We're creeping up to round 1 and the actual season getting underway. While there weren't any wins in the pre-season I liked what I saw from the recruits. It will be interesting to see how we line up round 1.
The AFL site has our projected 22 up
http://www.afl.com.au/news/2017-03-18/season-preview-carlton
B: Kade Simpson, Sam Rowe, Simon White
HB: Sam Docherty, Caleb Marchbank, Dale Thomas
C: Billie Smedts, Bryce Gibbs, Ed Curnow
HF: Matthew Wright, Jacob Weitering, Dennis Armfield
F: Rhys Palmer, Levi Casboult, Jarrod Pickett
Foll: Matthew Kreuzer, Patrick Cripps, Marc Murphy
I/C: Charlie Curnow, Sam Kerridge, Lachie Plowman, Jack Silvagni
I thought Cuningham did enough to earn a gig round 1 but the team seems pretty accurate. I think Weitering will play forward as the hit up target. Bolton has said we plan to play him at both ends and that's where he played in the third JLT game.
Sam Kerridge has blitzed the preseason, any idea what level of midfield rotation he will get?
Must admit this is a fantasy loaded question but he seems to have the all round game (tackles, accumulates and hits the scoreboard) to be a very impressive fantasy player.
The main issue with Kerridge is his ball use. He has a habit of butchering the pill far too often but he is a nice depth option for us to help compliment the midfield.
And there is the answer on Kerridge with him being named an emergency. I think he is better then Daisy but I have s feeling Daisy is going to play HB which Kerridge can't
Dennis and Daisy out for Kerridge and Cunners is something I'd like to see this week. White for Buckley could be another option.
Dennis looks cooked, Daisy can't kick and can't run and White butchered the pill a fair bit out of defense.
Quote from: Mat0369 on March 24, 2017, 02:06:56 AM
Dennis and Daisy out for Kerridge and Cunners is something I'd like to see this week. White for Buckley could be another option.
Dennis looks cooked, Daisy can't kick and can't run and White butchered the pill a fair bit out of defense.
I read that Daisy has a 15 game trigger clause in his contract. Surely the list management staff will be keeping an eye on that number after last night...
I wonder if Ross Lyin still thinks he's the best player in the comp
Macraedie
White
Armfield
For
Kerridge
Buckley
Graham
Quote from: elephants on March 24, 2017, 11:56:42 AM
I read that Daisy has a 15 game trigger clause in his contract. Surely the list management staff will be keeping an eye on that number after last night...
Worst. Signing. Ever
Quote from: Money Shot on March 24, 2017, 12:59:17 PM
Macraedie
White
Armfield
For
Kerridge
Buckley
Graham
Macreadie did enough to hold his spot. White wasn't bad, it was just his ball use was complete crap. We aren't dropping both of those guys.
Weits has a hip/back complaint but we have a long break. He should be able to get up for the Dees game hopefully. Levi could be in trouble and face a suspension. If that's the case then Rowe will have to be the 2nd ruck if they bring in McKay.
Macraedie isn't ready just yet in my opinion and needs to develop in the twos.
Rowe is going to be our number one defender this year as he has the body and experience to match it with the best with Marchbank taking the second tall and intercepting marks left right and centre.
Plowman is the third tall and looks like he is improving and improving.
Weitering can help out downback as well but will be used as a forward.
White will probably play but I just don't think he is needed and it would be better to get someone like Buckley/Graham in who need to get a string of 15+ games in to try and find some consistency.
Armfield would be better used helping out the twos and we can bring in kerridge who is one of our best ball winners but he just needs to stop butchering the ball.
Casboult will cop at $1,500 fine and move on.
Plowman, Rowe, Smedts
Docherty, Marchbank, Simpson
Thomas, Gibbs, Kerridge
Wright, Weitering, Pickett
Silvanghi, Casboult, Curnow
Kreuzer, Cripps, Murphy
Curnow, , SPS, Graham, Buckley
Would be my ideal line up come round 2.
Carlton barely changed their back 7 all last season unless they had injuries. Surprisingly they sent Doc and Simmo onto the wing in the 2nd half to try and generate some run because Daisy was fricken useless. The 7 defenders we are running with at the moment are Plowman, Rowe, Marchbank, Simmo, Doc, White and Macreadie. Last year it was pretty much the same lineup but with Tuohy and Weits instead of Marchbank and Macreadie.
Smedts won't play back, he is playing on the wing and I didn't mind him there. Macreadie was mainly responsible for Lloyd and barely got beaten so he did his job in replacing Tuohy and should get another shot.
I think if we bring anyone in it's going to be someone that can play half forward/wing. Palmer probably fits that role the best and he was one of the better players in the VFL practice match. Palmer for Dennis might be the only move they end up making.
Quote from: Mat0369 on March 26, 2017, 01:43:11 AM
Carlton barely changed their back 7 all last season unless they had injuries. Surprisingly they sent Doc and Simmo onto the wing in the 2nd half to try and generate some run because Daisy was fricken useless. The 7 defenders we are running with at the moment are Plowman, Rowe, Marchbank, Simmo, Doc, White and Macreadie. Last year it was pretty much the same lineup but with Tuohy and Weits instead of Marchbank and Macreadie.
Smedts won't play back, he is playing on the wing and I didn't mind him there. Macreadie was mainly responsible for Lloyd and barely got beaten so he did his job in replacing Tuohy and should get another shot.
I think if we bring anyone in it's going to be someone that can play half forward/wing. Palmer probably fits that role the best and he was one of the better players in the VFL practice match. Palmer for Dennis might be the only move they end up making.
Isn't Arnfield in your leadership group ? and he looks to have spent a lot on his new hair cut :P
He is, but leadership group doesn't necessarily mean you get a game.
