Autopsy 2024 Rd 20 Loss to Port - Top 4 in jeopardy

[Just Kreuzing]

About time they got their kit off and jumped in Ed’s dam again to hopefully fix shit up quickly…..

Whilst they are in there maybe find some mids with a point of difference!!

Could Saad be our Ed Richard’s type move…..

 

[Accidental genius]

Don’t agree and don’t like the pot shots at Carroll TBH (not singling you out here). He’s a young pup who’s played a handful of games, usually being subbed in. There are a LOT of players on our list that were sub par and deserve the target on their back more. Newman, Cerra, Cotters, Motlop, Owies, Boyd (before being dropped), Young (was ‘ok’ last night).

...walsh

 

[blues4flag]

And Cuningham already had a suspect shoulder

Maybe "60 pound weakling" Binns could've made more of an impact than Cuningham after getting lots of possies at VFL level (which last time I checked is the only level you can judge form from before being selected at AFL level)

What were Cuningham's stats last night that Binns needed to equal?

What was Cuningham's game time that Binns needed to equal to at least provide rest and rotations

No VFL this week for Binns to try and stake ANOTHER claim

We can't discount what happens at training. None of us have a window into it, but perhaps he struggles against the larger bodies on the track?

Same with positional changes, you'd think a player would need to show some aptitude at training before we commit. Perhaps Kemp has been tried there and can't get near it? Perhaps Cerra's still struggling in the midfield drills so is kept at half back till that changes?

It ain't VFL or bust.

 

[blues4flag]

About time they got their kit off and jumped in Ed’s dam again to hopefully fix shit up quickly…..

Whilst they are in there maybe find some mids with a point of difference!!

Could Saad be our Ed Richard’s type move…..

He's the cleanest ground level player in the comp. Never loses a one on one, never fumbles the footy. The one fumble he did have, the whole stadium rose and gasped in shock. Strong tackler, bursts out of congestion.

What am I missing?

 

[teagueyubeauty]

And yet when up and running he’s bank in!

Sometimes you have to read the tea leaves…

Voss, Hamill, Russell are all big fans…

Up and running? Seriously?

He’s played Les than 60 games in 8 years and probably didn’t finish 1/6 of those games injured

How he has lasted this long on the list is a greater mystery than the Bermuda Triangle. The legend of Cuners has certainly grown in the 120 matches he hasn’t played


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[Soapy V]

Would not be opposed to JSOS playing in defense next year instead of Kemp, and moving Kemp down fwd as that nimble 3rd tall.

I think we have really missed Jack as 3rd fwd back up ruck to TDK. Kemp should be on a wing or mid after full pre season

 

[Bundy Bear Bogan]

So I am not allowed to have a little compassion for Cunners because over his eight years at our club he deliberately went out of his way to get injured. What absolute tripe, no player wants to get injured.

Davey fulfilled his lifetime ambition, to play for our great club (well maybe). Club was aware of what he could do when he had his body right. Evidence being that game against the injectors a few year's ago. From memory about 27 possies and a couple of goals, was best on.

Had he been a more average role-player type, he may have only lasted half as long on our list.

Always disappointing to see a kid come in and show glimpses, but never really get it all together because of injury.

He will be delisted at the end of the year, I would think now for certain. All the best to you Davey, for whatever you go onto doing in life.

I'm with you SS. It's the end for cunners but I thank him for his time at Carlton. It's not like he wants his body to fail, he would want nothing more than have a good run injury free to prove himself but alas it wasn't to be

 

[Accidental genius]

Our single biggest issue is the midifeld - Cripps is a gun but it falls away quickly

need a power/burst mid with good footskills.

 

[blues4flag]

-29 points vs GWS.
-20 points vs Bulldogs.
-23 points vs Port.

We're hemorrhaging from stoppages. Those are huge numbers to concede. If we can't get that part right, we're not going anywhere. It shouldn't be that hard a fix but we've made no headway.

Cerra out because he's playing with zero intensity. Walsh has dropped off massively since the bye, need him at his best. Looks hurt.

Need one of those two to lift and get back to their best footy. If we don't have the personnel, why not make it a slog in there? Play for repeat stoppage out of the centre, then get numbers around the stoppage to stop the bleeding.

It's a much easier fix than fixing scores from turnover (we're dominating here), but time has run out. It's now or bust.

 

[smlz]

This is what happens when you play with form and make poor selections at match commitee.

TDK was in career best form and we rest him. Pitto comes in, stays in and TDK loses his form. Nothing against Pitto but I think its fair to say he shouldnt be played unless TDK is injured.

Hewitt dropped when he was in good form. Cottrell and Cerra straight into the side off long injury layoffs and both have been poor.

Players consistently played out of position. Coaches who are unable to make effective changes when the match is on the line.

Hinkley worked out that all he had to do was double Charlie, it was a gamble hoping someone else didnt step up, but it payed off for them.

We played with fire and it burnt us.

