Preview 2026 Round 1 Carlton vs Richmond Thursday 12th March 7:30PM ADST @ MCG

[Aphrodite]

Team is in …


3 changes:-

IN: Carroll, Cowan, O’Keefe

OUT: Saad, Moir, Reidy

AFL team news: Trio returns to take on Richmond

Carlton has made three changes for the Round 1 clash with Richmond.

www.carltonfc.com.au

 

[The_BigFella]

Voss doesn’t rate him.

Voss is stubborn and not very bright. A terrible combination for a coach of a side that has real weaknesses

I’m not Vossy’s biggest fan, but not playing Boyd — especially last year — isn’t something that’s really bothered me. He’s a good kick, but he seems to get injured at the wrong times and has never really struck me as that footy-driven. That said, I’d definitely give him a go now.

 

[4flagsin5yrs]

All OOC this year as their last.
LY has versatility in an area we’re short in, KPP / ruck. Think that should be his go this year, mobility and option forward & back.
Been fleeced by ZW & MM on $’s for output.

See if the changes commence this week.
Saad inj
MM & ZW selection
LY to absorb the 2nd ruck, though the way H went, he could easily replace him as KPF and perform better

These sort of comments - and there are many - are facile.

Yes, agree get Derksen in, i'd be playing MM forward personally. Saad a forced change... Byrne or Young for Fogarty (the bloke MUST have pics...).

We lost - got belted - thanks to the midfield. Pitto was ok at CBBs, the spotlight needs to be on Cripps, Walsh, Hewett etc.

And it's not because they're "too slow"... that's facile too.

It's positioning, lack of mentality and not doing a role (or not knowing what your role is)... none seemed capable on Thursday night, when we needed them to stem the bleeding....

On the wider, level our skill level (mostly in H1 as we didn't touch the ball much in H2) was as bad as I've seen it in years... yeah, bit dewy, ball a bit slippery but E. Hollands - I honestly thought he must have been at the pub for a few hours pre game... all in the head the doctor said....

The worst disposal, repeatedly, I have seen, almost ever (noting allegedly a highly skilled player!)

His stuff ups were a major cause of us failing to kick more in that half - we really should have been up by 5 goals at half time... it's an entirely different game then...

I'd didn't agree with much Lloyd and co said but one fact was impossible to refute - Mitchell at the Hawks, Dimma at GC, fly at the Pies came in and things changed noticeably in very short order - for the better!

Voss has been here 5 years and we're still bitching about the same stuff and nothing has changed for the better.

QED?

 

[Blue_Fusion]

Yes the midfield falls away BUT a lot of this is caused by lack of support on the outside.

Our midfiked needs to dominate for us to do well and they did for a half but it’s unsustainable when it’s just a few

Issue is they aren’t supported and ball use makes it hard to score. This leads to us falling away quickly.

The problem IMO is the sum of all parts not one area

Yes definitely more problems than just the midfield... I should have said it's the biggest problem

 

[passmark]

I’m not Vossy’s biggest fan, but not playing Boyd — especially last year — isn’t something that’s really bothered me. He’s a good kick, but he seems to get injured at the wrong times and has never really struck me as that footy-driven. That said, I’d definitely give him a go now.

And Boyd isn’t an isolated example

 

[Benaly28]

1. Don't select players to play forward if they aren't forwards. Structure the forward line properly.

2. Give yourself numbers forward of the ball otherwise you just bust your arse to win the ball back and then give it straight back.

3. Midfield rotations or you have no legs in the second half.

4. Tactically we need to look at whether we are demanding too much defensive running and whether we are burning out our forwards and mids too early by having them go too deep defensively. Put the emphasis on the defenders to do the job one on one a bit more. We got murdered with run in the second half against Sydney, when the ran forward we could not keep up. We are either too unfit, or we carry too many players who can't run OR tactically we are killing our players with defensive running and burning them out. A lot of inside 50s for us and not enough scoring also achieves burnt out players. So putting crap forwards in our forward line is not helping.

5. We got smashed with intercepts when we were forced to kick the ball long. We need O'Keeffe there to play deep and take an opponent and take those long kicks. Our rucks aren't forwards and McKay can't do it alone. Our smaller players will take a lot of marks if we have two big bodies keeping they two key defenders busy.

6. Lower the eyes and more short kicking. We failed to hit up short targets and continued to go to longer options. Short forward kicking breaks up zones, it's smart possession football. It's time to start filtering these poor kicks and decision makers out of the team.

7. Our onball group is still too slow and lacking talent but we haven't got anyone to bring in.

8. Voss' opposition analysis is not good enough and does not account for how teams will analyse us and how they will use that tactically.

B: Cowan Weitering Dean
HB: Boyd Derksen Florent
C: Carroll Cripps Hollands
HF: Ainsworth Kemp Hayward
F: Byrne McKay O'Keeffe
OB: Pittonet Walsh Smith
IC: Chesser Lord Hewett Williams Hollands

IN:
Derksen - Should be rewarded for a solid game the other week. Intercepting power looked really good.