Krooz been fantastic imo lately, but Phillips only 1-2 weeks away?
Any ideas what gonna happen there lads?
Quote from: elephants on March 27, 2017, 05:06:31 PM
Krooz been fantastic imo lately, but Phillips only 1-2 weeks away?
Any ideas what gonna happen there lads?
I'm pretty sure Phillips is an LTI and not expected back until mid season at the minimum.
Cripps and Rowe are both looking to miss this weekend. I think we could see one of Graham/Kerridge come in for Cripps and McKay come in for Rowe with Weits going back.
Boy oh boy, wowee. Super impressed with the boys today. They turned the pressure on and played with heart and effort. The young guys are taking strides and some of our older guys stood up.
Plowman has had an excellent year and capped it off with a great game today. He is playing better and better each week and his intercept marking has been fantastic.
Rowe was fantastic and probably deserves votes. He attacked the ball, won the one on ones and made some goal saving plays.
The back 6 as a whole was brilliant. They are building a chemistry with the new faces in Marchbank and Macreadie who played well in tough conditions for tall guys. Marchbank's tackling is impressive. He sticks them for a big bloke when a smaller opponent normally would sidestep.
Murphy is a freak. Gibbs racked it up, Kreuz is having an awesome start to the year. Jack Silvagni is all heart and effort. He is going to be a good one for a long time. Williamson looks a find. SPS had a great game. I'm loving the shift to the younger guys and it's paying off. The more time and games we get into them now it will benefit us down the track.
I had no idea that was Jack's first win. I forgot he missed the Melbourne game last year as a late withdrawal.
Well played today lads, watched the whole game and safe to say there is going to be a big rivalry between us two clubs in the near future.
I didn't rate Murph's game today and I'll be honest, I barely noticed him apart from his goals but how about young Plowman! Absolute star. 3 Votes go to Gibbs I think, but young Lachie has to take two or one. Absolutely outstanding rebounding defence. I was also impressed by Dochers, but he has become elite. Gibbs centre bounce clearance work today was unbelievable though.
Have to admit though, I almost choked when I saw Murph's fantasy scores. I didn't notice him nearly as much as Gibbs, Plowman, Docherty, SPS and a couple others throughout the game. His goals must've played a big part.
Quote from: Torpedo10 on April 09, 2017, 11:10:46 PM
Well played today lads, watched the whole game and safe to say there is going to be a big rivalry between us two clubs in the near future.
I didn't rate Murph's game today and I'll be honest, I barely noticed him apart from his goals but how about young Plowman! Absolute star. 3 Votes go to Gibbs I think, but young Lachie has to take two or one. Absolutely outstanding rebounding defence. I was also impressed by Dochers, but he has become elite. Gibbs centre bounce clearance work today was unbelievable though.
Have to admit though, I almost choked when I saw Murph's fantasy scores. I didn't notice him nearly as much as Gibbs, Plowman, Docherty, SPS and a couple others throughout the game. His goals must've played a big part.
Murphy was huge. He had 16 touches and 2 goals in the wet in the 2nd and 3rd quarters. 6 clearances and 10 tackles and used the ball well on a day where it was hard to control it. It was our big 3 in Kreuz, Gibbs and Murphy that really got us going in the middle.
Quote from: Mat0369 on April 09, 2017, 11:14:44 PM
Quote from: Torpedo10 on April 09, 2017, 11:10:46 PM
Well played today lads, watched the whole game and safe to say there is going to be a big rivalry between us two clubs in the near future.
I didn't rate Murph's game today and I'll be honest, I barely noticed him apart from his goals but how about young Plowman! Absolute star. 3 Votes go to Gibbs I think, but young Lachie has to take two or one. Absolutely outstanding rebounding defence. I was also impressed by Dochers, but he has become elite. Gibbs centre bounce clearance work today was unbelievable though.
Have to admit though, I almost choked when I saw Murph's fantasy scores. I didn't notice him nearly as much as Gibbs, Plowman, Docherty, SPS and a couple others throughout the game. His goals must've played a big part.
Murphy was huge. He had 16 touches and 2 goals in the wet in the 2nd and 3rd quarters. 6 clearances and 10 tackles and used the ball well on a day where it was hard to control it. It was our big 3 in Kreuz, Gibbs and Murphy that really got us going in the middle.
Yeah I suppose that in and under work is what got his score up.
Have you read Dangerfield's recent article in HS? Today's game links up with that, while Murph had a lot of heavily weighted touches he wasn't noticable in the final quarter where Docherty, Plowman, Gibbs and even Cripps were constantly making big plays. An example where his massive scores don't really indicate him being that much more superior than his counterparts.
All that aside though, great game from your whole team. Essendon played like perfectionists, to put it bluntly. In wet weather, that tactic is never going to pay off.
If his debut is anything to go by, the Blues have seriously found an absolute gem in Tom Williamson.
This is just a reference for how much Carlton have moved towards youth this season.
Eligible players for the NAB AFL Rising Star 2017
Charlie Curnow
Zac Fisher
Harrison Macreadie
Caleb Marchbank
Sam Petrevski-Seton
Jarrod Pickett
Jack Silvagni
Tom Williamson
That's just the guys that have played. We also have
David Cuningham
Cam Polson (likely to debut this week)
Harry McKay (likely to debut in the next fortnight)
Pat Kerr
Jesse Glass-McCasker
Kym Lebois (was likely to debut R1 before injury)
Macreadie was disappointing on Saturday Night, that said, I'd be more disappointed if we dropped him.
Williamson too was also a little quieter compared to his debut but nothing to omit him over.
Macreadie was banged up from what I gather. The only really bad thing he did was that turnover on the goal line. To be fair, it's one of those situations that they are supposed to drag the guy back from the mark and the umps didn't. He was excellent the first 3 weeks but if he is sore it might be time for a rest travelling to Adelaide on a short week and bring him back in against the Swans.
