Preview Changes & Preview Thread for Round 18, 2023 vs Carlton at Marvel

[Festerz]

If Lycett doesn't come up then Hayes stays in. Tom Jonas is the only choice to replace McKenzie. Neither selection is perfect but they are the best options we have.

Yep.

From what was said during yesterday's game, De Konig was a bees dick away from coming in against Freo. Reckon the long flight home and their belief that they had the mid and forward structure to dominate Freo made his exclusion for another week of resting a certainty.

Playing at home against us and our mids with no Lycett will surely see them bring in De Konig or Pittonet (who is also listed as 'test') in which case we have no choice but to keep Hayes in and rotate with Finlayson.

 

[PJ Power]

Is Lycett not available? Ken seemed confident he would be.

 

[Ralph Lorenz]

Hoping Collingwood, Adelaide and Geelong games bring us up to the level we need to compete in finals. I'd wanna win this weekend to give us some momentum though. Kennedy is a big out.... McGovern in or out, doesn't matter, he's more harm to them than good when he plays us.

Our midfield at 90% will get the job done against their slow mids especially coming back from Perth and without Kennedy at the contest.

Game will come down to our forwards. Hope Marshall can start scoring again. We need to capitalise on entries and convert with at least a 50% accuracy otherwise Carlton will get a run on and no doubt be 10 goals 2 at the half

It's a flip of the coin to which Carlton side we'll get... History says they lose this and start their depressing slide out of finals contention, but then I remember round 23, 2013 at football park

 

[Enviable Tradition]

I’m all for keeping our winning structure this year and if that means bringing in Jonas for a week or so then so be it.

Pasini clearly isn’t ready based on the sanfl reports most weeks and doesn’t t sound like he’s going to make it. Closer to delisting territory than getting a game.

And then we don’t have anyone else.

Rather than throw off our structure just plant him there and can always be subbed out if he can’t adjust to the game speed.

This game will be won in the middle. Control the clearance and reduce their fast entries for their tall forwards and we should be all over them.

We need to know what options we have in defence for finals if we are in this same position. Can we rely on Jonas if required or better of changing our structure instead? Only way we will know that is if we play him when someone else goes down.

Hayes also has to stay in if Lycett isn’t back once again to maintain structure.

Which winning structure though?

Several of our best wins have featured Bergman at full back.

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[Mayes2Gray]

Shits me these campaigners are sniffing their own farts and the majority are confident they will knock us off.

If there was anytime this season I wanted to see us blow someone out of the water, it’s this week.

 

[Festerz]

Is Lycett not available? Ken seemed confident he would be.

He's available but that knee meniscus issue is still there. Think the general uninformed opinion is that he would benefit from another week's rest prior to the Collingwood game and the run into finals.

Given how critical he is to our finals chances picking which remaining minor round games to play him is vital. Reckon Carlton - and the questions over their ruck structure atm - is one of those games he doesn't play.

 

[Duckimus Prime]

They don't have a Rozzee, Butters or JHF do they?

Well Freo have the current reigning coaching MVP in Andrew Brayshaw. And Caleb Serong.

Strange take my dude. Could say the same with say, Judd at Carlton or Greene at GWS.

You would want them in your side, regardless of how their team performs.

Darcy is clearly a good player and far better than any ruck we have on our list currently, can really bolster our midfield output if he connects well.

That said, I dont think you sell the farm for a ruck though in general, if thats what it would take.

Of all the things you dont pay a big price for...its probably wingers and rucks. That is, unless its prime Lade or prime Dean Cox.

Way to miss the context of the comment.
Carlton played against Fremantle without a recognised ruck. Festerz suggested that we should look at running the Dixon/Finlayson through the ruck this week, so we don't get caught by a lack of follow up work from a big dinosaur at the stoppages. Others replied we should be playing Hayes to push the advantage of Carlton not having a recognised ruck.

I merely pointed out that playing a much better ruck in Sean Darcy didn't do much in helping Fremantle push an advantage against Carlton.

 

[Wargreymon90]

Shits me these campaigners are sniffing their own farts and the majority are confident they will knock us off.

If there was anytime this season I wanted to see us blow someone out of the water, it’s this week.

Let’s end theirs and Adelaide’s seasons over the next month.

 

[Coobk001]

Is Lycett not available? Ken seemed confident he would be.

I've lost count of the number of times Ken has said something was minor, and/or they'll be back next week, only for it to roll into 3-4 weeks+

Personally I expect Hayes will be rucking this week.

 

[Willsy10]

didn't watch the Blues game on the weekend but was that more the fact that Freo were very poor? There have been quite a few Docker shockers this year.

 

[Festerz]

I've lost count of the number of times Ken has said something was minor, and/or they'll be back next week, only for it to roll into 3-4 weeks+

Personally I expect Hayes will be rucking this week.

