King's Birthday eve at the MCG.
We really need to show something, especially with Essendon's tall man issues.
In recent times Essendon have beaten us in the midfield; we can't allow that to happen this time.
https://www.carltonfc.com.au/video/1795314/press-conference-charlie-curnow?videoId=1795314&modal=true&type=video&publishFrom=1748665961001
Some players just shouldn't do pressers.
Geez you never miss an opportunity to have a crack at Charlie. ::)
I thought he did well. Wasn't the usual robotic responses you get from players nowadays. He was honest without being too revealing. His lovable personality showed through. He was able to diffuse any tricky questions with a smile on his face.
The only interesting comment for me was the one about tdk where he elaborated in how the afl as a whole should be able to talk about that sort of thing better.
Translated to "he's going and I don't know how I can answer that question, it'd be much easier if I could just say he's going and not have to dance around it, but the afl don't do that"
So id be planning on no tdk from next year.
will we see something DIFFERENT in this Game
Looking pretty promising on the injury front. Alex Cincotta, Jack Silvagni, Jordan Boyd, Zac Williams, Lachie Cowan all in the mix. Matt Cottrell also seems close.
The next three are probably the last roll of the dice for us.
Lose two out of three and we'll probably move into the 'experimentation' phase of the season.
Hopefully this game is the start of a winning run, but I have absolutely no idea how it will end up.
We will win the next 3 easy. Nothing surer.
Should beat the baby bombers with all their injuries...lose and it's over for the season and Id expect Wright to start writing some don't come Monday's.
Bet your house on it? I wouldn't.
What makes you so confident?
Love your positivity MBB, I simply don't trust this side.
I wouldnt even bet a can of coke.
Spoke too soon Paul, Matt Cottrell has a “hot spot” in his foot.
Alex Cincotta did pretty well in his VFL game and could press for selection.
That's Cotters done for the year you'd think.
Weather looks like this will be a bit of a slog - just our luck, up against a side with big issues in the back half, but a wet game will minimise our chances of exploiting this.
Got an ugly feeling this is going to be one of those 9 goals to 6 kinda games - just hope we're the 9......
This is yet another example of how luck or bias plays a part in making AFL an uneven contest, furthermore it's exacerbated by the fact teams now play the one round across so many different days and locations.
One team gets to play a cellar dweller at Marvel on a breeze free 20 degree day, the next team might plays a cellar dweller in Hobart with a 2°C blizzard, while a 3rd team plays a cellar dweller in 32°C in Darwin.
The Filth pretty much get to play everyone at The G unless it's otherwise occupied.
When fans complain about not scoring more heavily or winning more games easily against cellar dwellers and spuds there can be contributing reasons.
Maybe a wet day and greasy ball will help us given we do our best work in the stoppages and dont want a running game for 4 quarters vs outside teams with speedy runners like Essendon.
Happy to slog it out in the stoppages and let Cripps, Hewett, Walsh, Acres muscle the ball forward and wear the baby bombers down.
Apparently McKay missed training today.
So if the media reports are correct, bags packed and on the next train out of here!
Heading for Khe Sanh?
Heading OS on Monday night to somewhere warm for 3 months, so it would be great if we could knock these flogs off. Just one more win please!
O'Keefe gets a run
O'Farrell doesn't
In-Silvagni Williams Fantasia Cincotta O'Keefe
Out: O'Farrell Young.
Extended squad to be finalised Friday night
Fantasia?? What is it with this guy and the club. Who does he have photos of? I know it's an extended squad but FFS his name should never appear as an "In" ever again.
Bombers look very small all over the ground but have picked Liam McMahon in their squad...hope we dont go too tall if the weather is really bad.
Fantasia? Surely that's a joke.
O'keeffe is named on the bench which means he is not guaranteed a game (unless vossy has said otherwise elsewhere which i haven't heard)
Bombers have named Liam McMahon on an extended bench too.
What are the odds on him winning the game for them and embarrassing our entire list management team?
London to a brick Kruddler
He is quicker than most of the slow coaches on our list and uses the ball well (better than most of our ball butchers). I'd say that gets you a game at the moment.
I think O'Keefe may miss getting a shot...this time.
