Re: AFL Rd 3 2026 Post Game Prognostications Carlton vs Melbourne
Reply #22 –
Where do I start? Before I talk about Gawn, let me start with us. I said we'd smash Melbourne and for a couple of quarters it was looking on the cards. I felt like we moved the ball well and defended the ground very well. In the first two quarters, when Melb moved the ball from defence, we seemed to give up grass fwd of the the wing and mids and defenders seemed to position themselves to where the ball was likely going to go to. They choked the avenue to goal and repelled very well.
Pitto appeared, to me at least, to concede at the centre ball up and see if he could impact when the ball hit the ground.
The above all worked for 2 qtrs, then the wheels fell off (especially in the last qtr). The mids got beaten up, the defenders were under pressure and they got back in the game, simple as that. They laid down their arms and showed zero fit and grit.
I have seen some superstars of the game put on some clinics in my time but Gawn was a colossus today. If they didnt have him, I'd go as far to say they wouldnt win a game.
When they needed him, he stood even taller if that's even possible. He tapped everything to advantage and seemed to mark everything in packs that came his way. If he didnt mark it, he influenced where the ball needed to go. What a player.
We had some dead set passengers today, I wont go into it by naming names, the selection committee SHOULD sort that out assuming there are some able bodied replacements that can come in.
A 63 point turn around is unacceptable in any language, however given our mental fragility it was always on the cards.
Such is Life (as a Carlton Supporter).
On to next week I guess.