What’s up with Cripps?

[Earls Smother]

From my observation the main difference is a change in role and game plan under Teague.

Under Bolton, Cripps was the main ball winner and tap target and we would sling the ball around with a couple of handballs to try and free someone up off the line. He was involved in every chain, one way or another.

Now, he’s often used as a decoy when he is copping a hard tag. The opposition ballwinners follow him, we knock it the other other way and Kennedy/Martin/Cuningham become the target instead. Very interested to see how Dow goes in this role if he gets to play this week.

In additon, we rarely sling the ball around and instead prioritise fast forward movement. So he doesn’t get the ball coming back to him when he’s in that decoy role - instead it goes inside 50. Our mods generally sit behind other teams for disposals (compre to the Bulldogs for example)?

He’s had patches where he didn’t cop a tag (first quarter vs Hawthorn for example) where he’s looked like the old Cripps, just run around and done what he likes.

That again suggests he is carrying something. Draw as many players away from the action as possible and leave it to others to step up.
Better that the tagger/s are “wasted” on someone who is not right.

 

[Kwality]

Not sure how accurate, however a mate knows a relative of Cripps and it appears he is carrying a groin injury. Again, not sure of the truth behind this but thought I would share what i got told. Seem to believe it today as he struggled to sprint and even change position using his legs.

From just watching the game yesterday, he moved like a bloody good player with a groin injury.

 

[bigblueboy]

He looked incredibly reactionary at centre bounces yesterday - probably just because we knew Nic Nat was going to win most taps. But it does seem
counter-intuitive to have your best ball-getter acting effectively in a defensive manner.

In Cripps' defence, he still won a number of clearances anyway - but I think he's being coached to change his game.

 

[T2B_]

A groin complaint would also explain his goal kicking lately. I know it's never been strength, but he seemed to improve on it quite a bit.... then coinciding with his form drop lately, it's back to being a bit of a dog's breakfast.

 

[bigbertha5]

Thought the one armed mark was the give away.

He looked like Judd. Could hardly lift his arm above his head.

 

[Coops93]

Lost a lot of weight and with that goes muscle mass as well, he will come good next year, don't really know why he lost weight? He didn't need to.

And I think he is playing injured as well, maybe needs a break, we won't be playing finals this year.

He lost weight in an attempt to improve his outside run.

Obviously hasn't worked, so this off-season hopefully he bulks back up.

 

[Juddernaut08]

Funny both him and bont having down years. last year thought it was a changing of the guard

 

[Gethelred]

Could it be that size and power become a bigger advantage the longer the game goes on, and that because the quarters are shorter opposition can blanket him for longer?

He's not right too, but he looks like a long form bat trying to go faster in an ODI. Not everyone's suited to the condensed quarters.

 

[smashbox gill]

He's clearly carrying something and playing through it. I have a feeling its to do with his shoulder, think he also broke a rib early in the year

 

[chunkylover53]

I see parallels with whitnall, first 100 games elite. Now he has lost pace and looks bashed up. Moving from A grade to B grade. Maybe better as a forward from here on end with occassional moves on ball, otherwise he may have to retire at 28/29.

why would you put this out there WHY holy * my day is ruined.

season cooked.

cripps is whitnall

ffs

 

[chunkylover53]

i said at the start of the year the weight loss was too clever by russell. he's the best in the game by being an inside mid, why * with that to get a few cheapies on the outside?

if it were up to me he'd be 70% on ball and 30% playing directly out of the square wreaking havoc. Kennedy and Setterfield should be close to picking up the slack without him.

he's also clearly carrying something and for the first time in his career, is struggling to get out of a form slump. good mental battle for the lad. he will be fine.

 

[btdg]

Funny thing with Cripps is that despite his form slump, some frustrations with umpiring/tagging, and his goal-kicking yips he's still the 4th ranked midfielder for the year by AFL player ratings (behind Petracca, Neale and Oliver) and 8th overall in the comp. By AFL player ratings he's 5th (behind Gawn, Neale, Martin and Goldstein). Statsinsider's system which includes some more subjective measures has him 34th.

He's still 3rd in the league in contested possessions, 1st for centre clearances, 12th for stoppage clearances, 25th for tackles, 20th for score involvements.

Basically, he's sitting alongside Neale, Petracca and Oliver as the best inside mid in the comp; and we're running a thread to find our what is wrong with him! High standards indeed...

For what it's worth, his AFL fantasy points are well down...

 

[Rustica]

Funny thing with Cripps is that despite his form slump, some frustrations with umpiring/tagging, and his goal-kicking yips he's still the 4th ranked midfielder for the year by AFL player ratings (behind Petracca, Neale and Oliver) and 8th overall in the comp. By AFL player ratings he's 5th (behind Gawn, Neale, Martin and Goldstein). Statsinsider's system which includes some more subjective measures has him 34th.

