Will tanking help Carlton?

[40yearBLUE]

Heres an ironic twist.....With the end of the season drawing near and this being the last uncompromised draft for a while, are we likely to benefit from teams not as desperate to win as perhaps they might be if fighting for finals berths?

For example of our last 7 rounds we come up against only 2 teams that are clinging to a slim chance of finals footy, Sydney this weekend and Port in Round 20 and 2 teams with absolutely no chance, Melbourne and North Melbourne, that may want to maximise their draft choice position.

By the time we play Port they may be resigned to not making it, they are already a game out and still have to play Adelaide in a derby and Hawthorn, if they drop either of those before they play us then you would think they would be out of contention. We also have Melbourne to play and whilst you would think we could beat them even if they were desperate to win, if they decide they want the priority then that just makes it even easier to win. North are also already out of contention and still have to play Brisbane before they play us, so again whilst we should be able to beat this bogey side on merit they may also want to stay on 4 wins or keep as low on the ladder as they can this season.

Then there is Geelong. They cant finish top and cant fall below second you would think, will want revenge on the Hawks and want to send a message to Adelaide so perhaps we can catch them napping.

Apart from Sydney this weekend who’s chance is slim at best we really only come up against Collingwood and Adelaide that will be fighting for the same spots we are.

 

[Weiterbot23]

We do have a dream run home...we have actually had a dream run all year.

It's unfortunate that we haven't really capatalised on it so far this season.
Loosing 4 games by under 10 points and injuries/interupted seasons to grigg, carrots, walker, warnock, waite, etc have cost us what I honestly believe could have been a top 4 position this year. Which would have really set us up for next year and onwards.

Let's hope we can make the finals and possibly even win one to give everyone a taste of it and make them hungry for more in the coming years.

 

[Blueinblood]

Melboure will certainly be tanking when we get to them. If Port lose the next few they will. Probably got the Swans a week to early as they will be hell bent on keeping their cahnces open this week.

 

[blue gunslinger]

We do have a dream run home...we have actually had a dream run all year.

It's unfortunate that we haven't really capatalised on it so far this season.
Loosing 4 games by under 10 points and injuries/interupted seasons to grigg, carrots, walker, warnock, waite, etc have cost us what I honestly believe could have been a top 4 position this year. Which would have really set us up for next year and onwards.

Let's hope we can make the finals and possibly even win one to give everyone a taste of it and make them hungry for more in the coming years.

and yet we are still not safe in the 8 as we lost too many games we should have won

 

[HBF]

Despite what Melbourne have been saying this week, they will have well and truly put the cue in th rack by the time we play them later in the year. North will be same, but they'll still to try and win as many games as they can. Port are the tricky ones - there form has been so inconsistent this year.

Make no mistake, if we are good enough, we'll play finals this year. I just can't see the teams that are outside the 8 as we speak make up enough ground to force any team out of the 8 as it is now.

 

[celtic_pride]

I reckon you can add Sydney to that list ...

If they were 'fair dinkum' about winning, they would have beaten Essendon up there last week ...

Make no mistake, Roos would never 'advocate' his side tanking, but he is an 'agenda' and 'directive' to make sure the Swans get a top 5 draft pick this year IMHO.

BTW as long as our percentage remains healthy, it's almost like another 'win' on the board, esp compared to Hawthorn's and Port Adelaide's.

We'll play finals this year, without too much hesitation.

 

[blue gunslinger]

think you have sold Ess short CP

 

[celtic_pride]

think you have sold Ess short CP

Sydney have 'named' another 'debutant for this week's game apparently RE the Swans board, and I think you'll find that they'll keep on blooding more kids towards the end of the season, they know they realistically cannot make the finals now.

We'll win this game on Saturday, with more then a few goals to spare (and yes I am aware we haven't beaten them for yonks)

I wouldn't say they are 'tanking' more so that they are embarking on a 'legit youth policy' for the first time in more then a decade.

 

[Weiterbot23]

think you have sold Ess short CP

What are you talking about? who have essendon beaten lately??

