DeeSpencer

He’d be no chance to impact this year but it would be a free hit rather than giving him a full year next year. Logically the most likely result is he’s not in any draft and he could come train over summer for a proper look if he plays a few more VFL games. I’m just not sure there’s anyone out there who would impact right away and I don’t think we’re close enough to really sweat it. There might be a depth ruck or midfielder who has something to offer us this year but more than likely anyone we take is a project.

I thought Disco did play his role, just his role was to play 65% TOG with a whole heap of it in the fat side forward flank role away from play. If Tracc is forward we don’t need the third tall as much. Even if Tracc isn’t we might need to find a specific role that gets Disco more involved. I reckon he actually has the tank and mobility to do short stints on the wing like another converted tall defender in Kamdyn McIntosh. He also has clean hands and creativity on the deck so he could be trusted as the high half forward at stoppages sent in just to bang bodies.

13 disposals, 8 tackles, 26 pressure acts I’d love to know who you think we’ve got ready to come in who can provide that same defensive effort and win a good share of the footy. McAdam’s going to have to be really good and Chandler not recover at all before I’d make that swap.

The last two weeks they’ve moved him up the ground including around stoppages in the second half and it’s something I’ve been asking for for years. They need to either start him in that role or do something more drastic (Le Vest) to get more from him, especially with 3 talls and Tracc forward, and McAdam potentially in line to play soon.

If there’s someone who can help us short term then take them and get George for more VFL games and training at the end of the year. But I’d be perfectly happy to take the gamble of all gambles on the mid season draft.

I thought we bit off too much early trying to mix our game style, once we settled down and shared the ball more steadily the gaps opened up and our ball use was mostly good, allowing for it being a wet night against a good set backline and pressure. I still want to see guys trust the receiver with the handball, we miss opportunities to just give the quick one before teams get set. But we don’t need to be going for crazy high risk stationery kicks. In the second half we settled in to a pretty sound style of switch, spread, overlap and bring the ball in to more dangerous spots once we’d moved the Carlton zone. Usually the last couple of years we've scored early in bursts and then run out of puff. It was nice to see our scoring and method pick up as the game went on. Forward talent isn’t ideal but the fundamental problem is we try miracle kicks to walk in goals rather than taking a brief pause, getting to the forwards advantage and letting them do their job.

Toby Greene's 3 times the footballer, and I'd probably rather Jake Waterman, Will Hayward, Ollie Henry, more complete players who provide more than goals. Good second half for Fritsch, but why did it take a new role for him when he had the easy match up for a half and could've found the ball if he was willing to lead up every now and then and provide anything more than a witches hats effort when the ball hit the deck? Fine if it was a one-off but he was the same against Geelong, the same against Richmond. He's too talented and vital to just be Bayley the Goose out the back for half a game each week. And if that's what he'll be we may as well have him as sub so someone else can have a go for the first half. There's no denying he's our most talented forward but he can't have invisible halves with really poor effort level. And I get the supply is bad and the forward line dysfunctional but he has chances to impact and doesn't give it his best.

FB: McVee May McDonald HB: Howes Lever Bowey C: Billings Rivers Windsor HF: Langdon Petty Tracc FF: Pickett JVR Fritsch Foll: Gawn Oliver Viney Int: Sparrow, ANB, Woey, Chandler S: Turner Let's stick with Langdon and Tracc forward, both gave us something different and try Rivers on ball for a good spurt. That means Woey in down back, Billings on the wing. I'm hardly a Billings fan, but he had 16 disposals in the second half on the wing and some of them were at least fine. Disco back to sub because we don't need as much height with Tracc forward, and we need speed to pressure. No one else on here seemingly agrees with me but if we are fair dinkum we need to think about dropping Fritsch if he doesn't start doing some more team first stuff from the first bounce. Lead up at the kicker every now and then and have a crack with the ball on the deck. If they made him sub I'd be ecstatic.

Awful start, incredible grit to get back in it. Given Carlton had more talent in several aspects of the ground it’s a huge credit to the coaches and players. The forward line has issues but also a path to solutions and we saw some of them at times. A whole lot of Tracc, but also some the ball movement improvements even in wet and high pressure. Midfield, unfortunately I’m less sure of the answers but I like that we’ve tried some things. Huge game from Nibbler

2020 was covid and list shrinkage, no surprises that wasn’t a great time. 2021 due to McVee has become a strong crop with JVR, Howes (who’s the other close to locking up a spot), Woey and even AMW. We’ll see on 2022, at least we took 4 project player kids and each is still a chance. The poor opposition scouting to not find any mature players who could really help us and the burning of 2nd round picks bother me more than some picks not working out. JT was never going to be near perfect forever.

