McLaren a Blue

[Jayz43]

http://carltonfc.com.au/default.asp?pg=news&spg=display&articleid=236064

GO BLUES !!!!!

 

[btdg]

Nice work. Could develop into a top ruckman, if not - nothing lost there. Best player available in the psd

 

[stokesy]

Where does this leave Bryan, Deluca etc? McLaren will be the next ruckmen behind French, or possibly after a few games he may become our main ruckmen with French the backup.

 

[btdg]

De Luca has never worked as a ruckman, might have a year left as a forward before he gets delisted. Bryan was only ever a stop-gap solution but I'm sure the Bullants will be happy to keep him on

 

[Silvagnis]

Deluca just signed for two years and won't get delisted unless you want to watch a team of under-developed kids.

 

[btdg]

Is Deluca even in our best 22 now? No-one in this thread that I saw had him in our best 18 - and with the addition of McLaren we don't need him as a backup ruckman.

He still has potential, which he will either fulfil within the next 12-24 months, as a forward, or he will be delisted. That would explain the 2-year contract

 

[Andyt30]

will Carlton use their priority pick on Marc Murphy or Dylan McLaren? who be better choice?

 

[Silvagnis]

Definitely Malcolm Mclaren.

 

[stokesy]

will Carlton use their priority pick on Marc Murphy or Dylan McLaren? who be better choice?

2 different drafts buddy.

Murphy is in the national and McLaren in the pre-season.

 

[HBF]

All of a sudden we now have 4 guys that can play in the ruck. Leaves DeLuca and Bryan on the outs a bit, but could we not use one of them (preferably Bryan) out of a forward pocket, next to Fev?

 

[blues76]

keep deluca outta the ruck...hes a forward if that...he's as effective in the ruck as hulme is at CHF....bryan will unfortunately play alot of 2s or bench warming...

 

[stokesy]

All of a sudden we now have 4 guys that can play in the ruck. Leaves DeLuca and Bryan on the outs a bit, but could we not use one of them (preferably Bryan) out of a forward pocket, next to Fev?

It is a postive though, and there aren't many down at Carlton.

First of all, the potential ruckmen will all be fighting against each other at training etc. for a start in the 22. This means hopefully, there will be a change in performance - not so much by French as he is reliable, but Bryan and Deluca will have to step up (especially Deluca) for a game in the ones. McLaren will have to prove himself in the pre-season.

Secondly, we have a backup or two if French/McLaren has an injury - which in reality is bound to happen some time or rather during the season.

Our rucking department is beginning to sound like the Aussie cricket team - bloody hard to get a game

 

[OZBomb]

Carlton's Best 22 is something like this

AFL

B. Saddington Livingston Carrazzo
HB. Russell Thornton Lappin
C. Simpson Bentick Scotland
HF. Waite Whitnall Fisher
F. Betts Fevola O'hAilpin
Foll. French Stevens Koutoufides
Int. McLaren Murphy Walker Houlihan

That leaves a hell of a lot of good players in the VFL without injuries.
Therefore no room to carry a Bryan or a DeLuca in the team in a forward pocket.

 

[irish_setanta]

imo, we should develop bryan as a defender, big actually huge kick, who with a bit of work could be the missing link down back, but as i said this is only MY opinion.Deluca has a lot to offer as a back up forward, and rotate french and mclaren off the bench.Saddington will be a bonus down back, and maybe try and get another defender, someone like lucy in the national draft.We have potential, which is something that we havent had in a few years now, add murphy maybe hurn and a few more young kids and all of a sudden we dont look that bad.But this is only my opinion, so feel free to shoot me down on this one.

 

[DIG]

Given what was available i'm pretty happy to get Mclaren. Our ruck stocks have been so weak for too long, whenever French got injured we'd be exposed.

Now we've got a fair ruck tandem to use, Mclaren's only 23 so should have some improvement in him too and likes of Bryan and Deluca will less often be needed to step up in the ruck.

Not sure why there's so much anti-deluca sentiments on this forum - he was carrying injury all thru 2005 remember. He certainly won't be a superstar but he's better than his 2005 season.

 

[deluxeman]

Not sure why there's so much anti-deluca sentiments on this forum - he was carrying injury all thru 2005 remember. He certainly won't be a superstar but he's better than his 2005 season.

I have nothing againest Deluca but frankly I believe while he was out injured his position was taken by other players

He cannot ruck and played most of 2004 in the forward line but in 2005, guys like Waite and Fisher stepped up into the forward line and with next year the inclusion of O Halphin, that gives us about 5 tall forwards including Fev and Lance (if he plays forward).

