Autopsy Blues down by 57 points after woeful first half

[ESKIE]

They were witches hats in the first half of this game. If they were actually trying hard in that period that makes the performance even worse.

Maybe it was instruction, clearly what ever it was wasn’t working, they looked lethargic

I have never seen lack of effort

 

[Captain Cripps]

"Tell it like it is."

I have just so much suspicion for people who try to 'tell it like it is'.

It's intended to be a code for an uncomfortable truth, yet entirely too often I see it used to tell a populist and obvious story. You want to tell it like it is? We're rubbish masquerading as rubbish right now; where's the lie in what the club/coaches have said, at all? We are poor. What do you want us to do to change it immediately?

'Tell it like it is'. Go on, really speak to me of hard truths. What is it you who speaks the hard truths thinks I don't already know? What obvious tree am I missing for the forest? Is it the rather obvious injury crisis we're experiencing? Is it the shitfullnes of the very result we're all lamenting?

What am I not seeing, Captain Cripps, that makes me unable to 'tell it like it is'?

Ok
1 aspect
Are the players really having a good dip?
I remember even after injuries we had been playing a harder game
Some weeks turn up
Some weeks we look like a vfl team
You’ll say the old
Oh players are young and need consistency
Well that’s a load of rubbish, as you don’t get absolutely smashed in the first when bodies and fitness shouldn’t come into play by the 3rd quarter
Something has been lost culturally wise imo
Where the hell is marchbank?
There were whispers that he and Bolton has a few words..
There have been far more worse players than he.

We are shit and clinging onto injured players to come back

As a supporter sure I’ll support, but I think I’m entitled to know we are in dire straits atm

Ps- freo were younger than Carlton
That includes kreuz simmo Rowe jones wright daisy et al

Sayin’ it like it is sits well with me

 

[Dadda Dave]

For me the Gold Coast was worse,

And the Crows to get flogged like they did , being last years runners up imo.

 

[Bostonian]

Maybe it was instruction, clearly what ever it was wasn’t working, they looked lethargic

I have never seen lack of effort

Several times Freo ended up with free players out the back and in their forward line all alone.

A few times it ended up several Freo players against one of ours.

That's not an instruction issue. That's a work rate and talent issue that sees our players lose their man and not work back hard enough to get back to the contest.

A few times in that first half our lack off effort in chasing a Freo player down was noticeable. The Freo player would get a few metres away and they'd put no effort into a chase. That is surely lack off effort.

 

[cfc4life]

I have never seen lack of effort, are you suggesting players aren’t trying ?

I was second row from the fence on Saturday, there was at least five times I saw one of our players barely jogging to cover space or man up an opponent. Was also a passage of play in our forward line where we had a two-on-one that we lost, which led to Darcy Lang giving the most half-hearted chase I'd ever seen.

 

[ESKIE]

Boy oh boy

 

[TheCoach16]

Is that you Bolts???

Your delusion is akin to that of a a scum supporter during the supplements scandal.

One person’s delusion is another’s foresight...

It’s easy to throw out surface level observations. “No effort” and “worst performance I’ve seen”.

Personally, I prefer to look beyond the surface. Beyond the score line. To watch each act, each play, in isolation. Granted, there was occasionally less urgency than is acceptable, but when you’re flogged week in, week out, it’s not always easy to maintain enthusiasm.

Almost every side has a core of experienced, seasoned players, who lead the way, who help the young guns come along. Our opposition on the weekend, case in point, have Fyfe, Mundy, Sandilands, Ballantyne, Neale, Sheridan.

We have Simpson, and then it’s the “kids” leading the way. Some of which are out injured. They’re on their own. Doing the heavy lifting, on their own. When those “kids” become the experienced group, you’ll see a very different Carlton.

To say “being young is no excuse” is again a surface level observation. It’s lazy. It doesn’t take into account the weight the young guys are required to shoulder.

You might think I’m delusional now. But when we’re a force in the near future, you’ll understand where I’m coming from.

 

[Aphrodite]

Settle down please all.

This has been going on since Saturday and enough is enough.

Play the ball and not the man.

I will not hesitate in handing out thread bans/infractions!

 

[Gethelred]

Aww...

Aph robbing me of fun...

 

[ESKIE]

Settle down please all.

This has been going on since Saturday and enough is enough.

Play the ball and not the man.

I will not hesitate in handing out thread bans/infractions!

Hallelujah

 

[Bluezer]

I'm a TV viewer only so really can't see much in the way of structure, but would it be fair to say that our zones are too far up the field and leaving us way to open out the back?

