AFL 2026 EF #1 Carlton vs Geelong Pre Game Prognostications

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Re: AFL 2026 EF #1 Carlton vs Geelong Pre Game Prognostications

Reply #15 – Today at 02:24:10 pm

We haven't played 2 rucks all year with the exception of our 1st game....and a game where Pittonet was coming back from injury.

1 ruck works for us as our 2nd ruck can't play anywhere else.
Unless you are including Young as your 2nd ruck, who clearly can play someone else.......and i'd argue not really a ruck.

We managed to beat Melbourne with 1 ruck who happens to be the best ruck in the game.....ever.....if you listen to the pre-match from Melbourne....and given the AA noms, they have a point.

So why would we change that for Geelong??

Cats will beat us with their smalls (if they beat us at all), so losing one to shore up an area that doesn't need shoring up, is silly IMO.

re Hayward.....if he comes in for anyone, based on form.....it has to be Byrne. He played his worst game, potentially ever. He got the lowest player rating in a carlton jumper (4 out of 10) that i saw in a recent article. They play a very similar role.

Who else could it be?
Couldn't be Ollie Hollands after his efforts.
Couldn't be Cottrell who could've kicked 4 goals if the posts were slightly wider.
Despite not getting a huge amount, Lord did a tagging job, which may also be required this weekend

So has to be Byrne.

Re: AFL 2026 EF #1 Carlton vs Geelong Pre Game Prognostications

Reply #16 – Today at 02:34:39 pm

I cant see Young holding his place. Had a few good games a month or so back but still is unsure of himself and can still be a liability in high pressure moments IMO.

Gawns goal on him was so disappointing as he had one role in that situation and was right next to him as the ball was kicked out of defence and then when the ball was turned over , Gawn had 15 metres of separation on him and marked unopposed. Was really poor considering how hard Pit worked on Gawn to give him a soft goal.

Reckon if Haywood plays it frees Harry into the 2nd ruck role and takes the need for Young out

Re: AFL 2026 EF #1 Carlton vs Geelong Pre Game Prognostications

Reply #17 – Today at 02:39:22 pm

Quote from: shawny – on Today at 02:34:39 pm

I cant see Young holding his place. Had a few good games a month or so back but still is unsure of himself and a liability IMO.

Reckon if Haywood plays it frees Harry into the 2nd ruck role and takes the need for Young out

The thing here for me is that having Hayward in makes a bloke like Young better because Hayward draws opponents, the ripple effect.

But think of the benefit to Cottrell, Gov, Kemp or Byrne of having Hayward in!

Re: AFL 2026 EF #1 Carlton vs Geelong Pre Game Prognostications

Reply #18 – Today at 03:00:59 pm

In:
Hayward, Derksen

Out:
Young, Haynes

They will have lost Holmes who played well against us, and we have Hewett back.

I thought in the previous game our D50 was down, basically a one man show under Weiters, but we got hold of them from the ruck. Also if I recall, our DE was horrendous, much like last weekends 1st-Qtr. I'm pretty sure we got the mix wrong, we had Ison, Young, Byrnes and Evans all in, and Evans not yet in form. With the pill exiting our F50 like a bullet train, and Bailey Smith hitting up targets inside our D50, our D50 struggled to cover the options, yet we won courtesy of Walsh et. al!

The Jim Park votes are a good indicator. https://www.carltonsc.com/index.php?topic=7478.msg471382#msg471382 The forum voted Cripps, but I distinctly recall Walsh having an impact in that game.

Re: AFL 2026 EF #1 Carlton vs Geelong Pre Game Prognostications

Reply #19 – Today at 03:09:17 pm

i am not really confident about this game ,we finally meet a team at full strength and a week off ,we need to go to another level lets hope so

Re: AFL 2026 EF #1 Carlton vs Geelong Pre Game Prognostications

Reply #20 – Today at 03:13:03 pm

Quote from: pew2 – on Today at 03:09:17 pm

i am not really confident about this game ,we finally meet a team at full strength and a week off ,we need to go to another level lets hope so

The start will be critical, getting the right balance between attack and defence, momentum control, we gave them a head start last time we played, just like last Saturday, we can't do that repeatedly and expect to win, especially in finals.

