Hard Nuts

[Pinnell]

Agree Simmo our toughest and bravest. Rowe puts his body on the line and Yaz and Gibbs have improved in the toughness stakes since Mick arrived (I give Mick credit for that).

However we are one of the softest teams I have ever seen at Carlton. You can't underestimate how much the "hard nut" factor played in our 1995 team. Fraser Brown, Ratten, Silvagni, Rice, Sexton, Peter Dean, ANdrew McKay, CLape, Spalding and even Matthew Hogg. These blokes NEVER took a backward step.

THe 81 Team of Doull, Harmes, Des English, Wayne Johnston, Maclure, Jimmy Buckley and the bravest of the all, Kenny Hunter.

Its a theme of success, talent and hardness. We don't have it, and haven't for a long long time. And we need to recruit more of these types IMO.

 

[Seen5]

Agree Simmo our toughest and bravest. Rowe puts his body on the line and Yaz and Gibbs have improved in the toughness stakes since Mick arrived (I give Mick credit for that).

However we are one of the softest teams I have ever seen at Carlton. You can't underestimate how much the "hard nut" factor played in our 1995 team. Fraser Brown, Ratten, Silvagni, Rice, Sexton, Peter Dean, ANdrew McKay, CLape, Spalding and even Matthew Hogg. These blokes NEVER took a backward step.

THe 81 Team of Doull, Harmes, Des English, Wayne Johnston, Maclure and the bravest of the all, Kenny Hunter.

Its a theme of success, talent and hardness. We don't have it, and haven't for a long long time. And we need to recruit more of these types IMO.

If we're going historical, Aaron Hamill could be added to any of those lists/teams and not be out of place. Loved how hard he was at the footy and the man who had it if he didn't.

Who can forget him running down Michael Voss and tackling him so hard it shook the 'G. Good times!

 

[Pinnell]

Love him or hate him we lost our hardest player when Robinson ran out of chances.

Very few match Robinson for hardness not just at Carlton but across the competition.

Kreuzer would be our hardest player now. Knows one way and one way only and that is to get the ball and run through anything which stands in his way. Just a competitive beast who would run through a brick wall if he had to. Hasn't played much football over the past few years so I think some people may have forgotten just how influential he can be. He may now have slimmed down a fair bit but I very much doubt that his competitive nature has dwindled.

Agree, we will miss Robbo from that perspective.

Also agree re Kruezer being a competitive beast - but only when the ball is on the ground. He is as soft as butter when it comes to being competitive in the air. He just doesn't want it there. Doesn't demand it. He needs to if he is going to be influential.

 

[BlueJet]

Agree, we will miss Robbo from that perspective.

Also agree re Kruezer being a competitive beast - but only when the ball is on the ground. He is as soft as butter when it comes to being competitive in the air. He just doesn't want it there. Doesn't demand it. He needs to if he is going to be influential.

I wouldn't agree that Kreuzer is soft as butter when the ball is in the air, I more believe he has a lack of presence and/or strength than any real shortcomings in the courage department.

 

[BlueBelle]

Agree, we will miss Robbo from that perspective.

Also agree re Kruezer being a competitive beast - but only when the ball is on the ground. He is as soft as butter when it comes to being competitive in the air. He just doesn't want it there. Doesn't demand it. He needs to if he is going to be influential.

He doesn't keep his eye on the ball when going for a mark

 

[passengers]

Just to play devil's advocate here, I love Walks but I reckon he sometimes gets distracted by the Crowley-type rubbish. Not saying he's a full on snipers but when things don't go his way has a tendency to go the man and not the ball and gives away silly free kicks. I thought Ratts' farewell game when he and Milney got in to multiple scraps was useless posturing. I hate that stuff and he is an offender.

 

[ShanDog]

Just to play devil's advocate here, I love Walks but I reckon he sometimes gets distracted by the Crowley-type rubbish. Not saying he's a full on snipers but when things don't go his way has a tendency to go the man and not the ball and gives away silly free kicks. I thought Ratts' farewell game when he and Milney got in to multiple scraps was useless posturing. I hate that stuff and he is an offender.

He is reactive, generally not the instigator.

 

[BM123]

Walker needs to play forward due to his short fuse.

Too reactive to the likes of Monfries and Ballatyne while he doesn't have the strength to play on the stronger medium forwards.

 

[ferrisb]

I think there's a cross wire in this thread. IMHO there is a difference between Tough and Hard Nut.

Perfect example is Simmo. He's gotten a bunch of mentions as a Hart Nut - I adore the guy for his toughness/bravery but I don't think he qualifies as a Hard Nut. For me that means a player that physically hurts the opposition or necessitates a change of undies.

Ask yourself, which Carlton players would opposition players not dare start something with. Or which players would make the opposition think twice about starting something with another Carlton player if they are in the vicinity. Which Carlton players would step in to defend their teammates?

I think we have too few of these, but I guess my picks would be Buckley (all 75kg of him), Rowe, Holman, Smith, Tuohy, White, maybe Bell. Not the most imposing list, but it's the best we have. Let's hope we add more in the coming years.

We don't have to be a team full of aggro buggers, but I'd like to be a team that others don't want to mess with.

 

[Azul]

Clem, aka Lord Byron.

