Preview Rnd 2 - Carlton v Melbourne Sunday 2nd April 3.20pm @ MCG - Final Team post #990

[La Dispute]

Ed is not on his own but has registered a high clanger count. 6 in one of his JLT games and 4 in the Richmond game (i think).

I think I noticed his clangers more due to the impact of those clangers.

No free passes for games...same goes for Daisy, Armfield and White.

It's not just the clangers themselves, it's the way he makes the clangers. He's certainly one of the worst kicks in the side, yet on a few occasions he attempted attacking passes that very few can execute. If he wants to stay in the side, he MUST sharpen up that side of his game.

Thomas tried a similar kick at one point which was chopped off as well. At his peak he would have nailed the pass, but right now he's overzealous with some of his kicks. The obvious option was the twenty-metre release pass down the line. Big momentum killers.

 

[La Dispute]

Where's the Polson talk coming from?

Would love to see him but he's a little way back isn't he?

Looked OK in the JLT but not incredible by any means. Another who's already been overrated before he's played a H&A AFL game.

Nice kick though; hope he develops into at least a good best 22 player.

 

[GapInIkonPark]

Why later for Williamson & Polson? Watching last couple of reserves games they look as physically ready as any of the kids. They both work hard both ways as well.

Kerr looks like he needs time

I just see them playing seniors as a better way of developing them. Learn the pace, effort, skills needed from the best. Reserves these days is a big step down from seniors

Williamson yes we need a running defender and deserves chance before Buckley. Cuningham before Buckley too.
Polson I think will be a very good player. For the position he plays this year, we can make him earn it, Pickett, Wright, Lamb and Sumner all vying for small forward role.

Agree on Kerr.

 

[GapInIkonPark]

I'm guessing he means Ed.

Guys like Cuningham have a lot of work to do to push out an Ed Curnow. Don't think it will happen this season.

Agree. But guys like Cuningham, Williamson and Lamb can and should push out Thomas, White and Armfield.

 

[Tambourine]

cunners is a certainty surely. Nice wheels, defensively minded, neat skills, perfect balance for the midfield.

 

[Smalls0304]

Who plays on Garlett, Neal-Bullen & Stretch? All 3 had great games last week and are definitely hard to manage up forward. Will hurt Doc & Simmo if we turn the ball over as they're running it out of the defence. Buckley did nothing over pre season and I can't say i remember much of Williamson. Will be interesting to see what Bolton does

 

[Smalls0304]

Agree. But guys like Cuningham, Williamson and Lamb can and should push out Thomas, White and Armfield.

Lamb turns 25 this year. Don't know why people keep grouping him with the younger guys. Averaged 12 touches and 2.5 tackles a game last year(the best of his career), i would be very, very suprised if he went on to be a lock in our team. I would look to Pickett, Sumner, LeBois, Kerridge, Fisher, Cuningham, Smedts and even Graham all ahead of him.

 

[Blue Reaper]

Need run and pressure brought into the team.

Tigers led tackles 87-67 overall and 23-12 in forward 50. An inditement on the team that SPS had a equal team-high 7 tackles for the game (and credit to him!).

Pressure is the key - give Melbourne little time or freedom to execute and we have a chance.

 

[slashin_velvet]

Maybe Graham is one of the players to call up. He had the most touches in the vfl, so we're rewarding effort which sends a good message to the youth.

 

[Soapy V]

Williamson yes we need a running defender and deserves chance before Buckley. Cuningham before Buckley too.
Polson I think will be a very good player. For the position he plays this year, we can make him earn it, Pickett, Wright, Lamb and Sumner all vying for small forward role.

Agree on Kerr.

Polson is a mid that can go forward

 

[TooBlue14]

It's interesting seeing the media look at Melbourne new tactic. They put 7, 8 or 90 players behind the ball at the stoppage knowing that Gawn will win the tap. This might be inventive an new but it does leave 6-7 or 3 in our back half. If they get the ball and miss their target it'll equally be a turnover resulting is us getting the advantage it's imperative that our midfield which should break even with theirs (no martin) puts defensive pressure on the kicker. If this happens our free players should be able to move it off the back half

The other side of the coin is that we win the clearance. If this happens and we kick the ball quickly it is going to look so easy for Melbourne. Having 3-4 extras running off half back to the square willlook like they have more players on the park and then it'll open up for them forward as our players will runforwards of the play and get killed on the turnover.

I don't get it. I know it's important for our players to move up the ground for an option but sometimes it's just stupid knowing that the kick is going to a contest. Either get numbers at the drop of the ball or go to a man so that they can't rebound to space with free players everywhere. Structurally we always seem to have less around the contest but then when the opposition wins the ball we have less players out too. It's game plan related and I know we're working on it. Expect Sunday to be a huge turnover day and a huge belting if they play anything like they did v st. kilda.

