Retired Matthew Scarlett (1998-2012)

[Pivo]

Re: No. 30 Matthew Scarlett

Source-
GFC.com

Item-
Matthew Scarlett's weekly column

Scarlett's Web
Matthew Scarlett
05June08

Scarlett's Web, with champion full-back Matthew Scarlett

WELL, I've been copping it a little this past week from our media manager, Kevin Diggerson.

You see my NBA team, the Detroit Pistons, were knocked out of the title race at the second-last hurdle from Diggers' team, the Boston Celtics.

I'm a fanatical Pistons fan...

Just one more reason for me to love Matty's work.

 

[Last Line Hero]

Re: No. 30 Matthew Scarlett

Source-
PERSONAL

Item-
Performance Review

Opponent-
Rnd 14 @ AAMI Stadium
v.

Statistics-
K: 9
H/B: 10
D: 19
DE%: 89.47%
r50: 5
T: 1
M: 3
CP: 3

cp= contested possessions de%= disposal efficiency

Goals Conceded for the Match= 0
Goals Conceded for 2008= 17

Summary-
THE CATS MAY HAVE COPED WELL without him, but there is little doubt that enjoying the luxury of being able to welcome back champion full- back Matthew Scarlett into the starting 22 was more than worthwhile for Geelong's coaching staff.

And didn't he slot back in to that last line of defence magnificently last Friday against the Adelaide Crows.

Geelong enjoyed arguably their sturdiest fortnight defensively of 2008 in Scarlett's absence, but the maned defender returned to add the irreplacable value of experience, leadership and star quality to boot for the vital match-up in South Australia.

One may have been forgiven for thinking Scarlett had not been forced out of his previous two matches given how consumate and confident he appeared from the outset, that strained hamstring proving to be no hurdle in the full- back quickly re- assuming his imperious formline. And adding a brand new scalp to his resume: Adelaide prodigy Kurt Tippett.

Although Scarlett found himself assigned to numerous Crows on the night, including fellow star full- back Ben Rutten, it was the young and dangerously pivotal Tippett who was methodically shutdown throughout most of the balmy evening.

Tippett should take a great deal away from his tussle with the game's premier defenceman, as like his side he was simply outran, outmuscled and outclassed by a superior combatant. In contested situations Tippett clearly appeared to be punching out of his class, as Scarlett would often just manoeuvre him too easily out of position and away from even being to get at the ball, and on the lead he was not sighted.

And whilst Scarlett wasn't particularly lethal on the attack he was the spit and polish coming out of defence, garnering plenty of the ball as the man Geelong would go to under pressure to find the right target and relieve the stress which he did time and time again.

At the end of the night, Scarlett did not only register yet another clean sheet, he conceded just 1 disposal (a clanger handpass) inside his defensive 50, once again acting as the dominant cog in a Cat's backline that for 3 quarters had relinquished just 3 goals.

Former Crow's champion and captain Mark Ricciuto made note of it himself in pre- game commentary that Tippett would be a key player if the Crows were to have any chance of topping the league- leading Geelong outfit. Their coach Neil Craig had promised a more attacking Adelaide side all week beforehand, and it was Tippett who would prove to be the figurehead of a successful implementation.

Tippett, like the Crow's attack and in fact the side in general, failed once again to live up to expectations when tested by genuine opposition, as the clinical Cats romped home to a supeme victory that sent a stern message to their remaining competition: look out.

 

[Last Line Hero]

Re: No. 30 Matthew Scarlett

Source-
GFC.com

Item-
Matthew Scarlett's weekly column

Scarlett's Web
Matthew Scarlett
10July08

Scarlett's Web, with champion full-back Matthew Scarlett

SOMETIMES teams can switch off mentally at this time of the year, but we’re not thinking about taking our foot off the pedal.

We know we’re going to be in the finals but we’ve still got plenty to play for.

Finishing first or second on the ladder will give us a far greater chance to do some damage in the finals, so we know we can’t relax at any stage – otherwise we’ll jeopardise those top spots.

While we never look too far ahead, we’ve got a pretty big month of footy ahead of us.

First though, we’ve got Freo back at our home ground this week.

They gave us a great run last time and they obviously get themselves up to play against us.

We’re expecting a pretty tough contest again this week. Getting off to a good start against interstate sides is often the key to winning.

Luckily, it was us who got off to a super start last week when we beat Adelaide.

We can always play better. We’ve never played the perfect game but it’s fair to say we’re in pretty good form.

In fact we might have been even better last week than we were a couple of weeks before against West Coast.

Given where the two sides are on the ladder and their development, the win over the Crows was probably more significant – especially if we have to play them later on in the year.

Bomber’s been pretty happy with our last month of footy.

He was obviously pretty proud of us after last week’s win, and has mostly showed us positive stuff on the tapes in our match review.

There have been a few negatives to look at, but there was no use making up that we didn’t play well when we did.

To win by that much interstate – against a side that we think will be vying for the top four – was a great effort and a superb result.

We’re getting a really good team effort each week. While Gazza was still pretty good last week, other guys really stood up.

Corey Enright had a great game and Jimmy Bartel was awesome as well.

Travis Varcoe is another guy who’s really coming along nicely.

He’s really improved this year and has shown a lot the last month. He’s found an opportunity in the forward line to be that forward pressure kind of guy that most teams have and he’s really filled that role well.

We’ve been lucky that we’ve virtually had a full list to choose from in recent weeks, with next to no injuries.

Obviously Matty Egan’s season-ending injury is a huge blow, but apart from that we’re in pretty good shape.

You need a fair amount of luck to get through a season, but our fitness guys do a terrific job.

We get managed really well. If we’re ever lagging a bit or if we’re a little bit tired, they know to back us off a bit and give us some cross-training instead.

