Preview Rnd 6 - Carlton v Hawthorn Sunday April 28th 3.20PM @ UTAS - Team Post #1331

[HARKER]

As opposed to Kennedy?

Arr0w Kennedy didn't look particularly good last week and he played in a position he had every opportunity to show plenty.

The NB's haven't been, nor look like being a place for forwards to develop.
Look at the bests from last week; Goddard, Macreadie, Williamson, Stocker.......see the pattern? No Fasolo, no Garlett, no Lang and if Cuningham had have played, I dare to guess, no Cuningham.

We cite players requiring touch and therefor should come back via the NB's and that's fair enough, but if it's touch alone the fumbling portrayed by Polson (over a period of time) and O'Brien last weekend, deserve some time in the league below, also.

 

[CJMB]

How good is Hawthorn's recruiting and development by the way?

Not only did they go out of their way to find a guy called Mitchell Lewis after Sam Mitchell and Jordan Lewis left, but they actually turned him into an AFL player.

They found a player that combined the names and then also went on to combine the numbers

Jordan Lewis #3
Sam Mitchell #5
Mitch Lewis #8

 

[Omega Blue]

Thomas will spend the rest of his career in defence (malthouse removed and goal kicking flair he may have had) Murphy will be our small forward.

 

[Macca43]

I agree, but like I said I don't know. Lots of assumptions without any actual knowledge.

He may well get more out of playing a game in the 2's getting a few touches and coming in with confidence. When you look at his limited data so far he has been better the more games he has played in a row. Continuity seems important.

You're assuming he would play well.

 

[Mondyboy]

I see where Soapy and Arrow are coming from, but going by Bolt’s presser - where extolled Cuner’s virtues and said he was certainly in the mix - my gut tells me he will play.


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[cfc4life]

Picking the best available players if they are fit is a no brainer.

Not sure why we're overcomplicating the discussion when Cunners for Polson is the best option.

Even at 75% he offers so much more than Polson.

 

[Macca43]

Arr0w Kennedy didn't look particularly good last week and he played in a position he had every opportunity to show plenty.

The NB's haven't been, nor look like being a place for forwards to develop.
Look at the bests from last week; Goddard, Macreadie, Williamson, Stocker.......see the pattern? No Fasolo, no Garlett, no Lang and if Cuningham had have played, I dare to guess, no Cuningham.

We cite players requiring touch and therefor should come back via the NB's and that's fair enough, but if it's touch alone the fumbling portrayed by Polson (over a period of time) and O'Brien last weekend, deserve some time in the league below, also.

I also wonder about how much touch you could get in the NB's this week, isn't the weather supposed to be terrible?

 

[HBF]

He brings heaps of passion & determination..

His defensive work is outstanding as well.

 

[CFC18]

Murphy up forward. Those you mentioned on the outside as well.

It sounds plausible on paper but when has Murph ever played solely as a forward? We're not going to suddenly play one of our best players out of position, even less so after a win. Likewise with suggestions of Thomas, who has been playing his best footy with us this year down back.

Cuningham will come in and play the role he has trained all preseason for. It makes for good debate but come 3pm today we'll see the logical decision made.

 

[HBF]

I hope your wrong ole fella!!
I would rather Cuners in for Polson and if Charlie comes in it must be for Levi unfortunately..

Which means Harry has to play second ruck which is not ideal. IMO he's better when he can play all match as a forward.

 

[Mondyboy]

Like I said I don't know and there are so many variables. Cuningham up until this year wasn't best 22 and has played 1 decent game and now he is vital after 4 games out? I don't get it.

Happy for him to play if they believe he is ready but just don't get the "certainty" aspect of his selection

Yes, but is Polson top 22. I mean if Polson was getting the ball 10 or 12 times and laying multiple tackles then we might be still having this discussion, but it wouldn’t be anywhere as near as clear cut.