Cameron Polson debuting. Bloods boy, watch out! 8)
Pickett needs a run in the 2s.
LeBois, Sumner and Lamb are all injured. I'd honestly rather get games into him over Palmer/Dennis at this point. If one of the other three were available I would make the change.
So it turns out we're playing Liam Jones in defense in the VFL.
Quote from: Mat0369 on April 23, 2017, 01:04:55 AM
So it turns out we're playing Liam Jones in defense in the VFL.
Look, he'll probably kick the same amount of goals.
Quote from: Vinny on April 22, 2017, 12:25:31 PM
Pickett needs a run in the 2s.
Carlton's forwards have no supply
He is only 20 and once Carlton get better so will Pickett, give him game time and goals and influence will come
Quote from: GoLions on April 23, 2017, 01:39:30 AM
Quote from: Mat0369 on April 23, 2017, 01:04:55 AM
So it turns out we're playing Liam Jones in defense in the VFL.
Look, he'll probably kick the same amount of goals.
He is probably conceding less as well :P
Quote from: Hawka on April 23, 2017, 01:52:47 AM
Quote from: Vinny on April 22, 2017, 12:25:31 PM
Pickett needs a run in the 2s.
Carlton's forwards have no supply
He is only 20 and once Carlton get better so will Pickett, give him game time and goals and influence will come
We need to do the hard yards now and get the games into these guys so we can be rewarded 2 years down the track. We still have McKay and Cuningham that will need games soon. I think the Weitering experiment up forward is done. One of Rowe or White will go out of the team in the next couple for McKay. Maybe you ditch both and bring Cuningham into the rotation as well.
Interestingly enough, Doc spent what felt the majority of the last in the midfield. The shift is real right now and I'm loving it, even though it might be hard to watch at times like the Port game.
Keen to see LeBois get a run soon enough, named my fantasy sides after him so he better turn out a gem ;)
I think he's 3 weeks away from playing VFL
Is Murph gonna play?
I'd think so. If he was going to be out a month he wouldn't be named. Bolton has said yes. It might be worth looking at the training reports to find out.
Daisy wasn't named which is interesting. I wonder if he goes to the VFL?
And he has been dropped. Daisy will play VFL on the weekend and needs to find 'consistency'.
http://www.carltonfc.com.au/news/2017-04-28/bolton-daisy-needs-consistency
http://www.afl.com.au/news/2017-05-09/daisy-grows-free-as-blues-waive-contract-clause
Mat will be so happy :')
Interesting. I reckon the club bargained with him. He gets a 1 year deal at a reduced rate next year and the pressure comes off.
Funnily enough our second super spud Liam Jones is out of contract as well and has been slaying the VFL in the Ian Prendergast role
I've been really impressed with the work of our younger players the last couple of weeks. Weits and Curnow were leading hard and covering so much ground with third and fourth leads. It was really noticeable during the Swans game where I was sitting on the wing and could see them hitting the logos.
SPS backed it up against the Pies with just wanting to pressure and win the ball. The future is looking great.
Followed SPS since 2015 as a 16yr old In Champs, he and SPP (Port). But Patrevski-Seaton in 16 Champs was dusty Martin Like and just oozed talent. So extatic he lasted to the Llamas pick!
Wrapped SPS got the rising star nom as he is just a budding star in the making
But I hated Carlton for years now feel sorry enough for them to be excited about SPS, Weitering (MAKE HIM CAPTAIN NOW), Curnow and Cripps, Marchbank, Casboult. Build a spine, Schache? Then build around the spine!
...... The Blues will be my St Kilda of 2018. SPS and Weitering as good as you can find! ;)
Sam Rowe has unfortunately done an ACL. The timing couldn't have been any worse for him. He will be out of contract at the end of the season and won't be ready until mid season next year if we did keep him. To be honest I thought next year would be his last at the Blues so it could be a cruel end for him like it was for Juddy. All the best on his recovery and it's next man up to fill the hole.
I'd say Liam Jones is going to get first crack at it. He has been dominating VFL in the back half and destroyed Josh Bruce on the weekend keeping him to 1 goal while racking up 26 touches and 15 marks. We also have Harrison Macreadie and White if we want to bring in a defender. Otherwise we could finally see Harry McKay come into the forward line and Weits stays down back.
never thought I would see the day that I would be happy to see Liam Jones in our side. He has been killing it and deserves the spot.
I'm kind of curious to see if his form carries over. If he can dominate in the back half it gives us am amazing amount of depth down back. It may also give us a trade chip.
Mat, what are your thoughts on Kerridge? I personally thought although he butchered the ball a fair bit he was cemented in our 22 and now he can't find a game. Do you think he is more of a depth player now or just having a bad patch?
I thought he was depth all along. Last year he butchered the ball a lot but we needed him inside to help Cripps out. He also ran both ways which certainly helped him hold his spot. I think with Murphy back this year and some quality young guys running around it's pushed him out.
I think Bolton is going to emphasise that guys need to be sound in their defensive structures and pressure. If either of those lack you're out. He will reward strong performances regardless of who you are. If Sam works on this aspects and plays within his limitations offensively he will be back in. He is no worse than Graham/Daisy.
Speaking of Graham, as good as he was against the Pies he was putrid against Freo. It was a tough day weather wise but the conditions were made for him. I don't think he impacted the contest enough when the ball was there to be won and when he did win it he turned it over. You aren't dropping him off the back of 1 game, but he really needs to be better this week against a 1 paced Roos side. I'd give him the job on Cunnington and tell him to make a statement. It's make or break season for Graham being out of contract and not being an established player in our best 22.
