Preview Semi Final Knockout - Carn the Eagles!

[HoneyBadger35]

I'm not sold on the Neutral ground argument by Carlton supporters.

They struggled for a fair part of the game last year when we we were crap

I don't actually think it's neutral ground, I was just saying if it was then the Eagles still win based on the last game, so they have no argument.

 

[Suma Magic]

My prediction of our match-winners:
- LeCras
- NN
- Kerr

LeCras to have 25 and 4, NN 10 clearances and Kerr to find space.

For the Blues:
- K Murphy
- Betts

Eagles to dominate the first quarter.

Game to be close.

 

[Big Red is back]

Let's just say, for argument's sake, that Subi is neutral ground. We beat Carlton in Melbourne, undoubtably Carlton territory. So even if Subi is neutral ground, we're getting more of an advantage than we had on the day we beat them by 5 goals. So....7/8 goals then?

We were in the middle of a heavy training load and half the club had the flu, the doggies beat us as well at that time.

Game is irrelevant.

 

[PRANKSTER666]

I don't think West Coast could have been any more impressive this year. To come from where they have last year is a massive effort, and really did push Collingwood all the way last week. Just a couple of queries re: your squad:

Are you guys concerned by the lack of experience in your midfield aside from Kerr & Priddis. I'm talking about guys like Gaff, Shuey, Masten, Masten & S.Selwood, and whether the weight of expectations will get to them?

Listening to SEN over here tonight, Basil Zemplis (sp?) was on, and was asked about Cox. Said that he was likely to play, but didn't think he'd be at his best. What's he been like carrying injuries into games, as I know he's missed alot of footy prior to the 2011 season

And finally, do you guys think it will be a factor that your second bye was in round 15, and ours was in round 23?

I'm sure alot of Carlton supporters are hopeful rather than confident that we can knock you off in the West. Just hoping for a cracking game of footy.

A common misconception about Cox. Has missed very few games in his career. He only played 13 in 09 but besides that has played a very large %.

Last year he didn't miss any, just the pre-season and was playing catchup all year, hence his poor year.

http://stats.rleague.com/afl/stats/players/D/Dean_Cox.html

 

[Taskmaster]

You blokes will pants Carlton. They are massive pretenders, they cant beat the big boys. And you blokes over there will get over the line.

Here is hoping for a Haw Vs WCE GF, with the same result as '91.....

 

[September_Glory]

I don't actually think it's neutral ground, I was just saying if it was then the Eagles still win based on the last game, so they have no argument.

A lot has changed in 3 months...

We have undoubtedly improved. Carlton had basically no KPP's standing that day, so no doubt they will be slightly better, at least structurally. I'm sure Judd won't be pantsed two weeks in a row either, so there's that to look out for.

I wouldn't put too much stock into what happened that game.

 

[Suma Magic]

We were in the middle of a heavy training load and half the club had the flu, the doggies beat us as well at that time.

Game is irrelevant.

Our training load was bigger.

 

[The_Wookie]

[youtube]1ERYpsD11KE[/youtube]

AFL360 previews Saturdays West Coast v Carlton final

 

[dajesmac]

That seems like a pretty good show actually. Never seen it before being overseas.

Good rep?

 

[The_Wookie]

That seems like a pretty good show actually. Never seen it before being overseas.

Good rep?

As far as football shows are concerned, its one of the best out there.

 

[swingdog]

It's the weakest of the Fox shows simply because of Mark Robinson.

Footy Insider on Tuesday night is the best, for me.

 

[Special Agent Utah]

Shut down Betts, Garlett, and Yarran and control Judd and we win.

If we don't it will be very very tight.

 

[joeyavalanche]

pound for pound we are a better side.
with their outs to key players it further highlights it.

anything can happen on game day but i think we should win comfortably

 

[Milenko]

Shut down Betts, Garlett, and Yarran and control Judd and we win.

If we don't it will be very very tight.

And Murphy.

We need our forwards to lift. Last week was not their collective best game, in terms of hitting the scoreboard, forward pressure and controlling the rebounding HBFers of Collingwood. Must keep Yarran in check in particular, which we were unable to do with Leon.

 

[Matera92]

What a chump Ratten is, talking about the pressure on us to win a final, we've come from last you rat faced muppet, the fact that we are even playing finals is a miracle.

The pressure is on your soft, downhill skiing mob who despite an untold number of high draft picks including three No.1's have only just managed to finally beat a finals team who really had no place being there in the first place.