I suspect his naming is a bit of a recognition of his efforts, and just to let him know he's on the right track and being noticed.
Having said that, with Young missing he may still get a run.
I'd play O'Farrell before McG but JSoS is probably the mobile height we need, so drop both.
Maybe it will be late in the last, a minute to go, Cheats will be up by 5pts, Saad gets the ball deep in defence, streams down the ground taking 5 bounces then passes to Fantasia who marks deep in the pocket on the boundary line. Sirens sounds, Fantasia lines up and slots it (ala Newnes) to win the game by 1 pt.
My 2 cents worth, if McKay doesnt get up, HOK will play. Cinc and Carroll playing for the same spot. Out of Motlop, Durdin, Fantasia and White I'd go with White and Fantasia.
About a gazillion to one, and then some.
Liam was the last player selected in the MSD and by a team that is desperate for KPPs.
He was a good servant to our VFL team and I wish him well, but there’s no way that he’s going to embarrass our list management team.
O’Keeffe will only be cover in the event that De Koning breaks down before Sunday.
you know we are playing badly enough for this to make you look silly DJC. our record post bye isnt very good either.
@kruddler. Even money i reckon. Hes just as likely to not make our list management look bad but kick the winning goal anyway.
Surely we’re not serious about Liam McMahon being some kind of threat or some kind of match winner ? Surely we have much bigger fish to fry ?
Don't think the conditions will suit McMahon who likes decent delivery and one on ones and I think he would find it tough to get the footy. Danger with him is his conversion as he can kick difficult goals from limited opportunities but not on a wet day imo.
It must be the silly season Paul!
If you remember back to when Liam was signed up by our VFL team, a prominent member of our DG was adamant that he would only play in the VFL when he wasn’t required by his suburban club. That certainly wasn’t the case and Liam has been a fixture in our VFL team since then. Despite his overall good performances at VFL level, Liam is most remarkable for his ability to go missing for long periods during games. This was abundantly clear in the VFL-SANFL game earlier this year when he went missing for the entire game.
Liam has nominated annd been overlooked in every draft and MSD since his delisting and was taken with the last pick in this MSD by a team that has had its KPP stocks decimated by injury. He might get a game on Sunday, and he might get a kick or two if he does. Essendon was desperate to take him in the MSD and would be even more desperate to give him a run on Sunday.
I think it was just a bit of a joke/light hearted comment. Mind you, something like that could only happen to us.
Yes G2C, if something as unlikely as that is to actually happen, we’re better equipped than most to enable it 🙄
Fantasia for durdin - are we absolutely stupid. Jfc
In Jack Silvagni, Zac Williams, Orazio Fantasia, Alex Cincotta
OUT Harry O'Farrell (Omitted), Lewis Young (Omitted), Jaxon Binns (Omitted), Corey Durdin (Omitted)
Having watched McMahon drift in and out of games at VFL level I wouldn't worry about him troubling us at all. :D
The thing is though, this is Australian Football.
It's full of weirdness and uncertainty which means that when you least expect it then something you declare won't happen comes back and bites you on the bum. ;)
Jack for HOF, makes sense.
Cincotta if deemed fit offers something we've been missing.
Dropping Young and Binns is something i've been asking for.
Dropping Durdin and bringing in Williams is an improvement.
Dropping Durdin and bringing in Fantasia?? WTF?
There is always SOMETHING the MC does that leaves me scratching my head. I hope he is the sub at least.
Our line-up:
B: 1 Jack Silvagni 23 Jacob Weitering 26 Nick Haynes
HB: 42 Adam Saad 4 Oliver Hollands 15 Sam Docherty
C: 36 Cooper Lord 9 Patrick Cripps 13 Blake Acres
HF: 29 George Hewett 10 Harry McKay 8 Lachie Fogarty
F: 11 Mitch McGovern 30 Charlie Curnow 6 Zac Williams
R: 12 Tom De Koning 5 Adam Cerra 18 Sam Walsh
Int: 32 Matthew Carroll 14 Orazio Fantasia 3 Jesse Motlop 38 Will White 39 Alex Cincotta
Em: 19 Corey Durdin 25 Jaxon Binns 40 Hudson O'Keeffe
[1] I hope Acres is fit: he really struggled last round. To be honest, I don't think he has been fit all year.
