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91
Robert Heatley Stand / Re: AFL Rd 17 2026 Post Game Prognostications Carlton vs Richmond
Last post by RiverRat -
And speaking of commentators - I am sick and tired of hearing them repeatedly telling us what they would do, instead of describing what tactics and match-ups are being employed.
How silly of you, to actually think the commentator would be calling the game! :o

Just wishful thinking.
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Robert Heatley Stand / Re: AFL Rd 17 2026 Post Game Prognostications Carlton vs Richmond
Last post by RiverRat -
Look at the result this way, we were smashed in the ruck, smashed at stoppages and smashed around the ground, the stats might not clearly show it. But we won, despite Cripps, Walsh and Cerra being soundly defeated. Jagga was probably a break even, and Hewett was a win.


Spot on - full credit to Hewitt and pass mark for Jagga's creative offensive play but he wouldn't want to give up too many easy goals like the one he yielded to the goal square clearance late in the match.

There were pre-match suggestions that Cripps was sore and might not have played so I am wondering if he was rotated out of the centre square more than usual as a form of protection.
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Robert Heatley Stand / Re: AFL Rd 17 2026 Post Game Prognostications Carlton vs Richmond
Last post by RiverRat -
We are fortunate Lynch had a dirty night.

Couldn't happen to a more deserving sniper.  Kicking for goal is almost on as reliable as the worst Casboult era. 

Apparently he kicked 2 goals 7 behinds in the earlier match - as the bloody annoying commentator kept reminding us.

And speaking of commentators - I am sick and tired of hearing them repeatedly telling us what they would do, instead of describing what tactics and match-ups are being employed.
95
Robert Heatley Stand / Re: AFL Rd 17 2026 Post Game Prognostications Carlton vs Richmond
Last post by LP -
Tonight we saw the pointless nature of counting hit outs, because if you look at these stats in a year or so you'd probably think Pitto won on the night.
But excluding Hewett, I'd probably have Nankervis and Bolta as 2 of the 3 best on the ground.

But we shouldn't be shocked about this, we just have to go into games with open eyes and an open mind. If you put on the navy blue glasses you'll be disappointed because you be shuttering your eyes to our weakness. Look at the result this way, we were smashed in the ruck, smashed at stoppages and smashed around the ground, the stats might not clearly show it. But we won, despite Cripps, Walsh and Cerra being soundly defeated. Jagga was probably a break even, and Hewett was a win.

Last week we saw some of the early signs of the pre-Fraser Carlton starting to poke it's head out, last night was another step backwards. I hate that this happened but I predicted it, and I predicted Nankervis having that influence, because he's a poison to our Mids. This isn't about OH or Cottrell being in, Acres  or Weiters being out, that is just correlation. It's about the team starting to sit back and hesitate, waiting for the person next to them to do the hard work.

Go back and watch the replay, count how many times two blues get to the footy first and spend precious moments staring deeply into each other's eyes waiting for someone to pick up and give them the footy. The exact opposite of Fraser's "play so we look like a team you'd want to play for!" Partly this is a Nankervis / Balta aggression effect.

Sam Mitchell won't miss this fact, and you can expect next week the Dawks will be in full bruiser mode after that disastrous first half against the Dees.
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Robert Heatley Stand / Re: AFL Rd 17 2026 Post Game Prognostications Carlton vs Richmond
Last post by Gointocarlton -
Back from the game and not particularly happy. We got the win, but...

[1] I don't want to bag the umpires, but they hurt us tonight. I think we got one holding the ball for the night, and we were lucky to get that one (we kicked a goal from it). The non-free to H ... No, I don't want to go there.

[2] One ruckman works until it doesn't.
I've been happy to have Pitto as #1 banana, with H giving him a chop out, as have most of us. But tonight we didn't have a plan B against Nankervis, who almost won the game for them with his total dominance. Pitto took a couple of good marks, but his inability to even nullify Nankervis almost cost us the match.
I would bring Riley in. He was good today. Hawthorn have two bono fides rucks, and they usually play well against us.
Melbourne showed what a team cam do to Hawthorn when they get thrashed in the ruck. We need to do that next week.
It was one of the reasons why many of our mids were relatively down tonight; they couldn't get first possession.

[3] Nick Haynes come on down!
After probably losing us the game in Rd 1 last year, Nick Haynes was the reason we won it this time. He was magnificent, with 10 marks and 17 disposals. He read the ball in the air really well and didn't fumble.
Kudos also goes to Wade Derksen, who did a great job all night.
For that matter, Lewis Young was playing one of his best games when he was concussed.

[4] Our list lacks talls:
When Young went off, McGovern had to go back. he was pretty good down there, but it really robbed us of forward options. We had nobody to take a grab in the forward line, with Kemp well beaten after half time. Kemp was good early, but after half time, he barely touched it.

[5] Ollie Hollands had a shocker:
We probably made a mistake bringing Hollands in. He was very good before he got injured, but he really struggled tonight. Acres would have been more effective.
We might not drop him though, hoping the run will do him good.
Jack Ison probably needs to go back as well, as he is now fumbling and second guessing himself. Give him a week or two to get his confidence back and he will do what is required.

[6] Jagga Smith and George Hewett:
Both had strong game, particularly considering how badly Pitto was being beaten. George had 26 disposals, 9 tackles, 2 goals and 4 clearances. Jagga had 29 disposals, 5 tackles and 4 clearances. They were huge.
Spot on Crash. nicely and accurately summed up. The non free to H was terrible but we did get the goal from the stoppage that resulted.
The Hayne penalty over the goal line was a disgrace by the ump. That would have lost us the game if the margin was less than 6, why wasnt it reviewed at least? I thought the umps put the whistle away after that last ball up.