It might be worth getting Carrots to the club as a midfield specialist coach now that the umpiring is over. He was in a similar situation to both these guys. Could win the ball, strong defensively but couldn't hit the broad side of a barn. He was able to fix his kicking to a point where he went from butcher to reliable. It was through hard work that he fixed that deficiency and was able to not only become a major part of our midfield but be the vice captain of the club and win a B&F. If they can become a similar cog to Shiels or Sewell in their Hawks prime we will have done well.
Amazing insight Mat, very interesting as an outsider 8)
Okay thanks Mat, always good to see your thoughts on these kind of things.
Kerridge, Graham and Buckley are the three I want to have big ends to there seasons as they all have a lot of potential but have never really reached it.
Buckley is the one that hurts. He is a player we need to step up with his outside pace but he has never found a settled position. He has had so much potential from his junior days but has always had injuries disrupt any continuity. We have a boatload of un-contracted players and a list manager who isn't afraid to turn the list over. These guys need to realise it's now or never. They aren't going to get a chance elsewhere. They need to play with some mongrel and urgency or they very well could end up on the scrap heap.
Woohoo! 6 re-signings confirmed today,
Charlie Curnow til 2019
Ed Curnow til 2019
Sam Petrevski-Seton til 2021
Zac Fisher til 2020
Harry McKay til 2019
Andrew Phillips til 2019
Can't be unhappy with any of those, bring on the next few years
It will be interesting to see what direction we head in the off-season. Those 6 signings are great but I think we still have another 14 out of contract. We could make 8+ potential list changes at the end of the year. Our 22 in a couple of years should look like this
Plowman, Weits, Willow
Doc, Marchbank, Macreadie
Curnow, Cripps, Cuningham
SPS, Curnow, Fisher
Wright, McKay, Silvagni
Kreuz, Murphy, Gibbs
The bench is where it gets interesting. If guys like Pickett/Polson start to develop they will fit in there. We have a couple of guys in Sumner and Lamb that could be depth options for us down the track. More importantly we have a couple more first rounders to add in the mix over the next couple of years.
Byrne got through his first VFL match unscathed.
I just realised he is only 22. I also forgot to add him to our 22 :P
Awesome to hear Mat - reckon he'll slot back into that backline in the next few weeks?
You would think he needs a month minimum in the reserves. When he comes in I think Simmo spends even more time on the wing and we run Willow a bit more through the midfield.
Cuningham was nominated for the rising star this week.
Quote from: Mat0369 on April 18, 2017, 09:18:20 PM
This is just a reference for how much Carlton have moved towards youth this season.
Eligible players for the NAB AFL Rising Star 2017
Charlie Curnow
Zac Fisher
Harrison Macreadie
Caleb Marchbank
Sam Petrevski-Seton
Jarrod Pickett
Jack Silvagni
Tom Williamson
That's just the guys that have played. We also have
David Cuningham
Cam Polson (likely to debut this week)
Harry McKay (likely to debut in the next fortnight)
Pat Kerr
Jesse Glass-McCasker
Kym Lebois (was likely to debut R1 before injury)
Just looking at this again. Polson and McKay should be eligible again next year. Willow, Silvagni, Curnow and Fisher I expect to get nominations at some point. Macreadie might as well if he comes back in for Silvagni and if the injury is long term. That's a lot of potential nominations for one season
Reckon Charlie Curnow would have to be all but guaranteed a nomination at some stage.
Fisher, Silvagni, Williamson all good chances, we must be a show to break the record for nominations, which IIRC is 7.
I was thinking we would be close but I remembered that GC and GWS would have had a buttload when they first entered the comp. If we do break that record it just shows you were our list is headed. So many guys under 21 getting games.
If Preuss wants out of North, what do you think he would cost us? A third?
Exciting times ahead.
We'll also take your next 10 first rounders, Laird and Sloane for Gibbs. Cheers Adelaide.
I said it last week, but Adelaide not trading for Gibbs will cost them a premiership this year. If they want him they better be prepared to pay. They found out SOS isn't bluffing and he is still contacted.
Quote from: Vinny on June 17, 2017, 11:17:24 PM
Exciting times ahead.
We'll also take your next 10 first rounders, Laird and Sloane for Gibbs. Cheers Adelaide.
Unders I reckon, we'll chuck in the Crouch bros as well.
Quote from: Mat0369 on June 18, 2017, 05:24:07 AM
I said it last week, but Adelaide not trading for Gibbs will cost them a premiership this year. If they want him they better be prepared to pay. They found out SOS isn't bluffing and he is still contacted.
Why will it cost us a flag? Bryce Gibbs wouldn't have saved us from any of our three losses this year and we're still sitting nicely on top of the ladder.
Quote from: TomK on June 19, 2017, 12:30:22 AM
Quote from: Vinny on June 17, 2017, 11:17:24 PM
Exciting times ahead.
We'll also take your next 10 first rounders, Laird and Sloane for Gibbs. Cheers Adelaide.
Unders I reckon, we'll chuck in the Crouch bros as well.
Quote from: Mat0369 on June 18, 2017, 05:24:07 AM
I said it last week, but Adelaide not trading for Gibbs will cost them a premiership this year. If they want him they better be prepared to pay. They found out SOS isn't bluffing and he is still contacted.
Why will it cost us a flag? Bryce Gibbs wouldn't have saved us from any of our three losses this year and we're still sitting nicely on top of the ladder.
Because Gibbs is exactly what the crows are missing and need for September success.
Quote from: JBs-Hawks on June 19, 2017, 12:38:48 AM
Quote from: TomK on June 19, 2017, 12:30:22 AM
Quote from: Vinny on June 17, 2017, 11:17:24 PM
Exciting times ahead.