I think next year he'll be spending a lot of time with the Bullants and I would say Bryan would get a game over Deluca due to his better rucking skills.

 

[hotpie]

Where does this leave Bryan, Deluca etc? McLaren will be the next ruckmen behind French, or possibly after a few games he may become our main ruckmen with French the backup.

That leaves them playing for Preston where they belong. They are young and need time before becoming senior players. McLaren's a good pick-up for that reason.

 

[Bluetooth]

That leaves them playing for Preston where they belong. They are young and need time before becoming senior players. McLaren's a good pick-up for that reason.

Bryan dob 6.3.82
McLaren dob 8.5.82
Deluca dob 15.5.82

Obviously McLaren's been in the system longer than either Bryan or Deluca, but all 3 ewill be 24 at, or just after the strat of the next season.

 

[Threed]

McLaren is just another example of a play being over-rated and over-paid simply because he is out of contract and there is so little quality left to choose from.

 

[The Old Dark Navy's]

McLaren is just another example of a play being over-rated and over-paid simply because he is out of contract and there is so little quality left to choose from.

He hasn't been taken yet so how do you know how much he will be paid? He did get a bit of game time in one of the greatest sides of the modern era as well. They also offered him another contract so he isn't exactly washed up.

 

[WTTF]

McLaren is just another example of a play being over-rated and over-paid simply because he is out of contract and there is so little quality left to choose from.

Not exactly the best "first post" I've seen!

As ODN says, we have no idea how much McLaren will be paid and secondly how is he over-rated?

The guy has basically been a career back-up ruckman and that's the role he's been recruited to Carlton to perform. No one expects him to displace French as the number 1 Ruckman.

McLaren provides the ruck depth we have desperately lacked in the past season or two.

 

[Stig O'Hara]

Not exactly the best "first post" I've seen!

As ODN says, we have no idea how much McLaren will be paid and secondly how is he over-rated?

The guy has basically been a career back-up ruckman and that's the role he's been recruited to Carlton to perform. No one expects him to displace French as the number 1 Ruckman.

McLaren provides the ruck depth we have desperately lacked in the past season or two.

Well said,
played 17 games last year, 19 in 2004,
pretty hard to break into team previous with Keating, McDonald and Charman.
240odd hitouts and won best clubman 2005.
Only young, good leap, still learning
can only benefit from a guy his size.

 

[mojo31]

McLaren will work for the team. Play where he is asked. Encourage others in games and on the training track.
Do whatever it takes to get the most of himself.

He is however never going to be Spider or Dean Cox but a very handy player for us. Has limitations but with more responsability will improve.

He fits the age bracket of what we need.
Passes the character test.

Saddington for pick 52 is also okay. Denis has said that we were not going to use that pick so basically we got Saddington for nothing.
He also will give us some leadership and help the team.

I realise these 2 are not guns but they will help the team.

 

[av76]

McLaren will work for the team. Play where he is asked. Encourage others in games and on the training track.
Do whatever it takes to get the most of himself.

He is however never going to be Spider or Dean Cox but a very handy player for us. Has limitations but with more responsability will improve.

He fits the age bracket of what we need.
Passes the character test.

Saddington for pick 52 is also okay. Denis has said that we were not going to use that pick so basically we got Saddington for nothing.
He also will give us some leadership and help the team.

I realise these 2 are not guns but they will help the team.

I think so too. Last year when we were getting thrashed it was normally because Barnarby was out and we had a massive mismatch in the backline. Eg. Prenderghast on Pav or Teague on Stafford. Hopefully these two will ensure that these sorts of mismatches don't occur again. Hopefully McClaren has lots of upside...he's reaching a good age and has done about the best apprenticeship possible...fingers crossed for next year. With hopefully two draftees who can slot straight into the midfield (e.g. Murphy and Hurn) we might be more competitive next year. Out forward line is looking very nice!

 

[tapestry]

Look after Dylan for us please!

Absolute fantastic character. It was no accident he jointly won the clubman of the year award up here this year.

Dylan's off-field achievements far outweigh what he achieved (admittadly with limited opportunity) on the field for Brisbane.

An amazing bloke that takes the time to make everyone and anyone feel included. Always ready with a smile, a (nice) ********-take and song or dance or rhyme or words of fun or confidence for all around him. He's gonna be sorely missed in a social sense up here.