Can't wait to smash that scum club on Saturday night and send Juddy home ruing the day he bailed on us.

 

[Goldfish]

What a chump Ratten is, talking about the pressure on us to win a final, we've come from last you rat faced muppet, the fact that we are even playing finals is a miracle.

The pressure is on your soft, dowhnhill skiing mob who despite an untold number of high draft picks including three No.1's have only just managed to finally beat a finals team who really had no place being there in the first place.

Can't wait to smash that scum club on Saturday night and send Juddy home ruing the day he bailed on us.

According to Tim Gossage, Carlton's current record for interstate finals is 0-5 since the AFL began in 1987... It was also 10 years since they won their last final (prior to the weekend obviously).

My point being, there are all sorts of meaningless stats that can be thrown around, I'm just glad Woosha has taken the higher road and not been pulled down to this level.

 

[daics cousin]

Fear not coasters ,you will smash the Blues this week.

They have no Kreuzer and no gibbs big loss.

You will find yourselves in a prelim against the cats next week,and i reckon if all goes well you may,just may,find yourselves in a grand final.


If somehow that does happen,it will be an extrordinary year,coming from the bottom of the ladder.

Look even if you don't make this year,you all have to be ecstatic as to finishing top 4.

No doubt in 2 to three yaers this team with the nic nat will win another flag.Natanaui will be a superstar in a year or two.

Good luck this week and give the Blues heaps !

 

[HARKER]

Let's just say, for argument's sake, that Subi is neutral ground. We beat Carlton in Melbourne, undoubtably Carlton territory. So even if Subi is neutral ground, we're getting more of an advantage than we had on the day we beat them by 5 goals. So....7/8 goals then?

It's been said a hundred times before, but the more space that Carlton have, the more they like it and Subi has 10% more overall space than Etihad.
Of course that alone does not guarantee a win, but it does serve our running game moreso than the tighter spaces do.

Whichever way there are many arguments as to why either side may win, but WC just have that few extra more.

 

[Suma Magic]

Whichever way there are many arguments as to why either side may win, but WC just have that few extra more.

I think that's a good summary of this game.

Both teams have decent arguments as to why they will win:

Eagles:
- Don't like Etihad
- won by 6 goals last game, interstate
- were dreadfully inaccurate in that game
- were missing Gaff, Masten, Waters
- home ground advantage this time
- longer break
- Gibbs and Kreuzer

Carlton
- key unjuries last game, especially defenders which allowed Lynch and Kennedy to dominate
- Judd was sick
- also dislike etihad
- in good form
- better midfield
- better small forwards
- Cox and Kerr under injury clouds, Rosa missing.
- eagles haven't had a bye for months

 

[GordonBlue]

According to Tim Gossage, Carlton's current record for interstate finals is 0-5 since the AFL began in 1987... It was also 10 years since they won their last final (prior to the weekend obviously).

My point being, there are all sorts of meaningless stats that can be thrown around, I'm just glad Woosha has taken the higher road and not been pulled down to this level.

Ratts was asked if the pressure was on Eagles and he answered it correctly. No team that finished in the top 4 would want to go out in straight sets. Ratts didn't bring up the topic, he was asked, and from someone who had just coached a game where the pressure was suffocating, he answered it truthfully...

Previous stats don't mean too much if the people playing weren't playing at the time, however Carlton losing in the elim finals the last two years did affect the players against Essendon. And same way it will affect the Eagles if they do go out in straight sets this year.

 

[GordonBlue]

I think that's a good summary of this game.

Both teams have decent arguments as to why they will win:

Eagles:
- Don't like Etihad
- won by 6 goals last game, interstate
- were dreadfully inaccurate in that game
- were missing Gaff, Masten, Waters
- home ground advantage this time
- longer break
- Gibbs and Kreuzer

Carlton
- key unjuries last game, especially defenders which allowed Lynch and Kennedy to dominate
- Judd was sick
- also dislike etihad
- in good form
- better midfield
- better small forwards
- Cox and Kerr under injury clouds, Rosa missing.
- eagles haven't had a bye for months

Eagles also has the following advantages:
- matched it with the best team the previous week even with injuries
- have only got better from the last time they play Carlton
- Do not fear any team in the league

For the Blues
- Several players in career best form (Warnock, Henderson, Murphy, Thornton, Robinson etc)
- Our entire setup was screwed last time we played you with both Ruckman unfit
- Monkey off the back

 

[reg_lower91]

Other than a win by a kick over an out of sorts Geelong (who managed to lose to the Dons the week prior), have you actually played anyone of consequence at home since round 3?