 

[Coops93]

I feel like teams exposing our 2nd key defender is a new thing - from the past month or so. Coincidentally as we are in a slump.

The downside about being dominant earlier in the season is everyone has a deep look at you. Sydney in a similar boat now.

Similarly how we're getting smacked at stoppage, teams have looked a lot into it.

 

[BlueZombie]

Very hard to win when the midfield gets absolutely smashed. Wines and Drew who are 2 of Ports slowest players looked quick against our lot.
Cripps and Walsh get tackled and crunched as soon as they get the ball.

Our wings are rubbish, none of Hollands, Cottrell and Acres can kick with speed and precision. I’m over Hollands 20m floater kicks. Batman was right, Cottrell just guards grass all night.

We are done for the year and maybe this squad reached its peak last year.


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Acres rubbish? He's one of the best wingers in the comp and one of our most important players.

 

[Manhattanite]

-29 points vs GWS.
-20 points vs Bulldogs.
-23 points vs Port.

We're hemorrhaging from stoppages. Those are huge numbers to concede. If we can't get that part right, we're not going anywhere. It shouldn't be that hard a fix but we've made no headway.

Cerra out because he's playing with zero intensity. Walsh has dropped off massively since the bye, need him at his best. Looks hurt.

Need one of those two to lift and get back to their best footy. If we don't have the personnel, why not make it a slog in there? Play for repeat stoppage out of the centre, then get numbers around the stoppage to stop the bleeding.

It's a much easier fix than fixing scores from turnover (we're dominating here), but time has run out. It's now or bust.

Exactly I was going to say the same thing - it’s easier for us to fix the scoring from stoppages given that was our bread and butter

What would have been harder was to become a top team from scoring off turnovers as that’s the profile of those who win flags - we finally added that to our bow and we are now probably number one in the league for that ahead of the Swans and Lions

So we are finally good where we needed to be - but we have lost our mojo in the main strength we had and I’m betting the boys and the coaches can fix that soon (hopefully next weekend onwards)




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[Ald Gardiner]

Just a really bad loss, to top off a terrible month of football.

Dimma Hardwick termed July as 'big boy month'. It's cold & wet on the track, fatigue is kicking in, along with injuries, finals are in sight, teams have started to work you out and come after you hard. The big teams stand up, slog it out and get it done, and coast into August & September getting ready for finals.

We've failed big boy month abysmally. Didn't handle the expectation, didn't handle the oppositions pressure nor the 'unfair' fixturing or standard injuries.

I saw Richmond of 17-20, Hawthorn 13-15, Geelong over the years & the other top clubs power through these situations and get it done, we are just so far from that it's not funny.

Really, really disappointed. We have 5-6 generational club players for us right now and we're middle of the road. Can't help but think we're going to waste this list and before we know it, we will blink and we will miss our shot.

I don't know what the answer is, I can't single out any individual player for this. The collective group just seem to not be able to handle the pressure of expectation in elite team sport, and I'm not sure that can be fixed.

It’s so true this, we’ve failed recent tests miserably though last night I cut them slack due to injuries that piled up during the week and Big H out on game day, 5 day break etc. Port got us at the perfect time. Port are not top 4.

I’ve said to so many non-Carlton people recently who “praised” us that “that’s all very nice but we’ve achieved nothing, absolutely nothing”. Membership no’s, club fluff virtue signalling means eff all to me until 17th is done.

Gut feel now is next flag will be an even slower burn than we all want, much in the way Tigs recently did it (era was preceded by many years in finals). Keep the big guns around and draft like demons with Campo boys, Cody Walker adding some vital pieces in the coming years. Classy speed at last!

I’m managing my 2024 expectations after what we’ve dished up since Cats game. The doggies game was a huge wake up call, really showed we don’t have the maturity and mindset for the big prize just yet.

 

[No1Suspect]

Did anyone let our mids know after the game that aliir aliir

21

Aliir Aliir

Age

30

Ht

194cm

Wt

96kg

Pos.

Def

Career

Season

Last 5

D

15.2

4star

K

9.3

4star

HB

5.9

4star

M

5.2

5star

T

1.9

4star

MG

240.9

4star

D

11.0

3star

K

6.0

2star

HB

5.0

3star

M

3.0

3star

T

2.0

3star

D

13.0

4star

K

6.4

3star

HB

6.6

4star

M

3.8

4star

T

2.0

4star

MG

158.4

3star

was playing for port?

 

[Blue since 72]

Had a lot of passengers tonight, but the Ollie Hollands conversation has to be had eventually.

Walsh too, a shadow of what he was earlier in the season.

I wonder if his back is playing up again.

 

[No1Suspect]

Our single biggest issue is the midifeld - Cripps is a gun but it falls away quickly

need a power/burst mid with good footskills.

Id say 2 or 3 tbh

 

[Juddrockz]

What a shizen month of footy from the Blues. Need to leave it behind,regroup and play players in there right positions and if that aint working Vossy needs a Plan B going into games.
Oh and our smalls need to learn their roles not just go missing for large chunks of a game.