Illness is the report

I was a bit of a Wilson doubter as I didn’t trust his decision making under pressure, but he’s so elite as an outside runner it rarely matters and he’s already consistent overhead for a kid which gives him another way to win clean possessions. Kolt just looks plain athletically and isn’t doing anything special with his power. Great worker and high character, I’ve got no doubt he’ll be a long term player but the trade up without a clear target is a mistake. Burnt 2 second rounders that could’ve been forwarded in to future picks. As was folding and giving away a 2nd rounder for McAdam when a third would’ve got it done. The reality is we might’ve finished the last 2 list periods with Windsor, an ok role player in Kolt, some longer term rookies in Brown, Sestan, Verrall and stuff all else. As bad as Jefferson has been Adams might be worse, he can’t track the ball in the air. Oh well, I guess we added some mature players right? Nope, a few games out of Billings, Hunter, Grundy, Hore and maybe some McAdam or Fullarton cameos if we are lucky. Whilst Gus and Joel Smith are done. Pretty good job turning a top 4 list in to a mid table one.

I'm on record saying in an ideal world I'd refresh the squad with a number of changes, but given the available options are Laurie, Hore, maybe Bowey, maybe Schache if not injured, maybe BBB, maybe Hunter after playing half a VFL game (and not well) I don't expect to see much change. I'm far from a Billings fan, but Windsor is right on the limit at about 78% game time and we're seeing a much better Ed Langdon this year limiting him to about 90% rather than pushing him to close to full games. And I'm liking a look at Ed at half forward every now and then for a change. Nibbler can fill in, but he's so vital for the way he stretches the ground end to end from half forward. So there's 30% or so game time for a 3rd winger and in that role Billings is at least competent in getting to the right spots. As frustrating as he is and also knowing he's a likely sub out candidate most weeks he still fits the mold of a forward/wing hybrid player which we really need.

Not really, I can’t seem to ever post a photo on here even when I upload it to a 3rd party image host. This is a bit after a stoppage pretty much bang on centre wing when the Cats get a free kick but look how close to the boundary and in between lines that Riv is. https://ibb.co/6Py1qmy I’m suggesting he comes 5-10m corridor side so he’s in line with the goals to the ball and depending on the state of the game he either comes 10m up so he can pressure and receive handballs or 10m back so he’s a genuine intercepting option.

Casey looked bad, the young guys all had a good go in key roles. Wouldn’t want to be this light on every week especially in the middle but it’s better development than sticking the young guys on the flanks whilst the VFL All Stars dominate.

Did you watch the half he played? He was ordinary. Punched the ball straight out scared of contact. More chance he’s injured than in the side for any role but sub and even that would be a kick in the teeth for anyone omitted for him

Missed tackles to lock it forward and simple defensive errors down back. Probably lost it in the first when they were outplayed with the wind

Yep, the positive is he’s been involved in everything, huge work rate game across half back, but needs some refinement.

Hunter can play bench, bench, bench and wing. Billings can play forward and wing, and bench

Boy George and Jeffo have good chemistry, the attack of the George has woken up Jeffo (hopefully)

Abysmal non deliberate call

Thought the second quarter in to the breeze was a decent effort. Sestan, Tholstrup, AMW, Brown all had moments moving the ball well. Missed a few chances to get scores. Fullarton got involved with a few marks. Defensively open but Willy had the wind and after a hot start Casey got the momentum back. McAdam? Injured again?

Boy George! Sign the man

We’ve always been dumb and we will continue to be dumb is what that says to me. BBB hasn’t had a kick since, Billings and Petty lost all confidence, not to mention the Oliver fiasco and Salem tore a hammy 3 seconds in to the Brisbane game. There’s a good rest after Thursday and we’ve had plenty of rest the last few weeks, so it’s not exactly the same. Is Fullarton at 100% worse than 80% JVR (he might be, but I’d consider the switch because I doubt it changes the outcome of the game and will protect JVR and possibly Max if Fullarton can hold up in the ruck as well as Petty with fresh legs at CHF).

Sure, but he’s guarding the least dangerous space, without the ability to get immediate pressure to force a turnover, nor the ability to quickly counter. If a team gets a clean entry from the stoppage in to the corridor and goes inside 50 to the fat side he’s not involved in the play at all. And given most teams roll their half forward up to the corridor side of the stoppage his direct opponent is taking a dangerous spot.