It's a great record to be sure. And we may yet prove inconsequential. I'm just not sure its as impressive as it looks on paper.

I actually agree with dirk. (of course i do, I'm a carlton supporter ). Think it's very similar to the Geelong-Skilled Stadium situation. In all of those 26 straight wins they had failed to play a quality side, yet they came up against a haf decent side at the time in Sydney and failed to uphold their 'stunning' record.

Let's look at Dirk's post in more detail:
Round 1: v North Melbourne - finished 9th
Round 3: v Sydney - finished 7thLOSS
Round 6: v Melbourne - finished 13th
Round 8 & 18: v Fremantle - finished 11th
Round 9: v Bulldogs - finished 10th
Round 11: v Gold Coast - finished 17th
Round 13: v Port Adelaide - finished 16th
Round 16: v Geelong - finished 2nd
Round 20: v Richmond - finished 12th
Round 22: v Essendon - finished 8th
Round 24: v Adelaide - finished 14th

Of all the teams you played at Patersons this year, only three were top-8 sides: Geelong, Sydney and Essendon, each finishing 2nd, 7th and 8th respectively.

Now I personally don't think you can take anything away from that Geelong win, as it was a great one, but the other win against the 8th side in the comp , as Dirk suggested to, isn't as impressive as it looks on paper.

Is there an advantage having teams fly a 3-hours flight over to Perth to play in front of a hostile crowd? Of course it is. However I really don't think the advantage is as big as it is perceived to be. The real battle is fought mentally and emotionally, IMO.

 

[Marlin01]

Ratts was asked if the pressure was on Eagles and he answered it correctly. No team that finished in the top 4 would want to go out in straight sets. Ratts didn't bring up the topic, he was asked, and from someone who had just coached a game where the pressure was suffocating, he answered it truthfully...

Previous stats don't mean too much if the people playing weren't playing at the time, however Carlton losing in the elim finals the last two years did affect the players against Essendon. And same way it will affect the Eagles if they do go out in straight sets this year.

Ratten could easily have said he's not interested in entering into hypothetical conversations about other teams, as every coach knows. That said, it's a storm in a tea cup and is only being beaten up to give journalists column inches and TV hosts something to fill a show with.

 

[HoneyBadger35]

I actually agree with dirk. (of course i do, I'm a carlton supporter ). Think it's very similar to the Geelong-Skilled Stadium situation. In all of those 26 straight wins they had failed to play a quality side, yet they came up against a haf decent side at the time in Sydney and failed to uphold their 'stunning' record.

Let's look at Dirk's post in more detail:
Round 1: v North Melbourne - finished 9th
Round 3: v Sydney - finished 7thLOSS
Round 6: v Melbourne - finished 13th
Round 8 & 18: v Fremantle - finished 11th
Round 9: v Bulldogs - finished 10th
Round 11: v Gold Coast - finished 17th
Round 13: v Port Adelaide - finished 16th
Round 16: v Geelong - finished 2nd
Round 20: v Richmond - finished 12th
Round 22: v Essendon - finished 8th
Round 24: v Adelaide - finished 14th

Of all the teams you played at Patersons this year, only three were top-8 sides: Geelong, Sydney and Essendon, each finishing 2nd, 7th and 8th respectively.

Now I personally don't think you can take anything away from that Geelong win, as it was a great one, but the other win against the 8th side in the comp , as Dirk suggested to, isn't as impressive as it looks on paper.

Is there an advantage having teams fly a 3-hours flight over to Perth to play in front of a hostile crowd? Of course it is. However I really don't think the advantage is as big as it is perceived to be. The real battle is fought mentally and emotionally, IMO.

Definitely had nothing to do with the fact they had literally nothing to play for and that Sydney were pumped beyond belief. That argument holds weight if we decide to rest a few players to get them ready for finals, but it holds no weight now that it's finals time.

 

[GordonBlue]

Ratten could easily have said he's not interested in entering into hypothetical conversations about other teams, as every coach knows. That said, it's a storm in a tea cup and is only being beaten up to give journalists column inches and TV hosts something to fill a show with.

I agree with you, and I'm sure if Ratts had his time again he would have answered it the exact same way. However Ratts doesn't often hide away from answers or answers question with some war time story (i.e. Malthouse or Harvey)... he normally just answers the questions as he sees it (unless it's to do with injuries, then he plainly lies through his teeth lol)