Preview 2024 AFL Community Series - Carl v Melb Wed 28th Feb 6.40PM @ Ikon Park

[macky99]

Living in dreamland... if if if. No excuses.... got pumped all over the ground. Gawn is a great tap ruck maybe you learn to shark him and play a more defensive midfield set up also as breaking even especially at centre clearance would definitely help but our ball use is average at best. Lucky to make top 8 last year let alone a prelim, the Giants on the other hand look a lot more worthy of top 4.

A pretty premature assessment based on a few practice games.
We have a strong list, the challenge will be to have a healthy list for the most of the season, if so we should absolutely be top 5.

 

[InsufficientIntent]

A few more things to add about this game is the worrying signs for me is that in a very outside game we get beaten easily. They will be really happy with their speed and agility around the ball but for us it's a real worry. Both our hitouts were fairly low contested, very outside games and for us to not do better in those circumstances is a worry. I think no Walsh is a really really big out for us. He's the best outside onballer we have, he balances us up really well.

Teams have had a few seasons to adjust their setups around the ball to accommodate the changes the anti-congestion rules have brought to the game so I suspect most sides to be a little quicker through their midfield.

What also worries me is that to create pressure, because we are slow, we push forwards up around the contest. That makes it easy pickings when we kick forward for the intercept defenders. I'm not sure it's not stuffing our forward structure right up as well. If a lot of the forwards are up around the ball, we haven't got those hard leading forwards back there.

One thing I didn't like was our forwards leading patterns. They mostly were not existent. We byepass half forward a lot and that's not good. We're going long and deep a lot. When we do run the ball through the midfield the forwards need to be leading up and we need to be hitting leads. Late in the game Wilson get the ball, runs it and bullets it inside 50, not his fault it hits a Melbourne player, our forwards should have been leading up at that. What's going on there? Are our forwards too spent from spending too much time playing high up around the ground and also getting caught out of position too often? Are our forwards having to compensate too much because we are too slow around the ball?

What was happening when the ball came out of the stoppage was a real worry for mine. We were immediately behind the man and a lot of the time losing ground.

Lets see how we go but I get the feeling we will be chasing some pace in the middle of the ground at the end of the season.

As I have said over and over again, the anti-congestion rules have changed the game and we have been caught behind. We have made some improvements but have we made enough? The game is more outside, inside players need a better outside game now and closing speed, agility and break away speed are very very important now in the game. If you do not have it you struggle to apply pressure and run the ball from stoppage and through the middle. If you do not have it you need to push numbers around the stoppages which stuffs up your forward structure.

I know it was a preseason game but we did not demonstrate good closing speed at stoppages, break away speed to carry the ball from stoppages and good fast chains through the middle of the ground were rare from us.

I'm hoping that next week we see more run and dash and a big lift in speed around the stoppages.

I won't be making any judgements on this game but I will be looking to see whether the same issues are taken into the main season. Can guarantee when we tone down the attacking footy and hit the contests harder we are going to be better. The question remains, will that be enough?

This in my opinion is our scope to improve. We need to be also able to win games that are more outside. We need to be able to run and carry the footy consistently. We need to be able to generate pressure without having to push extra numbers up around the ball. We don't need to be as good at outside footy as we are at inside footy but we do need to improve it.

This is a great summary of our issues last year and what seem to be a cause for concern this year aswell.

A midfield of Cripps, Cerra, hewett, Kennedy is quite possibly the slowest in the afl. Throw Walsh in there and it improves marginally. But it’s a huge area of concern still.

Brisbane cut us apart last year because of their spread from stoppage. We lagged behind big time.

AFL football is less crash and bash than ever. Yet, we’ve assembled a midfield that is predominately inside. Doesn’t make sense to me at all

 

[Benaly28]

Like every year, for every club, you get a decent read of how you are travelling in blocks of 7-8 games

Lions, Tigers, Norfs, Dockers, Crows, Giants, Cats, Pies

At this early stage 5 - 3 is a pass mark

We’d need to be 6-2 me thinks.


On iPhone using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[JJBagger]

This is a great summary of our issues last year and what seem to be a cause for concern this year aswell.

A midfield of Cripps, Cerra, hewett, Kennedy is quite possibly the slowest in the afl. Throw Walsh in there and it improves marginally. But it’s a huge area of concern still.

Brisbane cut us apart last year because of their spread from stoppage. We lagged behind big time.