*end thread*

 

[Robbo's my hero]

Applying myself to this perennial poser I think we are missing the point. The only way to deal with a hard nut is by using a nutcracker. One nutcracker and the problem is solved.

 

[Jabba73]

Applying myself to this perennial poser I think we are missing the point. The only way to deal with a hard nut is by using a nutcracker. One nutcracker and the problem is solved.

Our resident Godess keeps the bad boys in line quite easily, maybe she should get a game?

#draftAph

 

[ferrisb]

Our resident Godess keeps the bad boys in line quite easily, maybe she should get a game?

#draftAph

Mark Fraser has just stepped down as head of the MRP. I say Aph would be right at home in that role, handing out appropriate punishments...

 

[Sin City]

Just to play devil's advocate here, I love Walks but I reckon he sometimes gets distracted by the Crowley-type rubbish. Not saying he's a full on snipers but when things don't go his way has a tendency to go the man and not the ball and gives away silly free kicks. I thought Ratts' farewell game when he and Milney got in to multiple scraps was useless posturing. I hate that stuff and he is an offender.

56 goals for the year for Milne yet was a passenger that day with Walker getting him off his game. Not the best example, Walker used it as a good tactic in that game.

 

[Aphrodite]

Our resident Godess keeps the bad boys in line quite easily, maybe she should get a game?

#draftAph

Mark Fraser has just stepped down as head of the MRP. I say Aph would be right at home in that role, handing out appropriate punishments...

You absolute idjiots!

 

[Jabba73]

You absolute idjiots!

See, it comes naturally!!!

 

[DaVillaBlues]

Agree Simmo our toughest and bravest. Rowe puts his body on the line and Yaz and Gibbs have improved in the toughness stakes since Mick arrived (I give Mick credit for that).

However we are one of the softest teams I have ever seen at Carlton. You can't underestimate how much the "hard nut" factor played in our 1995 team. Fraser Brown, Ratten, Silvagni, Rice, Sexton, Peter Dean, ANdrew McKay, CLape, Spalding and even Matthew Hogg. These blokes NEVER took a backward step.

THe 81 Team of Doull, Harmes, Des English, Wayne Johnston, Maclure, Jimmy Buckley and the bravest of the all, Kenny Hunter.

Its a theme of success, talent and hardness. We don't have it, and haven't for a long long time. And we need to recruit more of these types IMO.

To be fair to MM, he has moved on several players in last two years (not naming names) who contributed to the perceived mental softness of our side, from a collective point of view.

Also the modern game (and rules) of footy has changed/evolved greatly (not necessarily better) since 95, we can't afford to have a team with Hogg, Fraser Brown, Rice, Peter Dean, Mil Hanna and Clape types in a modern team (as good as they were)

Hawthorn are absolutely the template for the modern successful side, got the mixture of tough, ball winning players (Hodge, Lewis, etc) along with a fleet of skillful left-footers/goal kickers who are absolutely lethal, esp on the run (Burgoyne, Bruest, etc)

This current Hawthorn side is the toughest team I have seen in years (well certainly since the Brisbane three-peaters)

There is no weak link in their side, they suffer an injury or retirement, they just bring in a Will Langford type to seamlessly fill the void of a club champ like Sewell. Absolutely jealous (and annoyed) with the way Hawthorn have built their side (and culture) since Clarkson became coach.

I think Mick is trying to drill that kind of collective hardness, whilst drafting players with better skillsets into our team, which is why I am happy for him to continue as coach for a few more years as coach, even if we suffer teething problems along the way.

 

[Bluella]

Also the modern game (and rules) of footy has changed/evolved greatly (not necessarily better) since 95, we can't afford to have a team with Hogg, Fraser Brown, Rice, Peter Dean, Mil Hanna and Clape types in a modern team (as good as they were).

I would love a Peter Dean in our side again.

 

[ShanDog]

Well said as always DaVillaBlues!

 

[thylacine60]

I would love a Peter Dean in our side again.

likes this

 

[branedotorg]

likes this

Socrates?

 

[thylacine60]

Ha, nice.

 

[FootyGeek]

Saying Simmo is tough is fair enough.

But it is not enough.

He takes punishment, he does not dish it out. He should not be our barometer for tough.

We need a few more blokes who can hurt the opposition within the rules of the game (plenty of scope for that in Aussie rules).

 

[Azul]

We need a few more blokes who can hurt the opposition within the rules of the game (plenty of scope for that in Aussie rules).

Well look I have to disagree on that one. I'm confused by your avatar but we are NOT Essendon. Injury causing senseless violence such as Lonergan's tackle on Carrazzo is not on (he received no penalty from the MRP).

I wouldn't want to see the thuggery of the Lions' threepeat era. How many times this year did Brisbane tough guy Mitch Robinson get suspended?

Play hard but play fair... The mind should always be about playing the ball, not the man.

 

[thylacine60]

Agree, but I think us Carlton supporters are done with seeing the team bumped, scragged and bullied off the ball for the last 15 years. We don't have to carry hit-men in the team, just have a nice scattering of hard, disciplined players who won't be intimidated and wont standby whilst others are. Marc Murphy has not been protected at all in his career and eventually it may well shorten it as the physical load gets too much. He's a ball player after all.