Preview RND 1 - Carlton v Richmond Thurs March 18th 7.25pm AEDT @ MCG

[berisha]

We're missing Charlie, Williams, TDK, Martin, McGovern and Betts from what would probably be our preferred 22.

Betts and McGovern are not best 22.

 

[Jeremias]

Betts and McGovern are not best 22.

Yes they are

 

[Aphrodite]

Geez I'm nervous about this game, it's making me feel crook.
Want to win so bad..

When we win the confidence it would inject into the group would be huge..

We don’t inject here.

Essendon* Board.

 

[JuddgementDay]

View attachment 1079169

This is a solid & competitive side.
If we are good enough, and we are good enough, why can't we win?

I'm bloody excited!!!

There are so many things to watch out for.

Just off the top of my head:

1. Game plan, fitness, dash and run
2. Dow - will he step up after a full pre-season
3. Doch - he's getting plenty of the ball, just need better kicking
4. Williamson - show us your full potential
5. Crippa - back to his bullocking ways?
6. Saad - welcome some dash out of backlines
7. Forgaty - welcome, let's see what you can do
8. Harry - be that monster forward!
9. Setters - windows1 nominated you - so you better perform
10. Fisher - definitely my favourite Blues now - he's the definition of Excitement for me with his dash and evasiveness

 

[BrianSetzer]

Hope everyone is going well. Footys back, I'm back.
Nerves have well and truly set in. I'm never very confident and this is no exception. I just hope we turn up from the start and not after being 5 goals down at quarter time. I hope we are over that shite.
Go Blues..

 

[TheReal99prelim]

Sorry Aph. Deleted that post. I couldn't re-do til now cos work!

Our backdrop looks cringeworthy...TripADeal and Domestic... ****, it's befitting of a SANFL team

 

[Aphrodite]

Cunningham at his best is truly excellent.

Cunningham at his worst is invisible.

If you want to beat the Tigers, you need a 22-player performance. Probably safer picking someone else whom you can rely on.

Who is this CunNingham you speak of Shan

 

[Blue__Balls]

Betts and McGovern are not best 22.

Congratulations on having an opinion?

 

[berisha]

Yes they are

If you think an aging player who's a shadow of his former self and a highly-paid key forward who's shown pretty much stuff all since he signed are in our best team (in a hypothetical world where everyone is fit), then we're in a bit of trouble.

 

[TENACIOUS]

We don’t inject here.

Essendon* Board.

I'd allow injecting some confidence and belief into the group

* can inject their players with something else

 

[berisha]

Congratulations on having an opinion?

Congratulations on using the reply function?

 

[gandaal]

Cuningham has more star potential than almost any other player on our list.

I have no idea what's holding him back but I wish they could figure it out and fix it. Turning players with potential like Cunners into reality is what seperates the top clubs from the also-rans.

 

[Just Kreuzing]

Great opportunity to assess our depth tomorrow night.....

 

[Malifice]

Casboult for insurance if a back goes down or McKay pulls up again.

But by God we need him starting in the F50. It's otherwise McKay and the 7 dwarves down there (Gibbo, Fog, Fisher, Cuners, JSOS).

 

[Jeremias]

If you think an aging player who's a shadow of his former self and a highly-paid key forward who's shown pretty much stuff all since he signed are in our best team (in a hypothetical world where everyone is fit), then we're in a bit of trouble.

I do think they are, and it is not just me.

Fairly certain both would be playing tomorrow night if they were fit, and if we had a full side to pick from.

 

[Mr_Plow]

Cuningham has more star potential than almost any other player on our list.

I have no idea what's holding him back but I wish they could figure it out and fix it. Turning players with potential like Cunners into reality is what seperates the top clubs from the also-rans.

Agree, an indictment on the club/coaching staff that they haven't been able to harness his talents and use him as an offensive weapon.

 

[Aphrodite]

Not too concerned about Eddie.

Hopefully he plays his 200th Carlton game against the Filth next week being our home game & in front of a majority home crowd.

Maybe just maybe that’s the plan.


#Betts200

 

[myblueroan]

Well, they are nearly 100% strength ...

Curses be upon them
And the whole OTT Dusty mega-build up.!!!@#

 

[Arr0w]

Every available and signed player that featured in the Saints game is playing, except McDonald and Cuningham. The second they swapped Cuningham and Fogarty around, both lit the game up.

If the ball spills in the F50, Cuningham outpoints Gibbons. If the pass is sent out to the wing, Cuningham outpoints Gibbons. You talk all the time about leading David to the ball via a tagging role, you can also lead him to the ball by sending him out the back of the zone with it.

Don't deflect JI'm, we weren't dissecting player attributes and you are still making assumptions, even though players played full games a day apart

Perhaps it just doesn't fit in your brief of who should or shouldn't be playing

 

[berisha]

I do think they are, and it is not just me.

Fairly certain both would be playing tomorrow night if they were fit, and if we had a full side to pick from.

Fully respect your right to have an opinion, I just don't agree with it.

Betts is yesterday's news. Great to have around the club and for the odd game but we need to see what the likes of Fisher, Gibbons, Fogarty, Cunners etc can do. Betts is only going to decline, the above should improve.

As for McGovern, he quite simply hasn't earned the right to a guaranteed start. Below all of McKay, Curnow and Casboult for me. If he can show consistently the player he can be then I'm all for it. But right now he needs to earn his spot.

 

[footyfan1978]

No. I’m talking about an AFL debut.

Turns out you were wrong.
No AFL debut. Not even any emergency has not made his debut already.
The only debuts for Carlton are Saad and Fogarty.
Do not trust your mate again.
I won't trust you either.. ha ha.
The good news is Harry McKay is not out.
The bad news is the silly AFL brought in a new medical rule that might encourage a club like Carlton to take a risk playing McKay when they might not have if there no medical sub.
If he gets injured more and lose him for weeks, I will need a lot of Snickers...

 

[La Dispute]

I don't mind the team overall. It doesn't read particularly well, but I like the number of scoring options mixed in with a bunch of players in our front half with good defensive ethos. We should be able to trap the ball in our front half for longer periods of time.

Backline looks absolutely mint.

 

[Del9Sep24]

No Cuningham is a joke.

 

[CJMB]

Do you think Fogarty would have been named if Williams was available?

100%. The guy spent more time on the field than 21 other CFC players last game and led our tackle count.

 

[berisha]

On a positive note I really hope Dow kills it. While I've certainly given him a whack, deep down I've always had faith that he would turn out good. This is the year.