They really listen to the players. It’s not just a case of ‘go and do that’.

We know how we’re feeling better than they do, so if a guy tells them we’re not feeling great they listen to the players.

We never really get cooked during the year.

At the moment though, just after the bye, we’re all feeling in pretty good nick.

Hopefully we’re in top shape on Saturday.

 

[SaintsPremiers08]

Re: No. 30 Matthew Scarlett

afl Round 11 V Adelaide
In All Australian Form, Kept welsh Goal Less And Did Lots Up The Ground. Teamed Up Well With Milburn In Defence

Wow..

 

[Last Line Hero]

Re: No. 30 Matthew Scarlett

Source-
PERSONAL

Item-
Performance Review

Opponent-
Rnd 15 @ Skilled Stadium
v.

Statistics-
K: 14
H/B: 9
D: 23
DE%: 95.65%
r50: 5
i50: 3
T: 1
M: 8
CP: 2
GA: 1


cp= contested possessions de%= disposal efficiency ga= goal assists

Goals Conceded for the Match= 0
Goals Conceded for 2008= 17

Summary-
THE SPITEFUL ROUND 15 CLASH between Geelong and Fremantle bestowed many similarities to their early season encounter in the West, however the scoreboard this time around read very differently.

The Dockers came out with rogue intentions, ignorantly assuming that attempting to roughouse the vastly superior Cats would draw similar results to their narrow and arguably undeserved 1 point loss back in Round 6.

In a word: fail.

Whilst Geelong appeared to waver somewhat from their usual level- headedness early they soon found their focus and rythym all over the field, but particularly in defence where Matthew Scarlett was once again instrumental from full- back in what eventuated into a comfortable 74 point dissection of an opposition who appeared disinterested when it came to playing the ball and more intent on targeting the man.

Given Matthew Pavlich's near match- winning 5 goal haul against the Cats at Subiaco and his outstanding formguide of recent weeks, many were surprised to witness youngster Andrew Mackie given the task of manning the Fremantle champion at the opening bounce and not Scarlett, who was the only thing preventing Pavlich kicking an even heftier bag when the two sides exchanged blows in the first leg of their head-to-head split.

For those who saw the match however, Geelong's tactics quickly became clear. Robbie Warnock, the 7ft0" back- up ruckman was stationed at full- forward for the beginning of the first term, whilst Pavlich attempted to draw a lesser opponent by starting out from goal at centre-half-forward. The choice of Mackie over Harley or Taylor was an interesting one, but it's becomming more and more evident that perhaps the coaching staff are blooding him for a re- match with the dominating Lance Franklin in Round 17.

Fair to say, Mackie appeared shaky on the big Pav, conceding a goal, a few crisp touches and unable and unequipped to handle his bustling physique when nearer to goal. Picking up on this, the decision was made for Scarlett to take over the reigns mid way through the quarter when Warnock was relinquished from the forward line.

It was a pivotal move that earmarked the turning point in the fortunes of both sides for the afternoon.

One of Scarlett's great strengths is his sheer presence, that only the keen eye can appreciate. The limited time that Pavlich was opposed to the less experienced Mackie he would drag him closer to the goalsquare an attempt to utilise his significant size advantage. Now granted Pavlich was not supported with any standard of acceptable delivery (a pitfall which Tom Harley aptly forged upon... 9 times), but can anyone tell me when we saw Pavlich within 30 meters of goal with Scarlett by his side?

By merely assuming the responsibility of defending Pavlich, the Docker's lifeblood was removed from his comfort zone because he immedietely assumed that he couldn't afford to play near goals, due to the fact it is almost instantaneous for all forwards nowdays that if Scarlett is your man, you have to drag him away.

As a result the Dockers forward line became almost completely dysfunctional, with no commanding enforcer there to lif them when needed, Pavlich himself thrust into the midfield at certain stanzas to get involved. The ruthless Cats backman then pounced on their injured prey overwhelming them with wave upon wave of faultless, clean forward movement, Scarlett at the forefront, more than willing to rub salt into Pavlich's wounds, bobbing up constantly in dangerous positions and cleaning up any loose ends in the back 50 all day long. Impenetrable is a word that come to mind. He finished with 23 lethally proficient and effective touches, most of which, (a lesson to all attacking backmen out there) went long, towards goal and up the middle where they should.

His 3rd clean-sheet of 2008 a pleasant icing on the cake.

 

[Last Line Hero]

Re: No. 30 Matthew Scarlett

Source-
GFC.com

Item-
Matthew Scarlett's weekly column

Scarlett's Web
Matthew Scarlett
17July08

Scarlett's Web, with champion full-back Matthew Scarlett

WE KNEW Fremantle would come out with a pretty physical approach last weekend, and they certainly did.

And I guess Dean Solomon would admit that his action wasn't in the spirit of the game.

But at least he apologised straight after and all our boys respected that.
He’s copped his penalty now, and he’d be really disappointed with what he did.

Down here we’ve all moved on. It’s a physical sport, and sometimes as the underdog you’ve got to try some tactics to try to get you over the line.

Winning, after all, is what it’s about.

But you’d think sides would be getting the idea now. Port Adelaide tried to rough us up a few weeks ago and it didn’t work.

I know it really gets our players fired up when the opposition tries to target someone, whether it's Gaz or someone else.

While there were a few rough and tough incidents throughout last week’s match, I wouldn’t rate it as one of the most physical games I’ve ever played.

Every side comes after us this year, so we’re ready for it every week.
The boys were great again. We were all pretty professional and just played the game as we wanted to have a good win.

We were able to do that.

Gazza and Lingy will be missing this week, which is a shame as we’d love to have them in the side for what’s going to be such a big game against the Bulldogs.

But we’ve proved over the last 18 months or so that it doesn’t matter who’s playing, we’ve got guys ready to step up and fill positions.