 

[BlueZombie]

Cuningham is not in our best 18 mate. The myth of Cuningham is one of the wilder experiences I've seen as a footy fan - from both fans and club.

Drafted in 2016, averages 6 games a year and never averaged more than 16 disposals in any of his seasons (averages 12, disposals for his career - 12!) - he was drafted as an attacking midfielder, those are really poor numbers. There's been nothing to suggest he's in our best 18 this deep into our list build.

Clubs persist with flashy but injury prone players for 3, maybe 4, absolutely max 5 years. We've persisted for 8 years.. 58 games in 8 years! I'll go out on a limb and say he's gone off injured in at least 10 of those games too.

I don't blame him at all, it's just amateurish from the club and the reason our VFL & overall youth is in dire straits is because we continue to give list spots to guys like him, Marchbank & Martin.

I'm pretty sure that DC was drafted - along with Harry, Charlie & Weiters - in the 2015 draft?

 

[CarmenSandiego]

I'm pretty sure that DC was drafted - along with Harry, Charlie & Weiters - in the 2015 draft?

Yeah sorry meant his 1st year was 2016, so he's been on our playing list for 8 years.

 

[Gethelred]

I like your right ups Geth but you seem a little in the fence here, rightfully calling out our straight edge players lack of mongrel but also being critical or dismissive of other teams showing exactly what you say we are missing.

If North smashed us so bad, then that’s on us for allowing it, I think back to the GWS game where Greene punched one of our guys in the guts, the player went down and play stopped, not one player did a thing and it was called out here at the time.

In regards to your comments about Wallace, tantrums and Clarkson, I think it’s a bit off, whenever you play a side, you should be doing everything you can to make them lose, whether your in the 8 or not, being out of contention shouldn’t mean allowing a team a free pass.

When you can’t make finals or can’t win a match, you need to strive to win something, hardball gets, possessions, tackles, small wins add up over time.

Your post reminds me of the whinging that still happens today regarding Clarkson and him dropping players back to stop Fev from getting 100 goals, elite coaches, players and teams don’t give any free passes, no thought should be given to the opposition, if they are good enough they will get their own rewards, Fev didn’t score 100 that year because he wasn’t good enough.

Your cricket analogy took me back to a game I was captaining many moons ago, we passed the oppositions score relatively early with a young player at the crease, I kept them in the field for most of the day so the kid in my team could make a 100, after the game their captain had some very choice words to me, I told him to worry about his team and I’ll worry about mine, I didn’t care for him or his team, I cared for building belief, confidence and standards within my own team.

I feel our supporter base has been sooking all year, TDK getting blocked in the ruck and our forwards not getting looked after is a recurring theme, suck it up, stop demanding other teams be nicer and start demanding our players be stronger.

So I agree, we are soft, we lack Mongrel, we need to stop asking others to be nicer and toughen up

... I mean, I feel like you've both gotten what I was getting at - stop allowing yourself to be a punching bag, and ****ing stand up for yourself - and missed the point - that I really don't like the 'If you can, take someone out!' thuggishness that Clarkson coaches with. It ruins young men on and off the field both in the sides he coaches and the sides he doesn't; I've opined on what the hardening affect encouraging violence has on young men before on this forum - at the same time.

It's not 'doing what it takes to win' to go the knuckle, because it's a clear secondary prerogative. It doesn't appear on the scoreboard, doesn't keep you in the game unless you're good enough to win anyway. All it does is make your opponent's day worse and potentially derails their year. I accept that they don't have to care about us having a good time; I reject the notion that gives them carte blanche to seek to hurt our players to the point of injury.

It's not the 80's anymore.

No, what I mean is that we need to be more willing to get our hands dirty by going through them. If one of them roughs you up or starts to tackle before the ball is in possession, elbow him right square in the jaw. If he throws a jumper punch at you, sling him into the deck when you get an opportunity. If he's going to try and obstruct your run, you were given forearms, elbows and knees for a reason.

You don't have to start it, but at present we're refusing to end it.

 

[TheKing101]

Saad to the midfield. If it works it will be exactly what we need. If it doesn’t back to half back. Worth trying if it could transform our midfield.


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[Soapy V]

Acres rubbish? He's one of the best wingers in the comp and one of our most important players.

We missed him badly. His workrate and the way he helps everyone is massive

 

[TENACIOUS]

Now we play the Pies in Pendlebury’s 400th…

Will be their grand final, second best thing to winning a flag for them would be knocking us out of the 8…

Not going to be a walk over…

Blues by 95 points…

 

[Soapy V]

Saad to the midfield. If it works it will be exactly what we need. If it doesn’t back to half back. Worth trying if it could transform our midfield.

Whilst I like the thinking, our defence is struggling and we lack run from the back half. To do these things we need to make sure we don't make other areas worse