Roughing Up Opponents Before the Bounce

[Maybe next year 170]

Prior to the bounce yesterday Carroll spent a few minutes trying (and I mean trying) to rough up Buddy Franklin. All it seemed to do was fire up Franklin more. Now this is meant as no disrespect to Carroll who I think tried his best yesterday, but he is a head shorter than Buddy. Franklin is a good player and with the delivery he was receiving would have kicked a bag full anyway. I do not see the point angering him to make him more determined. Interested in others' thoughts.

Ps. DB, please do not play Bell at Full back again. He is are only player who can run the ball out of the backline. There is no point replacing a midget with another midget. If you wanted to try something, plug the space in front of him with Bell. Just my thoughts.

[beelzebub 23,390]

Carroll gave away height, speed and more than a bit in IQ to Buddy !!

If Caroll is the calibre of our defence going forward.. then we are stuffed !! its not any harder to describe than that.

Unfortunately Carroll trying his best is still an abject failure at AFL level. Its all well and good to try but pointless if is accomplishes nothing of consequence !!

[Ewok 9]

There should be more of it IMO. Line in the sand stuff ala Hawthorn a few years ago...

[beelzebub 23,390]

before you start drawing lines in sand..you need heart and ticker... Best they go find some first !!

[RickyBobby 0]

It's all well and good roughing em up before the bounce but it means nothing if you don't have a crack when the footy's there to be won. IMO the only players that showed a bit of ticker yesterday were P.J and Jones. Carrol looked like a scared boy every time the ball got near Franklin and co... our lack of pressure was scary as well.

[dees_rule_4eva 22]

It's all well and good roughing em up before the bounce but it means nothing if you don't have a crack when the footy's there to be won. IMO the only players that showed a bit of ticker yesterday were P.J and Jones. Carrol looked like a scared boy every time the ball got near Franklin and co... our lack of pressure was scary as well.

Im not sure Carroll could have done any better yesterday. The ball was coming in too quick and with too much quality for him to have much control over Franklin and co. The problem was our lack of pressure further up the ground. The defence stood no chance.

[Jaded No More 68,975]

Im not sure Carroll could have done any better yesterday. The ball was coming in too quick and with too much quality for him to have much control over Franklin and co. The problem was our lack of pressure further up the ground. The defence stood no chance.

I agree.

Our defence held on for dear life. They were always next to their opponent, and they tried to zone off and help each other, but when the ball is coming in at the speed of light and with such precision, there is nothing a defender can do.

Also, Franklin is not exactly Kent Kingsley II. On a bad day he'll turn you inside out, on a good day he'll make you look like a D-grade amature defender.

Carroll's disposal, when he actually had the ball, was not too bad. At least he kicked with some purpose.

[grazman 7,504]

Carroll gave away height, speed and more than a bit in IQ to Buddy !!

Actually I doubt that's true. There's a fairly quantifiable gap in ability between the two, but Carroll's tactics are pretty standard for backmen, that or he and Buddy have had a prior disagreement in relation to their 'associates'.

[demonglory 70]

We all forget that Carroll should be taking the 3rd tall from any team. The fact that he has taken the first tall often since 2007 and beyond is because either our other preferred backs are either injured, babies like Frawley or non existent due to CC's inability to find other Key defenders in all his recruitment years with us.

I am not the biggest fan of Carroll off field but I think his endeavour on the field should not be so severely questioned. He never shirts a contest and certainly has a go. Yesterday he tried to run the ball out of the backline in accordance with our new game plan. A couple of times he pulled it off. Because others cannot run hard and better still run hard to find space in support is hardly his fault.

If Carroll was our third defender in most games I think most people would be happy with his efforts and no doubt more effective outcomes.

Maybe I am wrong but sometimes it is easier to point out and find obvious fault rather than looking fairly at the reasons why positive outcomes are not always possible.

there are more severe things wrong with the MFC other than Carroll. No manning up throughout entire game...inexcusable. I would think that is far worse week in and week out than Carrolls efforts in the backline.

Anyway my 1 minutes worth........

[Rogue 585]

I agree.

It's pointless to scapegoat Carroll.

[loges 6,767]

Sorry if this has been mentioned elsewhere but has anyone mentioned our FF line structure Newton Neitz Johnson = no crumbers and no defensive pressure. The ball was run out with ease