Everyone has been looking forward to the next two weeks but we treat every match the same.

While the build-up will no doubt be bigger than other games, we’ll just go out there with the simple aim to win them both.

In the week leading into a big game you can feel a slight change in the mood. The boys are excited at the moment as we’re playing a great side.

The Bulldogs have always been good and I rate them pretty highly. Over the years they’ve had some really skilful players who can hurt a team if they get some space.

Our backline will have a slightly different challenge too, as their forward line is a bit smaller than most.

They’ve got quite a few of those medium-tall types, so they’re pretty hard to match up on.

Brad Johnson kicked a few against us in round one last year but Josh Hunt did a good job on him the next time.

This year, their all-round hardness has improved enormously while their tackling pressure is right up there with the best.

Playing down here at Skilled Stadium will be an advantage I think. There was talk about whether the game should be shifted but I, for one, am glad it wasn’t.

I enjoy playing here, it was scheduled to be played here and I think we’ll have a bit of an edge playing on home turf because we train here all the time.

Obviously we know how to play the ground pretty well and I hope that holds us in good stead on Saturday.

 

[Big Nasty]

Re: No. 30 Matthew Scarlett

Hey LLH did you here that tosser Lane calling the game, he said "Scarlett rarely plays on the good forwards".

 

[Nasma]

Re: No. 30 Matthew Scarlett

Hey LLH did you here that tosser Lane calling the game, he said "Scarlett rarely plays on the good forwards".

Apparently none of the Geelong defenders do...

 

[Metallica_Man]

Re: No. 30 Matthew Scarlett

What a hack that Pavlich must be

 

[Big Nasty]

Re: No. 30 Matthew Scarlett

Hey LLH you need to make some room for pm's.

 

[Copernicus]

Re: No. 30 Matthew Scarlett

Apparently none of the Geelong defenders do...

Buncha hacks, seriously...

Thought Scarlo had another alright game on the weekend, for a second-rate defender who doesn't get the best forward.

 

[Nasma]

Re: No. 30 Matthew Scarlett

By the way, thanks LLH for maintaining an excellent thread.

 

[Last Line Hero]

Re: No. 30 Matthew Scarlett

Source-
PERSONAL

Item-
Performance Review

Opponent-
Rnd 16 @ Skilled Stadium
v.

Statistics-
K: 18
H/B: 14
D: 32
DE%: 87.50%
r50: 3
i50: 2
T: 1
M: 5
CP: 10
CL: 2

cp= contested possessions de%= disposal efficiency cl= clearances

Goals Conceded for the Match= 1
Goals Conceded for 2008= 18

Summary-
IT WAS ANTICIPATED AS PERHAPS THE MATCH OF SEASON 2008, but like so many before it was made victim to the Geelong juggernaut, and ultimately fizzled into little more than just another feather in the cap for the Cats.

The Western Bulldogs could not have found themselves in any better position to cause an upset when they hit the highway for Skilled Stadium last Saturday morning with it's opposition minus several of it's major players in Gary Ablett and Cameron Ling. But as they say, ignorance is bliss, because they weren't to know they were on a highway to hell.

In all fairness, the Western Bulldogs lived up to their name and were dogged in their assault to hand Geelong it's 2nd defeat of the year for the most part of the blustery, chilly afternoon.

Football fans and even the most loyal of the old faithful alike, expected the Catters to face their biggest test yet of their premiership defence at the hands of the speedy Dogs, and with just 15 points in it at 3 quarter time following scores being dead level at both the first and second changes, fans were treated to an exhibition of tough, attacking and skillful football.

But when the time came for one side to put it's foot down, it was Geelong who accelled, racing away to a domineering 59 point victory which in turn delivered a poignant warning to any wanting to stand in the Cats path, and as per usual it was all started from the back.

Matthew Scarlett himself remarked during the week on the very different challenge posed by the Western Bulldogs varied attack. The Dogs front 6, in spite of being undersized have proven devestatingly potent in 2008 as the highest scoring unit in the AFL.

However, as so happens in the classics, a great defence often overcomes a great offence, and Geelong's perennially stoic defence not only rendered the Westerners to their lowest return of the season, but utterly turned the defensive 50 into an iron clad fortress. Scarlett, the commander in chief... again.

Geelong conceded just 4 marks inside their defensive zone and only 5 Bulldogs goals came from forwards.

Scarlett's "big game" performances, particularly in the past 2 seasons, have been nothing short of awesome. Critics judge champions on their ability to step up when the stakes are highest and there is simply no disputing Scarlett's status amidst such an esteemed brigade.

For the fans, it is such a welcome luxury to know we have him back there to lead the charge, and to be honest a priviledge, to witness him in action when his club needs him most because what we get is a feast of virulent attacking destructiveness and sheer defensive mastery.

Full- forward Scott Welsh, forced to spend most of the day out from goal struggled once again on Scarlett, a growing trend over the years, only posting 1 goal (from a dubious 50m penalty) and a couple of scroungy behinds.

Whilst Welsh hasn't been a heavy goal scorer in his first season at the Kennel, his pressure skills have been a valuable assett and he has been that pivotal occupant deep forward as the long target, but such worth was non- evident on Saturday and it cost the Bulldogs dearly.

He failed to have any impact at all, and merely loped about in no man's land in an attempt to stymie Scarlett's attacking influence.

The full- back would have none of it, 14 first quarter possessions in tandem with Darren Milburn's 19 told the story. By half- time it was 24. Scarlett took it upon himself to assert his prescence on every contest more than normal, not afraid to leave his man to get involved in a 50/50 situation. It was a mark of his determination to lead by example and if he wasn't killing the ball through the air, he was robustly charging it out along the ground, unwaveringly repelling everything the opposition could throw at him.