We'll also take your next 10 first rounders, Laird and Sloane for Gibbs. Cheers Adelaide.
Unders I reckon, we'll chuck in the Crouch bros as well.
Quote from: Mat0369 on June 18, 2017, 05:24:07 AM
I said it last week, but Adelaide not trading for Gibbs will cost them a premiership this year. If they want him they better be prepared to pay. They found out SOS isn't bluffing and he is still contacted.
Why will it cost us a flag? Bryce Gibbs wouldn't have saved us from any of our three losses this year and we're still sitting nicely on top of the ladder.
Because Gibbs is exactly what the crows are missing and need for September success.
The #missingpiece?
Adelaide is vulnerable when Sloane is taken out of the game because the rest of the midfield doesn't step up. Sloane is also getting tagged out of games far to easily. Come September that's not going to cut it. You add an elite midfielder in Gibbs into the mix and he adds class and support for Sloane. The all conquering GWS are gettable this year due to their injuries. That Gibbs trade could win them the flag.
Quote from: Mat0369 on June 19, 2017, 01:06:10 AM
Adelaide is vulnerable when Sloane is taken out of the game because the rest of the midfield doesn't step up. Sloane is also getting tagged out of games far to easily. Come September that's not going to cut it. You add an elite midfielder in Gibbs into the mix and he adds class and support for Sloane. The all conquering GWS are gettable this year due to their injuries. That Gibbs trade could win them the flag.
Yeah, nah, I assume you're only looking at our North, Melbourne, and Geelong games because our midfield did okay against the Giants and Saints when Sloane had little influence.
The Geelong game the whole team was beaten, not just the midfield and only a few players played well with two of those being the Crouch bros.
The Melbourne game we were just shower all around, not because of the midfield.
The North game, did any one of our players touch the ball in the first quarter? We outscored them in the last three-quarters with the midfield getting on top while Sloane remained quiet.
Sloane has been quiet in 5 games, 2 we have won with good contributions across the board, 3 we have lost when only a handful of players turned up for the full game, it isn't just on our midfield.
I agree with everything else though that Sloane is getting tagged out of games far too easily and the fact that Gibbs would help us tremendously, as he would any club, but, we are not a one-man team or midfield, we rely on a team effort. I would love Gibbs at the club but the price Carlton was asking was completely unreasonable for us considering the risk of trading a future 1st rounders, there being no guarantee of winning a flag or even staying in the 8, just look at Sydney, and losing two highly rated 18 year olds for a 28 year old when just a few years back we had the draft sanctions. It's not like this is our only chance either, our oldest best 22 players are Eddie who is only 30 and is showing no signs of slowing down, Dougie who is also 30, and JJ and Sauce who are a couple years behind, we're in a great spot.
I watched the Melbourne, Saints, GWS and Geelong games. North I was at our game and was following the tracker. The Saints were terrible across the board that night they played Adelaide, the only thing they did well was tag Sloane. I also don't see them as a September threat.
Melbourne and Geelong are both teams you're likely to play come September. You also play them again in the next month. GWS was the anomaly. They didn't tag Sloane, he just cruised around to get a run into his legs and everyone was on.
So basically at 2-3 when Sloane has had a heavy tag is still not great.
If you want to win a premiership you need to take some risks. The risk for Adelaide was giving us pick 13 and their first the following year. There is no reason why they shouldn't have been a top 4 team heading into this year. Picks 13 and 18 for a shot at a premiership is worth it. It's also not hurting your list because as you said the core is still young and you still have your second round picks both years to add talent.
Oh I know GWS didn't tag Sloane, I was just saying his impact on the game was little like it would be with a heavy tag so I was just comparing, but let's revisit this after we have played Geelong and Melbourne next then, I'm confident we can rectify the errors made in those games, if not, I'll agree.
Yeah it's not great but it's not completely terrible, if it was 3-2 it would look a whole lot nicer, and that's what our second half of the season should have a focus on.
I agree we have to take risks now, but last year was not the time for that, last year we were not one of the best in the comp, our record against the top 8 was awful and we could've fallen. This year though, we have seen improvement from everywhere and have shown that at our best, we can beat anyone (except maybe Geelong heh), and a whole nother year after the draft sanctions, which we have recovered from pretty well, should make the club feel more at ease about taking a risk.
Whether Bryce still wants to come or if the club would be willing to trade two 1st rounders, I don't know but either way, I'm sure the club is pretty self-aware of what it needs to do.
Silvagni gets the nomination! That's the highest we have ever had in a season with 4 and the second time we have had back to back nominations. Well deserved for SOS
Yo, we'll give you 10 1st rounders if you do the deal now.
That's if Bryce still wants to go home :P
I think with Charlie another year older it might be a different story. I'm not sure if the families have been flying over during the season but if he does want to go over the Crows are going to cave this time around.
Two year extensions for Byrne, Williamson and Macreadie, happy with all of those coming through
Very happy with that.
Daisy putting together some solid statistical numbers just before and after his concussion against Freo. How have you seen him lads?
He's been better. He still has no penetration on his kicking but he is attacking the ball ferociously. He is doing enough right now to get a new contract but it would just be a 1 year deal with no guarantees of AFL football.
We have a lot of un-contracted players, the way I see it shaping up right now is this.
Silvagni - Keep
Gallucci - Dump
Cuningham - I thought he had re-signed but a definite keep
Daisy - Probably keep at this point.
Dennis - Gone
Buckley - Gone
Simmo - Up to him
Glass-McCasker - No idea
LeBois - Keep
Korcheck - He has 12 weeks
Kreuz - Give up your left nut for him, KEEP!
Wright - Keep
Graham - Dump
White - Dump
Casboult - Will likely take more money elsewhere (Richmond is my tip)
Kristian Jaksch - Dumo
Liam Jones - Keep
Sam Rowe - Keep
Liam Sumner - We might keep but he is made of glass.
