Preview 2023 Rd 23 Carlton vs Gold Coast Saturday August 19 2:10PM @ Heritage Bank Stadium

[Aphrodite]

Team is in …

AFL team news: McKay back in Blue

Harry McKay will be back for the Blues in Round 23.

www.carltonfc.com.au

IN: Harry McKay
OUT: Lachie Fogarty (soreness), Ed Curnow

Backs:	Brodie Kemp	Jacob Weitering	Nic Newman
Half-backs:	Alex Cincotta	Caleb Marchbank	Adam Saad
Centreline:	Ollie Hollands	Patrick Cripps	Sam Docherty
Half-forwards:	Jack Martin	Tom De Koning	David Cuningham
Forwards:	Jesse Motlop	Charlie Curnow	Matthew Owies
Followers:	Marc Pittonet	George Hewett	Blake Acres
Interchange:	Matthew Cottrell	Paddy Dow	Zac Fisher
	Harry McKay
Emergencies:	Jordan Boyd	Ed Curnow	Josh Honey
	Jack Silvagni

 

[skadoosh]

Ben King out replaced by Chol

Thanks C09 - good to see you back in these parts

 

[Sinjin Smith]

I reckon Pitto and The King have worked out their tandem play beautifully now. They ground down Gawn last week, lets face it Grundy has fallen off a cliff. With the two big boys rucking so well and to a plan I would not be tinkering with it now. As good as JSOS has been I see it as an unnecessary risk.

Having Harry back will be immense, being there last week when in the last two minutes we were desperately trying to get the ball out of the demons forward 50, we were dump kicking to the wing and it was just being fired back in again. That's where Harry would be so valuable, to crash a pack and mark those desperate kick outs.

 

[Worm4]

McGuane wore the navy blue twice (Rd 1 and 2). The M&M's game was his last with us.

I dont remember those 2 games franc, we must have lost

 

[Arr0w]

Pretty much yeah although Walsh seems to need a few runs to get to his best after a layoff

Coming off a back injury will do that, Hewett, Fog were in the same boat

 

[Matty411]

The Harry talk externally has been laughable. A thinly-veiled attempt to throw us off with outlandish claims born in thin air.

Structurally, Harry straightens us up enormously and makes our forward mix unbelievably better (pressure and points scored/scoreboard pressure main metrics). So I don't think losing a small in Fog for H will make us liable to a drop in pressure. As long as we have Cunners, Jack and Mots applying pressure at their feet and Ollie/Cotters doing their thing - its an upgrade every day of the week.

The Pitto/TDK combo seems to work as they offer totally different things. I think our best team on paper has 3 x talls up forward so hard to see Jack coming back unless one comes out.

Ultimately, as long as our game plan and pressure holds up, and the boys keep playing for each other - it doesn't matter who is in.

Scary proposition to think what this team could do with added quality of Gov, Cez and Worpa back in.

Look the *** out, AFL world.

 

[Crippa#9]

Maybe they are not playing him because he has told them that he wants to play with his brother.

Maybe. His form however has been pretty plain when he has been selected to play senior footy.

 

[Coops93]

Maybe they are not playing him because he has told them that he wants to play with his brother.

No, he's just not been very good.

 

[Show_Me_The_Money]

Such a surprise bonus for us that Fog is playing so well...I thought he was finished.

Been really impactful as a midfield rotation, feels like when he's at centre bounces we don't seem to really lose much.

His tackling in elite...wraps up his opponent and often forces a turnover.

No wonder the poor kid is sore as another poster mentioned. Jeez he threw himself in hard on Saturday night.....as did everyone else.

 

[Coops93]

Who’s lining up on Touk? A box is a must.

He may line up on Cripps and work really hard off him. Probably a good matchup for the Suns tbf. Cripps will have him for size in in the contest but Touk is a good inside min in his own right that's elite at running out of it, so a run with/off role for him on Cripps could be an interesting one.

 

[Blue_Fusion]

Ben King

34

Ben King

Age

24

Ht

202cm

Wt

98kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

7.2

2star

K

5.0

2star

HB

2.2

2star

M

3.5

4star

T

0.5

3star

G

1.3

5star

D

7.5

2star

K

5.6

2star

HB

1.9

1star

M

3.6

4star

T

0.3

1star

G

1.5

5star

D

6.8

2star

K

4.4

2star

HB

2.4

3star

M

3.2

4star

T

0.2

3star

G

1.0

4star

OUT:

Blow for Suns with sore key forward out of Blues clash

Gold Coast's hopes of upsetting Carlton have been hit by Ben King's withdrawal

www.afl.com.au

 

[Coops93]

Even though he's for the oppo I'm so happy for Connor Budarick

35

Connor Budarick

Age

23

Ht

175cm

Wt

75kg

Pos.

