News Sweet and Bower

[Silvagnis]

Sweet and Bower

''I was a bit unsure of where I fitted into the team at the end of last year. That, being said, I am really happy to just be at the Blues and really want to repay the faith they have shown in me,'' he said.

''I was very nervous. I didn't know what was going on,'' Bower said. ''I went in and had a really good chat with 'Ratts' [coach Brett Ratten] and he pretty much said: 'You are a required player'. That made me feel a lot better about where I sat at the club. I still feel I have a lot to achieve and have my best footy ahead of me.'

''He has got a bit of desire there. He has got the Eye of the Tiger and you can really see it,'' Brown said.

Brown says Bower is capable of taking the opposition's third ''tall'' or be used as a rebounding half-back, the player's preferred position. Bower could also be shifted to a wing with the Blues preaching versatility.

Sweet and Bower

Good article and read.

 

[The Old Dark Navy's]

Great to hear. I just hope his body holds up so we get to see the best of Paul Bower.

 

[brazilblue]

JR and Bower could be the Walkers of 2012 .... people honestly have forgotten what these two were like in full flight.

I remember at the end of the 2009 season ... I thought Bower had future AA written all over him ... tough couple of year for the poor sod ... I for one am excited ... hopefully we see his best at the last chance saloon!

 

[LanceRomance]

Did anyone know he had bruised navicular?

Or did Carlton come up with something else?

I just remember it being a recurring quad injury

'It all started just before round one. I did my foot. I had bruising in my navicular bone,''

Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/sweet-and-bower-20120121-1qbji.html#ixzz1k8G2yRbs.
​

 

[LanceRomance]

Bower still has plenty in the tank and is a lot more important to us than many people may think.
There'll be times this year, when Henderson will be needed forward and a fit Bower will allow that to happen.

Some are saying that he is fumbling the ball at training, but they may have missed seeing just how well he is performing in the clinches.
If Bower does indeed force his way into our starting 22, we'll be better off for it.

A lot of what I think is wrong with some Carlton supporters is that they are still in the dark days mentality. By that I mean lack of faith and patience in some of the boys and the idea that players are quickly expendable if good results aren't always there and, consequently, viewed as list cloggers.

It also means that people are looking for results in narrow field (as opposed to a broader holistic sense - as you do Harker). Some People look at Bower as if he should be the Chief CHB and if the qualities that a Number 1 CHB should have aren't necessarily on display they scrub him out, without looking at what else he is contributing to or performing in.

Bower has been a target of the dark days mentality of late, Thornton is a major victim (some people still want him to underachieve, I believe), Hendo before he moved down back, McLean is an obvious one, even Joseph before he flew in the 2nd half of last season.

 

[gbatman]

I recon there is a big role for Bower as a genuine third tall. The AFL mould is going to be 2 KPFs and a resting ruckman and that is what we are going to have to defend against. As much as I like Laidler I would prefer someone taller and who can play as a KPD as our 3rd tall. This also provides us great insureance if Henderson or Jamison go down mid game. It also might allow us to swing Henderson/Jamison forward mid game too.

I recon Russell will come back into our 22 and he, Yarran and Duigan will rotate through the wing. The main role of the wingman is to get back and block the holes in defence so the modern wingman is basically an extr defender. For example Scotland gets a lot of the ball in defence when he is starting on the wing. Bower couls also go to the wing when the opposition go with just 2 talls. I recon Bower would make us super flexable.

 

[AlecDuncan]

Back in 2009 it looked like we'd lucked out keeping Emu and losing JK instead. That's how good he was at the time. I thought he was moving really well in his last senior game and was shocked to see him dropped again. He would have been really handy during the finals.

Looking forward to seeing him in full flightless flight again in 2012.

 

[mickelboy182]

Bower has been a target of the dark days mentality of late, Thornton is a major victim (some people still want him to underachieve, I believe), Hendo before he moved down back, McLean is an obvious one, even Joseph before he flew in the 2nd half of last season.

