Carlton Supporters Club

Probably helps our cause, the Port little blokes usually have a day out against us, but I think control over Dixon and Westhoff is the key.

Whatever, don't play Cripps injured!

Westhoff will play down back IMO as Port have no tall defenders unless they bring someone else in.....
reckon Rockliff will replace Ebert.

I know the club has said that Cripps is OK, but he isn't. You can tell by the amount of strapping he has all over his body. I hope the club is thinking long term enough to let him recover.
I hate playing guys who are not right: it comes back to bite us on the posterior too often for my tastes.
But the club is well known for ignoring my opinion on this matter.

I agree, but Cripps occupies the best tagger even when he is off.  All he has to do is attend the contests without really getting in there, and he is worth having on the ground.

Its also useful to have a big lump like him down forward as he can take a mark even when not 100%.

There are times when I say dont play an injured bloke, but Cripps isnt a regular human.

Stop Westhoff!
Need to stop the Hoff!
He always burns us.

Been under rated, our scouts said he wasnt good enough and we overlooked him...saying all that he is older now, slowed up and his once deadly goal kicking has also tapered off. This is a winnable game IMO and the Power are a flaky unit that can either be great or terrible and its been surprising to see them so consistent.
As PaulP pointed out the bearded assassin Charlie Dixon seems to be a barometer of success for them this season and a player we might need to put more time into than the more gentleman like Hoff . Dixon is one of the few rough diamonds that remain in the game and taming him will go a long way towards winning the game IMHO. He likes to bash and crash and even when not kicking goals will create room and panic for defenders allowing the Port smalls to prosper so Jones and Weitering might have to team up on him.

Dixon has bullied our KPDs before, and while Westhoff is not generally a dominating player against us he has a habit of popping up at just the critical moment to swing momentum.

But in the past the real damage has been by the likes of Boak, Gray, Motlop and Ebert, thankfully Ebert is having a holiday.

I'm not so concerned about eh others provided our fringe guys like Setterfield, Newnes, Cunningham and Gibbons(Fringe!) bring a consistent level of footy.

Will our mids/forwards be prepared to get into Dixon's space?

Dixon last played against us in Rnd 15 2018, he took a mammoth 4 marks and kicked 1 goal. Rnd 5 2017 2 marks 2 goals. Rnd 8 2016 3 marks 2 goals. The most he's kicked against us is 3 goals in 2015. Thats hardly cause for Jonesy or Weiters to quake in their boots. He's kicked one decent bag (6 this year) in 3 seasons albeit injury interrupted. I'll back our tall defs at this stage.