 

[newblueo]

Lamb turns 25 this year. Don't know why people keep grouping him with the younger guys. Averaged 12 touches and 2.5 tackles a game last year(the best of his career), i would be very, very suprised if he went on to be a lock in our team. I would look to Pickett, Sumner, LeBois, Kerridge, Fisher, Cuningham, Smedts and even Graham all ahead of him.

funny you make the point about age yet smedts 25,sumner 24,nicky g 23 are around the same age, lamb sets up well ahead of the ball which boy oh boy do we need, pickett is still learning an wouldn't be stunned if he goes out for lamb this week

my ins lamb,nicky bling g
outs armfield,pickett

 

[Cripps 'n' Blue Bloods]

I think buckley should come in we could use the run and speed If i had my choice out would be Armfield, White,E Curnow
In buckley , kerridge and palmer

Not sure about the other two, but didn't Buckley have an absolute stinker last week? Can't reward that with a call up.

 

[thylacine60]

Looked OK in the JLT but not incredible by any means. Another who's already been overrated before he's played a H&A AFL game.

Nice kick though; hope he develops into at least a good best 22 player.

Thought he was still injured from family couch attack.

 

[Cripps 'n' Blue Bloods]

It's interesting seeing the media look at Melbourne new tactic. They put 7, 8 or 90 players behind the ball at the stoppage knowing that Gawn will win the tap. This might be inventive an new but it does leave 6-7 or 3 in our back half. If they get the ball and miss their target it'll equally be a turnover resulting is us getting the advantage it's imperative that our midfield which should break even with theirs (no martin) puts defensive pressure on the kicker. If this happens our free players should be able to move it off the back half

The other side of the coin is that we win the clearance. If this happens and we kick the ball quickly it is going to look so easy for Melbourne. Having 3-4 extras running off half back to the square willlook like they have more players on the park and then it'll open up for them forward as our players will runforwards of the play and get killed on the turnover.

I don't get it. I know it's important for our players to move up the ground for an option but sometimes it's just stupid knowing that the kick is going to a contest. Either get numbers at the drop of the ball or go to a man so that they can't rebound to space with free players everywhere. Structurally we always seem to have less around the contest but then when the opposition wins the ball we have less players out too. It's game plan related and I know we're working on it. Expect Sunday to be a huge turnover day and a huge belting if they play anything like they did v st. kilda.

Yeah I was thinking about it the other day too. Surely the idea behind their players running through from behind the ball is the assumption that they'll win the clearance and provide overlap and run. The idea here would be to get separation from our forwards. If they don't win the clearance, a quick kick over the heads of their defenders will leave a fairly open forward line with their med/small defenders out of position. A blind boot to ball should, on most occasions, result in a favourable contest, but it depends on winning the clearances.
At the other end, if our guys play a tight one on one defence, then we would at least restrict the forward entry to a 50/50 contest.

The tactic worked quite well against Hickey and what I consider not to be an overly strong midfield, but it might struggle against the better rucks/mids.

 

[StandByyourMan]

funny you make the point about age yet smedts 25,sumner 24,nicky g 23 are around the same age, lamb sets up well ahead of the ball which boy oh boy do we need, pickett is still learning an wouldn't be stunned if he goes out for lamb this week

my ins lamb,nicky bling g
outs armfield,pickett

Give pickett a bit of a go.

 

[Soapy V]

Lamb turns 25 this year. Don't know why people keep grouping him with the younger guys. Averaged 12 touches and 2.5 tackles a game last year(the best of his career), i would be very, very suprised if he went on to be a lock in our team. I would look to Pickett, Sumner, LeBois, Kerridge, Fisher, Cuningham, Smedts and even Graham all ahead of him.

agree. just a very average player that has done little in his career so far

 

[Jimmae]

Maybe Graham is one of the players to call up. He had the most touches in the vfl, so we're rewarding effort which sends a good message to the youth.

Need to consider how those touches are earned, or we just wind up constantly picking guys like Ellard, Bentick, Tutt and Robinson without concern for how they work around the stoppage and within the team.

Considering that the midfield got trounced in the VFL (albeit in a practice match), I'm not sure it's really worth picking him just because of a stat column.

funny you make the point about age yet smedts 25,sumner 24,nicky g 23 are around the same age, lamb sets up well ahead of the ball which boy oh boy do we need, pickett is still learning an wouldn't be stunned if he goes out for lamb this week

my ins lamb,nicky bling g
outs armfield,pickett

Smedts is 25 in June, Sumner 24 in August, Graham 23 in June. Lamb does not set up well ahead of the ball at all. He lacks the speed to do as such at AFL level unless he slips his defender by coming up to the play and losing him there. Ditto Graham.

Lamb's fitness isn't great either, despite his attempts to drive this up. Suspect his body isn't helping with this either (probably an issue for Graham as well). You've swapped elite speed for the tiniest boost in overall skill and smarts.

