Carlton Supporters Club

One thing to keep in mind with practice games is that the effort across the ground will not be as consistent as in a regular season game.
Individuals will have different priorities.
Guys like Kreuzer and Simpson will usually give you 100% no matter what the game but they're the exception.
Others will go at about 80% and that might be the best preparation for them especially if they're going to be called upon for long periods on the ball throughout the season.

So the effect of that it is that if some are going at less than full effort it puts pressure on some of the less skilled players as they're called upon to pick up the slack.
It causes extra pressure and under that pressure skills will be affected.
It's why practice games only give you a limited perspective of what the team will be like in the season proper.

As an example....Throw Weitering down back for that game and all of a sudden that defence becomes much stronger and as a result the defenders have assistance. It reduces their workload and allows them to play closer attention to their own man. Mccarthy doesn't get six goals, some of those over the top/ free run into goal scores don't occur.

If Gibbs and Murphy increase their output it takes the pressure off the other midfielders.
Cripps plays a full game same result.
If all three are operating at a high rate then suddenly the others have more time, disposals aren't rushed and as a result are more effective.

Playtime is over.
The real stuff is about to begin....and then we can make some informed judgements.

And...this is why you are our Leader Lods.
Great logical post!

Shawny is kind of correct, he was kicking points from 30m out directly in front instead of on the full.

Check out Matt Priddis and Josh Kennedy's (Syd) kick/hand ball ratio's and you'll see it isn't a huge issue. Both have much lower kick stats.

As honest as some of these have been over the years, while our team still requires the services of White, Armfield, Kerridge, Thomas, Casboult, Lamb, Palmer, Smedts and sadly even Curnow, we will not be competitive and will struggle to win more then a few games this year. Only early days but the recruiting of Smedts and Palmer is odd to say the least. 

The above list butcher the ball way too often, miss targets, cause costly turnovers and most cannot nail simple goals. And to compound things the back ups are either kids or players with similar traits. 

Not too many lists have this amount of poor ball users on the park at the same time and that's very reason above many others is why we will be a bottom 2 team.  

What's Levi's kicking look like ? Anyone see any changes, improvements etc. ?

He's an elite contested beast (great), who is very reluctant to kick (not so great).

Maybe the problem is that Cripps needs to be surrounded by players that can kick. Maybe it's not him. But its disturbs me that he seems so reluctant to use his feet.

The approach, the rhythm and follow-through are noticeably better.

He is dropping the ball from a lower height and (contrary to his set shot miss yesterday) the ball drop is more controlled. So there is a big improvement, coming from a very low starting point.

I suspect his reluctance is partly due to the fact that he commonly has the ball in the 'thick of it' and because he doesn't want to turn the ball over. His foot-passing skills are not much better than Curnow's so the more hand-balling the better - Curnow could do likewise - as long as the ball is hand-passed to Murphy, Simpson and decent exponents of the foot pass.

What I like about Marchbank is his composure. Doesnt panic, knows what to do and has a steely resolve. Pickett could be anything but we have seen plenty of "preseason stars" go on to not strike a blow. As I said early, very messy effort, need to clean it up and add some polish. At least it wasnt a hiding. Cripps, nuff said.
The sooner we get Daisy, White and to a lesser extent Curnow out of that side, the better.

As an example....Throw Weitering down back for that game and all of a sudden that defence becomes much stronger and as a result the defenders have assistance. It reduces their workload and allows them to play closer attention to their own man. Mccarthy doesn't get six goals, some of those over the top/ free run into goal scores don't occur.

E. Curnows disposal by foot is atrocious....no left side either, White is another who cannot hit a target.....Daisy is gone and needs to do a deal with the club and retire....