 

[Last Line Hero]

Re: No. 30 Matthew Scarlett

Source-
The Geelong Advertiser

Item-
Updated News

Take your pick, Matthew.
Brad Green
22July08

Scarlett will have "bigger" fish to fry come Friday.

THE most anticipated game of the AFL season has arrived and the big question is just which of Hawthorn's key forwards will Geelong defender Matthew Scarlett take as his match-up.

Much of Geelong coach Mark Thompson's planning for Friday night's blockbuster at the MCG will be around ways of nullifying the Hawks' twin towers of Lance 'Buddy' Franklin and Jarryd Roughead.

The pair have developed into one of the AFL's most formidable forward combinations, having already kicked 125 goals between them for the season.

Franklin is on track to win this year's Coleman Medal and to also boot a century. His tally of 73 has already equalled his performance of last season.

The 196cm-tall Franklin is averaging just under 16 possessions and seven marks a game, and nine times this season he has booted five or more goals in a game, with a best of nine against Essendon back in 11.

The 193cm-tall Roughead is having a career-best season, averaging just under 13 touches, six marks and over three goals a game.

Scarlett has rarely been beaten in the past season-and-a-half and no doubt would be relishing the opportunity of adding one of the Hawks' scalps to his already impressive list.

The three-time All-Australian full back briefly played on Franklin earlier in the season during the Hall of Fame match and, at the time, said he believed the gun Hawk sharpshooter would be a difficult player to match-up on.

"He's a freak, he's a very good player and very talented," Scarlett said back in May.

"There hasn't been the buzz about a player (like this) for a long time, I don't reckon."

Amazingly, Geelong and Hawthorn have not met since the Hawks beat the Cats by four points in round four last year.

In that game, Franklin was held to one goal by Andrew Mackie and Roughead was kept goalless while Scarlett had 13 possessions and took four marks.

 

[Last Line Hero]

Re: No. 30 Matthew Scarlett

Source-
Sportal.com

Item-
Updated News

Stars still not certain to collide.
Paul Gough
23July08

We will at least get a taste of Scarlett v. Franklin

THE MOST EAGERLY AWAITED INDIVIDUAL MATCH- UP of the season - the AFL's best forward Lance Franklin versus the league's premier defender Matthew Scarlett - may not yet eventuate in Friday night's Hawthorn-Geelong blockbuster at the MCG.

The Cats and the Hawks have not met for a staggering 15 months - since Round 4 last season in Tasmania - and this match marks the first time that Franklin and Scarlett have come up against each other since the man known as 'Buddy' has developed into the AFL's No.1 spearhead.

When they last met Franklin had played just 37 games and had only kicked a career total of 69 goals.

His corresponding numbers now are 198 goals from 72 games and after kicking a total of 73 goals last season (63 in the home-and-away season to place third in the race for the Coleman Medal) - the 21-year-old rising superstar has kicked 73 in just 16 games this season and is favourite to not only win his first Coleman Medal but to become the first player since Tony Lockett in 1998 to kick 100 goals in the home and away season.

But Scarlett - the three-time All-Australian full-back - has made a habit of destroying opposition forwards in recent years and such has been the defensive dominance of the Cats in recent weeks that no team has scored more than 70 points against them in the past five matches.

However, Geelong coach Mark Thompson did his best to play down the prospect of a Scarlett-Franklin showdown on Wednesday saying any one of four players - the others being Andrew Mackie, Harry Taylor and Darren Milburn - could stand Buddy.

"Mackie has been outstanding on the bigger blokes and whether we play him on Franklin or not, we will have our final meeting tomorrow morning and work it out," Thompson said.

"We have also got Taylor, Scarlo and Milburn and the way the game is played now we need our guys to play on three or four different opponents on any given day - that is just called the flexibility of modern football."

Effectively Thompson was suggesting he could rotate his four best defenders around on Franklin to ensure the Hawks' ace is constantly up against a fresh opponent.

At the other end the Hawks have also made it tough for opposition teams to score this year through their zone defence or has it become known in AFL circles - 'Clarko's cluster'.

But after having watched St Kilda destroy the Hawks protective wall around their defence last week - as the Saints slammed on 12 goals to three after half-time to hand Alastair Clarkson's team only their third loss for the season - Thompson is confident his team's style of play, given the Cats are renowned for their rapid ball movement, will also be ideally suited to breaking through the Hawks' defensive zone.

"It (Hawthorn's zone defence) is a good strategy but again the way we play we are a chance to break through it," he said.

While the Cats may now be the shortest priced premiership favourites in AFL history - after smashing the second-placed Bulldogs by 61 points last round week to take their record to 34 wins in the past 36 matches - Thompson is certainly not falling for the trap of thinking his team will have one hand on back-to-back premiership cups if they do the same to the third-placed Hawks on Friday night.

"It's always nice to win but I don’t believe there is a huge psychological advantage," he said of beating his club's main premiership challengers before the finals.

"Remember Port Adelaide beat us late last year (at Geelong) and that didn't matter too much come grand final day."

 

[Last Line Hero]

Re: No. 30 Matthew Scarlett

Source-
GFC.com

Item-
Matthew Scarlett's weekly column

Scarlett's Web
Matthew Scarlett
24July08

Scarlett's Web, with champion full-back Matthew Scarlett

THIS week’s match has been talked about for months, and there’s a huge build-up and a huge hype.

All the players can’t wait to get out there for it, as it’s another big challenge for us.

There’s been a lot of talk about whether I’ll play on Buddy Franklin. Well, I’m sure I’ll be on him at some stage.

I’m likely to play on both Buddy and Jarryd Roughead throughout the night.

We’ve got a few guys down the backline that can pay on talls and smalls.
Maybe three or four guys might go to Buddy this week, to try to work off him and run off him a bit.