AFL football is less crash and bash than ever. Yet, we’ve assembled a midfield that is predominately inside. Doesn’t make sense to me at all

Bont, Macrae, Dunkley, Treloar was just as slow, and that group helped carry the dogs to a grand final a couple of years ago. Viney, Oliver, Petracca not much quicker either

 

[4flagsin5yrs]

Bont, Macrae, Dunkley, Treloar was just as slow, and that group helped carry the dogs to a grand final a couple of years ago. Viney, Oliver, Petracca not much quicker either

We spanked the Lions for over a quarter.

We just hit the wall....

 

[InsufficientIntent]

We spanked the Lions for over a quarter.

We just hit the wall....

Nah they changed tact after quarter time and killed us on the spread. It was clear as day.

 

[macky99]

Nah they changed tact after quarter time and killed us on the spread. It was clear as day.

Another poster massively overreacting to a couple of practice games. Cripps/Walsh/Cerra at their best are A grade midfielders, Hewitt is solid and Hollands will become a geninue mid in the next 12 months.

The midfield was very strong for 3 mths last year, yet you have singled out one game against a team that lost a grand final by a goal on a ground they are rarely beaten

 

[HaydossJ]

Nah they changed tact after quarter time and killed us on the spread. It was clear as day.

with ball movement sure, but not leg speed.

You cannot believe that Brisbane's midfield has significantly more leg speed than ours? How about Geelong's 2022 premiership midfield? Selwood, Guthrie, Atkins, and Dangerfield?

Cripps, Hewett/Kennedy, Cerra, and Walsh with spurts from Williams, Hollands, and Cunners is fine.

 

[HaydossJ]

This is a great summary of our issues last year and what seem to be a cause for concern this year aswell.

A midfield of Cripps, Cerra, hewett, Kennedy is quite possibly the slowest in the afl. Throw Walsh in there and it improves marginally. But it’s a huge area of concern still.

Brisbane cut us apart last year because of their spread from stoppage. We lagged behind big time.

AFL football is less crash and bash than ever. Yet, we’ve assembled a midfield that is predominately inside. Doesn’t make sense to me at all

We won 10 games in row + 2 finals playing this style..

 

[JustaBattler]

Nah they changed tact after quarter time and killed us on the spread. It was clear as day.

Vegemite or peanut butter?

 

[thebluenewdeal]

Nah they changed tact after quarter time and killed us on the spread. It was clear as day.

What did they change?

 

[Aphrodite]

McGovern commends backline efforts, praises youngsters

Mitch McGovern was proud of the way his backline was able to overcome adversity.

www.carltonfc.com.au

 

[Coops93]

H as second ruck is genius.

Tall enough to drag the ball out of the ruck,can seriously run and is actually a good field kick.

We must persist and shelve Pitto for break glass in case of emergency.


On iPhone using BigFooty.com mobile app

Is it genius or obvious?

Half the forum have been saying for years he should play more ruck.

 

[Jatz]

I will die on the hill that you don't put a key forward in a ruck contest. You are just asking him to get injured.

 

[Jatz]

Further to that, why would you put Harry in the ruck anymore than you'd put Weiters in there? There's only 5cm between them.

 

[gbatman]

This is a great summary of our issues last year and what seem to be a cause for concern this year aswell.

A midfield of Cripps, Cerra, hewett, Kennedy is quite possibly the slowest in the afl. Throw Walsh in there and it improves marginally. But it’s a huge area of concern still.

Brisbane cut us apart last year because of their spread from stoppage. We lagged behind big time.

AFL football is less crash and bash than ever. Yet, we’ve assembled a midfield that is predominately inside. Doesn’t make sense to me at all

The bulk of our list was put together pre 2022 and is ideally made for that brand of footy. It just needs some small tweaks. Yes speed and mobility around the middle of the ground is an issue. It is hidden against lesser opposition. When Walsh and Cerra are fit and Docherty is spending time in there we are better as they are our better movers. Having control of the ruck is also a big deal for us as if we can keep the ball in front of our big trucks it makes it hard to exploit us.

The thing with this game was we had to push the forwards up high to hide this weakness. It's a big reason why our forward line doesn't always function well.

I think we will be going hard at a mid or two next year.

I would be pushing Wilson and Durdin as onballers. Try get some zip in there.

This game, we relied heavily on our outside game, put it to the test and it failed. We can probably go to a more contested, congested brand of footy and win these games in low scoring slog fest. Not sure that wins us a flag or will last a whole season.

 

[JustaBattler]

Voss plays an extra at stoppages as SOP and they typically come from HFFs.