 

[Dramoth]

For a minute there, I thought that you were saying that Carlton would be tanking.

But after reading your post and the replies of several others, it has become abundently clear that people are expecting some of the team below us to tank.

A couple of teams are going to come out and will tank against us to try and improve their chances of getting a better 1st round pick position in the draft and might toss their games. The indicators of those will be the senior players who pull out just before a match with tight hammies and strains or just general soreness.

A couple of teams on the edge of the 8 might not try and tank and might try and make a game of it in the hope that they destroy our chances of playing in the finals.

Personally, I dont expect Geelong to field full strength teams for the rest of the season as they start resting up players for the finals. So we might luck out and get a weakened pussies team.

Adelaide is possibly in the same boat as the cats and I expect them to do a similar sort of thing leading upto the end of the year. Round 22 against them with the first finals the week after... I think that both teams, especially if we are playing in the finals, will rest a few senior players and run a couple of fringe players for the game.

 

[40yearBLUE]

For a minute there, I thought that you were saying that Carlton would be tanking.

But after reading your post and the replies of several others, it has become abundently clear that people are expecting some of the team below us to tank.

A couple of teams are going to come out and will tank against us to try and improve their chances of getting a better 1st round pick position in the draft and might toss their games. The indicators of those will be the senior players who pull out just before a match with tight hammies and strains or just general soreness.

A couple of teams on the edge of the 8 might not try and tank and might try and make a game of it in the hope that they destroy our chances of playing in the finals.

Personally, I dont expect Geelong to field full strength teams for the rest of the season as they start resting up players for the finals. So we might luck out and get a weakened pussies team.

Adelaide is possibly in the same boat as the cats and I expect them to do a similar sort of thing leading upto the end of the year. Round 22 against them with the first finals the week after... I think that both teams, especially if we are playing in the finals, will rest a few senior players and run a couple of fringe players for the game.

I cant imagine we would. We are not strong enough to flirt with our form. Besides it is not beyond reason that we would be pushing for a top 4 spot or even better a 5th or 6th (top 4 have to play either cats or saints first week, no thanks). It is not unreasonable to think we could win all of our remaining games, unlikely but doable.

Now look at the runs of 2 of the sides above us, Collingwood have the Hawks this week who are desperately clinging onto contention, then after us they have Brisbane but in Melb, then Adelaide in Adelaide before it starts to get a bit easier for them against Richmond but they have the dogs in rd 22.

Adelaide have Stkilda, then the derby with Port that could go either way, Geelong at Skilled, Collingwood then Hawthorn and us in rd 22.

So whilst they are 2 games clear of us now, they lose 5 of seven and we win 5 of seven and we finish higher than both of them.

Brisbane and Bulldogs could also easily drop 4 games each in the last 7 rounds so whilst the final 8 may be set the order could change dramatically.

It is getting interesting. We could just "arrive" as we have threatened all season.

 

[Funkalicous]

We've been getting away with tanking teams the last couple of weeks. Not saying the likes of Richmond are purposely missing shots on goal, but if they were fair-dinkum, Bowden, Coughlan and Nathan Brown would be in their side.

 

[Fadge]

I cant imagine we would. We are not strong enough to flirt with our form. Besides it is not beyond reason that we would be pushing for a top 4 spot or even better a 5th or 6th (top 4 have to play either cats or saints first week, no thanks). It is not unreasonable to think we could win all of our remaining games, unlikely but doable.

Astounded that you would prefer to finish 5th or 6th and play in an Elimination Final than securing a double chance by finishing 4th?!?!?

 

[CrippsonBlue]

We do have a dream run home...we have actually had a dream run all year

How have we had a dream run all year? Out of the 7 teams we play twice, 4 of them will/should play finals, which will most likely include the 4th, 5th, 6th positions.

Another is still in contention, and we haven't beaten them in almost a decade.

The last two will likely finish bottom 4, however Richmond looked a top 8 side at the beggining of the year, and Freo have killed us in recent history - especially at Subi.