Boyd - fits the spot.

Byrne - Should be rewarded for good results, is a real forward, let's move forward not keep the same old failures.

Carroll - Need his run, kicking skills and talent. Good preseason on a wing.

Cowan - We badly lacked quality ground level players and toughness at ground level. Saad and Williams are outside players. So is Boyd. So we need Cowan, we need Newman who can stand in front of a running forward hitting the ball hard and have an impact.

OUT:
McGovern - While he is going ok, we are too tall back there and we need to put our youth to the test.

Saad - Hamstring

Young - Same as McGovern.

Fogarty - What I mentioned about Byrne.

Reidy - Two rucks is complete idiocy. Great way to make a team lacking forwards and run even worse.

Spot on.

 

[TheReal99prelim]

I would drop ——- and bring in Derkson.

McGovern

Leave Young in as 2nd ruck/swingman

Drop Reidy, Fogarty and Saad

Bring in Carroll to cover Saad

Williams is actually a reasonably smart footballer. His playing days are as a HF

Byrne/Flynn Young for Fogarty (prefer Byrne)

Boyd to help out with Williams going fwd

DO NOT WANT TO SEE LORD ON THE WING FFS!!!

As required, O Hollands and Carroll can rotate wing/HB

PS. Moir very very very lucky

 

[Juddernaut08]

Hands were tied this week with selection with all those unavailable but with those expected to return next week two changes just need to be made.

The first is that should be the last time we ever seen four tall defenders in a Carlton team. It has never worked and it will never work. McGovern and Young first on the chopping block and would be happy to see Derksen or Haynes in depending on fitness.

We also can't be playing Pittonet and Reidy together. Pittonet had a strong game but Reidy was just a waste of a spot. If Harry is going to be playing up the ground anyway might as well have him in the ruck and add another runner. Other option is HOK which would be preferred to Reidy as he has better forward craft. Content with either change.

An early team assuming a few come back:

FB: Cowan Weitering Dean
HB: Florent Derksen Boyd
C: O.Hollands Cripps Chesser
HF: E.Hollands McKay Ainsworth
FF: Evans Kemp Hayward
FOL: Pittonet Hewett Walsh
INT: Carroll Lord Smith Williams Moir

INs: Derksen, Cowan, Boyd, Carroll and Evans
OUTs: Young, McGovern, Fogarty, Saad (inj?) and Reidy

going too tall is classic selection under vods for years

2 rucks. 4 kpd

then demands we run more than the other more mobile team

stupidity

 

[Sqotty from office works]

Ahhhhhhh.
Finally a winnable game.
Bluebaggers by 26.
We were 22 points up in the 3rd quarter.

 

[agro]

McGovern

Leave Young in as 2nd ruck/swingman

Drop Reidy, Fogarty and Saad

Bring in Carroll to cover Saad

Williams is actually a reasonably smart footballer. His playing days are as a HF

Byrne/Flynn Young for Fogarty (prefer Byrne)

Boyd to help out with Williams going fwd

DO NOT WANT TO SEE LORD ON THE WING FFS!!!

As required, O Hollands and Carroll can rotate wing/HB

PS. Moir very very very lucky

Close, but am unable to further elaborate.

 

[HBF]

So much pressure in this game now

Tigers are very young but skilful and well drilled and coached

Nervous

We'll be 0-2 after Thursday night.

 

[The Bighouse]

Voss doesn’t rate him.

Voss is stubborn and not very bright. A terrible combination for a coach of a side that has real weaknesses

There was nothing to rate last year - fair enough to say that was more on Jordan’s part on his prep & output (mysterious absence over pre-season too)
Played vs SYD and scored a concussion = further interruption.

I’m sure it’s not solely MV on the MC…

 

[berisha]

The fact that everyone (media) seems to believe we should win this makes me incredibly nervous. This group is still mentally fragile and after last week's bed crapping I think Richmond will know we're gettable.

Plus we know the selection committee will do jack **** to address the real issues and continue to play Voss' favourites. Hopefully he takes them with him when he inevitably gets the sack this year.

 

[Benaly28]

Voss will live and die by the sword.

 

[Juddernaut08]

Voss will live and die by the sword.

u sure? more lives than a cat

 

[passmark]

There was nothing to rate last year - fair enough to say that was more on Jordan’s part on his prep & output (mysterious absence over pre-season too)
Played vs SYD and scored a concussion = further interruption.

I’m sure it’s not solely MV on the MC…

Voss is a thicko

 

[The_BigFella]

We'll be 0-2 after Thursday night.

I highly doubt we’ll lose on Thursday. It’s the type of side we should be able to bully/paper over the cracks. Yes, I know we lost to them before, but surely they’ll be prepared this time.

 

[agro]

The fact that everyone (media) seems to believe we should win this makes me incredibly nervous. This group is still mentally fragile and after last week's bed crapping I think Richmond will know we're gettable.