Not sure about the other two, but didn't Buckley have an absolute stinker last week? Can't reward that with a call up.

The reports were he was just OK, I got the distinct impression some were marking him very hard because they expected him to dominate the game from deep defence when Richmond had all the traffic.

To me that sounds like had he played in midfield more the game might have had a different complexion to it, but the coaching staff currently have a role for him in defence (one that we desperately need filled right now, to be honest), which means he had to sit back and follow instruction.

 

[TooBlue14]

Yeah I was thinking about it the other day too. Surely the idea behind their players running through from behind the ball is the assumption that they'll win the clearance and provide overlap and run. The idea here would be to get separation from our forwards. If they don't win the clearance, a quick kick over the heads of their defenders will leave a fairly open forward line with their med/small defenders out of position. A blind boot to ball should, on most occasions, result in a favourable contest, but it depends on winning the clearances.
At the other end, if our guys play a tight one on one defence, then we would at least restrict the forward entry to a 50/50 contest.

The tactic worked quite well against Hickey and what I consider not to be an overly strong midfield, but it might struggle against the better rucks/mids.

I totally agree here. I dont get why its a favourable tactic.Its almost better to lose the clearance but play 3 on 3 with their remaining talls and have the other 3 go third man up in all the 3 match ups. I dont get how saint kilda let Hogan out the back so much. On the occurance that we win the clearance. We need a quick handball to space and kick well over the top of the running HBs. It should work both ways. We get free defenders,they get free defenders. The team winning the clearance isn;t favoured with a quick possession out of congestion becasue we will be out numbered.

 

[COBALT BLUE]

Who plays on Garlett, Neal-Bullen & Stretch? All 3 had great games last week and are definitely hard to manage up forward. Will hurt Doc & Simmo if we turn the ball over as they're running it out of the defence. Buckley did nothing over pre season and I can't say i remember much of Williamson. Will be interesting to see what Bolton does

Bolton will do nothing[maybe 2 changes]
our defense V Richmond was loose and will do much better against the Dees.
Armfield possibly the only out for Kerridge or possibly Graham considering our lack of people putting up their hand from the 2's
Oh McKay.....is the big one this week
Bring Mc Kay.....Casboult out.
Can Mc Kay ruck?....interesting to see how he combines with Pickett...we need GOALS !

 

[LCBlues95]

Maybe Graham is one of the players to call up. He had the most touches in the vfl, so we're rewarding effort which sends a good message to the youth.

Graham is a good contestant depth player.

 

[LCBlues95]

One thing we know we need this week, is blistering pace to even be a chance on the outside, you're not going to get that with Thomas.

So i guess you could make a case for Armfield to stay in the side.

Casboult will stay in, C.Curnow & Harry McKay this week, as Melbourne is a really small defence.

 

[passmark]

Hopefully Cuningham has done enough to get selected.

He can run out a game and has the body of a seasoned player.

 

[BigFrizz36]

Need to consider how those touches are earned, or we just wind up constantly picking guys like Ellard, Bentick, Tutt and Robinson without concern for how they work around the stoppage and within the team.

Considering that the midfield got trounced in the VFL (albeit in a practice match), I'm not sure it's really worth picking him just because of a stat column.


Smedts is 25 in June, Sumner 24 in August, Graham 23 in June. Lamb does not set up well ahead of the ball at all. He lacks the speed to do as such at AFL level unless he slips his defender by coming up to the play and losing him there. Ditto Graham.

Lamb's fitness isn't great either, despite his attempts to drive this up. Suspect his body isn't helping with this either (probably an issue for Graham as well). You've swapped elite speed for the tiniest boost in overall skill and smarts.


The reports were he was just OK, I got the distinct impression some were marking him very hard because they expected him to dominate the game from deep defence when Richmond had all the traffic.

To me that sounds like had he played in midfield more the game might have had a different complexion to it, but the coaching staff currently have a role for him in defence (one that we desperately need filled right now, to be honest), which means he had to sit back and follow instruction.

Dylan appears to have all of the tools but there appears to be a bit of a concern in that either 1) He is not good in identifying the correct play up field or 2) He can't execute the correct play. Suspect that its a bit of both which is amplified by the fact that he is not a high possession player so he needs to ensure that each one counts. Couple of examples in Richmond practice match one where he tried a dinky handpass that wasn't on that lead to a goal behind the high press and another where he kicked out on the full where he had identified the right option that was 10 yards inside the line (to be fair it was windy). Our defence is crying out for him at the moment and I would give him an extended run till Byrne gets back and back him in. I think that all and sundry know that this is his last chance and we need a lock down small defender who can run and kick.

 

[slashin_velvet]

Graham is a good contestant depth player.

Maybe so, but he's younger than some of the "inconsistent" non-contestant depth players that played last Thursday evening.