Preview 2026 Rd 5 Carlton vs Adelaide - Gather Round - Thursday 9th April 7:40PM AEST @ Adelaide Oval

[Aphrodite]

Team is in …


Milestones: 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

(150th game), Adam Cerra (150th game)

AFL team news: Trio of changes for Gather Round opener

Nick Haynes will play his first game of the season in Gather Round.

www.carltonfc.com.au

 

[JaggasMoves]

We’re clearly not winning this game, so let’s at least use it to inject some energy and excitement. There’s no point continuing with Cerra, Cripps and Hewitt dominating the CBAs.

I’d drop Hewitt and Cerra, and run with Cripps, Walsh and Jagga as the primary CBA group, then rotate others through to add some pace and variation.

Sound reasonable in theory and we could use Elijah (also not quick), Evans, Ainsworth and or Byrne, but leaves as very thin in the midfield rotation and or cover for injuries

Maybe omit 1 of our one paced mids might have the desired effect

 

[Blue and Silver]

If Voss was serious about keeping his job, he would make some serious changes to the way we structure, change CBA's up and try to fix what is clearly broken.

But I don't think he has that capacity.

Adelaide has been one of the most successful teams in tearing us u on the outside and I expect that this will be a rough game

 

[carlton_99]

We really need to stop lumping Cerra in with Cripps and Hewett when discussing the midfield mix. They are not the same type of midfielder. When Cerra is at his best he is our best two way mid and can effectively spread from the contest. You don't have to be rapid to do that.

 

[SurreyBlue]

We really need to stop lumping Cerra in with Cripps and Hewett when discussing the midfield mix. They are not the same type of midfielder. When Cerra is at his best he is our best two way mid and can effectively spread from the contest. You don't have to be rapid to do that.

Well said.

 

[carlton_99]

Well said.

Another thing I should have said and I can't back it up with numbers but to the eye it feels like Cerra would be one of our most effective tacklers. It's been a big weakness of ours with so many tackles being easily broken or are not good enough to stop the player cleanly disposing of the ball. Feels like Cerra's tackles really stick.

 

[SkyhorseTamer]

We really need to stop lumping Cerra in with Cripps and Hewett when discussing the midfield mix. They are not the same type of midfielder. When Cerra is at his best he is our best two way mid and can effectively spread from the contest. You don't have to be rapid to do that.

Ya. The main issue really is every contest Hewett goes to. Cripps is there already. So. One of them **** off from that contest maybe....

 

[Jimmae]

We really need to stop lumping Cerra in with Cripps and Hewett when discussing the midfield mix. They are not the same type of midfielder. When Cerra is at his best he is our best two way mid and can effectively spread from the contest. You don't have to be rapid to do that.

I think you're also underselling Hewett there as well, outside of Walsh often playing that sweeper role in stoppage setups, Hewett is the defensive backbone of our midfield setup.

Covers a lot of territory, much in the vain of Curnow and Carrazzo before him without being as supreme an athlete.

 

[carlton_99]

I think you're also underselling Hewett there as well, outside of Walsh often playing that sweeper role in stoppage setups, Hewett is the defensive backbone of our midfield setup.

Covers a lot of territory, much in the vain of Curnow and Carrazzo before him without being as supreme an athlete.

That's a very fair point. Hewett can be a strong defensive player. We won't see the best of that though with him and Cripps at so many CBAs/stoppages together as others have mentioned above.

 

[Jimmae]

That's a very fair point. Hewett can be a strong defensive player. We won't see the best of that though with him and Cripps at so many CBAs/stoppages together as others have mentioned above.

Yes but I see that* as an unwillingness to provide more tactical options and rotate, rather than an inherent athletic issue of the combination.

 

[The_BigFella]

Sound reasonable in theory and we could use Elijah (also not quick), Evans, Ainsworth and or Byrne, but leaves as very thin in the midfield rotation and or cover for injuries

Maybe omit 1 of our one paced mids might have the desired effect

Ainsworth and Williams, if fit, can rotate through there. At the start of the season, we were also looking to use Florent in that role. We just need to be less predictable and adjust in-game.

For others on Cerra, at his best, yes he’s a strong two-way option. The issue is he struggles to build momentum before getting injured again. We haven’t managed him well, and there’s no need to keep rushing him straight back in after injury.

 

[yibbida]

If Voss was serious about keeping his job, he would make some serious changes to the way we structure, change CBA's up and try to fix what is clearly broken.

But I don't think he has that capacity.

what are these "serious changes" you refer to? Lay them out for us.

 

[Blue_Fusion]

If Voss was serious about keeping his job, he would make some serious changes to the way we structure, change CBA's up and try to fix what is clearly broken.

But I don't think he has that capacity.

Adelaide has been one of the most successful teams in tearing us u on the outside and I expect that this will be a rough game

Voss keeping his job... that ship has sailed.

He knows it, club knows it, players know it, we all know it.

 

[SkyhorseTamer]

I think you're also underselling Hewett there as well, outside of Walsh often playing that sweeper role in stoppage setups, Hewett is the defensive backbone of our midfield setup.

Covers a lot of territory, much in the vain of Curnow and Carrazzo before him without being as supreme an athlete.

I watch him get confused and commit late to contests both leaving his man free for the next forward handball and not impacting the contest he was late to decide to push up to. And his zoning off on the wing is really bad generally too. If the winger pushes up to the attacker exiting their D50 via handball/ short kicking Hewett from centre square is supposed to zone in behind the defender pushing up to cut off the next forward link. He usually just watches or runs at the ball carrier who his winger is also running towards. Making the overlap forward of the ball an even better outnumber for the other team. Does my head in.

 

[Blue and Silver]

what are these "serious changes" you refer to? Lay them out for us.

