Preview Round 23 - Carlton v Essendon - Sat 30th August @ MCG 1.45pm - Changes post #258

[BlueBelle]

Time to move on from last night and focus on our last game for the year.

Can we re-group? A lot will depend on player availability.

C'mon Blues! Let's finish off the year fighting hard!

mediumsizered's Preview​

Carlton V Essendope
Saturday 30 August 2014 1.45pm
Melbourne Cricket Ground
Head to Head:

Played 240 – Carlton 121 wins, Essendope 114 wins, Drawn 5

Last 5 Matches v Essendon: LWLLL

Highest Scores: Carlton 27.13.175 (1975) Essendope 28.14.182 (2005)

Lowest Scores: Carlton 1.2.8 (1898) Essendope 2.2.14 (1903)

Last Time They Met: Essendope 21.12.138 def Carlton 8.9.57

Last Round: Essendope 16.12.108 def Gold Coast Suns 13.11.89
Carlton 5.7.37 lost to Port Power 20.20.140

The final home & away round of the season sees Carlton, whose season never really got going, come up against a team which has lost the respect of the rest of the AFL competition. The result of this game means nothing for the outcome of both teams’ season however no doubt EFC would like to chalk up a final win for the season, before being knocked out of the finals in week 1.

Key Players

Carlton

Gibbs: Has been the star of the season for Carlton, virtually ensuring selection in the AA squad & quite possibly the AA 22. Not only does he win plenty of clearances, but he also gets forward & kicks goals. With the potential absence of Murphy, Gibbs will probably draw a tag.

Yarran: Assuming he pulls up okay from his ankle injury, his run & carry will be a worry for the other team. Consistently breaks the lines & sets up scoring opportunities for his teammates whilst at the same time getting on the scoreboard himself. The other mob will ignore him at their own risk.

Judd: Still an extremely dangerous player who wins plenty of contested ball & has shown, since his return from injury that he still has plenty of burst speed. He loves playing at the MCG & generally brings his best in these rivalry games.

Waite: Has played some very good football since his return from the VFL. Got hold of the druggies defence last year, kicking 7 goals, including 5 whilst playing on the stepladder. If he can get his hands on the ball inside 50, he could get hold of this mob again.

Rowe: Is now a very important player in our defensive set up. Has hardly been beaten this season & I would think would be a good candidate to play on Daniher, leaving Jamison to take either stepladder or taxi driver kicker.

Essendope

Watson: Admitted that he believed he had been administered AOD9604 & like the rest of the so called leaders at his club, has shown a lack of leadership during the whole doping debacle. A definite chip off the old block.

Zaharakis: Apparently has a fear of needles therefore was allegedly not injected with prohibited substances. Safe to say he probably didn’t receive a show cause notice however has stuck fast with his cheating teammates.

Goddard: Took a fistful of dollars to move from the Saints to the injectors & is probably the best player at the club. With Everitt unavailable it is hard to find the ideal match up for Goddard although I would be happy for White to be given the chance.

Hurley: When not assaulting taxi drivers, has been known to have the occasional good game, particularly when playing forward. Is one of a number of players who may not see much action in the coming 12 months.

Who Will Win & Why

Our boys are limping to the finish line, with a number of players either out of action or carrying injuries. The loss to Port should sting the team into action & I would be surprised if they didn’t come out with all guns blazing. Their opposition are supposedly brave, courageous, gutsy etc, yet all I see is a team of cheats who will do anything to avoid copping the sanctions they so richly deserve. The fact we are even playing this team is an indictment on the AFL who, like Essendope, have put the integrity of the game at risk through their actions. Carlton will win this game because they go in with their integrity intact & a clear conscience.

Carlton by 20 points

 

[Azul]

In: Matthew Kreuzer.

 

[thylacine60]

Stick a fork in us.

 

[HARKER]

Stick a fork in us.

Fork me dead. There's still plenty to play for.....................I'll get back to you on that.

 

[Tony Lynn 15]

Our fork in the road game????

 

[HBF]

Kreuzer and Cripps have to play. Don"t play Murphy if we don"t think he"s right.

 

[HARKER]

Kreuzer and Cripps have to play. Don"t play Murphy if we don"t think he"s right.

Can't we just forfeit and start the pre-season?

 

[Tony Lynn 15]

Can't we just forfeit and start the pre-season?

