Re: 2018 Rd 2: Post Game Prattle: Carlton vs Gold Coast
Reply #91 –
I have not felt this flat after a loss for a long time - the light at the end of the tunnel seems as dim as it has ever been.
They had a whole week to contemplate how to play without Kreuz and the best they can come up with is to replace him with a 177cm spud who cannot kick and doesn't think fast enough?
The game was lost from that moment - absolutely nothing forward to kick to (Charlie spent most of his time on the wing), so they started doing the sideways bulltish again, coughed it up time and time again, and handed over easy goals.
We had 17 more inside 50s and yet we were never in the game.
So, simple coaching - you take away the biggest marking option in the forward 50 to cover the ruck, you put something up forward to straighten the team up.
Without a doubt the most appalling selection call I have seen and I cannot wait to hear how they can justify it.
And let's be honest - time for some home truths
Dow - off the hook by virtue of inexperience - shows enough
Murph - gets the ball heaps but he's a butcher-and-a-half
SPS - tick
Simmo - love him to death, but he is never going to be your best HB playmaker, he doesn't have the skills - the goal he handed over just prior to half time was an absolute shocker
Cripps - can't be mid, forward and everything else in between - won't blame him if he starts looking for a team where he gets some real help
Lamb - seriously, how does this guy get a game? Lamb goes well with spuds.....
Jones - needs to be not quite so expansive in his play - while we are full of turnover kings, he is left exposed unless he watches his man - got caught out 3 or 4 times today by butchers at half back
Mullett - couldn't get a game at the Kangas, just filling a spot
Plowman - regularly being asked to play above his weight. Has become reactive - spoiled the ball at least twice today when he should have marked.
Garlett - let's put the excitement aside for a minute - to me, he looks timid out there. He will probably do some flashy things, but consistency won't be his long suit
Marchbank - great mark, but can someone please teach him how to kick....?
Weitering - looks absolutely lost out there atm
O'Shea - Mullett mark II - really struggled with the pace today
Fisher - tick
Cuningham - not the worst, but goes missing and makes poor disposal decisions
Polson - see Lamb - he's the spud on the plate - you might forgive him due to inexperience, but unfortunately he's small, has poor disposal skills and makes poor decisions. Would need a miracle to still be on the list in 2019. Will have a great career in the Amateurs.
C.Curnow - can we clone him?
E.Curnow - works his butt off but very average disposal - we probably need to keep him so we can keep Charlie happy
Byrne - like his dash but often doesn't have a plan in mind - if he doesn't know what he is going to do, what chance have his teammates got?
Thomas - probably doing the role he is capable of. When you consider we virtually swapped him for Eddie, we have be significantly short-changed. Thanks, Mick.
Casboult - totally out of position today. Our rucks for the short, mid and long-term are a serious issue.
Wright - always tries his guts out - but he cannot play as a key forward. Got murdered today because he had no help.
Another item of note - Nick Holman, who was not good enough for us, laid more tackles today than any Carlton player.
Well, am I being unfair? Or is it just another Saturday night after a miserable afternoon at Etihad....?