Preview 2024 Rd 9 Carlton vs Melbourne Thursday 9th May 7:30PM @ MCG

[Aphrodite]

Team is in …


IN: Ollie Hollands, Brodie Kemp, Jack Martin

19

Jack Martin

Age

30

Ht

186cm

Wt

82kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

16.2

4star

K

10.0

4star

HB

6.3

4star

M

4.9

5star

T

3.7

5star

G

0.9

4star

D

14.9

4star

K

7.9

3star

HB

7.0

4star

M

4.3

4star

T

3.6

4star

G

1.1

5star

D

8.2

2star

K

4.6

2star

HB

3.6

3star

M

1.8

2star

T

2.0

4star

G

0.6

3star

, Mitch McGovern

11

Mitch Mcgovern

Age

31

Ht

190cm

Wt

88kg

Pos.

Def

Career

Season

Last 5

D

10.1

3star

K

7.2

3star

HB

2.9

3star

M

4.6

4star

T

2.2

4star

MG

189.8

3star

D

7.6

2star

K

6.5

3star

HB

1.1

1star

M

3.6

4star

T

1.9

3star

MG

179.6

3star

D

10.8

3star

K

6.8

3star

HB

4.0

3star

M

4.0

4star

T

3.0

5star

MG

218.0

4star

OUT: Zac Williams (glute soreness), David Cuningham

28

David Cuningham

Age

28

Ht

183cm

Wt

83kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

13.3

3star

K

6.6

3star

HB

6.6

4star

M

3.0

3star

T

3.3

5star

G

0.5

3star

D

12.1

3star

K

6.6

3star

HB

5.6

3star

M

3.0

3star

T

2.1

3star

G

0.4

3star

D

11.8

3star

K

6.2

3star

HB

5.6

4star

M

2.8

3star

T

5.6

5star

G

0.4

3star

, Orazio Fantasia

14

Orazio Fantasia

Age

30

Ht

180cm

Wt

73kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

13.6

3star

K

7.4

3star

HB

6.2

4star

M

3.6

4star

T

3.1

5star

G

1.4

5star

D

9.8

2star

K

5.4

2star

HB

4.4

3star

M

3.0

3star

T

1.2

2star

G

0.2

3star

D

12.0

3star

K

4.6

2star

HB

7.4

5star

M

3.4

4star

T

2.2

4star

G

0.0

1star

, Lewis Young

33

Lewis Young

Age

26

Ht

202cm

Wt

99kg

Pos.

D/F

Career

Season

Last 5

D

11.6

3star

K

7.5

3star

HB

4.1

3star

M

4.4

4star

T

1.6

4star

MG

197.9

3star

D

4.0

1star

K

3.0

1star

HB

1.0

1star

M

3.0

3star

T

0.0

1star

MG

26.0

1star

D

14.4

4star

K

8.2

4star

HB

6.2

4star

M

6.4

5star

T

2.0

4star

MG

181.6

3star

AFL team selection: Blues recall four

Carlton's Round 9 team is in.

www.carltonfc.com.au

Round 9 team v Melbourne
Backs:	Brodie Kemp	Jacob Weitering	Lachie Cowan
Half-backs:	Alex Cincotta	Mitch McGovern	Nic Newman
Centreline:	Ollie Hollands	Patrick Cripps	Blake Acres
Half-forwards:	Jack Martin	Harry McKay	Elijah Hollands
Forwards:	Matthew Owies	Charlie Curnow	Tom De Koning
Followers:	Marc Pittonet	Sam Walsh	Matthew Kennedy
Interchange:	Jordan Boyd	Adam Cerra	Matthew Cottrell
	Corey Durdin	George Hewett
Emergencies:	David Cuningham	Orazio Fantasia	Lewis Young

 

[4flagsin5yrs]

Kennedy, Cerra, Cotts, E Hollands, Williams - all terrific kicks of the ball.

Hewett, Cripps, Walsh - ok with a little time....

 

[Opium]

I just wonder sometimes if we have gone to much to the contested clearance side and have lost the balance to attack and run

Isn't this what they trained for in the preseason? Most training sessions I saw were focused on continuous running and handball.

 

[Soapy V]

This “stop bombing” cry is interesting.

Serious question - who do we trust in the middle of the ground to laser kick to our leading forwards?

The cupboard is not full of Sidebottoms..

If we do chip, chip around waiting for a biggie to get free then opposition are given time to flood back and make it hard work for them. See Freo game.

It’s not about that. When you go forward you need to look for options. So many times we have players in space on their own. All our mids etc can hit targets if they look. It also stops defenders going to same spot and swamping McKay/Curnow

Pies are a classic example. Smaller forward line with less talent than us and they most times kick it to a player in space or at worst to their advantage

 

[gbatman]

My gut feel is Voss will go back to the mid sized defence of late last year

Boyd Weitering McGovern
Cincotta Marchbank Newman Kemp

Only Saad missing from best line up

Allows Williams to Wing or HF/Mid which will suit him. For all Williams talent he is NOT a one on one player. He is a running creater that can find the ball.