Jed Lamb - Another they might keep for VFL depth since we can't de-list another 10.
Blaine Boekhorst - WAFL 2018
Gorringe, Sheehan and Smedts I'm not sure on all their contract situations. I really like Sheehan but he is made of glass. Gorringe is either injured or not up to it so he is probably in the gone pile. Smedts is a VFL player as well.
Pretty damn good article by Ryan Buckland on where we stand as a club. Long way to go but still super exciting.
http://www.theroar.com.au/2017/06/28/carlton-blues-rebuild-afl-foundation-is-a-solid-platform-now-comes-the-tricky-part/
I’ve been mean to Carlton a lot in recent years. It’s time to change tact.
The Blues, building from a very low base, are progressing nicely, and a stable platform has been established. There is work to be done, but with five wins in the bank, plenty is going right.
After knocking off Greater Western Sydney and Gold Coast in consecutive weeks, Carlton have five wins in season 2017. They have joined the cavalcade of teams that sit within a game and percentage of eighth spot on the ladder, hitching their wagon to the hope of finals contention that has captured almost the entire competition.
The Blues won’t make it into the final eight. They were never going to this year, and nor should they have had that ambition. Carlton are two years into a demo job, a list rebuild so extensive that you’ll barely notice the timber frame in place is an original. This isn’t news to anyone â€" from the time Carlton removed Mick Malthouse as coach to now, every decision has been framed in terms of how it gets the Blues back to contention.
Last weekend’s victory against the Suns was a peer taking out a peer. Their win against the Giants was not. Surprise games have come from all kinds of strange places this year, and that was one of them. That’s not to say Carlton were an undeserving winner â€" anything but. While GWS had plenty of territory, and enough time in possession to kick a winning score, they were sloppy. And the Blues had the game to make them pay.
That win provided ample insight into the platform Carlton and its head coach Brendon Bolton are building. These were confirmed against the Suns and Tigers in the past two weekends â€" even if a win was not forthcoming against Richmond. Indeed, there’s an argument the Blues have reached their nadir and the only way from here is up.
It is true. To a point. Carlton has established a solid foundation, re-casting its football identity in the process. But it is not time to celebrate the resurrection quite yet.
The House of Bolton
Carlton’s best asset is its coach, Alastair Clarkson Coaching Academy honours graduate Brendon Bolton. Lauded or criticised for being a ‘non-football person’ (depending on your intellectual capacity), Bolton has turned a list of questionable pedigree on past performance into one of the most sturdy, predictably honest, and hardworking units in the competition.
It hasn’t all been smooth; it took some time for segments of the Carlton fanbase to work out what they had got themselves into. A 90-point decimation at the hands of Port Adelaide in Round 5 was a testing time, internet boards â€" the font of football hot takes â€" openly questioned both Bolton and the team’s youth-first selection policy.
The harsh reaction was no doubt driven by the team’s generally languid start to the year â€" coming in, the Blues were 1-3 with the lone victory against Essendon in monsoonal conditions.
Since that evening, the Blues have reeled off four wins from nine games, looking far more assured behind the ball. Indeed, it was the first and last time Carlton has been blown out in 2017. Bolton keeps things simple for his charges: play your man, help if you can, and don’t give up silly turnovers trying to take the game on.
It has manifested in a stellar-under-the-circumstances outcome for the Blues on defence. Through Round 14, Carlton are the tenth ranked defence in the competition, conceding 88.5 points per game for a Defensive Efficiency Rating of +2.5. This is a slight improvement on their 2016 performance in terms of points per game (89.9, ranked 10th), but a sizeable lift in their relative performance against the competition (their DER in 2016 was -1.3).
Carlton are doing this in spite of a relative young and/or maligned set of key position players.
Jacob Weitering (who now appears to have settled in defence after starting the year in the forward 50) and Caleb Marchbank are one of the youngest key position duos in the league. Sam Rowe knows how to spoil and that’s about it, while Alex Silvagni knows how to get in the way of opposition forwards and that’s about it. Lachie Plowman has been solid, and clearly has the backing of the coaching staff given he has played all 13 games this season.
Liam Jones has come out of nowhere to emerge as a viable third tall overlapping defender. In a year where nothing makes sense, of course the forgotten Jones returns to the league after playing 17 of a possible 54 games to star as a leaping, intercepting defender. Of course.
Bolton has chopped and changed, tinkering with his back 50 for reasons only he and a select group at Carlton know. Yet the Blues are still performing well on defence â€" why? It’s all about scheme.
Carlton are leading the league in stopping opponents from getting inside 50 when they have possession of the ball. The Blues are leaders in keeping the ball out of dangerous areas of the ground, playing a kick-heavy possession oriented game that allows their defenders time to set up behind the ball.
The Blues have a remarkable aversion to handballing; they have as a collective handballed the ball just 135 times a game in 2017, almost 40 below the league average.
Instead, they kick. Carlton’s kick to handball ratio on the season is 1.69, way higher than the league average of 1.23 and a remarkable 67 basis points above the handball-happy Western Bulldogs.
It’s all about conservative retention of possession. Carlton average about two extra minutes of possession per game than their opponents, and in losses this only dips to -2.2 minutes of possession â€" the third best mark in the league behind Collingwood (-1.9) and Melbourne (+0.5).
By slowing the pace of the game, Bolton’s team is able to stay level-headed, organise itself, and choke up the fast-break football which has become the go-to for so many teams in 2017.
This scheme also allows for Carlton’s two biggest weapons, Sam Docherty and Kade Simpson, to patrol the backline and provide help to the taller, more accountable defenders on a very regular basis.
