Autopsy Rd 7 vs North. Terrible loss, poor skills, never in it.

[Styxx]

To top my day off, my sciatica came back on the drive home and my back, hip and glute feel like they are being stabbed.

Not unlike how this team stabbed me in the heart today.

 

[Blue and Blue]

A ruckman is the difference. Phillips cant do it. Lobbe cant do it. Kreuzer cant do it often enough but when he does its a whole different team.
Somehow we have to find one that gives our midfield the ball.
Fix that and all the rest falls into place.

 

[DangerousD]

Absolutely filthy with our performance today, i had a bad feeling about the game but thought we would be a hell of a lot more competitive than we were. I knew we were light on for experience and North have a much bigger side, which is why i was surprised we brought in a first gamer, a kid 2 games (VFL) back from a 18 month injury and a underdone utility. That said, a bigger team doesn't smash their opposition out of the park in a quarter, they win more contests over a longer period of time and sustain their efforts for longer.

Our horrible game wasn't down to lighter bodies and in experience, watching the game we got smashed in the midfield and our players were no where to be seen, so many times i caught myself yelling at the television, where the **** are our players. Other than there being very little intent today, which hasn't been an issue all season, our structures and lack of answers to how North were playing were the biggest concern.

Our forward line despite having Curnow, Mckay and Cas was totally dysfunctional, worse than the game against GC where they all played, which was also horrible.

It seemed that the players out there are mentally fragile and thought the game was already lost after our outs. There are too many players in our side, who i think are good players continually making horrible decisions and crapping their pants when they get the ball, players like Jones, Plowman and Marchbank are main offenders, they aren't kids.

I really thin LOB needs to be playing in the VFL to allow him to develop, he lacks confidence (hopefully due to his size), doesn't attack the ball and is brushed aside too easily. There is nothing wrong with going back to the 2s. Have a look at some of the Cats kids this season, getting huge benefit from having a full season in the 2s.

Marc Murphys career is at a cross roads, he was poor again today and has offered very little to date this season, if his body is not up to it, then he needs to do the right thing, if its a bad run of form, he should not receive any preferential treatment, we are trying to win games and he's not helping.

Even though i am really pissed off, i want to see how we respond next week before i go full negative. Ive been happy with our progress but i have some serious concerns about Boltons gameplay and our team selection.

Shout out to JSOS, he is improving and trying his guts out.
Fish too.
Hope Liam is ok.

 

[DangerousD]

A ruckman is the difference. Phillips cant do it. Lobbe cant do it. Kreuzer cant do it often enough but when he does its a whole different team.
Somehow we have to find one that gives our midfield the ball.
Fix that and all the rest falls into place.

Bit too easy of a solution, we were solid in the games without Kruz at the start of the year, today was something else.

 

[Bamboo Harvester]

Crippa needs more protection from the umps never gets frees with blokes hanging off him 90% of game time (even when he tackles someone who clearly is holding the ball), not to mention Big H doesn't get looked after like the rest of the forwards in the AFL..
Not blaming the umpires we clearly didn't turn up today but I just need a little umpire rant even if I'm wrong

Your point is valid. One thing I've noticed that has really crept into the game is players blocking forwards and mids from even getting the opportunity to get to the ball.

Dawks/Clarkson are brilliant at it...I watched the replay of our game during the week, and the Dawks/Dees game yesterday. In a marking contest, they tend to place smaller players in the path of the opposition tall forwards, just acting as crumbers....but who's sole purpose is to block the path of the opposition talls, or just make them deviate off their line so they can't get a run of it. They did it to H last week time and time again, and to the Dee's talls again yesterday....and get away with it every time....which is why you see them take so many uncontested marks on the last line of defence.

Same with their tagging roles....it's just blocking the path of the player from getting to the ball. Should be free kicked every time, but Clarkson knows full well the umpires rarely if ever pay them, unless there is a grab of the player or their jumper.

It's becoming a growing trend, where umpires reluctantly pay frees because it just creates another grey area, where there are more and more each year with the constant rule changes.

 

[Styxx]

Also as far as needing a plan b if Cripps is being tagged out of a game.

It's called the other midfielders taking the onus on themselves to go and lift their game to support their captain, not for coaches to hold their hand and literally walk them through it

 

[rog1995]

That's your interpretation. Never heard the club say that at all. Not even close

My take is they wanted Stocker and at that pick was a bargain.

You don't need the club to come out and say that. The decision to trade this year's first with Adelaide based on our ladder position isn't looking great. Stocker may very well turn into a good player. it's pretty obvious we will struggle to win many games especially as the season goes on & injuries mounting. Kids will tire. Don't think we were in a position to gamble. Finishing bottom is looking highly likely unfortunately.

 

[Arr0w]

Staggers me this merrygoround of coach blaming.

