I've a hunch that Hayward is also a huge plus behind closed doors.

Reality: 1. Early days for Frase - the early crowing by some commentators that Frase should put his hand up for the senior coach gig is frivolous and just plain absurd. As Frase acknowledged -- he strikes me as a realist -- it's a coaching group effort... how very socialist  ;D 2. There will be a reality check, which may be as early as Friday night against the Pussycats.

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Robert Heatley Stand / Re: AFL Rd 11 2026 Post Game Prognostications Carlton vs Port Adelaide
Last post by Gointocarlton -
Quote from: MickyO – on
Commentating - honestly, does the league nor TV stations not care one iota about professionalism? The amount of talent chomping at the bit to be footy commentators and we are left with a parochial Adelaidean and the recent ex coach of our opposition. I heard more about Butters being half back than I did about the entirety of our team and performance.

This is not just bias, it is unprofessional.  Sick
Of these old guys commentating games when there is young talent wanting to do it but get no look in.
You forget the days of Ian Robertson on ch7, he was a shocker in Carlton games.