Preview 2026 Opening Round - Carlton v Sydney Thursday March 5th 7:30pm @ SCG

[Cripps 'n' Blue Bloods]

Did anyone see it. Any chance of an appeal being successful?

Haven’t seen any footage of it anywhere. The only comment I've seen around from someone who saw it, said that they knew straight away he'd be done for it.
Silly brain fade from an experienced leader. Needed all the match fitness he could get to push for a spot. Now he loses another 2 weeks.

 

[Beyond Blue]

The answer is 14. Which is less than I would have guessed. Interesting.

Then take out the times he did it against West Coast and North in recent years, both of whom have been complete rubbish.

 

[jj1978]

Are we starting to look at a side moving past names like Acres, Newman, Saad, Haynes etc? I am really hoping that Cowan Carroll Charleson Wilson Dean HOF and more move past them by end of the year.

With Cripps Weitering Hewett McKay Florent Hayward we have more than enough experience and leadership

IMO Carlton now is very much about the future

Agree, TBH I'd be considering not playing one of Saad/Williams for this game as an out... their form looked off and iffy during the practice games and both have definitely lost a yard.

 

[jj1978]

ZW the defender scares me. A leaker like you say & goes to ground too often vs staying in the fight.

Was it 3 times last year? he got a knock or "felt" something and just couldn't risk continue playing to be subbed out.. only to be in the next week. Shows at times he's mentally very concerned about his body and its capabilities to push through or want to push too hard.

 

[blujoejoe]

Charlie doesn't play well when all eyes are on him... and all eyes will be on him.

Weitering just needs to do the basics right and Charlie will do the rest.

 

[Soapy V]

Think that is part of Vossy’s remit this season c/- GW. Bring on the youngsters, though it needs to warranted & there’s still a place for the experienced player in the team. If their form is bolstered by the competition for spots that can only be good for the team.

Just like to see players get opportunities vs slapping an injured player back or playing under apparent duress (who may not be in the greatest of form anyway e.g. Acres last season).

I agree. It just needs from the point of view of development. If a young player is pushing for a spot and needs experience we should pick them

I also believe we need to make "ball use" more of a selection criteria than it is

 

[jj1978]

Charlie doesn't play well when all eyes are on him... and all eyes will be on him.

Weitering just needs to do the basics right and Charlie will do the rest.

I'm still concerned about Weiters in current fitness cloud to take him. I'd almost mind-f### Charlie early and put Dean/Derksen on him as an early test... if those kids get on top of him early would get the ball rolling in his head.

 

[Soapy V]

Agree, TBH I'd be considering not playing one of Saad/Williams for this game as an out... their form looked off and iffy during the practice games and both have definitely lost a yard.

I reckon Saad is really struggling. Has all pre season, even in match sims. Become more a lockdown player and that doesn't help us

Williams looked a bit better when moving up ground on weekend but needs to improve. I would play Williams as he can easily fill many roles.

 

[Jimmae]

Happy to leave Acres out until he displays the habit of lowering his eyes when moving the ball forward from the wing. If i see him long bomb from 100 metres out , it will make me throw the remote at the tv

Acres played through back and shoulder issues last year until he broke down. I don't see that as reflective of his usual play, and team morale was through the floor with how Charlie was playing and we were structured.

I think he'll happily dob the ball 30m in this line-up, and he's an amazing player to have for bench rotations.

Interesting point in The Age today about the new centre ruck rule (now known as 'The Pittonet Rule' ).

Because of the risk of PCL injuries at centre bounces, clubs are going to be reluctant to pinch hit with keys forwards like Harry.

Yeah to be clear, I am suggesting we structure and rotate so Pittonet is the only player rucking in centre bounces.

 

[Jatz]

I reckon Saad is really struggling. Has all pre season, even in match sims. Become more a lockdown player and that doesn't help us

Williams looked a bit better when moving up ground on weekend but needs to improve. I would play Williams as he can easily fill many roles.

I know there were retirement rumours last year, it wouldn't at all surprise if we end up feeling he's gone on a year too long by September.

 

[The Bighouse]

I reckon Saad is really struggling. Has all pre season, even in match sims. Become more a lockdown player and that doesn't help us

Williams looked a bit better when moving up ground on weekend but needs to improve. I would play Williams as he can easily fill many roles.

Ramadan effect?
He needs to be attacking but his poor defensive efforts (at times) needs an overhaul on his tactics.

 

[Soapy V]

Ramadan effect?
He needs to be attacking but his poor defensive efforts (at times) needs an overhaul on his tactics.

Been 6 months for me. Even late last year I thought he was struggling

 

[jj1978]

Ramadan effect?
He needs to be attacking but his poor defensive efforts (at times) needs an overhaul on his tactics.

Guess with our first 2 games being 7:30pm sunset will hit around quarter time, so he'll be able to pump in some water and an energy bar. Might be a good bench player for the first quarter of those games, on the assumption he's picked (at this point I wouldn't be).

 

[ctwenty1]

I know there were retirement rumours last year, it wouldn't at all surprise if we end up feeling he's gone on a year too long by September.