Yep, at games I even still hear Russell getting bagged for any mistake. Supporters are extremely quick to jump on the boys mentioned and often for things that weren't even their fault. I swear half the time at the footy I'm more annoyed and frustrated at the Carlton supporters around me than the opposition. Some of the crowds I've been in are extremely representative of the awful Facebook 'supporters' that you see post absolute rubbish on there.

 

[LanceRomance]

Yep, at games I even still hear Russell getting bagged for any mistake. Supporters are extremely quick to jump on the boys mentioned and often for things that weren't even their fault. I swear half the time at the footy I'm more annoyed and frustrated at the Carlton supporters around me than the opposition. Some of the crowds I've been in are extremely representative of the awful Facebook 'supporters' that you see post absolute rubbish on there.

The CFC facebook page needs to better moderated better.

Any peanut can get on there and say what they like and very little happens.

Constructive criticism should be deemed ok but there can be some vicious comments on there.

 

[Jeremias]

Nice article.

It's fair to say that Bower has had a disastrous run over the past two seasons.

So many careers are cut short or completely destroyed by injuries and people had every reason to believe that PB's would be just another sad case.

I'm glad we kept him because at his best, he has showed that he can be a very good footballer.

I'm not sure if he fits into the best 22 at this stage. I haven't done one yet but I'd probably have him outside of it. However there's no doubt that if he manages to recapture the form that made him an integral part of the side a few years back, he'll play plenty of games for the Carlton Football Club yet.

Here's hoping Pauly manages to stay injury free and really gets a good run at it from here on in - at the very least he'll provide excellent depth and competition for spots, both of which are signs of a healthy & strong list gearing up for a premiership assault.

Just one of the many players I'm looking forward to in 2012.

By the way - don't you just love how a good article is ruined by a silly statement or two? Irish wasn't pushed out due to salary cap restraints. He was pushed out because we needed to make a choice between Setanta and Irish to comply with AFL regulations regarding the minimum required annual changes to the list. Completely different circumstances.

 

[Jeremias]

I'm glad we made the right choice then.

I'm still not absolutely convinced that we did, but only time will tell.

A very tough decision had to be made. Could easily have gone either way.

 

[zeeCFC]

Setanta was using the body very well towards the end of the year but wasn't the Cloke type marking forward we need. Hampson has the ability to take a huge pack mark in a pressure situation when you can just bomb it i50 and hope for the best. I really wouldn't be able to choose right now who will be a better choice up forward at the moment from Rowe, Thornton, Setant, Kreuze, Mitchell, Hammer. Too much has changed and too little of each has been seen.

I still feel Simon White is a very lucky man.

And umm, yeah, go Bower! Bower the Power!

 

[zeeCFC]

 

[SBYM]

Can honestly see Emu only as back up.

Without question, would prefer Hendo, Laids or Jamo to have the ball in their hands.

The one to watch this year down back is Laidler. I think people forget he's played 21 games of league footy. Progression is certain. And Hendo is a backman, never has he looked more like a footballer than he did down back last year.

Does not auger well for Emu imo, unless you're putting him up against Duigs, who offers something Emu most certainly doesn't. I think it more likely that Duigs/JR are fighting for a spot.

All the best to him though. I must admit I found it a bit surprising that a professional athlete with a history of soft tissue injuries like his is only now discovering the benefits of rehab and pilates.

 

[Jeremias]

I think there may be one of those "Whoosh's" in order.

Indeed.

Give me a little slack - I'm tired

 

[Jock]

This is great news, if he's in the team Thornton pretty much has to play forward. I don't mind that but I cringe when Thornton has to go back. We just aren't a top 4 side when thats the case. We can get away with it against the mid to lower tier sides but not the good sides. Welcome back Paul, its all coming together, your timing is perfect.

 

[parrot]

Seems that Duigan, Laidler, Jamo, and Hendo are certain selections, and the other 2 defenders are a small extreme-speed shutdown type (e.g. AJ or Armfield), plus a rebounding elite (e.g. Yarran). So, if all these players are available, I'm actually struggling to see where Bower will fit in. But there's going to be injuries. Some re-invention is needed. We also have Bootsma, Watson, McCarthy and McInnes developing away in the background.