I’m not having a crack at Polson. I think he can make it as a footballer. I also think we’ve stunted his career somewhat trying to square peg him into a circle hole as a small forward. I remember his first couple of games for us in the VFL where he was racking up the possessions. He then got injured, lost form and has tried to remake himself as a tackle pressure sort of footballer. Which is good. But I’d rather he be developed as a forward / mid who can play minutes in the centre. The place to do that is in the VFL.

If he plays though, instead of Cuners, I won’t lose my s**t because (a) I’m not a 6 year old and (b) I know he will bring effort.


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[JohnnyFontane90]

Has anyone questioned his fitness?

given he's returning from injury it's the only possible reservation anyone could have for not playing him ahead of polson.

 

[Mondyboy]

Look, at the end of the day, I’m sure a number of us will burn our membership cards if they don’t pick exactly the team we want!


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[Blues_Man]

if charlie needs a message sent, can't the coach deliver it? just don't see the point of him kicking 5 in the magoos whilst we lose by 10 points in tassie......

Problem is he hasn't looked like kicking 5...he's struggled to get 5 touches a game .

 

[Blue__Balls]

Cuningham for Polson should happen.

Cunners will have had two weeks of full training, which you have to assume includes contact work and some match sim.

He had a full preseason and played extremely well before his injury.

The only arguments to bring him through the VFL would be:

- managing game time, if he's lost conditioning. Valid, but Russell seems to be of the opinion that he's match-ready.

- finding touch. Invalid, he'd be replacing a player who can't get more than one possession per quarter. Rusty Cunners > Current Polson.

- building confidence. Could go either way, may help or hinder depending on who you ask.

Based on that, if he's considered fit, I think he needs to play. Spend more time forward with short stints on the ball. If he can create a couple of goals, and the team gets up, his confidence will be sky high and that will hopefully carry through for a nice little run of games.

 

[Mondyboy]

Problem is he hasn't looked like kicking 5...he's struggled to get 5 touches a game .

People say that, but his Gold Coast game was far from terrible. Had the ball 17 times with a decent DE. Laid 4 tackles, took 9 marks. If anything he was finding form throughout that game.

The problem was less about him and more about our forward structure and kick it to Gibbons mentality.


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[Mr_Plow]

Look, at the end of the day, I’m sure a number of us will burn our membership cards if they don’t pick exactly the team we want!


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Exactly.

I will advocate for Cuningham until my last breath.

 

[murphster]

Just saw Big Fev on the footy show and just started explaining to my young son who didnt see him play, the day the bastards at Hawthorn put three defenders on him when he was on 99 goals. Can’t forgive them for that....hope we smash’em for Fev!

That was a low act and I think they realised it in the end and changed it back, but it never should have happened in the first place as they where miles in front on the scoreboard and Buddy had already kicked his hundred.

 

[Soapy V]

given he's returning from injury it's the only possible reservation anyone could have for not playing him ahead of polson.

Then you’re not reading what is being discussed

 

[cfc4life]

Then you’re not reading what is being discussed

Outside of returning from injury, what possible reason would you have Polson ahead of him?

 

[footyfan1978]

bit extreme there Plow...

 

[Mondyboy]

Outside of returning from injury, what possible reason would you have Polson ahead of him?

Not to speak for Soapy but the argument is:

- Don’t break-up a winning team.

- Due to his injury Cuner’s has done limited contact work. So he might be fit, but may not be match fit.

- Cuner’s might or might not be top 22. That’s not been established given all the form we’ve got to go one is JLT and the match against Richmond. In other words, he shouldn’t be viewed as an automatic selection.

I don’t agree with 1. I partly agree with 2 but think that AR would have this covered and as for 3... fair enough, but if we are doing an apples to apples comparison, his output will be greater than Polson who he will likely be replacing.

[Apologies if I’ve missed something].


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[PrinceCharles]

Problem is he hasn't looked like kicking 5...he's struggled to get 5 touches a game .

Yeah nah

 

[footyfan1978]

Bootsma, Watson, Kane Lucas, Boekhorst and Warnock in
Wakes up.. phew.. nightmare over

 

[Macca43]

Problem is he hasn't looked like kicking 5...he's struggled to get 5 touches a game .

I think you have been watching the wrong player.