Am I the only one who is worried?

[Bluebear]

I have maintained that our best side playing well is good enough to beat most sides, and compete with the top few in the comp.

But we still have no depth......except maybe in the midfield now.

Fisher goes down, all of a sudden we are turning to two "no-name" forwards to help out Fev.

Hampson goes down and now we have Setanta being pulled out of FB to cover the ruck.......again.

Now I know that we have had some bad luck in the last 2 weeks, losing 4 of our 5 rucks, but our depth isn't great, and I think we will be tested tonight.

I have a bad feeling in my bones. 2 weeks ago I had no issues tipping us vs Tiges, with Hampson playing very well in the pre-season and Aisake getting his first run, but now I have some concerns.

If the Tiges win the ruck and get some clearances, our backline may struggle to hold their forwards.

Judd and Stevens underdone......can they dominate the midfield as we will need them to?

Am I the only one that has these concerns, or should I just be blindly optimisitic?

 

[HBF]

Like most games, this one will be won in the midfield, and who can get enough good ball into their respective forward lines. I'm confident, given the midfield we have at our disposal tonight, Carlton will prevail.

Tip - Carlton by 10 points.

 

[Da Bull]

I am defiantely worried. There Fwd line has alot of options and we appear on dimensional. I'd be happy to be proved wrong of course. Tigers by 11.

 

[borissey]

You cant be the youngest team and least experienced team in the competition without lacking depth...

 

[tugga]

Both sides lack depth, but both sides are addressing it.
Our forward line is more potent than your backline. Your midfield is more potent than ours.
Game could very well be won by Fevola. If he gets delivery, then he could easily kick six or seven and it's game over. Hoping Thursfield can do a job on him.
Haven't looked forward to a game so much in so long.

 

[SA Blue]

I was far more confident a few weeks ago. The injuries and distractions have in my mind brought the game back to even money.

Both sides will be nervous and mistakes will be made. Who can handle the pressure will largely decide who wins. Hopefully having Judd and Steven in the guts will help us with this.

 

[C4[2]Yo`DooR]

I've got a bad feeling about tonight, If Hampson or Fisher were playing - I'd be confident.

 

[Bluebear]

You cant be the youngest team and least experienced team in the competition without lacking depth...

Yes, and the point is with the injuries we've copped in the last couple of weeks, it hurts us badly, yet all the talk seems to not acknowledge this.

Hampson is our biggest loss this week. Sure he has only played 2 games, but he is set to dominate the ruck IMO.

I agree with HBF that IF we can get on top in the midfield then we can get on top.

My anxiety arises from Stevens not having played senior footy for almost 12 months, Judd still not 100%, Simpson hopefully not repeating his slow start to 2007....

IMO for us to win one of the young guys will need to step up and do something unexpected.
One of:
Jammo or Waite pantsing Richo
Grigg beating Brown or Lids
Hartlett kicking 3 or 4 from CHF
Edwards jagging 3 or so from the HFF
Gibbs getting 25 plus possies and kicking one or two

I'm hoping to some degree that we have been foxing with Judd and that everyone will be surprised tonight when he moves at 100%.

 

[dane]

I've got a good feeling about tonight.
Enough negativity... we will smash them.

 

[mjonc]

I am defiantely worried. There Fwd line has alot of options and we appear on dimensional. I'd be happy to be proved wrong of course. Tigers by 11.

We have alot of options + alot of midfielders who can kick goals. Richmond will be Fev focused and as the Bulldogs found out, Harts and Jake can play!!

Remember Jake also bagged 4 against a quality Eagles defence without Fev in site.

 

[Stig O'Hara]

Last couple of times Simmonds has killed us.
Usually at the centre bounce he bolts forward, and floats around the HF line.

Shoud be ok in the guts,
even if Judd/Stevens are tagged,
they will still get it 25 times,
Gibbs/Murphy/Carazzo/Simpson should have major impact,
but all mids have to get back and help back 6.

Hartlett/Edwards could be wildcards if shown no respect.

Carlton by 15 points

 

[Jeremias]

Nope, you are definitely not the only one.

Our injuries and lack of depth to cover for them has me worried too about tonight.

Having said that, getting on top in the middle is the key, and we now have the midfield certainly able to do that. If we dominate the midfield, we'll win and Fev will have a field day. If not, then it could be a very long night.