Plus we know the selection committee will do jack **** to address the real issues and continue to play Voss' favourites. Hopefully he takes them with him when he inevitably gets the sack this year.

The 3AW team at 12pm Saturday (Caroline Wilson, Bruce Eva and Leigh Matthews) basically said that we should be 3 and 1 at round four, suggest they are setting themselves an agenda item come round 4.

Pretty much the entire AFL Media are rooting for a Carlton implosion and to tell you how meh that North Melbourne is, no one gives a shit about the sacking of Clarkson any time soon.

 

[BlueLocke]

Do we even need Young against Richmond?

Weitering will take Lynch, Dean can take Faull.

Readjust the forward setup and use HOK for Reidy’s minutes.

 

[Accidental genius]

We'll be 0-2 after Thursday night.

unfortunately im not confident either.

 

[The Bighouse]

Do we even need Young against Richmond?

Weitering will take Lynch, Dean can take Faull.

Readjust the forward setup and use HOK for Reidy’s minutes.

But has HOK even warranted selection?

Young should be relief ruck with coverage back or forward (in the event of injury, or another lacklustre performance from H = bench him).

If H doesn’t do more, or even just impose himself on the game somehow, think we may get more out of LY as the KPF.

 

[Beer n Skittles]

These sort of comments - and there are many - are facile.

Yes, agree get Derksen in, i'd be playing MM forward personally. Saad a forced change... Byrne or Young for Fogarty (the bloke MUST have pics...).

We lost - got belted - thanks to the midfield. Pitto was ok at CBBs, the spotlight needs to be on Cripps, Walsh, Hewett etc.

And it's not because they're "too slow"... that's facile too.

It's positioning, lack of mentality and not doing a role (or not knowing what your role is)... none seemed capable on Thursday night, when we needed them to stem the bleeding....

On the wider, level our skill level (mostly in H1 as we didn't touch the ball much in H2) was as bad as I've seen it in years... yeah, bit dewy, ball a bit slippery but E. Hollands - I honestly thought he must have been at the pub for a few hours pre game... all in the head the doctor said....

The worst disposal, repeatedly, I have seen, almost ever (noting allegedly a highly skilled player!)

His stuff ups were a major cause of us failing to kick more in that half - we really should have been up by 5 goals at half time... it's an entirely different game then...

I'd didn't agree with much Lloyd and co said but one fact was impossible to refute - Mitchell at the Hawks, Dimma at GC, fly at the Pies came in and things changed noticeably in very short order - for the better!

Voss has been here 5 years and we're still bitching about the same stuff and nothing has changed for the better.

QED?

I don't know that any changes to the personnel in the midfield, given the current list available, would have made any difference whatsoever to how the Sydney game played out. Certainly agree though that some smarts from the mids & wings to position themselves defensively while getting belted out of the middle would have been good though.

 

[MPH78]

A very early stern test for our on and off field leadership and their alignment.

Deep down a win against Sydney away wouldn’t have been expected. To capitulate in the manner we did though wouldn’t have been expected and would be extremely alarming to say the least. Especially as they openly said that words mean little and it’s the on field actions that count.

I’ll be watching how we respond. Will we show that we are now a more mature club and simply take care of business over the next few games? Or will it derail our season?

Clearly hoping for the former. Can’t imagine Davies would stand for what we dished up in the second half. I hope so at least.

 

[teagueyubeauty]

Derkson is in good form, just won the F2 race at Albert Park…surely he suits up next week

 

[WeAreTheNavyBlues]

My two cents - nothing overly groundbreaking

I can understand (although I wouldn't have come to the same decision) why the MC would have debated playing an extra tall defender and/or ruck given height of Sydney forward line and worry about going head to head with Grundy, however neither come into play against Richmond.

Therefore, easiest decision this week is to drop Reidy. The only issue, which isn't a new one, who plays back up ruck? Screaming out for HOK to step up but isn't ready. Can Derksen chop out in the ruck? I don't like running McKay through there. Unfortunately, Young is probably our best second ruck option. Overall, I think we bring Derksen in, who looked like he can play on a tall or medium player, and go with a makeshift approach to the back-up position.

On Young - if he's not back up ruck, he's out - Cowan hopefully ready.

Fogarty - simply doesn't offer enough and desperately need to move past him. Assuming Evans won't be ready, Byrne comes in, who looked dangerous in the pre-season and is a natural in the position.

Williams - I actually didn't mind him in the first quarter or so when he was rotating through the middle, think we had a lot worse on the night. Seeing him down back however is sickening - I think he stays in, but keep away from the backline.

Gov - again don't think he was our worst, despite a few turnovers had some good moments. Stays in.

Saad - assuming he won't get up for the game - hopefully Carroll ready.

Changes:
Out - Reidy, Fogarty, Young, Saad (inj)
In - Cowan, Carroll, Derksen, Byrne

 

[jj1978]

Voss will live and die by the sword.

In VIC we use machetes