We've had no more of a dream run than anyone else, the only difference is that our run home is more favourable than others (across the whole season though, they are similar)

...I would have been happy to play Geelong twice instead of playing say the Crows twice if it had meant we played them last week.

 

[Jatz]

i thought you meant carlton tanking at first.
lucky i read the thread

 

[Aposta87]

I as well thought this was a thread about carlton dropping games.... was about to launch into a scathing reply, but i read the thread

I too am astounded at people wanting to play an elimination final.... no thanks... will take 4th and play the saints again thanks. The boys will lift for finals footy, and we gave them a hell of a run for their money last time....

Double chance anyday of the week....

I don't care who tanks and who tries to win.... all I want is Carlton to go out there and win games convincingly and make sure we finish in the 8. Win one game of finals footy at a minimum, and I will be pleased. Time to start aiming high and not settle for mediocrity at our great club.

 

[40yearBLUE]

Astounded that you would prefer to finish 5th or 6th and play in an Elimination Final than securing a double chance by finishing 4th?!?!?

Who did you get to write that for you, not a spelling mistake in sight?

A double chance is only of worth if you are a genuine contender. There are only 2 this year we aint one of them and neither is your mob.

What difference does it make to end up in week 2 either way. The difference for me is 2 things, and both relate to confidence. We have barely 2 players that have played finals footy on our list. If they go out first up and get smashed by a jugernaught it puts a massive dint in the young kids confidence for a) the following week and b) the following year.

But go out week 1 and have a win and perhaps week 2 is a bit easier. Where you would have been either way with a crew that has a bit of a taste and some success under their belts.

Win week 2 and make a prelim, nice years work for the kids. Get smashed week 1 because you snagged a 4th and possibly go into week 2 with tired, injured, but at the very least shell shocked kids and lose in straight sets makes finals next year all the more difficult.

You really ought to think things through before you post.

 

[Mister Carlton]

It's going to be a compromised draft the year after and alot of teams will be wanting to stock up on talent. I wouldn't mind if we dropped off toward the end of the season just to get a couple more picks.

 

[blue gunslinger]

What are you talking about? who have essendon beaten lately??

Having watched the game I thought they played quite well

 

[Mister Carlton]

No way known we would be dropping off.
Why? To get pick 8 instead of pick 12?

Frankly, I don't care if we don't pick up one player this time around.
I have confidence in this squad for now.
Windows of opportunity don't come around too often and ours will be over the next three year period, in particular with Fev and Judd still operating at a premium output.

Let's all not lose perspective when it comes to drafting young players.
I'd rather win premierships

We'll if we keep playing like we have played against teams like Fremantle and Richmond we will get smashed.

 

[Mister Carlton]

You mean: If we play with the same squads we did against Fremantle and Richmond we will get smashed.

True

+ how we played against them.
Very true.

We are going to be battling it out for a spot though... Collingwood, Adelaide, Essendon and Brisbane. Should be interesting to watch.

 

[celtic_pride]

You mean: If we play with the same squads we did against Fremantle and Richmond we will get smashed.

True

Legit finals contenders should not be 'having' passengers like Bentley and Russell in their squads.

 

[Malifice]

Legit finals contenders should not be 'having' passengers like Bentley and Russell in their squads.

True to form.

Here we are talking about our run to the finals, and the probability that we will be playing in them for the first time in a long time, and you find something negative to post... and surprise surprise in involves JR.

Russ has been good since his recall. Was one of the BOG vs Freo. I know it upsets you, but deal with it.

 

[Mister Carlton]

I'm kinda over the Russell bashing...it's really childish.

 

[NAUGHT5]

I think tanking has been over hyped this year.

Melbourne might, im not sure. But the others wont.

North need one more win.
as do Richmond and WC.
I cant see them all going through winless.

Freo are just terrible, they shouldnt beat any other side. So if they lose every game from here on, we shouldnt be talking tanking.
People say teams are tanking, but many sides are just bad.

These sides could however, prove me wrong.