 

[Brighton_Diggins]

I'm tipping Richmond in light of recent events.
Mainly injuries.
I'd love to win...but i think it's far more crucial for the tigers to win.
They are neck deep in it in terms of future.
Our list, when it comes together in 2 or 3 games, will really push
alot of the teams and i think the blues could really blossom
about 1/4 of the way into the season.
They're not gonna push Judd and stevens is under done.
We've basically got 1.5 ruckmen and our back line could really
suffer if they get a run on.
We've been leaking back there for how long?
Funnily enough I think Fev is really crucial here.
If he puts his game head on and gets enough of it then i think
that could be the tonic. I've only seen him live against port
at aami but he looked really good in the way he was leading
and moving across the ground.
A good result would be a close game with no injuries.

 

[as0l0]

I have maintained that our best side playing well is good enough to beat most sides, and compete with the top few in the comp.

*snip*

Am I the only one that has these concerns, or should I just be blindly optimisitic?

too much thinking and not enough faith. believe!

in the worst case you will feel a low that makes the high that much higher!

 

[DIG]

Fev will be the difference. He has to atone and they've got no match up for him.

Risk is if their forward line cuts us to shreds through Deledio and Brown, or Richo having a night out. Pettifer's playing well now too and will maximise their inside-50s.

Our midfield is potent and will at worst hold it's own and at best run rampant.

Personally I don't think the rucks will have any impact on the game outcome, Cloke can hold his ground ok and Simmonds is underdone anyway and won't be a dominant factor.

Be nice to have some alternate avenues to goal so hopefully Hartlett and Edwards will give us something but regardless, Judd and co will always be looking for Fev and i'm expecting he'll bounce back with a bag.

Blues by 17.

 

[Bluebear]

too much thinking and not enough faith. believe!

in the worst case you will feel a low that makes the high that much higher!

I think part of it is the anxiety over when this low will end..............I've been feeling it for a while now.

If we win tonight, despite the opposition, I'd rate it right up there with some of our best wins.

Just given the pressures brought on the club this week, to get up and win the opening round would be a mighty effort.

The other thing I left out of the OP is that in the last few years when we have won the opening round we have been foccussed on the pre-season comp and getting ourselves "up" early..........we may have been ahead of some of the temas we met in terms of preparation.
This year I think we are no further ahead in terms of preparation..........
.......think I need a drink...........ah shit it's only 11.30.

 

[Brighton_Diggins]

Being the first game on a massive stage it's one for the young blokes
to step up and show us what they've got.
Lets see who it is.

 

[Faz 2000]

I'm definitely nervous. Fev can and should be the matchwinner for us, but he's such a total total total tool of a guy, who knows? If he fires up big, the Tiges can't stop him.

Would definitely feel a lot more confident with Fisher up forward and Hammer in the ruck.

Bottom line is, if we don't win tonight, things are still on the up and up at Carlton. If the Tiges don't win tonight, they will tear themselves apart before Round 2.

 

[mediumsizered]

I started getting a little worried earlier this week, particularly from reading some of the threads on here listing the players who won't be playing due to injury. Then I got to thinking about who the players are that are going to miss due to injury & this is what I came up with:

Hampson: has only played 2 AFL games, certainly looks the goods, but was not in our side when we beat Richmond in the corresponding game last season.

Ackland: his absence hasn't provoked any mass wrist-slashing or making nooses out of bed sheets.

Kreuzer: has yet to play a game & we know he is going to be a good 'un, but once again he wasn't part of the team that beat Richmond last season.

Fisher: this one hurts, particularly coming off a 39 goal, 2007 season, but he only kicked 2 goals against Richmond last year, so if Hartlett & Edwards manage 2 between them they have probably covered his absence.

Walker: I think this guy is close to showing why he was taken at pick 2, but I think we can comfortably cover his loss.

Then I thought about the players coming into the side Judd, Hadley, Edwards & the way Murphy & Gibbs have played during the pre-season & I came to the conclusion that our side is actually stronger on paper than it was this time 12 months ago. Sure we look a bit thin in the ruck, but last season we went into Round 1 with Cloke & Ackland in the ruck, this time it will be Cloke & Setanta (who will at least have more of a go than Ackland). We are not a lot worse off there & if Cloke can match, if not beat Simmonds, we have nullified the one area where I think Richmond have it over us.

The midfield is where the game will be won & I am excited about the prospect of Judd, Stevens, Murphy, Carazzo, Gibbs, Scotland, Houlihan & Jackson coming up against Foley, Johnson, Tambling, Tuck, Raines & occasionally Deledio. I think we all know which midfield has the advantage here & this should see plenty of ball inside our 50 & I would be surprised if Fev doesn't kick at least 5 goals tonight (he only kicked 3 in the corresponding game last year).

