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

[MITSUHIRATO]

McEvoy listed has having adductor soreness.

I think they'll make two changes:

Ceglar and Stratton will come in to replace Nash and McEvoy.

 

[HARKER]

Let's be honest, has all the attributes, but hasn't established himself as yet. I see him as best 22

MK came back through the VFL

Kennedy has had a couple of hitouts, surely a big bodied mid would be useful and rotate Fisher, Gibbons and even Thomas through the forward half

Cuningham not best 22? Maybe, but are Polson, Gibbons, O'Brien, Casboult all who played last week?
I don't think that's the point as much as; Will this player give us more than that player, for this match in this particular role.
That's the question that needs to be asked.

Kreuzer came back through the VFL and Marchbank didn't. All that matters is whether they're good to go or not........and the above.

Kennedy? Didn't look like an AFL player to me last Saturday.
Would be somewhat surprised should he be called up, just to 'protect' Cripps.
Cripps will need support but I dare say he's still relatively fresh with only 5 games down for the year.

 

[FitzroyBlueBagger]

Yep. Backing that. Daisy and Pop?

I like that matchup, Daisy has his speed mobility back and the one thing he does possess is football smarts he knows how forwards operate, if not I'd like him on Breust for the same reasons

 

[Jorge]

Cuningham should come straight in if fit enough. His pre season form was excellent and he made us look much more lively. He could also be considered lucky no one else can really play that role very well. I wanted Polson to play last week purely so we had some speed in the forward half but he just isn't doing enough to keep his spot. Cuningham to replace ASAP.

I like Kennedy but with Cripps & Setterfield he is going to struggle for a spot long term as he throws out our balance between grunt & speed.

 

[Blue Chip Pass]

Have we confirmed "Hazza" is Harry. Who started that? Stop it!
The players call him "Big H". This I like!

 

[blue healer]

His first 4 weeks of the pre-season/round 1 were as good as anybody in the team and his first half against Richmond was certainly as good as anybody in that team. One can argue his attributes all one likes, but 4 weeks of high-quality football is 4 weeks of high-quality football.

I feel very strongly about Cuningham's role in the team because the evidence is there if one is willing to look at it fairly. I'd be stunned and annoyed if he isn't named in the AFL team.

Don't think Kennedy has a role this week. O'Meara, Worpel, Shiels, Howe, Cousins and Morrison aren't going to cause us much trouble on the inside. Hawthorn will, though, hurt us on the spread and with their kicking, so we need to be very mobile defensively.

I think we're a long way still from not having a role for a big bodied on baller. The problem I have with Kennedy is that I'm not sure he is that talented big bodied mid we're looking for. It worries me that he is fit enough to be an emergency but doesn't seem to be wanted in a team that had lost four on the trot.

 

[gbatman]

I think you are writing off Kennedy way way to early. I think once he gets his body right, Kennedy is going to be a huge asset to this team. He’s a very good footballer and offers something we need at the coal face.

I’m guessing you also wrote Weitering off last year for being slow?

I was more than in Weitering's corner last season and I would not call him slow either, he's just not Liam Jones quick. I don't rate Kennedy all that highly, I think he's backup for Cripps and Dow. Maybe Ed. He doesn't seem to use size and strength at contests, his lateral movements are poor and his leg speed and speed off the mark are poor. His results in the VFL have been above average but numbers wise not what you would expect to see from a good AFL centerman. If he proves me wrong then so be it. Hope he does. The only type of player who would improve our midfield would be someone who's a powerful runner and a good user and he's not that. IMO he will struggle to get a game and may even be floated as a trade option next season. Kennedy needs to reinvent himself as a tagger IMO to get into our side although that is slipping away a bit as Setterfield seems to be taking to run with roles quite well. Who's suggesting his body is not right? He's had a preseason and looks fit, only had a couple of minor injuries from knocks. Any other season he walks into our team, this season he's had a large number of players go past him. Good for us for recruiting and developing well.

I also don't see where we need him. We're 4th in the league for clearances. Our midfield is performing well and brimming with depth and the balance looks great. If anything could be improved it's our outside game and that's more about training and educating the mids and I think we saw us get our outside game right last week.