I think this is our best defence. Having McGovern and MArchbank, when they are up and going is a real weapon. No need for very tall backlines in modern footy. Team defence brings the ball to ground. Mobility, speed and a strong ground level game tidies up the rest. One of the key factors of a working team defence is having that extra tall player or two. Weitering, McGovern, Marchbank and Kemp. They cover a lot of area inside the D50. If the midfield is putting pressure on and the ball is kicked long, all of those players can bring it to ground over any forward. Also quick enough to go on the lead if that situation comes about. Then we have the speed and ground level game to do the rest. Saad is a big out but we have to be good enough to win with 1 missing.

Totally agree with Williams. The issue with him is coaching, not the player himself.

 

[gbatman]

Matthew Lloyd on Footy Classified last night how predictable we are going forward and just bomb it long. Sides pick us off easily

NO JOKE. Been going on about this all year. Why don’t we change? Even Lloyd sees it

I reckon if we could add Martin and Silvagni to the side, they know how to lead and present and this would help a lot. Our talls are quality and they demand the ball long. They aren't leading players. The smalls are mostly sitting back waiting for that to happen to crumb. Players play their natural game, we don't have forwards in the team who's natural game is to make good position and lead up at the ball carrier.

The other issue is our midfield. We don't generate the run and carry and handball chains because we are too slow. Our quicker mid, Walsh, gets most of his possession on the defensive side of the stoppage so rarely is damaging. He's not running the ball out of stoppages or carrying it forward. Our run has really dried up, a lot is also to do with who is out of our backline.

Our assistants are mostly all failed assistants from failing clubs. It's no surprise why we aren't great tactically or analytically. Voss is there to be the coordinator and motivator, he does that, the tactics are lacking.

I just wonder sometimes if we have gone to much to the contested clearance side and have lost the balance to attack and run

Yes, we did it before finals last season dropping Dow and Fisher. Cutting off our run out of the middle and out of the backline and it took good fortune to win the first two games of finals and eventually was exposed against Brisbane.

Run is the key for us. When we run and carry the ball, apply good pressure at the stoppages and get the ball into the middle we are fine but it takes a good side with good skills and leg speed to do that and we are lacking.

 

[gbatman]

You know this TDK forward thingy was very much about giving us another marking option in tho absence of Martin. Now Jack is likely back how do we structure up now? Pitto isn’t big Nick but surely survives based on recent form.

Cold, hard, reality is this - we won 9 on the trot with mostly 1 ruck last year and also Martin forward was crucial to that streak into the finals.

Some really big decisions at selection this week!

Pitto Sub.

Two big forwards, one ruckman. One of the forwards rucks, whether that is a big forward or a medium forward. DeKoning can go forward so he can help keep our forward structure if he is number 1 ruck.

Pitto can come on later in the game and we can go back to DeKoning forward if Martin fails.

We don't have the list to not take risks and expect to win games. Good players have to come back in when ready.

 

[Kruezing]

Think we may get away with two rucks this week .. after that TDK with H is the way to go

 

[Blue_Fusion]

Pitto Sub.

Two big forwards, one ruckman. One of the forwards rucks, whether that is a big forward or a medium forward. DeKoning can go forward so he can help keep our forward structure if he is number 1 ruck.

Pitto can come on later in the game and we can go back to DeKoning forward if Martin fails.

We don't have the list to not take risks and expect to win games. Good players have to come back in when ready.

Bad move.

 

[Blue_Fusion]

Kennedy, Cerra, Cotts, E Hollands, Williams - all terrific kicks of the ball.

Hewett, Cripps, Walsh - ok with a little time....

Can add Boyd and Newman to that terrific kicks list.

 

[Blue_Fusion]

This “stop bombing” cry is interesting.

Serious question - who do we trust in the middle of the ground to laser kick to our leading forwards?

The cupboard is not full of Sidebottoms..

If we do chip, chip around waiting for a biggie to get free then opposition are given time to flood back and make it hard work for them. See Freo game.

Out of our three small forwards - Owies, Fanta and Durdin... only Owies knows how to find space and lead into it. Charlie has been contempt with wrestling his direct opponent rather than making leads. TDK doesn't hold onto marks very often. Harry is the only realistic target you could bomb it to.

Our forward line has looked a bit dysfunctional most of the year, relying more on talent and will power to score rather than system. Which shocks me given who's coaching our forwards this year

 

[Arr0w]

Every side bombs the ball long, if their ball movement is slowed or stifled, every side

 

[Sweet Seventeen]

Two six day breaks for us and a five day break for them. But, that was preceded by a ten day break. Whoever is covering the ground the best, over the last twenty min's will win.
The conundrum for the selector's for mine, is do we play two rucks? Pitto is in career best form, maybe let him take on Max. H for the chop out. Rest Tom, with Martin back and both McGov and Kemp in the team. We will have greater flexibility.
I don't want to see us to top-heavy in the forward line. Hopefully JM, Elijah, Cuners and Owies can apply pressure, tackle relentlessly and find space.
I get that four points, is four points. Huge game though all the same. Go Blues!