I'm sure the guys aren't lacking effort but if we are always out of position it probably looks that way.

 

[Stamos]

I'm a TV viewer only so really can't see much in the way of structure, but would it be fair to say that our zones are too far up the field and leaving us way to open out the back?

I'm sure the guys aren't lacking effort but if we are always out of position it probably looks that way.

I think a lot of it was to do with our inexplicable turnovers. Basically impossible to defend against.

 

[boltsbabyblues]

bit of savagery going on in here!!! It's nice to see everyone is passionate about the Navy Blue. why else would you be at each others throats?
We have injuries, young list, inexperienced coach learning his way, it's a perfect storm at the moment. I have never understood why they sack coaches after 5 years, surely they have learnt heaps! Look at some of the others, anyway stick fat it will improve

 

[bourbons]

One thing I've heard fairly consistently this season is various media types acknowledging our rebuild and stating that we have talent on the list that just needs time to be developed.

Do supporters think this is correct? I can see 3 players under 25 (Cripps, Curnow and Doc) who are/will be genuine guns. Zac Fisher looks like he will be a solid player but lacks the frame to really influence contests. Apart from that I really can't see it, and 3 guns plus 1 solid contributor ain't gonna get it done.

Or have I got that wrong and just been blinded by some really poor performances?

 

[Ruckus]

Lack of effort is almost as hard to define as it is to quantify, but there were definitely players not working as diligently as they should (or can) on Saturday. Not running hard enough, not pushing to the next contest, giving up the chase, not getting across to pick up a man, failing to shepherd and block, not offering a lead, etc. It was palpable. There will (or should) be some guys whose review videos are uncomfortable to watch today, and I hope these examples are shared with the entire playing group.

What also appeared to be lacking were leaders willing to demand more from those players, to drive the standards - I saw and heard very little on-field instruction or organisation. We have some lead-by-example types, but very few, it seems, who provide on-field direction. It was an eerily quiet bunch playing on Saturday, you could hear a pin drop in that first half - I suspect we really miss Docherty in this regard, but one man alone cannot address this.

 

[Soapy V]

Lack of effort is almost as hard to define as it is to quantify, but there were definitely players not working as diligently as they should (or can) on Saturday. Not running hard enough, not pushing to the next contest, giving up the chase, not getting across to pick up a man, failing to shepherd and block, not offering a lead, etc. It was palpable. There will (or should) be some guys whose review videos are uncomfortable to watch today, and I hope these examples are shared with the entire playing group.

What also appeared to be lacking were leaders willing to demand more from those players, to drive the standards - I saw and heard very little on-field instruction or organisation. We have some lead-by-example types, but very few, it seems, who provide on-field direction. It was an eerily quiet bunch playing on Saturday, you could hear a pin drop in that first half - I suspect we really miss Docherty in this regard, but one man alone cannot address this.

That is the biggest issue at the moment

 

[The Flying Doormat]

I have never seen lack of effort, are you suggesting players aren’t trying ?

Nekminnit

 

[Neese]

No tanking

 

[Gavstar]

The effort of various players at times during the first half was abysmal. So many players jogging around including senior players like Rowe just couldn't be stuffed chasing. The lack of effort to run and spread was woeful and some players have reverted to the corralling efforts of years past rather than ferocious tackling.

If we accept that as "trying" then the club really is a joke.

Talk of a revival in second half was a joke, Freo had put the gun in the rack maybe not deliberately but it was game over and they knew it. So Bolton hanging his hat on that it is a joke.

 

[carlton2dabone]

We need a good enough senior brigade to be able to pick up the extra slack and cover for the defiencies of our still inexperienced young ones.

Instead what we get every week is young ones beings forced to try and cover for the defiencies of our senior brigade.
It’s completely backwards lol

If our current senior players are hurting our kids more than helping them (both with their effort on field and decision making/ skill set), then it might be time to drop them all and just play all our kids.

People say we don’t want to end up doing a full Melbourne but playing all the kids, but how much worse could it possibly get than kicking 7 solitary points in a whole half of football while conceding 77 at the same time?

 

[Gavstar]

No tanking

No we are "rebuilding" totally different.......

 

[jj1978]

If it makes us feel better... The Swans were also goalless for 2 quarters (at home) against the Eagles.. glossed over perhaps because they won. Swans would have to be the best team at winning games after losing a majority of the match... like us in recent time we've had games against them where we've won 2-3 quarters against them and they just have 1 good quarter and win.