Andrew Mackie’s played a good role for us this year and stepped up at centre half-back and we’ve got Tommy Harley who can play on talls or smalls.

That’s been the great thing about our backline this year, its versatility.

We do like to move around a bit down in the backline. We’re a pretty experienced group now, so our defensive coach Brenton Sanderson sort of leaves it up to us a fair bit out on the ground to mix and match and find the right match-ups.

I’ve got to admit I’m really looking forward to the challenge this week.

The Hawks have a pretty formidable forward line. Franklin and Roughead are two young, quality forwards, and I always look forward to playing on the best players.

It’s been ages since we played them. I think it was round four last year but it seems like longer than that.

I was on Mark Williams that day and I might even get him again for a while again on Friday night.

Whatever happens, I think our defensive group is in good touch heading into the game.

It’s getting to sound a bit like a broken record I suppose, but last week the boys were terrific again.

We matched the Western Bulldogs early and then after half time we were able to really kick on and then put them away in the last quarter.

Guys like Darren Milburn really set the scene early on. He seemed to have the ball on the string there in the first quarter.

It was just one of those games where the ball just comes to you.

Sometimes you can’t find it and at others you can.

Dasher and I both had 32 disposals last week – the most for the side. My career best is 34, which funnily enough also came against the Doggies.

That’s probably a credit to them, as sometimes as a defender you find the ball a bit more than you’d like because it’s coming into the backline more often than you’d like.

Statistics aren’t something I put much of an emphasis on at all.

The main stat I’m concerned with at the end of a game is how many goals or disposals my opponent has had.

I really didn’t do anything differently last week to what I normally do. And some weeks, I might only get 12 possessions and feel I’ve had just as good a day.

I know a lot of people love reading the stats, but the first thing as a defender is stopping your man.

I do really value the attacking side of my game, but I can assure all Cats fans that I’m far more concerned with stopping my opponent than I am about chasing kicks.

This week, hopefully I can stop whichever Hawk I’m on.

 

[Big Nasty]

Re: No. 30 Matthew Scarlett

OMG i'm so bloody excited about the big match up tonight, Scarlett V Buddy. Just hope Scarlett dosen't give him much room.
If Buddy stays close to goal, we will see the dream match up.

 

[Last Line Hero]

Re: No. 30 Matthew Scarlett

Source-
Geelong Advertiser

Item-
Updated News

Franklin-Scarlett contest whets appetitite for return bout.
Gerard Whateley
28July08

Lance Franklin and Matthew Scarlett tangle on Friday night.

HOW did you score the fight, for it wasn't the knockout some have recorded?

In the gold corner, Lance "The Big Dance" Franklin: 13 possessions, eight marks, nine shots at goal for four majors and one assist.

In the blue corner, Matthew "The Blanket" Scarlett: spent 100 minutes mano e mano with the game's most dangerous forward and conceded three goals.

The feature bout was held back 10 minutes and opened with little more than sparring. One kick too wide for Franklin, another too high.

The lone first round blow was a sucker punch when Franklin and Chance Bateman conspired to draw Scarlett off the mark allowing Bateman a passage to goal.

In the second Scarlett nudged Franklin out of the first marking contest and led him to the next. The rebound found Buddy in the pocket but his kick missed.

Franklin's goal came via a free kick penalising Cameron "The Mouth" Mooney and thus is irrelevant to the fight.

Franklin marked once more in the term but Scarlett had denied him the corridor and his snap hit the post. It was Scarlett's round 10-9.

After a 19-minute lull the third was explosive.

Franklin out-grappled Scarlett to clasp a Rioli pass. It was a telling show of strength immediately diluted by a wayward kick.

Scarlett left Franklin on the next play but a turnover saw Buddy pluck a grab off the fingers of Tom Harley. It resulted in another behind.

The third in the sequence saw Franklin float behind Scarlett before rushing past on the right. His one step advantage was enough to mark.

The banana curled through. Franklin's round 10-8 but Scarlett made it to the bell.

The final round started menacingly. Franklin crisply gathered and slickly dished off to Mark Williams for the goal.

Then nothing for 20 minutes until Scarlett dithered to Rooke who got caught in possession. Franklin wasn't the tackler but pinched the advantage goal.

When he moved to the stoppages with a mind to turn the game Scarlett wore him close and Franklin never touched the ball.

Eight times Hawthorn players assessed Scarlett had Franklin covered and sought alternative routes with the game in the balance.

Two contests remained in the frantic final minutes. Joel Selwood defused the first ducking back into the hole.

Scarlett had no such luxury on the second. With Franklin on a promising lead and Xavier Ellis delivering perfectly, Scarlett reached around with his right fist and deflected the ball. It was his biggest punch.

On balance The Blanket maintained sufficient coverage to claim the round 10-9 ultimately drawing the contest.

Observers took the night as evidence Franklin can boot a bag of goals on Scarlett propelling Hawthorn to a premiership. Dont believe the hype.

 

[Big Nasty]

Re: No. 30 Matthew Scarlett

I find it incredible that people are saying Franklin towelled up Scarlett. Franklin kicked a goal and behind on Mackie in the first few minutes and got a gimme goal from a 50 up the ground. The final tally on Scarlo was 2.4 and most of those behinds were from Scarlett forcing Buddy wide.
Just shows how little respect defenders get - particularly Full-backs.

 

[Last Line Hero]

Re: No. 30 Matthew Scarlett

Source-
PERSONAL

Item-
Performance Review

Opponent-
Rnd 17 @ MCG
v.

