Carlton Supporters Club

2015 Peter Jackson VFL
Northern Blues   3.2  4.2  8.3  11.7 (73)
North Ballarat   2.1  6.8  11.8  14.10 (94)

GOALS:
Northern Blues: Wilson 2 Warnock 2 Bransgrove  Jones  Russell  Strachan  Viojo  Graham  Whiley
North Ballarat: Curnow 5 Black 2 Hooper 2 Lyle  Kiel  Staley  Warren  Preuss

BEST:
Northern Blues: Graham Walsh Wilkinson Fields Ballard Strachan
North Ballarat: Sewell Dumont Curnow Tippett Warren Durdin

I must admit I look at the best player list here and I wonder if these guys were at the same  game sometimes. I would not have named Wilko: he was ordinary in defence. Ballard looked promising and should be looked at for Carlton if he keeps developing. His shock of blond hair stuck out, although he did run out of juice towards the end of the game. Fields did OK and looks more promising than many. I was pleased with Walsh: he appears to have a future.
I was very disappointed that Holman got injured so early.
I'll write later with a proper summary. Thanks to RR for his thoughts.

Buckley - looked better in the first half on the wing but not so hot in defence in the second 
Fields - lacks the speed to go with a leading forward but is better than Watson (low bar) in pretty much every way - intensity, aggression and kicking
Foster - maybe next year if he gets another one

Russell - can play a bit but not knocking down the door for senior selection
Boekhorst - first round draft pick - what were they thinking? Has some straight-line speed but only with ball in hand - can't chase to save himself and not a great kick
Walsh - a decent footballer but has the same speed map as most of the team - one-paced and not a particularly fast pace

Gowers - flashes some skills occasionally but unlikely to get anywhere near AFL standard this year
Smith - has very good disposal skills but is a waste of space as a defender because he lacks the speed (or desire) to stay with an opponent - needs a lot more speed, size or strength and I'm not sure where he is going to get it - has probably been selected for some senior games because his skills stand out against the guys he trains with

Kreuzer & Warnock - Cameron Wood is our senior ruckman
Whiley (Coyote) - best player for the NB but yet another one-paced (too slow) footballer
Graham - nowhere near as useful as Whiley around clearances because the coyote can block his opponent and then win the ball - Graham seems inept if an opponent bodies up on him - I guess there are reasons why he doesn't get selected - they include poor foot skills, lack of pace and I could go on

Viojo - unimpressive
Jones - Watson was selected ahead of him - at least Jones will chase and might catch someone
Holman - injured in the first 1/4 and did not return - made fewer mistakes than his mates and was therefore nowhere near as disappointing

Coach Webster - is doing a good job teaching the kids to play like the senior players so that they are ready to perform to the same standard if they get a chance in the senior team

Can anyone tell me what's happened to the Irishman, Byrne??

Thanks again to RR for his invaluable opinions.

OK: my take on the game.
[1] My biggest irritation was a lack of a football record. I really needed something to record my thoughts. That the records were not available until close to 3/4 time was inexcusable. I did have my comments passed on to the hierarchy, so hopefully this mistake won't be repeated.
[2] It was quite an even performance from the ND players. Nobody really dominated the play for us. Even our biggest possession getter only had 21 possessions (Walsh).
[3] Our game style is simply inadequate. To see one marking forward going up against 4 players and the loose man being created across half back was terminal. They moved the ball out with far too much ease, especially in the 2nd and early 3rd quarters.
Once we got the ball going from the middle instead of from half back we looked a lot better.
[4] Our team lacked forward presence. Jones didn't look disastrous, but he simply did not hold enough marks. Until he does, he is going to be a liability. Kreuzer flew for a few, but didn't have a lot of effect either.
[5] I was pleased to see the spirit in the guys. We did not give up and really gave a good account of ourselves from about half way through the 3rd quarter. Last year we would have dropped our bundle and collapsed to a significant loss. Now if the seniors can learn from that....

Players:
Brad Walsh: coming along nicely. He was very effective and looked like he knew what he was doing. He looks like a guy with a future.
Dylan Buckley: Good early but died out of the game. had 13 disposals. He really needs to make his mark soon.
Tom Fields: the lad might lack a little pace, but he has a beautiful kick and he gives it a go. He has a lot more desire than many are showing at the moment and his ability to get lots of the ball is a real positive.
Liam Jones: so near, and yet so far. He ended up being a total non contributor because he couldn't hold his marks. He got close a lot and under pressure too, but he just couldn't buy a mark.
Nick Holman: off early, which cost us at least 20 possessions and allowed their mids freedom.
Jayden Foster: spent time at CHB and looked like he knew what he was doing. He might not get a senior game this year, but he has promise.
Nick Graham: Got the ball a fair bit and plays more positively than he does in the seniors, but he is slow and he gets moved off the ball too easily. I'd say he won't make it at this point, but I'd give him a go up forward in the seniors. He can kick a goal.
Matthew Kreuzer: a long way off what we need. His ruck work was ordinary and he didn't take many marks.
Billy Gowers: the lad looked promising. He has a future.
Mark Whiley: unlikely to make it on what I've seen so far. He gets moved off the ball too easily and gets a lot of holding the ball decisions against him. He lacks real pace. For all that, he was OK and he gave a go.
Fraser Russell: looking better but not a high probability to make the grade.
Dillon Viojo Rainbow: Disappointing. I don't see him making it was a mid or defender: he isn't hard enough. He could make it as a small forward: his kicking is deadly when given a moment or 2 to steady. He isn't as fast as he thinks he is and his kicking under pressure is no better than anyone else's. However, he is smart and knocks the ball on cleverly. He is willing to take a risk and his ability to kick a difficult goal is encouraging.
Robert Warnock: ordinary in the middle of the game, but really stepped up. His ability to get taps almost got us back into the game. He also kicked 2 goals, but was really exposes when having to chase.
Boekhorst: very disappointing. He did not show the run or the disposal he showed in the WAFL. Nor is his body able to stand up against physically more robust types.
Smith: almost took mark of the year. Not as good as he was in the seniors in the first half last week, but he really lacks a motor. At the moment he also appears to lack desire. His disposal gets bagged, and he does under-kick sometimes and get picked off sometimes, but his skill in general in better than most of his team mates.

Hammy,

Due back soon.

Can anyone tell me what's happened to the Irishman, Byrne??