I suspect Scott the Elder will have his team try on the Berserker tactic early, to take the run out of our legs.

Last time they didn't ruck Blicsav much, they tried Neale, this time I expect they will split the ruck more evenly between Edwards and Blicsav unless Blicsav is carrying some injury we don't know about.

Acres will want to be in form and making them hurt with deep running both ways.

Re: AFL 2026 EF #1 Carlton vs Geelong Pre Game Prognostications

Reply #21 – Today at 03:31:45 pm

On the Geelong rucks, Edwards has only been about 50%~60% ToG over the last few games, would they consider going without?

Re: AFL 2026 EF #1 Carlton vs Geelong Pre Game Prognostications

Reply #22 – Today at 03:54:00 pm

FWIW, I've just watched highlights of the previous Geelong clash and highlights of last Saturday.

In both games Byrne set a tone with tackles and bumps on bigger and heavier opponents. In Rnd 12 he smashed Blicsav's, on Saturday he had two significant momentum changing tackles and a big physical contest in our D50, how the stats claim otherwise is bizarre as they just cannot be missed. You can't find that sort of contest or create it easily, it's something that gives to the team and it is contagious.

The bump on Sharp in particular left the opponent wondering WFT, you know that is the response when they get up and look around to see who it was, Byrne had long moved on!

Pitto or Cripps stopping someone in their tracks goes largely unnoticed, Byrne or Evans doing it sets a tone.

Re: AFL 2026 EF #1 Carlton vs Geelong Pre Game Prognostications

Reply #23 – Today at 05:48:29 pm

Quote from: LP – on Today at 02:39:22 pm

Quote from: shawny – on Today at 02:34:39 pm
I cant see Young holding his place. Had a few good games a month or so back but still is unsure of himself and a liability IMO.

Reckon if Haywood plays it frees Harry into the 2nd ruck role and takes the need for Young out
The thing here for me is that having Hayward in makes a bloke like Young better because Hayward draws opponents, the ripple effect.

But think of the benefit to Cottrell, Gov, Kemp or Byrne of having Hayward in!

Agree Haywood in does make Youngs position a little easier but reality is the weakest link has to be demoted and its Young IMO

Re: AFL 2026 EF #1 Carlton vs Geelong Pre Game Prognostications

Reply #24 – Today at 07:57:12 pm

Quote from: shawny – on Today at 05:48:29 pm

Quote from: LP – on Today at 02:39:22 pm

The thing here for me is that having Hayward in makes a bloke like Young better because Hayward draws opponents, the ripple effect.

But think of the benefit to Cottrell, Gov, Kemp or Byrne of having Hayward in!

Agree Haywood in does make Youngs position a little easier but reality is the weakest link has to be demoted and its Young IMO

Weakest link individually, maybe.

For team balance? Not even close.

Having Young in the team improves our forwardline.....by keeping Harry there.
Improves our backline by allowing to drift back and/or cover for injuries.
Improves our ruck by giving Pittonet as much rest as he needs.

Re: AFL 2026 EF #1 Carlton vs Geelong Pre Game Prognostications

Reply #25 – Today at 08:00:39 pm

Quote from: shawny – on Today at 05:48:29 pm

Quote from: LP – on Today at 02:39:22 pm

The thing here for me is that having Hayward in makes a bloke like Young better because Hayward draws opponents, the ripple effect.

But think of the benefit to Cottrell, Gov, Kemp or Byrne of having Hayward in!

Agree Haywood in does make Youngs position a little easier but reality is the weakest link has to be demoted and its Young IMO

Young must play.

Re: AFL 2026 EF #1 Carlton vs Geelong Pre Game Prognostications

Reply #26 – Today at 08:02:52 pm

Young has been in the team for 5 of the last 6 weeks. The game he missed was the one we didn't win.

Re: AFL 2026 EF #1 Carlton vs Geelong Pre Game Prognostications

Reply #27 – Today at 08:23:43 pm

Quote from: madbluboy – on Today at 08:02:52 pm

Young has been in the team for 5 of the last 6 weeks. The game he missed was the one we didn't win.

Correct. McKay plays better when Lewis is in.