Statistics-
K: 2
H/B: 9
D: 11
DE%: 100.00%
r50: 1
i50: 1
T: 3
M: 3
CP: 2
CL: 1

cp= contested possessions de%= disposal efficiency cl= clearances

Goals Conceded for the Match= 3
Goals Conceded for 2008= 21

Summary-
SCARLETT v. FRANKLIN, THE BEST DEFENDER IN THE AFL v. THE BEST FORWARD. It was the tantilising main event within the long-awaited Geelong v. Hawthorn showcase that had the media and fans alike in a frenzy prior to Round 17's opening night extravaganza.

The question of whether or not Geelong coach Mark Thompson would station his prized defensive bookend on the most dynamic and damaging power forward in the AFL was put on hold for the opening 10 minutes of last Friday night's clash at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, only drawing further on the anxiety of the 86,000 plus who attended what many predicted the preview to the 2008 AFL Grand Final.

Andrew Mackie, who had contained Franklin to just a single goal the previous occassion these two teams met in Round 4 of 2007, was the man bestowed the intimidating responsibility of stopping him again from full- back. Scarlett went to the in- form Jarryd Roughead out at centre-half-forward.

With the forward 50 vacated and the man they call "Buddy" gifted ample space to weild his magic, all early signs pointed to a potentially monumental undertaking for the Geelong back six whom had entered the night having not conceded triple figures since Round 11.

The Franklin-Roughead tag team, but Lance especially had proven throughout the season an unparallelled ability to tear open and reign goals upon the best of opponents. Only two- weeks prior Franklin managed 14 scoring shots on one of the league's star defenders and the man he dubbed his toughest opponent to date Craig Bolton of Sydney.

Despite the Cats obtaining the early ascendency in the match on the scoreboard Franklin was looming ominously having slipped Mackie twice on the lead, the area the Cats coaching staff expected he would excel against the amazingly athletic specimen that is Franklin, for a goal and a behind.

With Roughead playing a more nomadic role than usual the call was made for Scarlett to go deep and assume the role that everyone had been waiting for. Those who were there could feel the anticipation of the crowd lift a few cogs, and if you weren't a Cat's supporter you hoped oh so much that Franklin would do to the game's best full- back as he had done to so many of Scarlett's contemporaries.

Without living up to the historic standards fans had wished for what ensued was an intriguing battle of sheer, near untammable athletic ability and skill and dour defensive play, like when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object.

Coach Thompson had remarked throughout the week that it was Geelong's intention to rotate players through Franklin on a regular basis, but such became the importance of holding him after his promsing opening minutes Scarlett remained by his side for the next 110 minutes.

Nathan Buckley, in his commentary for Channel 7 remarked at half time that although Franklin had been able to find some space on several on the lead against Scarlett, the defender was pretty much well on top of him, well, as on top of him as you could be considering the sharp touch the forward was in from the opening bounce.

It was a fair observation. There were some concerns of Scarlett's ability to stay with Franklin on the burst if he was receiving the ball out in front, and at times it showed that Franklin unlike anyone else previously was able to work Scarlett over through constant movement when the Hawks were bringing the ball forward.

Short-sharp leads left and right before breaking as the ball was coming in brought him a couple of meters and resulted in marks. Long has it been maintained amongst opposition coaches that the best way to try and get on top of Matthew Scarlett's defences is to run him around and test his endurance. Most club's do this by pushing their most noted goalkickers out and wasting them at half forward, whereas Franklin through sheer athleticism and agility could do it near goals.

Despite this, most of Franklin's possessions were coming from toughish angles and/or further out from goals and as a result Franklin's kicking boots were not present and he was unable to capitalise when required.

Scarlett himself was looking solid in contested situations and had his fair share of wins, cleanly edging Franklin away from the ball several times and pressuring him into dropped marks in aerial battles. Understandably, Scarlett was not as willing to peel away from his direct opponent as usual given the nature of Franklin to punish with quick goals at any time.

Buddy's first goal on Scarlett was a result of a dubious decision by the umpire to relay a free kick given away by Cameron Mooney to Franklin who appeared to be nowhere in the vacinity. Nothing the backman could do. At the half, a nil all draw. Franklin, although looking dangerous, held below any serious impact.

Aside from a 3 minute spree from the 18th to the 21st minute mark of the third term, there was really little Franklin did to gain dominance over Scarlett even as Hawthorn grew in confidence and momenteum. Up until those minutes Franklin had been seldom seen after the main break, the Hawks players often having to resort to kicking at other options or holding up the ball due to Scarlett's tight- checking measures.

Mind you, when Franklin turned up the heat, his "purple-patch" threatened to burst the game open. First he beat Scarlett in a genuine one-on-one, gaining early position and doing a good job to pretect the drop of the ball despite Scarlett hounding him all the way. He missed from 50 out on a harsh angle. Then, a quick turnover from a Geelong kickout saw him assigned to Josh Hunt as part of a zone set- up and he marked but again missed, this time an easier shot. Finally, the crescnedo, getting in behind Scarlett and finishing up on the end of a pin point point pass deep into the pocket. This shot his toughest, yet he converts with a checkside.

In the final quarter, with the game in the balance it would essentially come down to who could step up between Scarlett and Franklin that would help or hinder Geelong's chances of a 35th victory from 37 matches. Franklin and the Hawks made their intentions clear late in the third, but the champion Cats, on one leg, refused to kneel under the weight of a Hawk onslaught.

Franklin, bagged his 4th goal (a 3rd on Scarlett) after a disappointing turnover from Jarrad Rooke in his defensive 50, but much like the third quarter for the most part he went unnoticed, unable to assert any influence when the game begged for a hero to rise from the pack.

His only chance came with minutes remaining and his side in a rear's by just under 2 goals. Xavier Ellis honed his radar for Franklin who was out in front of Scarlett ever-searching for his opportunity to lift his down but not out team. It was here, where the cream would rise to the top. "Buddy" perhaps thinking he had aquired enough space, casually went to latch onto a chest mark, when he was suddenly thwarted by a first class and inspirational spoiling effort by a diving Scarlett.

