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21
Robert Heatley Stand / Re: 2026 Last Practice Match Carlton vs Geelong
Last post by laj -
Quote from: tonyo – on
Quote from: Baggers – on
Caveat: preseason game.

Loves:
Ollie on the wing.
Jagga.
Walshy.
Coops.
Game plan.
Work rate.

Likes:
Deano.
Crippa.
Hewey.
Pitto.
Derks.
The Byrner.

Concerns:
Chesser.
Fogarty.
Moir.

Agree with most of this, although I thought Chesser was pretty good.

I went last night so I could see how cohesive the new game plan is (watching on the box doesn't let you look 50-100 metres down the ground.....)

A couple of observations.....

- Our forwards need to learn how to work better with this new game plan.  The timing of their leads is poor, either too early, or not committed enough so they don't get a break on their defenders.  We had several centre breaks that could have led to easy goals, but the leads weren't there. 

- Yet again, too many intercept marks by Geelong defenders were effectively uncontested.  If we want the small/mid forwards more involved, there must be someone in Blue contesting every mark in F50

- On point 2, if a forward does go up in a marking contest, a mark is good, but a spoil and subsequent crumbs may be just as good.  The aim must be to make sure the opposition doesn't get it.

- We really need Newman back with his left foot daggers.  The short play in our D50 is heart-in-mouth stuff (especially if Mitch McGovern and Lewis Young are involved!).

- I'd really like to see a bit more one-on-one defense.  We coughed up quite a few goals by using a zone approach but being too loose. (eg check out Ollie Henry's goal in the last quarter - he strolled in and kicked from 40 while a couple of Carlton defenders were trying to guard space instead of pressuring the ball-holder).

Overall, a pleasing change, and watching it is much more enthralling than the treacle approach we have been using in the past.



Thought for 45 minutes we had things going nicely. Our skills were good and we were bad at getting to the right spots. It was a very defensive game for much of the first half. After that it turned more into a practice match, hence alot more intercept marks.
22
Robert Heatley Stand / Re: 2026 Last Practice Match Carlton vs Geelong
Last post by laj -
Quote from: Lods – on
Quote from: DJC – on


Pitto: 7 kicks, 9 handpasses, 1 mark, 1 tackle, 32 hitouts G.B 0.1
Reidy: 3 kicks, 5 handpasses, 0 marks, 7 tackles, 19 hitouts G.B 0.1

Thanks for that DJC...
I didn't thinK AFL.com would cover the stats for the pre-season games...so I didn't check first :-*

One interesting and promising stat was in the 'Team' ones.
Most of last year our efficiency inside 50 was terrible (30s and 40s).
Last night it was up to 55%
Now we have to be careful because the defensive pressure will be much greater in a 'real' game, but it's one to watch as the season progresses.
Do for the Community Games as they organise it. Scratch matches they don't.
25
Robert Heatley Stand / Re: 2026 Last Practice Match Carlton vs Geelong
Last post by tonyo -
Quote from: Baggers – on
Caveat: preseason game.

Loves:
Ollie on the wing.
Jagga.
Walshy.
Coops.
Game plan.
Work rate.

Likes:
Deano.
Crippa.
Hewey.
Pitto.
Derks.
The Byrner.

Concerns:
Chesser.
Fogarty.
Moir.

Agree with most of this, although I thought Chesser was pretty good.

I went last night so I could see how cohesive the new game plan is (watching on the box doesn't let you look 50-100 metres down the ground.....)

A couple of observations.....

- Our forwards need to learn how to work better with this new game plan.  The timing of their leads is poor, either too early, or not committed enough so they don't get a break on their defenders.  We had several centre breaks that could have led to easy goals, but the leads weren't there.  

- Yet again, too many intercept marks by Geelong defenders were effectively uncontested.  If we want the small/mid forwards more involved, there must be someone in Blue contesting every mark in F50

- On point 2, if a forward does go up in a marking contest, a mark is good, but a spoil and subsequent crumbs may be just as good.  The aim must be to make sure the opposition doesn't get it. 

- We really need Newman back with his left foot daggers.  The short play in our D50 is heart-in-mouth stuff (especially if Mitch McGovern and Lewis Young are involved!).

- I'd really like to see a bit more one-on-one defense.  We coughed up quite a few goals by using a zone approach but being too loose. (eg check out Ollie Henry's goal in the last quarter - he strolled in and kicked from 40 while a couple of Carlton defenders were trying to guard space instead of pressuring the ball-holder). 

Overall, a pleasing change, and watching it is much more enthralling than the treacle approach we have been using in the past.


26
Robert Heatley Stand / Re: AFL Rd 0 2026 Pre-game Prognostications Carlton vs Sydney in Sydney
Last post by DJC -
Weiters reckons he's going to be good to play and is looking forward to matching up against his mate Charlie.  I saw an interview with Charlie a while back where he spoke about playing against Weiters.

If we can fit Derksen in the 23 with Weiters back, I'd start him on Charlie with Dean primed to leap over Charlie at every opportunity.

Obviously Weiters knows Charlie's game as well as he knows his own but his value is in intercepting and setting up transition from defence.  Derksen is more of an old-fashioned close-checking defender and I think he'd do OK on Charlie ... with some help.
27
Robert Heatley Stand / Re: 2026 Last Practice Match Carlton vs Geelong
Last post by Blue Moon -
My one concern is that we played another quarter where we didn't score a goal. The inability to manufacture goals when things are not going your way has been an ongoing problem for years.  I think we need to be able to score goals against the run of play more consistently than we have in the past.
However beating the two grand finalists from last year must mean we are Premiership favourites.
28
Robert Heatley Stand / Re: 2026 Last Practice Match Carlton vs Geelong
Last post by Thryleon -
Quote from: Lods – on
Does anyone have the game stats.
Particularly interested in Pittonet's
He seemed to be picking up quite few disposals.


Edit- No worries got them here
https://www.afl.com.au/afl/matches/8251#player-stats

Pittonet 16 (32 hitouts), Reidy 8 and (19 hitouts)...
Fogarty wasn't great and apparrently iced up but only played a third of the game.
Hayward only played a third of the game as well and apparently threw up again. Maybe he's a bit crook and shouldn't have played at all.
I know Lucas was a bit unwell in his game vs Hawthorn last year, but I havent seen a player in a carlton shirt force themselves to that point for quite some time.   Bryce Gibbs came to mind but I was like surely there was someone else...
29
Robert Heatley Stand / Re: 2026 Last Practice Match Carlton vs Geelong
Last post by Lods -
Quote from: DJC – on
Quote from: Lods – on
Does anyone have the game stats.
Particularly interested in Pittonet's
He seemed to be picking up quite few disposals.

Pitto: 7 kicks, 9 handpasses, 1 mark, 1 tackle, 32 hitouts G.B 0.1
Reidy: 3 kicks, 5 handpasses, 0 marks, 7 tackles, 19 hitouts G.B 0.1

Thanks for that DJC...
I didn't thinK AFL.com would cover the stats for the pre-season games...so I didn't check first :-*

One interesting and promising stat was in the 'Team' ones.
Most of last year our efficiency inside 50 was terrible (30s and 40s).
Last night it was up to 55%
Now we have to be careful because the defensive pressure will be much greater in a 'real' game, but it's one to watch as the season progresses.