Def

Career

Season

Last 5

D

10.6

3star

K

6.8

3star

HB

3.9

3star

M

2.9

3star

T

1.5

3star

MG

171.3

3star

D

10.6

3star

K

6.8

3star

HB

3.9

3star

M

2.9

3star

T

1.5

2star

MG

171.3

3star

D

10.6

3star

K

6.8

3star

HB

3.8

3star

M

2.6

3star

T

2.0

4star

MG

153.0

3star

.

He was a rookie draft pick (but was in the Suns academy, so they knew him) in the same year they got Rowell & Anderson. He played in the starting 22 right away and very quickly became a favourite of mine. While everyone was (rightly) excited about Rowell & Anderson Budders was my favourite - as I'd tell my wife every time he got the ball or made a great tackle/defensive effort.

Since then he's done 2 ACLs. He's back now after the 2nd and I'm just so hopeful for him to get through this game, the next and have a solid off-season. Obviously, we know Doc has done 2 ACLs (among other things) so I'm really hopeful he can have a similar return.

Interestingly, he's always been a half back/defensive wing in his career so seeing him lined up on HFF is odd. He hasn't been playing there in the 2s and has never played there at AFL level as far as I can recall. In any case, I wish him all the best.

 

[Franc de Borges]

I dont remember those 2 games franc, we must have lost

We did.

 

[CCurnow3votes]

Ben King out replaced by Chol

Great news - Chol very up & down.

Has power, burst and is athletic - weiters or Kemp to him ?

Interesting to see how we match up now.

 

[Jimmae]

Think we're too significantly eating into our run and the ability for our forwards to pressure the opposition midfield with this balance, but Gold Coast aren't a super physical team so we might skate by in that respect.

If they can muster a physical challenge I still back us, it will just be close and taxing. Hopefully the air has gone completely out of their tyres now that their chance at finals is done.

Expecting Pittonet to be touch and go given his knee and the limited minutes he's had.

What about Pitt Jimmae, is he out as a rest or do you prefer the TDK / Silvagni tandem?
And why Lob sub over E. Curnow? Is it to give Ed full game minutes in the ressies?
Seems clear that Ed sits in front of him from the coaches perspective.

After the fact now, but Pittonet's minutes have been pretty much team lows since his return, so I very much prefer the more even contribution of Jack, with TDK providing excellent work after the tap.

RE: Ed/LoB, partly more minutes for him, partly a taste for a potential resurgence for O'Brien's confidence and thirst to develop his game, partly not throwing around a more fragile body on the interstate trip.

I think the things holding Lochiel back now is his ability to prepare through the week, both in keeping his body in good nick, and in mentally preparing for tactics in the match.

Cuningham clearly went to work on this about 3-4 years ago, and it's about time Lochiel did the same, with a key area being a preparedness to cut his runs inside the square a little when he's on the far wing so he's available for a pass.

He should be practicing marking and ground ball gets without someone operating a pad until he's looking competent in that situation.

If we win against GC, I can see a scenario where we rest players such as Doc, or crippa, or acres, or Hewett as our position on the ladder will not change if the dees win this week.

It gives those players like Dow, Cottrell, fisher another chance to prove themselves and helps any niggles those above players may have.

I don’t think we would go full strength against GWS if we win, and our squad players will probably get the job done.

While I've been preaching about sustainable play and rotation through the regular season and playing the odds, once you're heading into knockout games the circumstances shift heavily.

With the changes announced, we're going to be bringing a lot of players back that have been absent for more than a month, and that kind of layoff impacts touch/skill execution.

We might rest a few who are in the team right now, but I think it's critical we bring in those key senior players ASAP.

Silvagni is obviously coming back conservatively via the VFL at this point, but I wouldn't be entirely shocked to see him as a late in.

It’s a good post Jimmae. I always appreciate your insights on injuries, rotations etc (even if I wouldn’t be picking LOB as sub).

My main question is: we have a week off to freshen up after the GWS game. You wouldn’t push a few of these blokes through, knowing they already have a break coming up?