The indefatigable Simpson is averaging a career high 7.5 marks per game, and is third at the Blues with 394 metres gained per game.
Docherty is on another level all together, putting up an Alex Rance-like 9.8 marks per game, averaging 28 disposals, (21 of them kicks) and gaining an enormous 531 metres. His 6.2 intercepts aren’t quite of the level of the primo defenders in the league, but his is something of a unique role.
Bolton places a lot of trust in these two men to keep the youthful back 50 under control. They are doing a very good job.
Of course, like anything in Australian rules football, it only works most of the time. Carlton still have a tendency to be opened up on turnovers when they make a mistake â€" like all teams bar the top handful. They also turn the ball over at a fairly regular clip, which statistically is likely a product of their tendency to kick rather than handball.
Carlton’s opponents tend to find it relatively easy to generate inside 50s: they get about seven per cent more on average per minute of possession (which translates to just under four extra inside 50s per game than the average).
In reviewing the tape, Carlton don’t appear to press up the ground like most other teams when they get the ball inside 50. Bolton’s conservative approach is more about stopping the ball in transition rather than stopping the transition opportunity itself. That has its risks â€" Port Adelaide subscribe to the ultra-heavy press, and only allow their opponents 49 inside 50 entries per game â€" but also its advantages.
The coach is playing the long game. His scheme centres on the need for his players to be accountable to their opponents, likely in an effort to see them improve by learning how to win one on one. Docherty and Simpson are there to provide support, but it is up to Weitering, Marchbank, Plowman and those who come after them to increasingly shoulder the load.
Fortunately, Bolton’s house has a solid foundation, and it is a significant endorsement of his method, scheme and philosophy. You could set your watch to a Carlton defensive performance; simple and reliable. This does not extend to the other end of the ground.
What’s the opposite of good?
We know all of Carlton’s discretionary coaching and development effort has been pumped into the defensive side of the team’s game. How? Carlton are an abysmal offensive team.
There is no flow, no continuity, no dare. This is partly by design of course, as we’ve just discussed at reasonable length above. But if football is ultimately simple points for less points against equation, Carlton need significant help improving the former.
The Blues are scoring 72.3 points per game, ranked 18th in the competition. Their Offensive Efficiency Rating of -20.3 puts them in rarefied air â€" only six non-expansion teams have recorded an OER of worse than -20 since the year 2000. Importantly, it is a relative deterioration from last season, given the slight improvement to overall league scoring in 2017.
There are four teams that average less than 50 inside 50 entries in 2017: Brisbane (46.5), Carlton (46.4), Fremantle (46.7) and Hawthorn (46.5). Carlton is the only team that does so while recording at least 50 minutes of possession per game (51.2 minutes) â€" the other teams are all below 50. It hints at the lack of transition.
This is okay for now, although the extent to which scoring has been troublesome for the Blues for all of 2017 should at least be on Bolton’s whiteboard. Carlton is the only team in the league without a 100-point game to its name this season, an arbitrary marker, but an important one in the football punditry world.
The most interesting part of this puzzle is the likely need for further turnover on Carlton’s list as it more broadly is positioned to contend in the years ahead. Depending on your perspective on the time it will take for the Blues to push for finals â€" more on this in a moment â€" it’s quite possible that just Jarrod Pickett, Jack Silvagni (whose play has been very good in the past month), Charlie Curnow and Sam Petrevski-Seton could be the only attacking players currently plying their trade for the Blues still on the list.
Again, this depends on your point of view on the timing of a Blue September, but it is likely Dale Thomas (30 years old in Round 1 2018), Matthew Wright (28) and Levi Casboult (28) will be at the tail end of their careers or already on the pine. Rhys Palmer, who has only played one game, will be 29 next year. There’s still some work to do on this front.
Time to be bold
Which brings us to the inevitable question: how far are Carlton away from leaving base camp and climbing the mountain once again?
Two weekends ago, there was plenty of chatter that the Blues were ready to go. Defensively, perhaps yes, although being ranked tenth in the league means you’re only average. Offensively, absolutely not. One area we haven’t touched on is the midfield, which I’ve deliberately saved for last.
Carlton’s trio of number one draft picks, Marc Murphy, Bryce Gibbs and Matthew Kreuzer, are probably playing their best football as a collective in their time in the league.
Kreuzer is mounting a case for All Australian consideration, an honour which has eluded him in his injury-riddled career to date, averaging 30 hitouts, six tackles, four clearances, 16 disposals and more than a shot on goal per game.
Gibbs has had an incredible month, punctuated by his laugh-out-loud 43 disposal stat line against the Gold Coast Suns in Round 13.
Murphy has been freed by the solidification of Patrick Cripps as an inside monster, and is one disposal away from joining the rapidly swelling 30-plus disposals per game club.
Cripps hasn’t quite lived up to my bold prediction of a 200 clearance season â€" he’s on pace for a paltry 145 (that’s sarcasm, Carlton fans) â€" but is undoubtedly one of the leading inside-dominant midfielders in the competition. He is hampered by an almost-non-existent preseason due to a back complaint; he’s won ten or more clearances in three of the past four games.
Joining the core four are an array of bit-part players, averaging in the low teens in terms of disposals and largely plying their trade under a cloak of anonymity. The depth of talent simply isn’t there, which anyone who has been watching the embryonic stages of this list build knows.
It makes for an intriguing balance. On one hand, Carlton’s top-end talent is doing exactly what it should: producing quality football outputs and helping the team win. On the other hand, the depth isn’t there, and it’s no clear there is an easy path to assemble it.
It certainly isn’t by taking six picks to the draft every year for the next three years â€" by the time that process works through, Cripps and Docherty will be reaching their primes while Murphy will be 32, Gibbs and Kreuzer will be 31 â€" more a worry for the latter given his injury history and positional demands. Simpson will still be in the back pocket at age 38, putting young pups in their place via hangers and fake outs.
