Opinion What are our current areas of concern or improvement required

[Yubby]

Finding it a little strange that in terms of points against, we have the 7th best points against in the competition but are winless. Shows defensively we're been able to prevent teams from scoring heavily against us.

Really hoping we figure out our confidence and game plan issues quickly and get the scoring part of our game back into gear (we were 4th highest points for last year).

 

[swuzzlebubble]

Should be providing ample outside run.

I think he meant about how we have more players sucked into the contest which is ok so long as it's an inside game. It's harder to keep it on those terms as it opens up

 

[JustaBattler]

Not buying this - our so called band of “Oxygen Brothers”

• Walsh
• Cottrell
• Hollands
• Acres

Should be providing ample outside run.

Walsh does and wastes disposals these days
Cottrell didnt play and is out injured ( again)
O Hollands provides lots of run and butchers the ball or misses tackles but he does present all over the park
Acres is clearly playing not 100% but is excellent defensively offset by being mostly a poor a kick

 

[JustaBattler]

Areas of improvement I see are:

1. Get best players on deck - we need Harry and E Hollands back ASAP
2. Get much better cohesion between defenders and midfielders for rebound plays
3. Get a LOT smarter around contests which includes set ups around contests:
a) Hewett/Cripps/Cerra are all capable of winning teh ball - give them outlet choices to advantage
b) be smarter about hte taps to space that oppsiiton run into outside direct areas of contest- especially in defensive stoppages - again stop flooding contests and give team mates someone to release to
c) Never kick yteh ball to a small forward that cant mark - rather kick to unguarded space instead of stoopid kciks onto silly forwards' heads.

 

[Wickzki]

I thought Newman going down was nothing, now it seems he was the only one who held teammates accountable on field.

Not only was Newman a massive loss in terms of a skill role but he was an on-field coach.

If you get a chance, watch recordings of him when he's mic'd up.

Incredible how much work he put in on the field. Very vocal in a positive way.

 

[swuzzlebubble]

Never kick yteh ball to a small forward that cant mark - rather kick to unguarded space instead of stoopid kciks onto silly forwards' heads

It's bizarre how often Motlop has been the outlet target. Not just that we kick it to him but that he sets up and calls for the ball!

 

[Wickzki]

It's bizarre how often Motlop has been the outlet target. Not just that we kick it to him but that he sets up and calls for the ball!

He's following instruction.

It's at a massive loss for the ground ball instincts that he was showing off at the end of 2022 and part of 2023. If he was able to continue that trajectory he'd be an average to above average crumber now. Instead, he puts effort in but spends a chunk of the game looking lost.

 

[swuzzlebubble]

He's following instruction

That he's our designated outlet or that somebody needs to be and he's the only one who presents?

 

[Wickzki]

That he's our designated outlet or that somebody needs to be and he's the only one who presents?

A bit of column A and a bit of column B.

The IQ level of the forward line (or lack thereof) combined with Charlie coming from a long way back and the general lack of connection between lines is a horrific equation. Throw in the issues with McKay, who if fit and firing would help mask the issues, and it just compounds.

Too much dumb footy that isnt' being helped by the line coaching is the biggest problem.

 

[agro]

I think he meant about how we have more players sucked into the contest which is ok so long as it's an inside game. It's harder to keep it on those terms as it opens up

I get that but the “Oxygen Brothers” concept was that they would still be running out the second half of games regardless of the effort expended in the first half - it’s what we did in 2022/23/24 - now those same players can’t seem to run out of sight on a dark night.

 

[goreds]

I get that but the “Oxygen Brothers” concept was that they would still be running out the second half of games regardless of the effort expended in the first half - it’s what we did in 2022/23/24 - now those same players can’t seem to run out of sight on a dark night.

Different training methods in the pre-season.

Much more sprint work!

Works well when you have the ball and you're a good kicking side...

 

[bradfisher14]

Plenty of interesting equations and percentages in this thread.

The only ones that I am certain of are as follows:

1. We are 100% cooked right now

2. It will take 100% of the people involved in this mess to turn it around

3. My membership = 100% microwaved

 

[Opium]

There are a few glaring holes in our list... the midfield mix is the biggest one imo.

This is why they went all out for Jagga - a mid that will give us a pod. You can't rely on a strategy to pick them up with 3rd round+ draft picks. Clubs will not trade them for cheap either.

All the mids SOS drafted should have been in their prime right now and part of our core group. Walsh is the only one remaining... had they developed into what we'd hoped, we'd be flag favourites, if not, won one already.

Reality is we lost them all for next to nothing and they all cost high draft picks...

Cripps turns 30, Hewett turns 30, question marks on Cerra's hamstrings, Walsh's back...

Going for one of Jagga/FOS/Lalor/Draper was absolutely the right strategy given where we're at. ACL is just really bad luck.

This was a really deep draft. Giving up two first rounders and a second is very risky.

Just one example. Murphy Reid slid to pick 17. Will be a star.

 

[Arr0w]

Not buying this - our so called band of “Oxygen Brothers”

• Walsh
• Cottrell
• Hollands
• Acres

Should be providing ample outside run.

I wouldn't consider any of them quick or good users of the pill

Right now, I'd take footskills over pace (we don't have much pace on the list), Boyd, Elijah, Carroll, Newman

They would also dramatically improve our footy IQ

 

[agro]

I wouldn't consider any of them quick or good users of the pill

Right now, I'd take footskills over pace (we don't have much pace on the list), Boyd, Elijah, Carroll, Newman

They would also dramatically improve our footy IQ

Perhaps not quick (although I’d argue that Cottrell is) but can run all day - and should be running just as fast in the last half of a game as they did in the first half of the game, and the original point made was we weren’t seeing out games, yet we have the personnel that actually should be able to run out games.