*October

 

[Juddernaut08]

Guess with our first 2 games being 7:30pm sunset will hit around quarter time, so he'll be able to pump in some water and an energy bar. Might be a good bench player for the first quarter of those games, on the assumption he's picked (at this point I wouldn't be).

I think ramadan aside, his form has not been the best for a long time now.

I am still in the camp of keeping him in. Now we've got a more modern style and importantly, several other power runners to go with him, I want to see us learn to use him like a brad hill off half back.

Problem is he has lost a step.

 

[Jimmae]

I know there were retirement rumours last year, it wouldn't at all surprise if we end up feeling he's gone on a year too long by September.

In retrospect I'd suggest people were confusing word on Docherty to be about him. Someone wandered in saying Saad was surprised by the rumours and quickly knocked them on the head.

I saw enough moments in the last 2 games to know that he'll be right for the season, and will play a bit deeper in defence until Cowan is back.

 

[Beyond Blue]

I reckon Saad is really struggling. Has all pre season, even in match sims. Become more a lockdown player and that doesn't help us

Williams looked a bit better when moving up ground on weekend but needs to improve. I would play Williams as he can easily fill many roles.

Saad is one of my absolute favourites - he was very good those first few years he came across - but it was noticeable last year he lost his zip, poise and strength. Unless he remarkably rediscovers himself he should no longer be best 23 by the season. For us to get better the likes of Wilson and Charleson (Carroll has already gone past him IMO) need to go past him this season.

 

[Blue__Balls]

I think ramadan aside, his form has not been the best for a long time now.

I am still in the camp of keeping him in. Now we've got a more modern style and importantly, several other power runners to go with him, I want to see us learn to use him like a brad hill off half back.

Problem is he has lost a step.

He'll benefit from not being the only bloke we look to for run and carry. Years gone by oppo coaches knew if they could put the clamps on Saad then we'd be forced wide to the boundary line. And when he did get the ball, everyone else around him would just put down roots and watch him run 20m before thumping a long kick to a contest.

This year we'll be playing through him, Florent, Williams, both Hollands, Jagga, maybe Boyd and Cowan. He had one surging run against Geelong where 2 or 3 blokes went with him and he was able to draw a man, dish of a handball and let (Ainsworth I think) take another 15m before kicking.

More players for the opposition to cover, more players willing to run in support - we'll need less from Saad than we have in the past, but I think we'll get more from him as a result.

 

[Soapy V]

Saad is one of my absolute favourites - he was very good those first few years he came across - but it was noticeable last year he lost his zip, poise and strength. Unless he remarkably rediscovers himself he should no longer be best 23 by the season. For us to get better the likes of Wilson and Charleson (Carroll has already gone past him IMO) need to go past him this season.

I would love Saad to get back to his best and hope he does

But I reckon this has been coming for a while. I thought last year it might have been injury but even after an injury free pre season he has struggled. We don't see that run anymore and his ball use is poor.

I'm not judging him on 1-2 pre season games.

At 32, and if he doesn't improve we need to start to look at others

 

[jj1978]

I would love Saad to get back to his best and hope he does

But I reckon this has been coming for a while. I thought last year it might have been injury but even after an injury free pre season he has struggled. We don't see that run anymore and his ball use is poor.

I'm not judging him on 1-2 pre season games.

At 32, and if he doesn't improve we need to start to look at others

He should be pure depth this year, rotating between him and a few kids to keep them all fresh. Worry is if Voss feels the need for extension he may go more to the senior well.

 

[teagueyubeauty]

I know there were retirement rumours last year, it wouldn't at all surprise if we end up feeling he's gone on a year too long by September.

I spoke to him directly, he had absolutely no idea where they were coming from and completely untrue

 

[haveago]

Missed over 12 months of football. 33 years of age. Game is quicker than ever now. Need more run and transition from defence and he hasn't completed a full pre season. Needs time to build match fitness.

He has got it .

 

[Blue since 72]

Haven’t seen any footage of it anywhere. The only comment I've seen around from someone who saw it, said that they knew straight away he'd be done for it.
Silly brain fade from an experienced leader. Needed all the match fitness he could get to push for a spot. Now he loses another 2 weeks.

As silly as it was I don't think he was that realistic a chance for next week anyway, he still hadn't played a full game. Reckon they were targeting round 1 or after the bye.

 

[heatleystandend]

Saad was very disappointing second half of last year. Just very lazy efforts and refusing to pick up his man at times. He was told clearly in the off season if he didn’t defend he won’t play.

His man hardly touched it these past 2 games. He is doing what is asked and he will naturally attack more. Having more attacking options as pointed out above will also help.

He is miles ahead of Wilson. Carroll might go past him this year but is injured.

Saad is a lock for this week and so he should be.

 

[Blue since 72]

I spoke to him directly, he had absolutely no idea where they were coming from and completely untrue

Be interesting to see if the club offer him another year (out of contract end of this year).

If the club is keen on retaining the likes of Wilson and with them trialling the likes of E Hols and Cerra along with Williams moving back calls will need to be made.