Review R5: The GB&U vs Carlton: ARC de Triomphe

[Beejay Crow]

I've never liked The Ketchup song ,but didn't mind hearing it twice in the second quarter.

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

Came to say the same thing. How anyone can compare the 2 and decide Jones’s output is better than nankervis is just unreal

Having said that hinge is injured so jones probably comes straight back in

Nankervis who was playing wing before the injury is a good Hinge replacement... so we can bring in someone like Edwards.

 

[WeeBlake]

Good
Rachele first half
Tex sometimes
Berry second half but still not clean enough
Rankine starting to find touch
ANB mostly
Honestly, outside of Rachele it’s hard to say anyone played really well overall
Cook has quietly become our most reliable player
Keays finding some touch

Bad
Tex when he gets a first touch under immediate pressure
Umpiring - we got a ride
Max
Nank until late
Soligo
Still pretty much everyone well below their best

Ugly
Slog of game mostly

 

[Drugs Are Bad Mackay?]

The Hinge injury will force Nicks to play Nankervis in his best spot

Devastating for Nicks but a great result for Nank and the club

 

[CrowBloke]

Take the win. Move on.

BEST thing for me about tonight was Nicks' spray at 1/4 time.
I don't say this often, but well done, Matthew Nicks

Matthew Nicks

Age

50

Ht

187cm

Wt

88kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

13.6

3star

K

9.4

4star

HB

4.2

3star

M

4.1

4star

T

1.7

4star

G

0.7

4star

No current season stats available

D

6.6

2star

K

4.4

2star

HB

2.2

2star

M

2.2

3star

T

1.4

4star

G

0.4

3star

.

 

[Mattrox]

Why the hell do we always kick long to the right from kick ins???

So we don't get caught needing an interchange with ball caught on other side.

 

[Trigger13]

anyone else suddenly looking at this list like it’s still another 4-6 players away from contending?

Depth is very poor.

 

[Velvet George]

anyone else suddenly looking at this list like it’s still another 4-6 players away from contending?

Depth is very poor.

The issue is if our depth is any good we wouldn’t know it. Edwards has to be playing ahead of Soligo, it’s a ****ing joke

 

[Maddogmetro]

They just showed some footage from the commentary box during some important Crows goal moments. Every time, Jack Riewoldt looked so annoyed. **** off Jack.

 

[StonesThrow]

Bad

Kayo finally got its usability to a decent level and then goes and changes it up to being ****ing shit house again. **** foxtel

 

[Mutineer]

5 Rachele
4 Milera
3 Berry
2 Dawson
1 Peatling

Honourable mentions Rankine, Keays, ANB, Nankervis

 

[NSolis]

Probably not any better than the performances over the last 3 rounds, but did enough. Good to get a win without playing particularly well, and the second quarter effort did feel like there was a big gap between the teams before the rain evened it up again. First quarter obviously terrible and the starts are still an issue.

One notable positive about this year is it does feel like a handful of players have improved significantly since 2025 - Berry, Cook, Rachele and Milera all playing career best football. Along with some of our better players like Rankine and Dawson still finding their best form, it does feel like if you add Curtin, Keane and Ah Chee back in there's a top 4 contending side in there, and could be better than last year.

Second ruck role still an issue. Not sure if we retain Maley when Fogarty comes back or not - all the solutions seem less than ideal.

 

[FullyBigKPro]

Borlace not terrible on McKay although conditions did help....

 

[Mattrox]

The issue is if our depth is any good we wouldn’t know it. Edwards has to be playing ahead of Soligo, it’s a ****ing joke

We have been playing our depth. We can quibble about selection...

But a fully fit Hinge, Curtin, Darper and Keane and we are a much much better side.

And doing that we have been close against top sides. And there are clear identifiable improvements to be made... even with playing depth.

 

[Mattrox]

Probably not any better than the performances over the last 3 rounds, but did enough. Good to get a win without playing particularly well, and the second quarter effort did feel like there was a big gap between the teams before the rain evened it up again. First quarter obviously terrible and the starts are still an issue.

One notable positive about this year is it does feel like a handful of players have improved significantly since 2025 - Berry, Cook, Rachele and Milera all playing career best football. Along with some of our better players like Rankine and Dawson still finding their best form, it does feel like if you add Curtin, Keane and Ah Chee back in there's a top 4 contending side in there, and could be better than last year.

Second ruck role still an issue. Not sure if we retain Maley when Fogarty comes back or not - all the solutions seem less than ideal.

Finbarr probably drops out when Fog comes back. But will play when we rest Tex.