Fortunately for the Blues, the new Collective Bargaining Agreement is likely to bring with it plenty of volatility in the mid-level of the player market â€" the depth guys that Carlton so desperately need to accelerate their build.
That looks set to happen because of the increase in minimum salaries for rookies and draftees (which rise around 40 per cent faster than the salary cap over this year and next), and the league’s general desire to pay the best and most marketable players the lion’s share of the cash.
The 20 per cent bump this year, combined with the salary cap banking mechanism, is going to create opportunities for clubs who want to get a bit funky with their cap management to target players who are willing to trade above average coin for ample playing opportunities.
Carlton fits the mould, with a list chock full of young guys or more mature players reaching the end of their careers. Outside of the five guys listed above, I would hate to think who Carlton is paying more than the AFL average wage of around $370,000 per annum.
Free agency is interesting, but there are few guys the Blues would consider right for their timeline. Delisted free agency gets bigger every year, and could afford Carlton an opportunity to bolt on a player or two in their early 20s for nothing to help build depth. Michael Barlow, Ricky Henderson and Josh Green have all given their new teams plenty of reasons to be pleased with their decision to pick them up off the street.
But the elephant in the room remains what the Blues decide to do with their trio of number one picks â€" particularly Gibbs and Kreuzer, given Murphy is the captain of the club. They are undoubtedly the team’s three best assets who are notionally fungible (by which I mean Weitering is probably Carlton’s best trade asset, but there is no deal on earth that would see them trade him).
Kreuzer is in career-best form, and appears likely to meet a trigger clause in his current contract that would see him skip this year’s free agency class. That also opens up the option for the Blues to move him if they’d like (and he consents). Should he continue to perform at his current level for the remainder of the season, contending clubs looking for a ready-made ruckman should be content to deal a pick in the high teens or early 20s or a lower pick and a young player.
The Gibbs situation has been made all the more interesting by his personal form. His request for a trade to Adelaide at the start of last year’s trade period served two purposes: showing us how little the league’s supposed newshounds actually know about what’s going on in the league, and that contracts between player and club still matter. Adelaide were reportedly pleased to hand over two high draft-picks for him, an offer that did not grease the wheels.
This year? Gibbs’ form means his value has certainly not diminished. Adding another 22 games to his odometer means the pick-based deal remains at the top end of what the Crows may hypothetically offer â€" if they offer at all given they seem to be on the bubble without him.
There is another wrinkle: Carlton’s awful forward line meets Adelaide’s apparent surplus of forwards. Mitch McGovern, who looks set to push for a return from a serious hamstring injury this weekend, has long been a trade target of many teams looking for a strong marking forward. The Blues could do worse than to inquire about his availability â€" he fits need (forward line player that can play forward), demographics (age 23 next season) and a mutual deal looks at least worth examining.
Regardless of the precise details, Carlton will once again have a busy off-season. Their rebuild is off to a solid start, with Brendon Bolton at the helm of a strong defence.
There is plenty of work to be done, and as we head into the final two months of the home-and-away season get ready for teams to shift into off-season planning mode. The Blues will be big players once again.
Great article. Pleasure to read.
Thanks
Ryan Buckland writes fantastic articles.
Isn't he the dude that had no idea who our players even were before he started taking pot shots at SOS and the list a couple years back?
Curnow has been stiff to not get a rising star nomination the last couple of weeks. The Kouta comparisons have started to come in this week which says a lot.
There we go, Charlie gets the nomination for this week brining us up to five nominees now. Overdue!
Very happy about that, the guy is going to be a jet.
He probably should've gotten one a few weeks back. Now Fish, Macreadie and Willo need to get theirs.
Harry McKay tweet:
''Congrats to Jacob, David, Jack & Charlie for the rising âï¸nominations. At least CFC recruiters got 4/5 of the 2015 national draftees right!''
https://twitter.com/harrymckay_/status/884358343430557696
Probably a pisstake but just stupid.
Quote from: Vinny on July 11, 2017, 12:16:48 AM
Harry McKay tweet:
''Congrats to Jacob, David, Jack & Charlie for the rising âï¸nominations. At least CFC recruiters got 4/5 of the 2015 national draftees right!''
https://twitter.com/harrymckay_/status/884358343430557696
Probably a pisstake but just stupid.
How is that stupid? Its funny....
Not exactly what I'm wanting to hear if the club is supposedly refusing to play him :-\
They're not refusing to play him. His VFL form hasn't been that strong recently and they aren't dropping Silvagni, Curnow or Levi for him since they have all been playing well. His time will come and he will be better in the long run. In the meantime he is just having a joke around about the other boys all getting rising star noms.
Quote from: JBs-Hawks on July 11, 2017, 12:19:35 AM
Quote from: Vinny on July 11, 2017, 12:16:48 AM
Harry McKay tweet:
''Congrats to Jacob, David, Jack & Charlie for the rising âï¸nominations. At least CFC recruiters got 4/5 of the 2015 national draftees right!''
https://twitter.com/harrymckay_/status/884358343430557696
Probably a pisstake but just stupid.
How is that stupid? Its funny....
Thought it was a pretty cringe joke tbh.
Quote from: Mat0369 on July 11, 2017, 01:03:48 AM
They're not refusing to play him. His VFL form hasn't been that strong recently and they aren't dropping Silvagni, Curnow or Levi for him since they have all been playing well. His time will come and he will be better in the long run. In the meantime he is just having a joke around about the other boys all getting rising star noms.
And just to add to that our vfl side has played quite poorly over the last month, but on a positive note I believe last game McKay spent some time in the ruck. Hopefully he gets a couple of games by the end of the season.