[2] Fantasia for Durdin is questionable. Granted that Fantasia played well for the 2's last week, but ... I fear that we will be one man down very early.
Mind you, Fantasia was 'flying' in the pre-season, before his latest crippling injury. If he can play like he did then, he could be a very useful in. I just can't see it.
[3] I would have liked to give O'Keefe a game; we need to wear Goldstein into the dust. He has killed us in the past. I know he is ancient these days, but I want him swatted!
[4] Binns is a little stiff, but his last game wasn't good.
[5] Interesting to see McGovern named as a forward this week. I'm not sure what that means for him or us.
[6] Their mids have played well against us recently. I am glad to see Cincotta in, as a result. We need to take out their best players.
Motlop must be in the last chance saloon
Gov played as a forward in the second half against GWS after having a shocker in the first half. He didn't contribute a great deal as a forward but he wasn't the liability that he was in defence.
No McMahon but Parish in for the Dons, they are smallest team I have seen take the field this season, Redman must be giving away a foot in height to Harry at CHB. They obviously think they can run us off our feet or they know a monsoon is coming and the ball will be on the deck all night.
Gov has been a liability in defence - another who must be in the last chance saloon.
Closer to six inches but size isn't everything :) More importantly, Harry is almost 20kg heavier than Redman, and Harry won't get any lighter - or shorter - as the game goes on.
Still, Harry's a lot smaller than the side of a barn and many of our inside 50s could be directed straight to Redman ::)
Harry is out b this week.
Knee soreness.
Was on the cards after he missed training
It's unbelievable. He is a hasbeen and not the future. Motlop kissed on the d@$k by a thousand fairies, should not be playing.
No mention of who is in in the articles but....
Hudson O'Keefe is named in the side on afl.com.au
Young did better than many expected in F50 and excels in low physicality bruise free contests, I'd have thought CheatsFC was his best 1st choice option as an opponent! I concede he'd be useless against Goldstein, but even TDK is going to struggle against Goldstein under the current ruck rules if we can't open up the stoppages, and we probably don't want to the stoppages open against CheatsFC.
Given the down pour you'd think durdin would be the one back in.
I'd have liked a few more games under O'Keefe's belt before we exposed him to a Goldstein type, I suppose the upside is that he gets a one on one tutorial. Conditions won't be ideal for talls as mentioned.
Losing BigH is a double blow, because he is so mobile and agile for a 200cm type, he's better than most at ground level as we have seen when he does some centre square work. Wet weather, lots of ground ball.
https://www.carltonfc.com.au/video/1799683/highlights-hudson-okeeffe?videoId=1799683&modal=true&type=video&publishFrom=1749258038001
Think you need to watch some more highlights of HOK.
He is more agile and mobile than Harry.
In the video I posted vossy talks about is all about pressure and competing from HOK.
Watched a highlights package and this is the perfect game for him to come in if big H is sore
Well we can wait and see.
I'm not sold on VFL being a good relative measure for AFL in regards to mobile 200cm types. Blokes like Goldstein go back to VFL and appear to be more than useful as mobile talls joining the Mids in chains of disposal. Players like Young and O'Farrell look like Weitering in the VFL, but they are far from it.
Relative or not is irrelevant.
Just watch the way he moves. Doesn't matter of ots afl, vfl or having a kick at the park.
https://www.carltonfc.com.au/video/1799683/highlights-hudson-okeeffe?videoId=1799683&modal=true&type=video&publishFrom=1749258038001
Better balanced side for the potential conditions. Pleased to see the Cinch back, smashing in on dirty ground balls might be the go tonight.
Need the small forwards to contribute, not pfaff around and get a lousy tackle and 6 kicks. Not enough, not today.
CARLTON spearhead Harry McKay has been ruled out of Sunday night's King's Birthday Eve clash with Essendon due to knee soreness, with Hudson O'Keeffe set to debut in his place.
I think this will be the game that tells the story.
Rested up and with a number of injury issues resolving themselves means we should be ready.
They're depleted but you can guarantee they'll raise an effort against us.
I think we'll get a good idea about any of our players playing injured.