 

[Bordertoon]

Here's 1 reason, because Casboult only took 5 marks on the weekend. I am tipping that if Charlie had just 11 touches, 5 marks and 1 tackle everyone would be calling for him to stop partying.

Here is another. Charlie is simply a better player.

Here is a third, the more games we can have with Mitch, Harry and Charlie (plus Jack) as the marking talls the bette it will be long term.

I think it’s worth noting that Cas had 79% game time against the Dogs, and of his “measly” 5 marks 3 were contested, 4 were taken inside 50, and 3 resulted directly in goals kicked by Cas. Imo, he also contributed significantly through his ruck work, and by frequently crashing packs. By contrast, Charlie had 94% game time against the Tigers, in which he had 12 possessions, laid 1 tackle, and took 0 contested marks and 1 uncontested mark (outside 50) for the entire game. From memory his only goal was a Joe the Goose, and iirc he turned the ball over multiple times throughout the night.

In other words, I think that it’s misleading to suggest that Charlie would be crucified for, or to imply that he is somehow above, the very solid game that Cas put in against the Dogs. In fact, I would argue that Cas’s game on Sunday was far superior to anything that Charlie has so far produced in 2019, although I’m happy to concede that Charlie was much better against the Suns than in his previous 2019 JLT and regular season games (in fact, when I looked over his stats against the Suns, I was actually surprised by how good they looked, because they went beyond my impressions from watching the game).

Anyway, fwiw I fully agree with your second point (about Charlie being the better player, at least when he’s in form and playing to his potential), and I can also see what you’re getting at with regard to the importance of building some synergy between Charlie, Mitch, and Harry moving forward. Imo, Charlie will clearly come back into the first team fold sooner rather than later, and he’s obviously a key part of our future, but if the Match Committee see fit to bring him back through the NBs, then I for one would not object.

 

[HARKER]

Cuningham should come straight in if fit enough. His pre season form was excellent and he made us look much more lively. He could also be considered lucky no one else can really play that role very well. I wanted Polson to play last week purely so we had some speed in the forward half but he just isn't doing enough to keep his spot. Cuningham to replace ASAP.

I like Kennedy but with Cripps & Setterfield he is going to struggle for a spot long term as he throws out our balance between grunt & speed.

This is what we do.
Just throw anyone and everyone in as a player that should be in the main team, without doing the numbers and without looking at team balance.
- Stocker is getting a game soon, Kennedy should be protecting Cripps, Setterfield is a certain starter, Gibbons should be playing midfield......etc etc.

Lots to play out given we're still a very young midfield and at some point in time, we'll realise we can't just find homes for midfielders, because we paid a lot for them and because we're suddenly flushed with them.
Even though we do have quality in this department, not all will always fit into the best team. I don't think we'll get that 'lucky'

 

[Blue Chip Pass]

Reading through the pros & cons in the thread.
I agree with most, that Cunners would be a great inclusion. If he is 100%.
definitely get more productive output than Polson. Is just more dynamic, evasive and can kick a goal.
Would love to see Wilo in, but think he needs another week same as Charlie.
Think Casboult stays in this week.
I think we can all put up solid arguments for a few players. MC probably know best.
cheers ladies & gentlemen.
How good wood it be to knock off Dawks.
Get the can opener ready !!!!

 

[Red Bull]

Don’t think Ed will be going anywhere RB. His possession count is lower this year but he’s playing a different role too. I think the seniors in the team are hear to stay to offer support for the youngens.

Not saying right away, but it’s the law of the jungle and the time eventually comes for everyone ...

 

[Bordertoon]

Called us as good things last week. We should be about $2.20 this week and probably shorter dependant on the hawks injury situation. For some reason we are $3.40 to win. I don't bet on football but it would appear that the bookies are framing markets based on past history rather than what is actually happening. We must be near certainties on the line if they are giving us 19 points start.

I too genuinely thought that we’d beat the Dogs, and thankfully I bet accordingly. I completely agree with you about the odds on us beating the Hawks this week. By acting on Sunday night I actually got odds of $4.17 (after that silly Neds legends promo) on us to win, which I thought was remarkably generous. I’ve noticed the odds are closing as the week goes on though, so presumably a lot of punters are jumping on board the Blues bandwagon. It’s amazing how much a single win can change perceptions - just imagine what back-to-back wins would do.