First half of last week was some of the best footy we have played in some time. We have been competitive prior to this week, yet still inconsistent, as any young side would. Today was our most inexperienced team over Bolton's tenure

Here's the thing, Bolton either can coach, or can't, it can't be both

 

[DangerousD]

Have really noticed in the last few weeks, that the team with the momentum in any match is massively favoured by the umps. I had never really noticed it before but to me has become a big issue, I don't thin its a getting to the ball first thing either. I saw many examples today of play on called only for 5 seconds later to be paid a free kick for nearly the same play.

Im not sure if im just getting old and grumpy or if umps are increasing being sucked in to the moment or tempo of games.

 

[Matt Clape]

People talking about the 1st round pick swap with Adelaide, get over it, it is done!
I say good on Carlton for the swap it was risky and we won't be able to see if it pays off for years to come! Crippa was taken No 13
It has nothing to do with Stocker who held his own in his first game in a team that got flogged the kid has more pressure on him that No 1 draft pick FFS!

I agree completely. Stocker is a great kid and will be a good long term prospect for us.

He is learning a new role in the backline (played his junior career as a midfielder) and is developing exactly like we would want in his first year.

I can see him becoming a solid inside mid for us once he builds up his size and endurance.

 

[thylacine60]

Definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again...

no it's not - it's a saying attributed to einstein and you left half of it out.......

 

[thylacine60]

All talk of needing a small forward......what about an actual ruckman that can give our midfield first use of the ball.
Love big K, but seems more injured these days.
I would throw all our picks at years end for Grundy, make him a godfather offer he cannot refuse.
Sick of getting killed in the middle and around the ground when Kruze is injured.

grundy? the soon to be premiership winning ruckman, grundy? that grundy? come to carlton, the wooden spooners? see how that sounds?

 

[Eiffel 65]

Harry really needed to have a good run in the ruck today just to get his hands on it.

When things aren't working, you need a plan B.

 

[Benaly28]

Every team has had a shocker this year bar Geelong,today was our turn.

 

[PP34]

We didn’t have to get rid of them. That was the narrative sold to us by the club, and perpetuated by most on here.

The next result is (very roughly speaking) Gibbs and Touhy for Marchbank, LOB, Kennedy and DeKoning.

Jones surprise development as a backman has made the Marchbank trade redundant, Setterfield’s arrival has made Kennedy redundant, LOB has shown few glimpses and will more than likely end up a decent role player and no more, and TDK is a complete unknown.

We may have actually benefitted from 4-5 more years of Gibbs and Touhy, and been far more smarter in banking draft picks and non completely messing our rookie selections. We took the hardest possible road, and it might have been completely unnecessary.

The thing I question most is whether SOS could have brought in a few average mature players in the last few years via trade.

O’Shea and that bunch were terrible but prior to that the likes of Wright, Kerridge, Lamb etc played and had their moments. In that 2017 seaosn where we actually won a couple of games we had more senior players and guys like SPS, Weitering etc weren’t left exposed.

I watched us today and I was reminded of Melbourne when they had all those young kids. A lot of young kids left exposed and with little to no senior talent playing alongside them.

It isn’t always as dire as today but I still think it’s fairly problematic.

We need to start winning games. It’s simple. If we want to add some experience that’s the best way to have players wanting to come.

I worry that some of these players may have their development affected.

 

[Accidental genius]

Harry really needed to have a good run in the ruck today just to get his hands on it.

When things aren't working, you need a plan B.

Harry just did not look like he was invested in this game...looked tired

 

[jj1978]

Then Bolton’s goose will be cooked.
He’s the head coach but I know for a fact that assistant coaches are in the gun and so they should be.

Please be Barker

 

[Eiffel 65]

Harry just did not look like he was invested in this game...looked tired

I think he was just comprehensively beaten on the day.

He's a 4th year player. Fatigue shouldn't be an issue 7 rounds into the season.

 

[thebluelagoon]

pretty easy to find a spot in the team for Kennedy next week... hope big Liam is doing ok, has been a beast this year!

 

[blue6ers]

Your point is valid. One thing I've noticed that has really crept into the game is players blocking forwards and mids from even getting the opportunity to get to the ball.

Dawks/Clarkson are brilliant at it...I watched the replay of our game during the week, and the Dawks/Dees game yesterday. In a marking contest, they tend to place smaller players in the path of the opposition tall forwards, just acting as crumbers....but who's sole purpose is to block the path of the opposition talls, or just make them deviate off their line so they can't get a run of it. They did it to H last week time and time again, and to the Dee's talls again yesterday....and get away with it every time....which is why you see them take so many uncontested marks on the last line of defence.

Same with their tagging roles....it's just blocking the path of the player from getting to the ball. Should be free kicked every time, but Clarkson knows full well the umpires rarely if ever pay them, unless there is a grab of the player or their jumper.

It's becoming a growing trend, where umpires reluctantly pay frees because it just creates another grey area, where there are more and more each year with the constant rule changes.