Problems have been highlighted and folks will be looking to see them put to bed.
Effort and commitment will be under the microscope.
It really has to be a win.
There was was a time where I'd say we are screwed with H. These days it really dent make a difference.
As I said on the other thread there are no excuses and this should be more than just a fall over the line win. We should flog Essendon if we are a serious finals contender team moving forward. Its embarrassing they are two games ahead of us on the ladder, because they are a junk team who like us have gone around in circles for years getting nowhere.
EB win we should but a serious finals contender we are not. Mathematically possible but a smart pundit would know our chances realistically evaporated weeks ago. Losses to Rich, Syd and the WB were unforgivable and costly.
GTC...You live in hope that we can turn it around and other results fall our way, we have to finish higher than Essendon, thats a non negotiable for me.
There is a slight variation in the number of games played but we're ahead of 4 teams above us on the ladder in terms of betting for the flag through Sportsbet. :D
We're shorter than Essendon, St Kilda, Swans and Melbourne. ;)
Essendon cant be serious, Redman out and the 182cm 1st gamer Luamon Lual playing CHB....they must have started tanking early.
I think it's more a case of they know for sure the others aren't. :D
We're still out at $67.00
It's hard as it stands. 8th place is is 7-5, so we have to win tomorrow and even then we are 2 games out. While we were losing the wrong sides were winning. Looking like a repeat of 2023 is needed for us to get in and that was 10 in a row. Looking tough work.
As for Essendon, what is worse is that they have that game in hand that was postponed against GC in round zero.
Probably only one spot up for grabs in the finals imo and you are right the other contending teams are all winning enough games to make it difficult, Swans winning today has pushed us down another spot and I forgot about Essendons postponed game vs GC, hopefully they get pumped in that game and we go ahead of them at seasons end, that would be a victory of sorts
We can look at all the permutations, combinations and what ifs we like, our fate was in our hands months ago to bank wins early with a soft and favourable draw, once again we blew. The AFL couldn't have made it any easier for us if they tried. I doubt we will get similar favours next year,
Richmond we blundered. Next 3 games, Hawthorn, Dogs and the Pies, far from easy. Stuffed the Dogs game though. Next 2 super easy though.
Werent the Dogs Bontless and missing others?
yep they sure do…. all the way from 15th on the ladder.
Who was it that said the ladder doesn't lie?
Who would have thought a decade into the worlds longest rebuild this is where we would find ourself
They were going pretty well without them. Certainly, not an easy game. Once 3 goals up though, we should have go on with it. Richmond and the Dogs were 2 games pissed down thd drain. Those are costing us.
We did sit 2nd at round 19 last year and the closest we had to.a full side all year was 7 blokes out. So sides can cover missing blokes.
Watching Hudson O'Keefe package. Besides marking and goalkicking those tackles are brutal. Has good skills from that little package. One bump he landed was similar to the Stewart one today.
We have a group going tonight general admin. Do we need to allow extra time to get into the ground with security checks? TIA
Very keen to see what O'Keefe can do tonight.
betting agencies have us at 1.4 and them at $3.
seems way unders - the weather suits them more then us and they pushed brisbane last week with the same team less Parish.
i dunno but im not confident at all today.
Not confident but I’ve tipped us.
I was waved straight through at Darklands last game - didn't even have the metal detector waved over me ::)
I imagine it will depend on whether there's a steady flow or a mass arrival.
It's at The G though, so I'm not sure a Marvel experience is valid.
Looks like we're going to be super early anyway, so shouldn't matter.
We had 38mm of rain at our place in the 24 hours to 0900. That's more rain than we've had in each of the previous five months, and it continued to rain throughout the day. However, the BOM radar indicates that the rain has passed by us now and is moving to the northwest.
The G's superb drainage will have the surface pretty dry and there should be fairly good conditions for footy tonight if a little chilly.
No excuses - Go Blues!
Pretty much last roll of the dice tonight to try and make finals.
Let's see if anything changes after the bye.
I'll be watching out for the way they connect and support each other
Hard to feel confident. Our forwardline couldn't look more injury prone
Williams
Fantasia
Mcgovern
Cincotta all warming up with the forwards.