The forward line is never 6 on 6 and more often because most coaches play an extra behind for teh 'rebound caper' Carlton is playing 4V 7 hence the easy double teaming on Charlie...

that is where the forward press comes in - and that is win ball and either go direct through the guts to a leading forward - on show in teh game that everyone is dirtying their pants over OR grind teh ball forward in repeat stoppages - where the bigger bodies come into play.

The ONLY teams that can challenge this stye are those whose ruckman dominates and provides opposition mids with more than a fair share of football and even then matchups and game plan can be adjusted accordingly.

The reason that Voss is happy to play that style is because unlike most other teams he has two absolute weapons to kick to in Charlie and Harry - if other forwards manage to provide a target - look out all opposition it will be slaughter house - that is what we are waiting for the maturing Motlop/Durdin/Cottrell and or the fit Martin/Fantasia to add that needed pressure and scoring player - give Moir a year to develop...and bring back SOJ and teh whole dynamic of the team will be obvious.

To suggest that Carlton midfield is demonstrably the slowest in AFL is a crock of BS. anyway - but that is a continuing meme on here...

 

[Magruder]

Vegemite or peanut butter?

Promite, they’re heathens afterall

 

[COBALT BLUE]

Never said he wasn't enormously impacted....but so were Doc and Acres....who incidentally got us over the line with the last passage of play. You should check it out at some stage, it was awesome!!

Anyway Jim, get on board the Pitto Train - TOOT TOOT!!!

View attachment 1916490

Toot toot......go Crippa
Happy for Crippa

 

[thylacine60]

Vegemite or peanut butter?

 

[Gethelred]

Clearly not at 100% is not a fact but your opinion, seeing what you want to see ie; blind.
Where is the proof?
Do competitive athletes go out to intentionally lose?
Where our kicks inside 50 hitting targets?
Did we make them look slow?
Did they not miss a lot of set shots that went out on the full to make the scores even closer than they should have been?
Did they not have twice as many scoring shots?

Tell you what.

You're welcome to how you see the sport. Telling other people that they're blind is rather rude to be the point of disincentivising others speaking.

How about we hold ourselves to a higher standard than this, hmm?

 

[The Blue Weirdo]

Further to that, why would you put Harry in the ruck anymore than you'd put Weiters in there? There's only 5cm between them.

The best reasons for excluding Pitto and replacing him with Harry are it allows us to include another pacey mid/hybrid forward in the 22 and also allows H to roam and involve himself in general play. His pace, field kicking and marking around the midfield/HHF(Billy/Moir?) far outweighs a lame /unfit Pitto output.

Maybe a 100% healthy Pitto might change this, but Voss is too prepared to play him under done, which attracts the negative opinions of Pitto's value.

 

[SurreyBlue]

The one thing that really gets me going is how much pushing, shoving and holding other teams get away with compared to us. Just struggle to understand why.

 

[Arr0w]

The one thing that really gets me going is how much pushing, shoving and holding other teams get away with compared to us. Just struggle to understand why.

It's about learning how to play right on the edge without crossing it

Some players/teams feign awkwardness to impede the opposition, great tactics if you can get away with it

 

[bigblueboy]

Voss plays an extra at stoppages as SOP and they typically come from HFFs.

The forward line is never 6 on 6 and more often because most coaches play an extra behind for teh 'rebound caper' Carlton is playing 4V 7 hence the easy double teaming on Charlie...

that is where the forward press comes in - and that is win ball and either go direct through the guts to a leading forward - on show in teh game that everyone is dirtying their pants over OR grind teh ball forward in repeat stoppages - where the bigger bodies come into play.

The ONLY teams that can challenge this stye are those whose ruckman dominates and provides opposition mids with more than a fair share of football and even then matchups and game plan can be adjusted accordingly.

The reason that Voss is happy to play that style is because unlike most other teams he has two absolute weapons to kick to in Charlie and Harry - if other forwards manage to provide a target - look out all opposition it will be slaughter house - that is what we are waiting for the maturing Motlop/Durdin/Cottrell and or the fit Martin/Fantasia to add that needed pressure and scoring player - give Moir a year to develop...and bring back SOJ and teh whole dynamic of the team will be obvious.

To suggest that Carlton midfield is demonstrably the slowest in AFL is a crock of BS. anyway - but that is a continuing meme on here...

Agree with most of this.
There’s been a real focus on adding more layers, or adapting, the game plan over summer to generate quick ball movement off half back and more scores off turnovers.
As observed in the practice matches, progress on these elements isn’t necessarily going to be linear.
I think it shows, however, that while Voss recognises a highly contested style of football is our “one wood”, he knows we need a more flexible approach.
Some players will be able to adapt better than others.