Carlton Supporters Club

SOS once said in an interview, that it’s easy to put a side together that finishes 8th. That comment has always been in the back of my mind when looking at out playing list.

@raydan...
Sorry mate but you seem to be suffering from memory loss.
Go back and rewatch R2 vs the Pies and then you'll see why we play the players we do.

That side have no effort in r2 and was filed with a bunch of primadonnas. Since then teague had been pushing the effort gets you games barrow....and with good reason. We cannot accept substandard effort.

Once the players you talk about give that effort then they will be back in the side.  I wouldn't hold my breath though.

I don't think you can play Plowman, Saad, Docherty, Williams and Newman in the same team.

I suspect Williams will be back in the midfield before long, I noted they ran Doc in the midfield a couple of times at the weekend.

Good points Raydan!

Another issue I have with our team selection is that we don't seem to want to make it difficult for the opposition defenders.  Five of our forwards on Sunday were 180cm or shorter.  Five of Melbourne's forwards (including Petracca) were 186cm or taller.  Which defence was stretched?

Yes, Cuningham was subbed early and McGovern, Charlie, McDonald, Jack, Kemp and Martin are unavailable, so we don't have many other taller options.   I'm not entirely sold on Kennedy, as I think he doesn't get nearly enough of the ball, but at least he knows how to lead and can take a mark.

I think that was tactical and it may have actually worked better had we got it in low, and quicker than we did.   We stuffed around with it, but when your opposition is tall, you should have the ground balls easily won and we did but only for about 10 mins.

There was only De Koning in the wings waiting to come in, and given the way Levi and Harry get in each others way, Im not sure of the merit of playing another tall who is going to get in the way a little bit.

The short forwardline was worth going with given we were a bit out heighted forward.

Their tall forwards didnt do much of note, and the weather was supposed to be a bit more wild and wet than it turned out to be which might have been the more calculated way to win the game.

I'm with Krud, the reason why Cottrell, Gibbons, Parks, Newnes, Owies etc have got games is because those highly rated other players like SPS, Setterfield, Obrien, Dow, Cuningham and Williamson(yes later pick I know) have been putrid, both in skill, in effort and sticking their gonads into places where they might get hurt.
Teague cant trust those higher rated players to turn up and play with any intent or passion......its that simple.

I don't think you can play Plowman, Saad, Docherty, Williams and Newman in the same team.

The proof is in the pudding Thry.  If filling our forward line with smaller players against a team with two of the best intercept marks in the business, and with Gawn's ability to drop back into defence, was tactical, we need a new tactician 

Of their taller forwards, McDonald was close to best on the ground (8 AFLCA votes), Brown dragged Weitering and/or Jones up the ground and he and Weideman took marks inside 50.  While he's not a tall, Fritsch is taller than most of our forwards and he bagged 3 goals. 

We desperately needed a third tall who could lead up, keep May and Lever honest and, most importantly, convert their chances.  Moving Jones forward at the death was too little, too late.

I don't think it is that simple ... and it's the coach's job to ensure that players play with intent and passion - not that I think that those players don't.  It's more a case of playing blokes where they're most suited and giving them licence to play their natural game.  Stocker wasn't outstanding but his move into the midfield showed that he has the ability to play there each week.  Will that signal the end of his career as a defender?  I doubt it.  Same with Samo.  He has been played out of position and was a different player when he was able to run through the midfield.

Willo was a fan favourite because he had a crack but now he's on the outer because his enthusiasm overrides his decision-making.  Good coaching should have had that sorted (our defensive structure, or lack thereof, doesn't help).  Parks has laid a decent bump and a good tackle but his decision-making and lack of ability have exposed him (again, our defensive structure doesn't help).  A bit more experience under his belt and decent development and he could be a player but he's not in our best seven defenders at this stage of his career.

Of their taller forwards, McDonald was close to best on the ground (8 AFLCA votes)