 

[Sweet Seventeen]

Can add Boyd and Newman to that terrific kicks list.

And Cuners.

 

[AndyLucimitis]

Every side bombs the ball long, if their ball movement is slowed or stifled, every side

Agree - it looks like the problem occurs when we get the ball to the wing or half-forward and are forced to stop ...and then bomb long.


But isn't the problem occurring further back up field in that we can't transition out of defense quickly enough (e.g. Lewis Young standing still for 10 secs when he takes a mark). Docherty was a culprit with this as well I fell.

We miss Saad and McGovern .

 

[BlueZombie]

People keep speculating about his tank. No need

He has played a lot of midfield and is the fittest he has been in his career. He was in the top group for running over pre season

What I like is he can give us something different around the middle as our midfield lacks some outside class and our defence loses nothing

I'm inclined to agree with you, Soap. But why are there many prominent posters on here who keep reiterating that Willo does not have the tank for this role? I think he does have it in him for a new role along the lines you suggest.

 

[The Blue Weirdo]

And Cuners.

Cunners, Eli and Boyd are our only players around the midfield that instinctively 'look' for a forward in a dangerous position.
You can almost see the cogs turning inside their brains, Gov also.
Walsh and Cripps are the worst offenders.

 

[BlueZombie]

worth a try as he's been a liability in recent weeks.

We just, as a collective, need to play smarter.

We do that, we'll win.

Martin a huge in imo.

Is a serious third target - takes a lot of heat off the big two....

Couldn't agree more, 4F. Is there a genuine sense that He will be back for the Dees match?

 

[Coona Blues]

You know this TDK forward thingy was very much about giving us another marking option in tho absence of Martin. Now Jack is likely back how do we structure up now? Pitto isn’t big Nick but surely survives based on recent form.

Cold, hard, reality is this - we won 9 on the trot with mostly 1 ruck last year and also Martin forward was crucial to that streak into the finals.

Some really big decisions at selection this week!

Valid questions, however, do we have a guarantee Martin will be with us beyond this season?
TDK is providing quite a significant impact in games at the moment. He is absolutely best 22. I don’t know how it would affect his future decisions, but if we believe we are too heavy forward, maybe we revisit the KPD option which is periodically thrown up? I believe he is more ball player than role player and his impact around stoppages, while work in progress, is growing at a good rate.

I always expected a fit Pitto to stake his claim as the no. 1 ruck, but has been quite dominant. It will be a good assessment of where the big boys are at against Gawn this week. So absolutely a lone ruck against the games premier ruckman is an absolute nonsense.

 

[Soapy V]

Agree - it looks like the problem occurs when we get the ball to the wing or half-forward and are forced to stop ...and then bomb long.


But isn't the problem occurring further back up field in that we can't transition out of defense quickly enough (e.g. Lewis Young standing still for 10 secs when he takes a mark). Docherty was a culprit with this as well I fell.

We miss Saad and McGovern .

NO. We do it all the time even when he burst from the centre.

Also, Watch Geelong. They can slow it down, be patient and then pick someone free. At worst it is to a teammates advantage

 

[WalshistheGOAT]

NO. We do it all the time even when he burst from the centre.

Also, Watch Geelong. They can slow it down, be patient and then pick someone free. At worst it is to a teammates advantage

Yes, but who's delivering it for Geelong and who's delivering it for us?

I'll give a hint, most of ours are 190cm brutes not known for their skill... Most of Geelong's are fleet footed flankers

 

[HaydossJ]

Agree - it looks like the problem occurs when we get the ball to the wing or half-forward and are forced to stop ...and then bomb long.


But isn't the problem occurring further back up field in that we can't transition out of defense quickly enough (e.g. Lewis Young standing still for 10 secs when he takes a mark). Docherty was a culprit with this as well I fell.

We miss Saad and McGovern .

How frustrating is this... he often calls for it too

 

[Soapy V]

Yes, but who's delivering it for Geelong and who's delivering it for us?

I'll give a hint, most of ours are 190cm brutes not known for their skill... Most of Geelong's are fleet footed flankers

Doesn't matter and I don't agree. Cottrell Cuningham Kennedy Cripps Walsh Hollands Cerra can all kick the ball. The issue is they NEVER look

 

[Soapy V]

Think we may get away with two rucks this week .. after that TDK with H is the way to go

If we do that (I think we will) and bring in Martin we will have McKay Curnow TDK Martin all inside forward 50. Cottrell Cuningham Hollands are mid size.

That's a tall forward line

 

[bigdog43]

Think we may get away with two rucks this week .. after that TDK with H is the way to go

Yep, I think two rucks works against a generational ruckman like Gawn. We let Pitto bash and crash and then let TDK come in and jump over the top. When we play other ruckmen though I'd like to just back in TDK. For all the talk about our clearance game with Pitto, we lost the clearances to an undermanned Collingwood on Friday which is a huge concern.

 

[Arr0w]

We beat the Demons twice last year, no reason we can't do it again with a brutal contested game