The ball spilled backward, the Cats won possession in the dying moments, and held on for a stirring 11 point win.

Ofcourse the overractions commenced almost immedietely, with people claiming Scarlett was thrashed and that he could and would kick a bag on Scarlett should the two sides meet again. Franklin v. Scarlett 3.4. His averages for the season 4.53 goals and 3.9 behinds. Lance did not appear in the best players adjudged by each major newspaper nor did he recieve any coache's votes.

There is little doubt that he got the better of Scarlett more often than most, but that is a credit to his amazing ability, however there is also little doubt that Scarlett stymied the best in the business better than most before him.

 

[Last Line Hero]

Re: No. 30 Matthew Scarlett

Source-
GFC.com

Item-
Updated News

Milestones: Cat's pair to celebrate
Tom Peeters
29July08

Matthew Scarlett and Cam Mooney

Cats full-back Matthew Scarlett will play his 200th game this week, whilst forward Cam Mooney plays his 150th game for the Cats since crossing from North Melbourne.

Scarlett, one of the Cats’ most respected players, was drafted under the father-son rule with pick 45 in the 1997 draft.

Since coming to the club as a 189cm, 80kg junior who was described as having the “potential” to be a key defender, Scarlett has added 3cm and 10 kg to his frame to become one of, if not the most, formidable defenders in the league.

Scarlett has also been credited with revolutionising the position of full back with his dashing runs from the backline which set up numerous forward 50 entries for the Cats.

Mooney, traded to the Cats along with picks 53 and 67 for Leigh Colbert in 1999, plays his 150th club game after 11 games with the Kangaroos including the 1999 premiership.

Mooney, who turns 29 in September, leads the AFL in scoring assists this year.

Both players were All-Australians and premiership players in 2007 and played on each other in this year’s Hall of Fame game.

 

[Last Line Hero]

Re: No. 30 Matthew Scarlett

Source-
GFC.com

Item-
Updated News

Thompson praises Scarlett
Ben Casanelia
29July08

Matthew Scarlett

GEELONG coach Mark Thompson says All Australian full back Matthew Scarlett has set a benchmark for defenders that few will have the ability to reach.

The 30-year-old Cat, who celebrates his 200th game on Saturday night, has been the key to a defence widely recognised as the best in the business.

Thompson was effusive in his praise of the rebounding full back.

“He’s an awesome player,” he said.

“I’ve never really seen a defender play the way he has, and he’s probably made it a little bit harder for the modern defender of the future trying to play like him.”

Scarlett averages 16 possessions a game this year, including 32 a fortnight ago against the Bulldogs.

Thompson said Scarlett’s attacking style went beyond what he thought capable for a player whose job it is to stop the opposition’s best forward.

“He’s certainly taken it as far as we could possibly have ever imagined it could have been taken,” he said.

“I would never have thought he would ever have got up to 30 possessions in a game of footy like he has at times.”

The three-time All Australian, who made his debut against Essendon – the team he supported as kid – in round 22, 1998, has missed only nine games in the past nine seasons. He has been the heartbeat of a backline that led the league last year and is doing likewise in 2008.

Thompson said marriage, and the birth of Scarlett’s second child, had matured the player some have compared to full back of the 20th century Stephen Silvagni.

Scarlett will become the 23rd Geelong player to reach 200 games.

 

[Last Line Hero]

Re: No. 30 Matthew Scarlett

Source-
The Age

Item-
Updated News

Cats' Scarlett Pimpernel
Peter Hanlon
31July08

Cats All-Australian full back Matthew Scarlett

MATTHEW Scarlett has played 199 games of AFL football, almost as many as his father, John. You would think we might know a bit about him by now.

The question: "Just who is the man under the mop at full-back for Geelong?", so moved a Melbourne film producer several years ago that he penned an ode to Scarlett on the culture-meets-footy website australianrules.com.au, under the moniker Oroton, likening him to legendary songster Neil Young.

"We know nothing about him, and isn't that better than knowing everything about most of the nonentities on football's centre stage?," Oroton wrote. "The guy doesn't have to take media training, he just doesn't do the media. He doesn't need to oil up his muscles, appear on naff calendars or play air guitar in some bad Eye of the Tiger bit of '80s synth-rock. No, I see Matthew Scarlett as Neil Young … that night on the MTV awards when he played with Pearl Jam and blew them off the stage. Matthew Scarlett, southern man, rockin' in the free world, long may you run."

That was 2002, but nothing has changed. Scarlett is still football's pimpernel, and even an increasingly voracious media has learned that to seek him here or there is to experience a feeling the game's best forwards know well — try as you might, the closest you'll get is a glimpse of the No. 30 haring out of harm's way.

The modern custom of fronting the cameras in the lead-up to a milestone was coolly baulked this week before Saturday night's 200th game, to nobody's surprise. Geelong's media overseers cut an agreement with Scarlett at the start of the 2006 season — he would give interviews when the Cats lost. It caught him out more than he would have liked that year, but has served him well since.

His "Scarlett's Web"columns on the club website don't exactly lay bare the inner-Scarlo: "It's a physical sport, but you'd think sides would realise by now it doesn't pay to rough us up"; "it's getting to sound a bit like a broken record, but last week the boys were terrific again"; (and, before last week's Hawthorn game) "all the players can't wait to get out there for it, as it's another big challenge for us".

Darren Milburn has played alongside Scarlett for the latter's whole career, and sees something in one assessment that puts his mate as having the smarts of a fox.

"Yeah, he has got that street-smart way about him, he's pretty switched on," Milburn says, admitting that he understands why some find Scarlett mysterious.

"He's not predictable like most people, the way he dresses, the things he's into. He just doesn't care what he looks like or what other people think about the way he goes about his life."