 

[Bordertoon]

Not saying right away, but it’s the law of the jungle and the time eventually comes for everyone ...

View attachment 660824

Is that front on contact or chopping the arms? Either way, it could take up the first 10 minutes of the next 360 episode - the self-appointed arbiter of truth (a.k.a Gerard Whateley) will have a field day! Great photo, btw.

 

[Beer n Skittles]

Have we confirmed "Hazza" is Harry. Who started that? Stop it!
The players call him "Big H". This I like!

Big mac

 

[Blue Chip Pass]

Big mac

Maybe he's got a few nicknames.
On the Kruezer interview, he referred to him as Big H.
I don't get what we call him, as long he keeps playing like he does.
He could be as good as Tom Lynch. Love him.

 

[Soapy V]

Best 22 is becoming irrelevant now.

It's about having a best 30-35 and who is fit, in form and what is the best combination at the time. We are getting closer to that situation

 

[Mr_Plow]

Best 22 is becoming irrelevant now.

It's about having a best 30-35 and who is fit, in form and what is the best combination at the time. We are getting closer to that situation

It's always relevant, to an extent. Certainly the optimal combination changes based on availability, but the coach has his preferred 22.
We should get relatively close to that in the coming weeks, perhaps 20/22, which would be glorious.

 

[Bordertoon]

Have we confirmed "Hazza" is Harry. Who started that? Stop it!
The players call him "Big H". This I like!

A few of the late night posters got a bit carried away with the whole “Hazza” question last night, myself included I’m afraid.

 

[Soapy V]

It's always relevant, to an extent. Certainly the optimal combination changes based on availability, but the coach has his preferred 22.
We should get relatively close to that in the coming weeks, perhaps 20/22, which would be glorious.

Does he? I'd strongly debate that

 

[gardiner stand]

Best 22 is becoming irrelevant now.

It's about having a best 30-35 and who is fit, in form and what is the best combination at the time. We are getting closer to that situation

Bottom 6 is often highlighted as a gauge for the strength of a team and after Sunday’s game it’s getting harder to identify our bottom 6 especially with Charlie, Kennedy, Williamson, Cuningham, Setterfield waiting in the wings and Docherty and Pickett with long term injuries.

 

[Mr_Plow]

Does he? I'd strongly debate that

I'd be worried if he didn't have an idea of his best mix of players. It may not be set in stone.

 

[Blue Chip Pass]

Has there ever been more interest in watching the NBs?
Great to see all the depth developing and potential options.
Fierce competition for spots.

 

[gardiner stand]

This is what we do.
Just throw anyone and everyone in as a player that should be in the main team, without doing the numbers and without looking at team balance.
- Stocker is getting a game soon, Kennedy should be protecting Cripps, Setterfield is a certain starter, Gibbons should be playing midfield......etc etc.

Lots to play out given we're still a very young midfield and at some point in time, we'll realise we can't just find homes for midfielders, because we paid a lot for them and because we're suddenly flushed with them.
Even though we do have quality in this department, not all will always fit into the best team. I don't think we'll get that 'lucky'

Amazing what a good win does, instead of looking who to chuck out we’re looking at how to fit em in!

 

[PrinceCharles]

Have we confirmed "Hazza" is Harry. Who started that? Stop it!
The players call him "Big H". This I like!

Pretty common nickname for anyone named Harry.

 

[Soapy V]

Bottom 6 is often highlighted as a gauge for the strength of a team and after Sunday’s game it’s getting harder to identify our bottom 6 especially with Charlie, Kennedy, Williamson, Cuningham, Setterfield waiting in the wings and Docherty and Pickett with long term injuries.

Yep

Just look who missed from the weekend

Williamson Kennedy Cuningham Setterfield Schumacher Goddard Fasolo Kerr Phillips Lobbe Garlett Lang Stocker Macreadie Charlie TDK

We also have Finbar BSOS Cottrell developing

Sides never actually play their "Best 22" and for good sides it's different every week. It's so important now to have depth and a group of 30 plus that can step up any time. IMO we are getting there and that is a great sign