That seems to be how the club is going with this at present, but I flagged Fogarty last week, and here we are now with him having red lined his output a little too long.

Hopefully he's fine after the week off.

 

[CCurnow3votes]

He may line up on Cripps and work really hard off him. Probably a good matchup for the Suns tbf. Cripps will have him for size in in the contest but Touk is a good inside min in his own right that's elite at running out of it, so a run with/off role for him on Cripps could be an interesting one.

He may just go at it rather than cover any of our players - Cripps and Hewy both too strong for him.

Cerra or Walsh would have been prefect tag targets for him.

It looks head to head to me.

 

[The Old Dark Navy's]

And the irony was his last year his his best for games played (15) in that 10th year. Best for stats as well, goals down on 1992 (14 games, 21 goals, before the knee), but a really good year on 1997. Great memories.

The bullocking runs, left peg and those tree trunk legs. Of course we know why he was called Rhino but the playing style suited it to a tee.

 

[Coops93]

He may just go at it rather than cover any of our players - Cripps and Hewy both too strong for him.

Cerra or Walsh would have been prefect tag targets for him.

It looks head to head to me.

Don't underestimate Touks strength, he's built solid himself. He's short but stout.

But I agree I don't think there's a matchup for him. If there was though it'd have to be something creative like what I described - going to Cripps really to make him accountable both ways which was done a lot earlier in the season. But likely there won't be a direct matchup.

 

[Benaly28]

Could jsos go through the middle if required for this game at some point?


On iPhone using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[Sam The Doc]

Great news - Chol very up & down.

Has power, burst and is athletic - weiters or Kemp to him ?

Interesting to see how we match up now.

Never understand why they wouldn't make the change official until the last hour before the game?

 

[Sam The Doc]

Could jsos go through the middle if required for this game at some point?


On iPhone using BigFooty.com mobile app

Surely boyd will be sub?

 

[SpiritOfCarlton]

The one I am worried about it Rosas.

 

[WyntersGame_]

Also
Has decent footy IQ, reads the play well, good in contests also has nice spatial awareness and the ability to win the ball or help set up his teammates in general play…
Has a few good qualities, not just looking to be a tackling & pressure player played up forward..

I think being a forward rotating into the midfield is his role. Anything outside that I think he would quickly find himself back in the VFL.

I agree about the footy IQ but his key skill to the team is tackling and pressure. There is nothing wrong with that and Richmond won a fair few premierships off players like that. Not the most skilled but insane pressure that gave opposition no chance to create chains of movement out their forward line.

Also due to injuries his ability to kick longer than 40m is really limited.

 

[Blue Chip Pass]

One more sleep Blue baggers.
The air of anticipation is electric. Really hoping we keep the Juggernaut pressing forward.
A win against the Gold Coast, with hopefully some loud Blues supporters cheering them on.
Then a home game at Marvel with 40,000 screaming Blues fans to bring them home with a wet sail.
It's been a long wait. But being witness to our team's current form and quality play has been totally worth the wait.
Go Blues, Continue to make us so very very proud.

 

[COBALT BLUE]

Don't underestimate Touks strength, he's built solid himself. He's short but stout.

But I agree I don't think there's a matchup for him. If there was though it'd have to be something creative like what I described - going to Cripps really to make him accountable both ways which was done a lot earlier in the season. But likely there won't be a direct matchup.

I would actually have our current setup and ruck equal or even slightly in trougble against Suns at the moment....our form just has been better and seeminly sustainable..
Miller would be one of the fittest mids in the comp !....Rowell is almost as strong as Cripps!.....anderson can accumulate huge numbers of effective possessions if allowed..Witts would be in the top 5 rucks in the comp..

Our wings and HB work has been effective as well as the mids,it has not all been our mids...the Suns will be getting a lot of ball forward literally from the first bounce...however how it plays out will be where its at..We would love a Walsh in there this weekend,pick and spread that footy and or Cerra would be nice....i just hope DOW will role his sleeeves up for every moment,will or should be a fierce game this one

 

[F_therest]

Great news - Chol very up & down.

Has power, burst and is athletic - weiters or Kemp to him ?

Interesting to see how we match up now.

I'm assuming weitering will need to stand casboult due to his strength.

Kemp on chol.

Marchbank on Lukosius.

Marchbank and Kemp could swap.

There's a reason Chol has been in the 2s though.. showed he's capable last year but is inconsistent and doesn't do a lot of defensive work.