 

[SBYM]

Seems that Duigan, Laidler, Jamo, and Hendo are certain selections, and the other 2 defenders are a small extreme-speed shutdown type (e.g. AJ or Armfield), plus a rebounding elite (e.g. Yarran). So, if all these players are available, I'm actually struggling to see where Bower will fit in. But there's going to be injuries. Some re-invention is needed. We also have Bootsma, Watson, McCarthy and McInnes developing away in the background.

I reckon you're bang on. Also, I'm quite bullish about Tuohy getting a very good crack at it down back this year. Exciting times. With a solid backline and midfield at least as good as any other, if one of the big lads clicks up front we're in it up to our necks.

 

[rp84]

Joseph had an awesome second half of the year.

I personally think he is going to be very good. All of a sudden, had great poise and disposal. Took the game on numerous times too. Think be will become our number 1 small defender, with midfield ability.

Bower will come good. Ive taken the liberty to sell harker's soul to ensure it.

Sadly, that's true.
I see us having now having good systems in place and a good squad to carry out the directives put forth.
We also have players hungry for real success and not just working a stepping stone approach, any more.

Admittedly I had all but written off Joseph as being a casualty of the need to delist group, at around the half-way point of the year, but the people that know better chose to give him a contract and now I can see why.
The same may be said for Thornton also, as most would have had him on the scrap heap, but a good session with the coach changed all that around.

Unfortunately in one sense, is also the fact that we'll have plenty of good players being given limited opportunity this year, for the depth we've built up in recent times.
That alone will have some calling for their heads without being reasonable enough to work out that 32 will not fit into 22, no matter how you go about it.

 

[KnaveyBlue]

"Sweet and Bower"? Really?

That sub-editor should be demoted.

 

[parrot]

Yeah, it's a pretty cringeworthy title. I'm always amazed at how totally incompetent the Footy Media is. At least it wasn't one of those lazy "HUN Specials" where they watch a YouTube video of a 4 minutes CarltonFCTV interview, and quote from it as though they were doing the interview themselves.

 

[Aphrodite]

Yeah, it's a pretty cringeworthy title. I'm always amazed at how totally incompetent the Footy Media is. At least it wasn't one of those lazy "HUN Specials" where they watch a YouTube video of a 4 minutes CarltonFCTV interview, and quote from it as though they were doing the interview themselves.

Nothing beats the HUN's "breaking news" article on Walkers hat !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Journalism at it's finest

 

[AlecDuncan]

Joseph had an awesome second half of the year.

I was impressed too. Took his game to a new level. Was much better overhead, and that goal against the Eagles was awesome. 2012 may be his year.

 

[audas]

It always amazes me when people come on to bigfooty and bag supporters for discussing the pros and cons of our players and insinuate that any mention of a players quality, worth, value , capability etc is out of bounds for discussion on an internet chat room.


The article is pretty clear in what it says, as was the selection of Bower - the guy wanted to leave, wasn't being offered a spot either because he wasn't up to scratch - couple of dodgy medical issues thrown in to justify the reality check the staff and coaching teams gave him after his failed bid to go somewhere else as wasn't offered squat.


Someone on this forum has compared him to Walker - just a ridiculous comparison no matter how you look at it.


Bower is really struggling, and will have to do something pretty amazing to get selected in the home and away on a regular basis. He is flighty with the ball and panics, he has been pushed off the ball and was a loose tackler and frequently completely out of position - as much as we love Bower he has to perform and there are plenty who are far better than him - including Thornton.

Yes it's great to see the Blues gave him one last chance, its great to see he has taken the message on board that he is no shoe in and needs to do some work to be a valued contributor, but lets certainly not go over board on the guy, and lets absolutely not give anyone any stick for questioning him as he is very questionable .

Would love to see him do well and will be a great depth player.

 

[coryne]

"Sweet and Bower"? Really?

That sub-editor should be demoted.

I am still searching for the paragraph on Lucas