Something different from the previous 4 weeks.

I am not auditioning for the position, just identifying the obvious problem

 

[Blue since 72]

I would just like to see the head coach and the midfield coach utilise some different faces at stoppages.

If you are going to be stubborn and continue with a stoppage game as your one wood then give the regulars some assistance so they can at least have a better chance of running out the game.

I can't see "we'll get beaten in the contest it we try that" as a valid reason given our regulars get pantsed every game at stoppage after half time.

While our midfield is substantially molasses slow at least they would be able to repeat for longer and a delay in physical fatigue will also delay the onset of mental fatigue.

 

[Accidental genius]

Can only assume Voss dictates how we play in terms of contest/stoppage versus outside run and gun.

If he was agreeable to changing things up then you'd have to assume our mid coaches in particular (Leigh Adams

Leigh Adams

Age

38

Ht

176cm

Wt

79kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

18.0

4star

K

8.9

3star

HB

9.1

5star

M

3.6

4star

T

3.5

5star

G

0.7

4star

No current season stats available

D

12.2

3star

K

5.4

2star

HB

6.8

5star

M

2.2

3star

T

4.2

5star

G

0.4

3star

and Tim Clarke

Tim Clarke

Age

44

Ht

177cm

Wt

77kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

17.1

4star

K

8.2

3star

HB

8.9

5star

M

4.8

5star

T

2.2

4star

No current season stats available

D

13.4

4star

K

6.0

3star

HB

7.4

5star

M

3.2

4star

T

2.2

4star

) could deliver (?)

That would also force a different looking midfield mix - is that something Voss would be happy to trial

 

[Jimmae]

I watch him get confused and commit late to contests both leaving his man free for the next forward handball and not impacting the contest he was late to decide to push up to. And his zoning off on the wing is really bad generally too. If the winger pushes up to the attacker exiting their D50 via handball/ short kicking Hewett from centre square is supposed to zone in behind the defender pushing up to cut off the next forward link. He usually just watches or runs at the ball carrier who his winger is also running towards. Making the overlap forward of the ball an even better outnumber for the other team. Does my head in.

I'm not going to begrudge him some headless chook moments when he's clearly redlining it due to the rotation tactics. Cripps does the same thing, whereas Walsh is nowhere to be found for big stretches of games on the outside when the ball doesn't go the way he wants it to.

He definitely made more of an effort this week, but that faded as well, with us replacing a winger with Cerra.

 

[Sucker for Trade Period]

We really need to stop lumping Cerra in with Cripps and Hewett when discussing the midfield mix. They are not the same type of midfielder. When Cerra is at his best he is our best two way mid and can effectively spread from the contest. You don't have to be rapid to do that.

Cerra is such an important player for us. His defensive efforts seem to go very unnoticed.

 

[SkyhorseTamer]

I'm not going to begrudge him some headless chook moments when he's clearly redlining it due to the rotation tactics. Cripps does the same thing, whereas Walsh is nowhere to be found for big stretches of games on the outside when the ball doesn't go the way he wants it to.

He definitely made more of an effort this week, but that faded as well, with us replacing a winger with Cerra.

I don't mention Walsh defensively because yeah. He just never appears and his man is usually free. Dunno what goes on with him in open play these days....

Cripps I think zones off ok but I see no reason to carry two rucks when Cripps should effectively defend the centre field horizontal +- 30m (so ready for exit kicks) and have axt as the second ruck defensively. Idk maybe he isn't even up to following max gawn around that arc which he always patrols a kick behind where Melbourne has the ball. Allows pitto to follow the forward pressing ruckman and reduces a tall from the team. Introduces another running bench rotation

 

[Jimmae]

I don't mention Walsh defensively because yeah. He just never appears and his man is usually free. Dunno what goes on with him in open play these days....

Cripps I think zones off ok but I see no reason to carry two rucks when Cripps should effectively defend the centre field horizontal +- 30m (so ready for exit kicks) and have axt as the second ruck defensively. Idk maybe he isn't even up to following max gawn around that arc which he always patrols a kick behind where Melbourne has the ball. Allows pitto to follow the forward pressing ruckman and reduces a tall from the team. Introduces another running bench rotation

Agree, but Young is another way to do it. If we can get away with both we can blitz teams on the outside while still being strong at the contest.

 

[Red_man2008]

Hopefully we get to see more of jagga on the ball this week.

 

[ctwenty1]

Hopefully we get to see more of jagga on the ball this week.

he needs a rest

 

[Jimmae]

If it were me:

OUT: Weitering (inj), L.Young, Boyd, Hayward (rest), Pittonet (rest)
IN: Haynes, Williams, Acres, F.Young, Reidy

No Reidy, and that probably forces things enough to keep Lewis Young in the team, which leaves us needing to find more fuel in the tank elsewhere.

OUT: Weitering, Boyd, Hayward, Byrne
IN: Williams, Saad, F.Young, Acres

FB: Newman L.Young Carroll
HB: Cowan Derksen Saad
C: O.Hollands Cerra Acres
HF: Evans Kemp Ainsworth
FF: McGovern McKay F.Young

R: Pittonet Cripps Walsh

INT: Smith, Hewett, E.Hollands, Williams, Florent

EMG: Wilson, Haynes, Byrne

 

[Coona Blues]

he needs a rest

Definitely some credence for this. Kid coming off an ACL cannot be expected to play a frontline midfield role week after week. Probably pushed this week and relieved” by his mate Cooper next week.

 

[ctwenty1]

Definitely some credence for this. Kid coming off an ACL cannot be expected to play a frontline midfield role week after week. Probably pushed this week and relieved” by his mate Cooper next week.

reckon they will play him against the pies but maybe rested against freo