Carlton Supporters Club

Unfortunately in today's game everyone has to hold their own, if there is a weak link it will get exposed. The midfield tried to cover but when they did they hand balled or kicked over the top to the man they left. I'm not blaming the kid as it wasn't lack of effort, he physically couldn't run.

It's interesting to read different folks' reasons for our loss.

I don't think anyone has mentioned the two loose players Richmond had behind the ball who cut off almost every attempt we made rebound out of defence.

I suspect that the better teams (a) wouldn't have let that happen or (b) would have countered it after the first or second interception.  You could blame our failure to respond on the coach but I reckon that it is the responsibility of the on field leaders.  However, I wonder whether they have been empowered to do so or whether they lack the confidence to change the coach's set up.

For me it is clearly an issue with the game plan, our ball movement is too slow, plain and simple.

Those spares guys are not there all the time, and the opposition don't have some super-athletes who sprint up and down the ground all day. The opposition forwards roll off and like a domino effect their lose man propagates down the field to our forward line. But they can only do it because we move the ball slowly around the boundary line.

As far as I can tell, our game plan would only work with one of either Roughead or Walker inside our F50. There isn't another forward in the competition that can deal with our slow ball movement and this type of game plan! If Casboult was a lot stronger he may be able to work it as well, but his body on body stuff is below average for his size which leaves him out of the contest.

Forgive me if this is inaccurate, but if we move the ball so slowly for them to get loose players back, then forgive me if this is wrong, but shouldnt we be able to man up forward accordingly and end up with an even distribution of players forward?

I would have thought that that slow ball movement should be more conducive to ending up with more bodies forward, and that moving the ball quickly would allow their plus one to chop off the forward entry rather than the opposite?

Mind you, slower ball movement should also mean more precise ball movement, picking out a team mate rather than blazing away and kicking to a contest which is 2 to 1 against.

I don't think slow ball movement is a factor in the situation I was referring to.

Picture the ball in Richmond's forward 50 along with most of the players.  Two of Richmond's defenders haven't followed their opponents and position themselves just forward of centre.  We get the ball and attempt to clear it but our kicks, handpasses or run and carry are intercepted/stopped by on of the two defenders.

By this stage our players are streaming forward and the ball is roosted back into Richmond's forward 50 and an unmarked player.

I don't think slow ball movement is a factor in the situation I was referring to.

Picture the ball in Richmond's forward 50 along with most of the players.  Two of Richmond's defenders haven't followed their opponents and position themselves just forward of centre.  We get the ball and attempt to clear it but our kicks, handpasses or run and carry are intercepted/stopped by on of the two defenders.

By this stage our players are streaming forward and the ball is roosted back into Richmond's forward 50 and an unmarked player.

The one and only way to get rid of the +1 is fast ball movement!

Our game plan is a like a concession to failure, no risk with no rewards!

Don't think it needs to be quick if it's precise but slow movement followed by a stray kick is death.

The one and only way to get rid of the +1 is fast ball movement!

Our current game plan is a like a concession to failure, no risk with no rewards!