Ultimately, I think, despite the gloom over the players that are missing, our team is probably at least 3-4 goals better than the team that played Round 1 last year & therefore I am anticipating a 4-5 goal victory tonight.

 

[The Grover]

I'm definitely nervous. Fev can and should be the matchwinner for us, but he's such a total total total tool of a guy, who knows? If he fires up big, the Tiges can't stop him.

Would definitely feel a lot more confident with Fisher up forward and Hammer in the ruck.

Bottom line is, if we don't win tonight, things are still on the up and up at Carlton. If the Tiges don't win tonight, they will tear themselves apart before Round 2.

I'm concerned due to missing some good players, Tigers are at full strength.

If we do lose I'm with faz 2000 that we can still turn it around if we don't get too many injuries.

Lose & we'll cop a fair bit of shit, but there are good times ahead.

 

[dane]

i seriously can't believe anyone outside Richmond supporters has tipped Richmond. It isn't even going to be close tonight.

 

[Roachy8]

I started getting a little worried earlier this week, particularly from reading some of the threads on here listing the players who won't be playing due to injury. Then I got to thinking about who the players are that are going to miss due to injury & this is what I came up with:

Hampson: has only played 2 AFL games, certainly looks the goods, but was not in our side when we beat Richmond in the corresponding game last season.

Ackland: his absence hasn't provoked any mass wrist-slashing or making nooses out of bed sheets.

Kreuzer: has yet to play a game & we know he is going to be a good 'un, but once again he wasn't part of the team that beat Richmond last season.

Fisher: this one hurts, particularly coming off a 39 goal, 2007 season, but he only kicked 2 goals against Richmond last year, so if Hartlett & Edwards manage 2 between them they have probably covered his absence.

Walker: I think this guy is close to showing why he was taken at pick 2, but I think we can comfortably cover his loss.

Then I thought about the players coming into the side Judd, Hadley, Edwards & the way Murphy & Gibbs have played during the pre-season & I came to the conclusion that our side is actually stronger on paper than it was this time 12 months ago. Sure we look a bit thin in the ruck, but last season we went into Round 1 with Cloke & Ackland in the ruck, this time it will be Cloke & Setanta (who will at least have more of a go than Ackland). We are not a lot worse off there & if Cloke can match, if not beat Simmonds, we have nullified the one area where I think Richmond have it over us.

The midfield is where the game will be won & I am excited about the prospect of Judd, Stevens, Murphy, Carazzo, Gibbs, Scotland, Houlihan & Jackson coming up against Foley, Johnson, Tambling, Tuck, Raines & occasionally Deledio. I think we all know which midfield has the advantage here & this should see plenty of ball inside our 50 & I would be surprised if Fev doesn't kick at least 5 goals tonight (he only kicked 3 in the corresponding game last year).

Ultimately, I think, despite the gloom over the players that are missing, our team is probably at least 3-4 goals better than the team that played Round 1 last year & therefore I am anticipating a 4-5 goal victory tonight.

A reasonable summary and in fact I posted elsewhere that the unavailability of Hampson, Ackland and Kreuzer should not be the trigger for a poor performance.
However, if your reasoning is correct and you are a 3 -4 goal better side this time, how about the Tigers?
Last time no Simmonds (almost AA in 2006) and no Nathan Brown...
This combo would be worth a couple of goals I would think!

 

[mediumsizered]

A reasonable summary and in fact I posted elsewhere that the unavailability of Hampson, Ackland and Kreuzer should not be the trigger for a poor performance.
However, if your reasoning is correct and you are a 3 -4 goal better side this time, how about the Tigers?
Last time no Simmonds (almost AA in 2006) and no Nathan Brown...
This combo would be worth a couple of goals I would think!

I have factored that in. Given we beat Richmond by 17 points last season & are a 3-4 goal better side, that increases the margin to virtually 6 goals, minus the couple of goals improvement in the Tigers, leaves a winning margin of 4-5 goals.

 

[Roachy8]

I have factored that in. Given we beat Richmond by 17 points last season & are a 3-4 goal better side, that increases the margin to virtually 6 goals, minus the couple of goals improvement in the Tigers, leaves a winning margin of 4-5 goals.

Well we shall see I guess but rarely is the game of footy an exact science.

 

[mediumsizered]

Well we shall see I guess but rarely is the game of footy an exact science.

And that's what makes it so enjoyable, while at the same time doing my head in.