We need to see if he can fix up his deficiencies at AFL level. Competes very well and marks well.

 

[Greenfinger]

anyone else suddenly looking at this list like it’s still another 4-6 players away from contending?

Depth is very poor.

if you think that we are already 6-7 preferred players into our depth at the moment then I think it’s actually very solid. Nank for example is an amazing depth player

 

[CrowBloke]

anyone else suddenly looking at this list like it’s still another 4-6 players away from contending?

Yeah, and a better Coach.
I'm hoping that Edwards and Draper will be 2 of those players. Sooner, better.

Depth is very poor.

We're missing key players (injured) and several of our best players are not producing their best.
If we get best-23 on the park after the Bye, our depth will be passable, but not Flag-winners.

 

[Drugs Are Bad Mackay?]

if you think that we are already 6-7 preferred players into our depth at the moment then I think it’s actually very solid. Nank for example is an amazing depth player

Agreed

We've got Keane and Butts out and still cope in terms of KPDs. Have a viable ruck back up. Are well served for tall forwards even with Fog out injured. Half forwards and half backs up the ying yang

I reckon our depth compares fine with even the best teams

It's pointy end midfield we lack

 

[ams4crows]

The new gather round Guernsey looked bloody awesome and I hope we wear it again at some point

 

[madstar]

Filthy not being right is a big issue

 

[SellarStardom]

Laird playing ahead of Bond needs discussion, every time he is under pressure just hacks it forward, no composure. Is Bond actually that bad???
Backline would be gar better with Nank, Hinge, Max, Milera, Cumming or Dawson type driving out of defense.

Our midfield is far too reliant on Berry and Dawson. Rachelle and Rankine are better forward of the ball. This is why we must have Edwatds and Dowling being given games to see if they can add to the mix and allow Dawson to play other positions. If not we need to add Nank, Milera or others that are good in congestion in there. We are just far too shallow right now

 

[ABAB]

anyone else suddenly looking at this list like it’s still another 4-6 players away from contending?

Depth is very poor.

Our depth has already been tested missing not only 3 players in best 23 but best 10 in Curtin, Keane and Ah Chee, and 3 players in best 23 in Hinge, Butts and Fogarty and have held up reasonably well. But when you have experience players in RoB and Jones still getting games, your depth list is going nowhere. The depth would improve with both not on the list.

I can see McAndrews as a premiership contending lead Ruck unlike RoB but still need to find his backup. Midfield of Dawson, Rachele, Rankine, Bailey, Curtin, Soligo and development of Draper looks strong. I would trade Berry as he will have a lot of currency provided his form continues, will need to make a midfield spot for Draper's development and especially if we get Bailey and I prefer Peatling over Berry.

 

[Greenfinger]

Good game overall. Nank needs to stay in . The best depth player in the league

 

[DangerSloane]

Game of two halves. Was at the game so excuse if I've missed the details.


Good: Perfect footy conditions first half
Arrested the centre break/clearance battle in the 2nd quarter
Rachele - absolute blinder of a first half. Did it all. 2nd half was decent too
Nank seemed to play well.
Berry
Tackling for the most part - Rash and Rankine who arent usually that type got the job done (among others)
Nibbler great in parts. Still ducks the head sometimes which irks me, but does so much right.


Bad: got SMASHED in the centre in the first quarter. We always look so flat footed unless McAndrew wins the tap clearly.
Backline still looks flimsy as hell most of the time and its new...its not the easy scores on rebounds that we have been done by in previous years its even slow plays where we look dodgy. I know we're potentially missing our two best key backs but its no excuse

Ugly: Filthys goal kicking
Not knocking the ball on enough and taking possession far too often
Some of Dawsons disposal.
Keays confusion - what did he think? Did he think that ball was kicked to him or something? Was complaining to the umps for a good mintue afterwards.

 

[Crow till I die]

Glad to get the win, only a 7 out of 10 performance for us though, possibly our worst performance for the year really, despite the win.

29 Disposals to Berry in the end. Still a lot of fumbles, but should be good for his confidence.
Rankine starting to get better.
Poor start, least we corrected pretty quick,good until the last quarter, very poor offensively in the last quarter, so many bad decisions, started to play like it was dry again.
On reflection I think despite wanting to develop a short kicking in defense game in the offseason, none of our games have been amenable to it, tonight due to the conditions, the rest due to the pressure when the game was on.
Butts and Pedlar back this week, should start to put some pressure on for positions.
Would love to get a win next week, get back to an even ledger.

Whose spot does Butts take?.my boy Borlase has barely put a foot wrong since coming in and did his job again tonight...maybe murray goes out?