And, tbf, Ken and everyone else knows that Carlton is facing a selection dilemma of their own in relation to ruck selection for this weeks game.

He sure as heck is not going to go to a press conference telegraphing our likely selection decisions on that front.

Everyone is an option, especially the guy who is the least likely option, is the right answer in that environment.

 

[powerrrrrrrrrrrr]

Which winning structure though?

Several of our best wins have featured Bergman at full back.

On SM-G975F using BigFooty.com mobile app

That may be the case but in all those wins we have also had Mckenzie and Aliir as tall backs as support or Jonas early in the year. We haven’t gone into any games without another 2 “key” defenders to also support him.

If we go in with Aliir and Bergman alone as our key defenders I think we’re asking for trouble.

 

[philreich]

Do you want our midfield to have the advantage? Play Hayes.

Yep - it's the perfect time to give Hayes another crack at it. Happy to be corrected, but I thought I read that Lycett should be fit next week for the Collingwood game, so presumably Hayes would drop out then.

Hopefully our love affair with Marvel Stadium continues - we haven't lost there since Carlton last won a final (OK slight exaggeration).

 

[bomberclifford]

I've got a feeling it's why the way we play has been sustainable, do you really need to be torching for 4 quarters every week.

Apart from the first half kill of Hawthorn it almost feels deliberate that we see how things unfold then adjust & usually have a burst that is fatal for the opposition.

On Saturday night, there were a couple of players who looked visibly gassed during the second quarter. Boak was one of them. Yet he/they seemed fine in the second half. Must have some of that special Gatorade for the halftime break.

 

[Willsy10]

Yep - it's the perfect time to give Hayes another crack at it. Happy to be corrected, but I thought I read that Lycett should be fit next week for the Collingwood game, so presumably Hayes would drop out then.

Hopefully our love affair with Marvel Stadium continues - we haven't lost there since Carlton last won a final (OK slight exaggeration).

I could be wrong, but i reckon the last time we lost at Marvel was the last time i watched us in Melbourne and we got thumped by North Melbourne of all teams and Ben Brown kicked 10. Season on the line, and we produced one of the worst performances I've ever seen live. Probably on par with the 2021 prelim, in the huge disparity of expectation versus reality and barely any bit of resistance or fight shown for 4 whole quarters.

 

[philreich]

I could be wrong, but i reckon the last time we lost at Marvel was the last time i watched us in Melbourne and we got thumped by North Melbourne of all teams and Ben Brown kicked 10. Season on the line, and we produced one of the worst performances I've ever seen live. Probably on par with the 2021 prelim, in the huge disparity of expectation versus reality and barely any bit of resistance or fight shown for 4 whole quarters.

You're probably right - pretty sure Norf kicked 1:8 (14) against Geelong a week earlier. Then they did that to us!!!

 

[The Hobo]

didn't watch the Blues game on the weekend but was that more the fact that Freo were very poor? There have been quite a few Docker shockers this year.

Was both.

Carlton's pressure was right up which caused Freo to panic and dump kick to Carlton players. Freo were definitely off, but Carlton contributed to it.

Carlton moved the ball quickly and efficiently, and both Curnow and McKay look like they're finding form.

Kennedy hurt his knee which looks pretty serious, and Mitch McGovern copped a nasty corky. Will be interesting to see how both pull up - Kennedy in particular has been very important to the way they play.

 

[Doctor Feel]

I do wonder if we are in the middle of heavy training loads before tapering off just before finals.

 

[PJ Power]

I do wonder if we are in the middle of heavy training loads before tapering off just before finals.

We sure look sore

 

[MALTSY]

I do wonder if we are in the middle of heavy training loads before tapering off just before finals.

Might explain why the oldies and newbies lack some pep in their step.

 

[Playthekids76]

Carlton & Collingwood over the next 2 weeks will show everyone how fragile our defense and ruck is. Bubble is about to burst

 

[Willsy10]

Carlton & Collingwood over the next 2 weeks will show everyone how fragile our defense and ruck is. Bubble is about to burst

Why is that funny?

 

[GoPorts]

Shits me these campaigners are sniffing their own farts and the majority are confident they will knock us off.

If there was anytime this season I wanted to see us blow someone out of the water, it’s this week.

And then the week after. And then the week after that!!!

 

[Ralph Lorenz]

I could be wrong, but i reckon the last time we lost at Marvel was the last time i watched us in Melbourne and we got thumped by North Melbourne of all teams and Ben Brown kicked 10.

Oh god... I was at that game and I'm going to this week's too... Looks like we've only beaten Carlton at docklands twice in history.

 

[Ports1870]

Carlton & Collingwood over the next 2 weeks will show everyone how fragile our defense and ruck is. Bubble is about to burst

Will bringing in Bonner in change that?