Marc Woolnough walked in the door at Geelong sharing a father-son bond with Scarlett, his dad Mike having been a teammate and cobber of "Gunner" Scarlett in the '70s.

Their offspring forged an instant bond, the Geelong boy through and through taking the Southport-reared Woolnough under his wing. The latter was the higher draft pick, but his AFL dream was crippled by two knee injuries and restricted to six games. But he had a mate for life.

"Matthew and I don't speak all that often — once every few months — but when we do see each other it's like we only caught up yesterday," Woolnough says. "You wouldn't jump on the phone for a chat and speak for hours, he's not that sort of bloke. But once you're friends with Matt, you're friends for life."

Woolnough says he is quiet and unassuming, but fiercely loyal. "If you do the wrong thing by Matthew's friends, his family, his teammates or his footy club, watch out, he won't have it."

Scarlett has always kept things to himself — legend has it that, aged 18, he asked permission to miss training to attend the birth of his daughter, Tayla. Until the question was put, nobody at the club knew he was about to become a father.

An at-times gruff, dismissive nature has not always been universally welcomed, as was borne out when leadership consultant Gerard Murphy invited the under-performing Cats to provide a no-holds-barred assessment of each other at the end of 2006.

"It's pretty hard sitting in front of 40 guys and basically get told what a w***er you are," Scarlett told journalist Scott Gullan in The Mission, the inside story of last year's breakthrough premiership. "You just have to take it on board, look them in the eye and promise that you are going to change … because it will help the team."

Milburn said it was "pretty important for our footy club" that one of its best-ever players take the criticism on board and respond accordingly. He sees it as consistent with an increased maturity that has come as Scarlett's own world outside football has grown.

"He's had a change in lifestyle in the past couple of years, a new baby girl coming into his life, and having Tayla to a previous relationship. He's had to grow up."

Woolnough says his one-for-all ethic has always struck him. "The thing about Matt is, he doesn't care if he plays well or badly, he only cares if the team wins."

He describes Scarlett as "an unusual man" who was "a bit of a ratbag" early in his career. Living in a second-storey flat, Woolnough remembers being woken after midnight on match eve to the sound of stones hitting his window. Below was Scarlett, apeing Rocky Balboa seeking a blessing from his priest before fighting Apollo Creed.

"I'm asleep, and he's throwing rocks at my window. He wouldn't leave until he got a blessing."

Coach Mark Thompson is an unabashed fan, rating him the best backman he has seen.

"I've never really seen a defender play the way he has," Thompson said this week of the rebounding, running game that has married accumulating up to 30 possessions a game to the more traditional full-back's task of drying up opposition goals.

"He's certainly taken it as far as we could possibly have ever imagined it could have been taken."

While rust never sleeps for Neil Young, it seemed Scarlett might not rest either as the celebratory hours became days last September. A more mature man he may be, but Woolnough says the capacity of old is still there.

"He's got an unbelievable amount of endurance when he does go out. He just keeps going and going and going."

 

[Big Nasty]

Re: No. 30 Matthew Scarlett

Damn if there was one game I wanted to go to this year it was Scarlett's 200th. You going to the game LLH?

 

[Last Line Hero]

Re: No. 30 Matthew Scarlett

Source-
The Geelong Advertiser

Item-
Updated News

Young Tiger Jack Riewoldt wants to mix it with Scarlett
Brad Green
01Aug08

Riewoldt is keen for a bout of Scarlett Fever.

THE prospect of playing on All-Australian full back Matthew Scarlett would be daunting for most young forwards in the competition. Not Richmond rising star Jack Riewoldt.

In fact, his teammate Troy Simmonds said the Tigers' young gun has been looking forward all week to the challenge of playing on the star Geelong defender - who is celebrating his 200th AFL match - in tomorrow night's clash at the Telstra Dome.

"Jack's been buzzing around the club all week," Simmonds said.

"He's been up and about and that's what we love about him. He's certainly got a good football brain and I know that he's already tried to work out ways that he can try and beat the likes of Scarlett and (Tom) Harley and these sorts of guys.

"He'll be looking forward to the challenge ... he won't be running away from it at all."

After an encouraging debut season in 2007, the 19-year-old Riewoldt has continued his development by booting 14 goals in 13 games so far this year.

While Richmond, which sits half a game outside the top eight, has named an unchanged side for tomorrow night's game, Geelong welcomes back All-Australians Cameron Ling and Darren Milburn from injury and illness.

Ling has made a remarkable recovery after suffering a fractured cheekbone three weeks ago while Milburn was a late withdrawal from last week's win over Hawthorn with a virus. They replace forward Paul Chapman, who will miss up to two weeks with a hamstring injury, and David Johnson, Milburn's last-minute replacement last Friday night, who has been omitted.

Chapman (four goals) and Brownlow Medal favourite Gary Ablett were the difference when the two sides met back in round eight at the MCG, which Geelong won by five goals.

Tomorrow night's game will also be forward Cam Mooney's 150th appearance for Geelong. He also played 11 games with North Melbourne, including the 1999 premiership, before switching to the Cats.

MEANWHILE, Former West Coast skipper Ben Cousins says he will begin training with a WA club next week and is confident he can return to the AFL next season.

Cousins last night said he had met with AFL medical experts in Melbourne in recent days to continue the process of assessment needed to eventually be granted the right to return to the league.

The 30-year-old is serving a 12-month ban from the AFL after he was found guilty by the AFL Commission last November of bringing the game into disrepute, relating to his substance abuse.

"Everything I'm doing is about keeping that opportunity (to return to the AFL) open," Cousins told the Nine Network.

Cousins said Perth and East Fremantle were the two WAFL clubs he intended to train at, with the possibility he would also train at Port Melbourne later in the year.

Cousins is expected to front the AFL Commission in October.