But yes we definitely need footskills and some footy IQ.

 

[Wickzki]

I wouldn't consider any of them quick or good users of the pill

Right now, I'd take footskills over pace (we don't have much pace on the list), Boyd, Elijah, Carroll, Newman

They would also dramatically improve our footy IQ

Would take either. To have neither is an indictment.

 

[Blue Pulse]

Development & Rehab

• How many of our players have actually improved over the past 3 years, not just a game here and there, but have consistently performed or improved?
• Cripps, Hewitt, Newman, TDK, Weitering* (Kicking selection has gone backwards)
• Some are struggling with their bodies, and I believe that these guys are playing when unfit because our development of younger players is poor.

 

[Wickzki]

Development & Rehab

• How many of our players have actually improved over the past 3 years, not just a game here and there, but have consistently performed or improved?
• Cripps, Hewitt, Newman, TDK, Weitering* (Kicking selection has gone backwards)
• Some are struggling with their bodies, and I believe that these guys are playing when unfit because our development of younger players is poor.

The crazy thing about our development is if you ask people around the league who they respect the most out of our coaching staff the answer is almost universally Luke Power (and the few others really rate Hansen or respect Vossy as a person).

The entire league can't be wrong so what is going on between what Luke does with the kids and the rest of the coaching team?

 

[Gointocarlton]

The crazy thing about our development is if you ask people around the league who they respect the most out of our coaching staff the answer is almost universally Luke Power (and the few others really rate Hansen or respect Vossy as a person).

The entire league can't be wrong so what is going on between what Luke does with the kids and the rest of the coaching team?

Didn't Luke Power win a coaching award a year or so ago?

 

[Gointocarlton]

Didn't Luke Power win a coaching award a year or so ago?

Ill answer my own question, yes he did

Power named AFLCA Assistant Coach of the Year

Carlton's Head of Development Luke Power has received a significant honour.

www.carltonfc.com.au

 

[Arr0w]

The crazy thing about our development is if you ask people around the league who they respect the most out of our coaching staff the answer is almost universally Luke Power (and the few others really rate Hansen or respect Vossy as a person).

The entire league can't be wrong so what is going on between what Luke does with the kids and the rest of the coaching team?

Easy to spot speed, agility and kicking skills

Harder to spot footy IQ, but it's not impossible

Draft the right skill set then most of development is about consistency

 

[Blue Pulse]

The crazy thing about our development is if you ask people around the league who they respect the most out of our coaching staff the answer is almost universally Luke Power (and the few others really rate Hansen or respect Vossy as a person).

The entire league can't be wrong so what is going on between what Luke does with the kids and the rest of the coaching team?

I was totally wrapped when we picked up Power for development, but the fact of the matter is the results are not coming through. It appears our players who have been in the system a couple of years has stagnated. Our side picked to play Southport was boys v men.

The names selected for this VFL team at the start of the year appeared good, it's just not coming through in practice. We need a competitive team on the field to develop our youngsters, to learn our system and learn how to win. We can not afford to let this team be the easybeats on a regular basis, they will learn nothing, there has to be a light at the end of the tunnel.

 

[Wickzki]

I was totally wrapped when we picked up Power for development, but the fact of the matter is the results are not coming through. It appears our players who have been in the system a couple of years has stagnated. Our side picked to play Southport was boys v men.

The names selected for this VFL team at the start of the year appeared good, it's just not coming through in practice. We need a competitive team on the field to develop our youngsters, to learn our system and learn how to win. We can not afford to let this team be the easybeats on a regular basis, they will learn nothing, there has to be a light at the end of the tunnel.

The problems start higher up on the food chain (recruiting).

We lack quality modern footballers throughout the AFL level squad to the degree that if we had that type on the list they'd surely be given a go.

It's to the point on that level where when we lose marginal talents (contributors but not world beaters) who possess some of the abilities modern footy demands we feel the loss significantly (e.g. Cottrell proved how important he can be to the team last year).

Those skill deficits are either in long term project mode at VFL or are low in volume.

Players like Wilson, Moir (yes he "played" last week), etc. are building for future AFL careers and on field team results at VFL are a bonus and not the expectation for them

I won't look too much into last week's gsme. Southport is a great VFL team who are able to put all of their eggs into their VFL basket. They're going to lure players AFL clubs wouldn't even look twice at (have failed previously or considered too old for an AFL opportunity or have holes that would stand out at AFL level or would block AFL listed players in their development):but are definitely at or above the actual VFL standard. There's no excuse for them not to be a juggernaut in the VFL.

 

[Gointocarlton]

I was totally wrapped when we picked up Power for development, but the fact of the matter is the results are not coming through. It appears our players who have been in the system a couple of years has stagnated. Our side picked to play Southport was boys v men.

You can't make strawberry jam out of pig s...ah you know what I mean.

 

[swuzzlebubble]

The fresh ball movement data underlining Carlton’s horror transition game

The Blues move the ball fastest of all 18 teams from an uncontested mark. That is to say, from the point that an uncontested mark is taken anywhere on the ground, Carlton players gain the most metrage in the least amount of time. Conversely, the Blues are the fifth slowest team in moving the ball from a contested mark. Let’s dive into what that means in a footballing sense...

Round 5 2025 – This Week In Football

www.hpnfooty.com

"The Blues are playing transition footy the wrong way around. They kick long to shallow inside 50s off uncontested marks and go painfully slow after opening the ground up with contested marks. It therefore makes sense that the club is top four at intercepting the ball in the air, but bottom two for scores from turnover. This group sits at the bottom of the league for disposal efficiency and leads all comers for clangers per outing."