Hawthorn is very good at this!
I just get frustrated. I watch a lot of footy I live with footy heads 1 Collingwood and 1 North Melbourne, now we all know in our game there are a lot of 50/50 free kicks and a lot of questionable ones, we just never seem to get any of these and my housemates laugh and me because they actually agree. I lost it when Crippa tackled Pittard for the exact same tackle the got holding the ball 2 min earlier in front of goal..
Just letting you guys into my world. Im a bais Carlton supporter and I love it but its gonna be a long two weeks

 

[gbatman]

Had a look at the game, we have a few injuries and we're back where we were last year.

Forward line. Big questions over our coaching here because I don't think our positioning and leading patterns are any good. Too many times the forwards aren't far enough ahead of the ball and that just allows the opposition to set a really heavy zone and congest the midfield. I think we need to look at working harder at getting our forwards deeper.

Midfield. Some of the young players who performed well early aren't. We again did alright with clearances but were exposed as immature. I thought our outside game was poor. Positioning was poor and structures fell down, we were exposed for a lack of run and offensive handball in our game. At times it looked like a junior game where all players were chasing the ball and no one on the outside waiting to receive.

Defence. Considering how many players were out I thought the defence put in a good effort,it just kept coming in there again and again and if you can't get the ball forward and score that is what will happen.

Players...

Fisher - Best on ground. Though he was excellent and really took the game on, like his intensity and his ability to quickly get to a lose ball.

Cripps - He was good but the opposition are planting their best big bodied mid on him and that worked. We need to do the same with our opponents but that doesn't seem to be in our plans.

Thomas - really enjoying the footy he is playing, he just goes so hard at the footy and competes relentlessly. I'd hate to see what we would look like without him. Makes most of our side look very pedestrian.

Walsh - Another player who I am really enjoying watching play. Wing is a tough position and we have an elite wingman on our hands here. If he could improve in any areas it would be being more damaging by foot.

Murphy - He's a smart and fit player and that's the only reason he's any good at all because he conditional, he avoids contact, he's bruise free and really poor competitor. Chasing efforts, hard running, attack on the contested ball is all terrible. Doesn't look like he wants to be there, would not surprise me if we offload him next season. Problem is it wouldn't be for much.

Weitering - Equal best on, thought he was really good under a lot of pressure.

C Curnow - Did some good things playing center half forward but didn't use it well and wasn't super prolific.

SPS - Competing against older, bigger and stronger men and struggled. Had moments where he got it on the outside but he struggled to stay in the contest today.

Dow - He's really dropped off recently. Numbers have been really poor. I feel his skills are improving but he's another who struggled against the bigger north mids.

O'Brien - He should be developing in the seconds except we aren't a very strong side. Constantly gets exposed for being to small and doesn't seem to be able to find space and get any run and carry. Has a very long way to go.

Marchbank - Thought he was fairly solid, tidier by foot.

Phillips - Thought he was pretty good, if he kicked those few goals it would have been a pretty handy game.

Cuningham - I thought he had a go but couldn't get into the game. Bad day to be a forward.

Gibbons - Not overly excited by his game. He's not as quick as he looks. Not a good user of the ball. It was a tough day for forwards and he kicked a goal but I'm not overly excited.

Casboult - Massacred it by foot and ruined what could have been a reasonable game.

Plowman - Did some good things and some really poor things. Was just ok.

E Curnow - Not a great game, really unsighted but I admit I didn't notice what role he was performing.

Stocker - Fairly tough debut in the backline in a team getting smashed. I did like what he did though, he missed a few kicks but his kicking style looks good and he showed a bit.

Jones - Was having an ok game before being knocked out.

Williamson - Horribly out of touch as expected. Very little of his A grade game is there, he's rusty as but he will get there.

Silvagni - Did some good things and leads to the right places but drops way too many marks. I feel he can play but he's a victim of being a forward in a weak team. I would still rate his game as being pretty poor, he had a go but didn't touch it much.

McKay - Has been figured out. Teams are wrestling and making a lot of body contact to stop him running and jumping and he's not strong enough to negate it. An extremely poor game but tough in a team getting flogged.

 

[agro]

Every team has had a shocker this year bar Geelong,today was our turn.

I’m glad our shocker for the year is out of the way then, looking forward to the next 15 games then.

 

[thylacine60]

If the Crows were prepared to drop Gibbs, surely us dropping Murph to make a statement has to be a possibility.

he gets dropped he won't come back.......

 

[therubbernub]

Fellow called Bruce Doull had nice moments. Lots of those in the reserves and in and out of the seniors the first couple of years. IT JUST TAKES TIME. And every talent has a unique time.

Sam walsh = Mr No time

 

[Accidental genius]

I think he was just comprehensively beaten on the day.

He's a 4th year player. Fatigue shouldn't be an issue 7 rounds into the season.

i thought we looked lethargic today ...I think he doesn't fight for front position or run out on a lead as much...last week against hawks a similar thing happened in the third and then late in the game he started showing and taking marks...it may not be to do with being tired ...not sure ...may be due to being a little lazy?...isnt this what prevented him from selection early last year?