Also if it makes anybody else feel better it's not like teams are also regularly kicking over a 100 points.
Yes we're the only one not to have done it this year (if only we kicked one more in round 1),

but StKilda, Suns, Brisbane, * have only done it once this year. (suns against us, StKilda against brisbane round 1, Brisbane against Pies, * against Port).

* with their awesome premiership list only kicked a huge score once this year!

The mighty Giants and Swans only twice this year overall most teams don't have more than 3 scores over a 100 this year (funnily against us most teams have 1).. with only the:

Pies (7), Melbourne (8), Tigers (6) with scores over a 100... where most of those have been at the MCG (their home grounds and bulk of their games played).

And also most of the teams with a home ground advantage (Suns, Swans, GC, Giants, Bris, Geelong, Ade, Port, Hawks (Tas), North (Tas)) most of their scores over a 100 at their home territory.

 

[AceAndy]

One thing I've heard fairly consistently this season is various media types acknowledging our rebuild and stating that we have talent on the list that just needs time to be developed.

Do supporters think this is correct? I can see 3 players under 25 (Cripps, Curnow and Doc) who are/will be genuine guns. Zac Fisher looks like he will be a solid player but lacks the frame to really influence contests. Apart from that I really can't see it, and 3 guns plus 1 solid contributor ain't gonna get it done.

Or have I got that wrong and just been blinded by some really poor performances?

I think we have recruited well and have a core group of really promising youngsters. In addition to the three you noted I think Weitering, SPS , Williamson, Dow, O'Brien, McKay and Marchbank could be A grade players.

My concern has been the development of these youngsters and the lack of mature bodies to protect the kids this year. I have said on a number of occasions there is more to development than just playing the kids. We are effectively sending kids out each week with little protection and this does nothing for their confidence or their development.

 

[ETET]

The effort of various players at times during the first half was abysmal. So many players jogging around including senior players like Rowe just couldn't be stuffed chasing. The lack of effort to run and spread was woeful and some players have reverted to the corralling efforts of years past rather than ferocious tackling.

If we accept that as "trying" then the club really is a joke.

Talk of a revival in second half was a joke, Freo had put the gun in the rack maybe not deliberately but it was game over and they knew it. So Bolton hanging his hat on that it is a joke.

I would like to add one piece, I went to the open training at SCG, they had a drill running in, taking a handball while running and kicking from 25 metres out directly in front.

I sat with my mate and said “we play like we train”. Out of the 52 kicks we counted 28 missed. That is with no pressure, directly in front from 25. I am not sure if the open sessions are a laugh but they looked to be going at full speed. It was not the muck around before it all starts.

Not one coach pulled them in and said “concentrate” they just kept missing and then run off and get to the back of the line. Was very surprised. Can’t say how it compares to the other clubs but did not look good. Morale was high but attention to skills was low.

All I heard from the coaches was “balls, we need more balls over here”

 

[Blue since 72]

One person’s delusion is another’s foresight...

It’s easy to throw out surface level observations. “No effort” and “worst performance I’ve seen”.

Personally, I prefer to look beyond the surface. Beyond the score line. To watch each act, each play, in isolation. Granted, there was occasionally less urgency than is acceptable, but when you’re flogged week in, week out, it’s not always easy to maintain enthusiasm.

Almost every side has a core of experienced, seasoned players, who lead the way, who help the young guns come along. Our opposition on the weekend, case in point, have Fyfe, Mundy, Sandilands, Ballantyne, Neale, Sheridan.

We have Simpson, and then it’s the “kids” leading the way. Some of which are out injured. They’re on their own. Doing the heavy lifting, on their own. When those “kids” become the experienced group, you’ll see a very different Carlton.

To say “being young is no excuse” is again a surface level observation. It’s lazy. It doesn’t take into account the weight the young guys are required to shoulder.

You might think I’m delusional now. But when we’re a force in the near future, you’ll understand where I’m coming from.

This pretty much.

I think it was Brereton who said during the game the difference between the two sides wasn't the youngsters but the quality of the senior players. Freo's senior players are in the main quality with the likes of Fyfe, Walters (yes I know he wasn't playing but this is a bigger issue than the weekend game), Mundy, Neale, Wilson, Sandi, the Hill brothers.

We only have Murphy, Doc, Simpson, Krueze and at a fair stretch Wright and Levi and Levi doesn't strike me as any sort of on ground leader and two of those have missed so much footy this season.

I certainly underestimated the lack of decent senior players going into this season but it's smacked me in the face well and truly.

Don't bother potting the young blokes just hope like hell we recruit some quality seniors asap.