He's still 3rd in the league in contested possessions, 1st for centre clearances, 12th for stoppage clearances, 25th for tackles, 20th for score involvements.

Basically, he's sitting alongside Neale, Petracca and Oliver as the best inside mid in the comp; and we're running a thread to find our what is wrong with him! High standards indeed...

For what it's worth, his AFL fantasy points are well down...

Just goes to show what he can do when fit and firing.

 

[Juddernaut08]

Funny thing with Cripps is that despite his form slump, some frustrations with umpiring/tagging, and his goal-kicking yips he's still the 4th ranked midfielder for the year by AFL player ratings (behind Petracca, Neale and Oliver) and 8th overall in the comp. By AFL player ratings he's 5th (behind Gawn, Neale, Martin and Goldstein). Statsinsider's system which includes some more subjective measures has him 34th.

He's still 3rd in the league in contested possessions, 1st for centre clearances, 12th for stoppage clearances, 25th for tackles, 20th for score involvements.

Basically, he's sitting alongside Neale, Petracca and Oliver as the best inside mid in the comp; and we're running a thread to find our what is wrong with him! High standards indeed...

For what it's worth, his AFL fantasy points are well down...

Yep hes still our best. Hes still a top 5 or better inside mid.

The issue is he used to be no.1 by a straight.

 

[juzz88]

I'm partial to bulked up Cripps, purely from a man crush perspective.

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[Bearded Carpenter]

He's saving himself for finals - cheeky crippa.

 

[Doro]

Three weeks of the KFC diet and bench press. Sorry A.R, this experiment failed.

 

[Coops93]

Funny thing with Cripps is that despite his form slump, some frustrations with umpiring/tagging, and his goal-kicking yips he's still the 4th ranked midfielder for the year by AFL player ratings (behind Petracca, Neale and Oliver) and 8th overall in the comp. By AFL player ratings he's 5th (behind Gawn, Neale, Martin and Goldstein). Statsinsider's system which includes some more subjective measures has him 34th.

He's still 3rd in the league in contested possessions, 1st for centre clearances, 12th for stoppage clearances, 25th for tackles, 20th for score involvements.

Basically, he's sitting alongside Neale, Petracca and Oliver as the best inside mid in the comp; and we're running a thread to find our what is wrong with him! High standards indeed...

For what it's worth, his AFL fantasy points are well down...

I've been meaning to type up something similar. If you prorate his stats out to a full game (~20% extra) he'd average 26 disposals, 7.7 clearances, 14.79 CP and 4.6 tackles per game (2019 stats - 28D, 8.5CL, 17CP & 6.15TKLS) so all down, but not drastically.

Given that the qtrs are shorter I'd say that hurts him as well. There's an old idiom in the NFL when it comes to tackling big running backs, in the first qtr you're excited to run up and hit him, but by the 4th qtr when that big guy gets the ball you're not so keen anymore... Well Cripps could be very similar to that, it's easy to take on and hit the big guy when you're fresh, but when you start feeling the pinch and see a big 195cm 95kg Patty Cripps charging in maybe you think about how bad you really want that ball.

With the shorter qtrs everyone is a bit fresher for longer and perhaps the lack of attrition doesn't cause the second guessing by opposition players like it has in the past.

 

[AT97]

Perhaps it’s got nothing to do with weight or Injury. Possibly been asked to play a different role or he’s just out simply out of form. Even the great ones have form lapses.

 

[Michael Jezz]

[QUOTE="Curnowhan, post: 66315098, member:
Not at all. Call it as I see it

 

[katmanblue]

Just goes to show what he can do when fit and firing.

No. Just shows unrealistic expectations on our part.

If he's going to have a down year, I don't mind this year being it.

Hopefully he come out firing next year.

Can't expect him to be elite year in/year out.

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[Juddernaut08]

No. Just shows unrealistic expectations on our part.

If he's going to have a down year, I don't mind this year being it.

Hopefully he come out firing next year.

Can't expect him to be elite year in/year out.

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Why not? Judd was. Murph was during his prime.

Dont settle for mediocrity we arent the Saints.

 

[__Bobcat__]

His Back is Stuffed, too many opposition players are hanging off him all the Time....

 

[agro]

His Back is Stuffed, too many opposition players are hanging off him all the Time....

Nothing to do with carrying his 21 team mates.

 

[Gavstar]

Nothing to do with carrying his 21 team mates.

Reminds me of the Chris Judd sledge on Selwood/Jones (WCE)

“I followed him down into the Carlton forward line,” Selwood recalled on The Footy Show.

“Brett Jones was the guy who made the comment about his sore shoulders.

“Juddy turned to both of us and said, ‘It’s because I’ve been carrying you guys for five years’.”