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21
Robert Heatley Stand / Re: AFL Rd 8 2026 Pre Game Predictions Carlton vs St. Kilda at Marvel
Last post by LP -
Quote from: RiverRat – on
Big Harry can't kick goals anyhow and can't hold a one-grab mark up forward so maybe he should play mainly in the ruck - except at centre ball-ups because he would be bound to get hurt.  At least it would be something different.
Form versus ability is a tough thing to debate, when H was snapping around the corner goals from outside 50m a couple of years back he was the bees knees, now he's struggling.

We shouldn't forget what a confident and in form player is capable of, he's bigger and stronger now, he has lost no pace, and is hardly even perhaps never out marked. We need him with his head on straight and chock full of confidence, any club would.
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Robert Heatley Stand / Re: AFL Rd 7 2026 Post Game Prognostications Carlton vs Fremantle
Last post by LygonStreetLimbo -
Quote from: MickyO – on
Freo are 2nd on the ladder.

We are third? Bottom.

Thought they did well but for that 4 mins of the 4th! I was yelling, who the fck is on Bolton! I mean give it a break please, Please shut him down!  Do something to take him out of the contest!

Cripps, Walsh and Cerra and Lord try and do too much and get caught. Can we please stop that?

Overall pretty pleased with that altho i believe we are better than this and need to pull the finger out and get moving.

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Robert Heatley Stand / Re: AFL Rd 8 2026 Pre Game Predictions Carlton vs St. Kilda at Marvel
Last post by RiverRat -
Quote from: LP – on
Quote from: kruddler – on
Honestly, i don't know if i'd want Harry back in this week.
Give him an extra week just for $hits and giggles.
Kemp+McGovern worked well together - 9 goals between them is about as good as you could hope for.
I pretty sure H will be back if fit, but it tells us something about our ball use and decision making. When we make H the default we are too predictable, we almost need to be without him for a few weeks to break the habit. Then bring him back as a genuine option alongside the others.

Big Harry can't kick goals anyhow and can't hold a one-grab mark up forward so maybe he should play mainly in the ruck - except at centre ball-ups because he would be bound to get hurt.  At least it would be something different.
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Robert Heatley Stand / Re: AFL Rd 7 2026 Post Game Prognostications Carlton vs Fremantle
Last post by ElwoodBlues1 -
Quote from: LP – on
Quote from: ElwoodBlues1 – on
Doesnt help either when our blokes are playing off their man and he gets to do a give and go with Switkowski who was unmanned and then Jackson just strolls into goal  ...set play?
Seriously @ElwoodBlues1 who is our 200cm player who can run with Jackson, or for that matter who is our 195cm player that can run with Jackson?

FWIW, is there another playing anywhere in the AFL that is comparable in size and can go with Jackson on the burst?
Its the unmanned Switkowski that was the problem, Jackson had that option to handpass then use that pace to get the ball back, how does a bloke have no opponent within cooee straight after a centre square ball up?
Agree Jackson is hard to match up on,unique and made for the modern game/rules so much so that Darcy is now a redundant Dinosaur and having to play Jackson 95% of the time onball has really improved Freo.
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Robert Heatley Stand / Re: AFL Rd 7 2026 Post Game Prognostications Carlton vs Fremantle
Last post by LP -
Quote from: ElwoodBlues1 – on
Doesnt help either when our blokes are playing off their man and he gets to do a give and go with Switkowski who was unmanned and then Jackson just strolls into goal  ...set play?
Seriously @ElwoodBlues1 who is our 200cm player who can run with Jackson, or for that matter who is our 195cm player that can run with Jackson?

FWIW, is there another playing anywhere in the AFL that is comparable in size and can go with Jackson on the burst?
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Robert Heatley Stand / Re: AFL Rd 7 2026 Post Game Prognostications Carlton vs Fremantle
Last post by LP -
Quote from: RiverRat – on
Williams has been pretty good in this area so far this year - as well as in defence.
It's the right way to use him @RiverRat, it makes sense.

Too many fans are incapable of seeing the difference between nuanced approached and an all in. Williams and others in pinch hit roles are one of several keys needed to break moments of opposition domination. You diminish the oppositions stability when you have pinch hitters display short periods of competence. It was the same for us in reverse last night with Bolton.

I don't think this is primarily a coaching problem, it's about getting players to buy into the and accept periods through which they aren't the big show. Moments when Cripps, Walsh, Cerra, Hewett are the support act.

FWIW, I think we can do the same with H and other forwards, at the moment H leads and we kick it to him, he can break that predictability by spending some time as a decoy forward. But he has to buy into it, he can't always lead expecting the footy. In this regard we are better off without Charlie, because technically we now have more roughly equal choices.
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Robert Heatley Stand / Re: AFL Rd 7 2026 Post Game Prognostications Carlton vs Fremantle
Last post by ElwoodBlues1 -
Quote from: LP – on
Some positives.

I thought in the end Reidy did pretty well against someone who when fit and in form is probably one of the leagues Top 5 players.

Finally, Williams showed us some glimpses of what he can do inside, it's been too long since we listened to the noise and gave up on him as a midfield rotation option. One stupid little bump off the ball and we decided the gig wasn't for him, I'd argue that's exactly what we've been lacking.

Walsh has now fully transitioned his game, to all the naysayers who keep claiming nothing changes, he's the A-Grade counter argument to your otherwise spurious claims. To think just a week ago certain AFL Special Comments types were potting him. Even some fans were potting him yesterday for missing a +50m running shot at goal by 1m. :o For me at least we pulled the trigger, the first few rounds we've been gun shy!

If you want to see what Kemp might be able to do as a mid-rotation watch Jackson yesterday, Jackson has gone full circle and now he is a weapon in every role he plays. Kemp has the acceleration and enough size to be a genuine transition type mid-fielder.

It pays not to pigeonhole players.

It would be stupid to make permanent changes to rotations, but it's just as stupid to say never, variety is the spice of life!
Walsh gets plenty of the ball but isnt a good kick and that goes for most of our midfield...
Jackson has that basketball background and his skills transition over, its like having another midfielder but one who is 200cm.
Doesnt help either when our blokes are playing off their man and he gets to do a give and go with Switkowski who was unmanned and then Jackson just strolls into goal  ...set play?