Carlton Supporters Club

Not true.   I've seen weitering play before and most of this stuff is recent.

I'm referring to all of last season an this season. I see a nervousness to him that wasn't there year 1.

I'm referring to all of last season an this season. I see a nervousness to him that wasn't there year 1.

I'm hoping Saturday's outing has helped Weitering turn the corner.

Last year and this (in the seniors) he has often been a liability - seemed timid and even sooky. But against the Franger, he eventually showed some of that 1st year judgement...backing himself and playing to his strengths after a shaky start. He's a monty to return to the seniors as keeping him at twos level will likely, eventually, backfire in terms of his confidence. He owned the backline once he backed himself again and it's no coincidence that as he gained confidence the entire side benefitted and never looked like losing. I think he enjoyed having the backline to himself v Franganistan.

BUT, as Ye Rat O' the River pointed out (so astutely of course) that playing he and Jones together, who play very similar roles, is fraught with danger. One for the MC / defence coach to sort out. Perhaps Jones to the key forward and Weitering the no.1 'loose in to help' dude... if it's the other way around (which you can justify because Jones is so quick) you're left with a slow Weitering minding one bloke and not playing to his strengths.

I'm hoping Saturday's outing has helped Weitering turn the corner.

Last year and this (in the seniors) he has often been a liability - seemed timid and even sooky. But against the Franger, he eventually showed some of that 1st year judgement...backing himself and playing to his strengths after a shaky start. He's a monty to return to the seniors as keeping him at twos level will likely, eventually, backfire in terms of his confidence. He owned the backline once he backed himself again and it's no coincidence that as he gained confidence the entire side benefitted and never looked like losing. I think he enjoyed having the backline to himself v Franganistan.

BUT, as Ye Rat O' the River pointed out (so astutely of course) that playing he and Jones together, who play very similar roles, is fraught with danger. One for the MC / defence coach to sort out. Perhaps Jones to the key forward and Weitering the no.1 'loose in to help' dude... if it's the other way around (which you can justify because Jones is so quick) you're left with a slow Weitering minding one bloke and not playing to his strengths.

Last year and this (in the seniors) he has often been a liability - seemed timid and even sooky.

BUT, as Ye Rat O' the River pointed out (so astutely of course) that playing he and Jones together, who play very similar roles, is fraught with danger. One for the MC / defence coach to sort out. Perhaps Jones to the key forward and Weitering the no.1 'loose in to help' dude... if it's the other way around (which you can justify because Jones is so quick) you're left with a slow Weitering minding one bloke and not playing to his strengths.

A lot of people say this about him, but it's just his facial expression, even since his school days he's looked a little sad even when he is clearly happy!

I no longer trust our MC, not just from Weitering perspective but how they have handled lots of our kids. For one, I suspect their desire for multiple utilitarian type options is basically covering their own lack of ability to coach! They want all players to be everything for everyone. Secondly, they seem to be specialists at running kids out of form and destroying confidence. The only thing they seem to be good at is the Luddite "Throw them in the Deep End approach!", followed closely by play them outside their comfort zone! Our kids haven't even learned to play they role they are gifted at, and we want them doing something different!

Take McKay for example, lost of noise about him rucking in Casboult's absence, relatively this kid has almost never rucked in his entire junior career, he always been in sides that left him as a KPP. So we'll probably ruck him while two blokes who have rucked previously in Rowe and Jones stay back as KPPs.

There is a clear reason players leave and progress. As one poster mentioned earlier, Gibbs pretty much took a side swipe at our player development in a recent interview by highlighting how good he thought the Crows setup was!

Our approach seems chaotic at best, I hope the club and the MC have a plan because it's very hard to see it from the outside!

Jones pace is wasted if all he does is punch the ball. Who would to rather have, the relatively slow but reliable reading of play and strong intercept marking of Harry Taylor, or the extreme closing speed but chaotic defensive punches of Liam Jones. For me in defense it's a no brainer!

But put those chaotic punches in our F50, and make sure the smalls are disciplined enough to be aggressively roving to them, and the whole scenario changes. Those punches and the chaos they create is exactly what defenders dread, Jones creates it in our D50!

Thanks for that Pratty.

Nowadays I read the NB reports with mixed feelings. I read about good/very good performances from player x, y etc. and the first thing I think to myself is whether they can play at this level in the seniors, at which point I become somewhat disheartened. If the gap between AFL and VFL wasn't so great, we might have a good chance with most of these blokes.

Sigh..................

With modern footy tactics it is very hard to dominate even at the lower levels, as the team and the tactics are so heavily structured. Players do not get the freedom to go down to VFL and achieve ridiculous results.

Maybe not, but we seem to have many players who look the goods at VFL, and seem to come up short at senior level.