We have to take our medicine this week Harks no matter how hard it may be to swallow. Take the medicine and move into 2015 with it bottled inside, revenge is a dish best served cold and it will hopefully provide some motivation over summer! This one will get ugly early.

 

[HBF]

Can't we just forfeit and start the pre-season?

No way Harks. Never let a chance to beat Essendon just slip by. If they're playing finals by weekends end, they may just relax next weekend.

 

[HARKER]

I'm not down on the club for yesterdays loss although the margin was a bit of a smack in the mouth.

Don't really care (yet, at least) about beating Essendon. Think they've beat themselves enough already.

Let's get into the real thing now.........Trading & Drafting.

 

[vjknight]

do it for the good of footy.

 

[Red Bull]

Wouldn't it be unfortunate for efc* going into a final to have a few of their players suffer bone crunching tackles (eg carrazzo) in the final round .

I never wish injury on any player but these filthy drug cheating dogs are a different story !!

 

[HBF]

Wouldn't it be unfortunate for efc* going into a final to have a few of their players suffer bone crunching tackles (eg carrazzo) in the final round .

I never wish injury on any player but these filthy drug cheating dogs are a different story !!

We can go out there next week and give it everything knowing its our last game. And we can do some damage to them in the process.

 

[BIGGUS 64]

Wouldn't it be unfortunate for efc* going into a final to have a few of their players suffer bone crunching tackles (eg carrazzo) in the final round .

I never wish injury on any player but these filthy drug cheating dogs are a different story !!

That works for me!
Whether we win or lose next week, let's make it hard and physical from the word go. If they're a lock for the finals, let's see if they're prepared to get hurt the week before.
If we just bend over and allow them easy passage, I will vomit.

 

[gbatman]

Fingers crossed the suns can get over Essendon then this really will be a final.

Last time we played them the result looked just like it did Friday night. We looked slow, were belted out of the middle, couldn't run, applied no defensive pressure, couldn't win the ball at stoppages, we were horrible. It's going to take an effort to make sure we don't come out like that again. Essendon aren't too bad and we aren't too good but if our better players have really good games we are a chance.

Possible Ins:
Thomas, Everitt, Mclean and Buckley might be due to return from injury.
Hoping Cripps, Watson and Byrne are up and about.
Armfield is always a possibility.
Kreuzer would be a chance as well.

Possible Outs:
Where do you start? You could bring in all of those possible ins mentioned nearly.

 

[Cringle]

If this wasn't our last game I'd have Holman and Johnson back in the 2s and tell them what they need to work on. But because they aren't Watson or Lucas it won't happen.

Lineup.

FB: Tuohy Jamison White
HB: Sheehan Rowe Docherty

C: Simpson Gibbs Curnow
Foll: Wood Judd Murphy

HF: Bell Watson Yarran
FF: Menzel Waite Casboult

Inter: Lucas Carrazzo Graham
Sub: Holman/Cripps


In: Watson
Out: Johnson
Johnson led alright. But looked hesitant to go up. Not sure if he hasn't worked out his place in the team or was just nervous. May as well have Watson in the team to do the job.

 

[gbatman]

Wishful thinking but you never know!

Possible team:
B: Sheehan Jamison White
HB: Thomas Rowe Docherty
C: Gibbs Mclean Everitt
HF: Judd Watson Yarran
F: Casboult Waite Menzel
OB: Wood Murphy Curnow
IC: Carrazzo Simpson Buckley Bell

EM: Tuohy Graham Armfield

IN:
Thomas Mclean Everitt Watson Buckley

OUT:
Holman Johnson Lucas Tuohy Graham

It's probably not going to happen but a few good runners and more senior players for the last game might be all we need to knock over Essendon. Might be too many coming in from too long of a time off.

 

[kanye_best]

the only positive that will come from this game is that at the end of it the season will be over.

 

[SE_Blue]

Watson in and up forward please.

 

[thylacine60]

yeah maybe

 

[SE_Blue]

Going to need a bit more of a commitment there.....

 

[thylacine60]

yeah ******* oath!!! Watto!!!

 

[Red Bull]

yeah ******* oath!!! Watto!!!

Like ... Haha

 

[Doss]

Stick a fork in us.

Don't be silly. You've seen Essendon- you never know which one will show.

Nervous about this as I am every week. You just never know.

 

[Robbo's my hero]

I'm just happy to be at the 'G on a Saturday afternoon. Dare I say it. It will be like a final.