Carlton V Gold Coast Suns
Sunday 28 June 2015 @ 3.20pm
Etihad Stadium
Head to Head:
Played 4– Carlton 3 wins, Suns 1 win,
Last Time They Met: Carlton 14.13.97 def Gold Coast Suns 8.10.58
Brownlow Medal Votes Last Time They Met: 3: C. Judd, 2: J. Waite, 1: T. Bell
Last Game: Carlton 17.8.110 def Port Adelaide 16.10.106
Gold Coast 7.4.46 lost to Fremantle 6.17.53
Prior to Carlton’s win against Port, this upcoming match was being touted as the Jacob Weitering Cup. The Suns would now be favourites for the #1 draft pick, but this can change very quickly. Both teams have now had good performances at their last start & would take some confidence into this match. The Suns may welcome back GAJ, which would increase their confidence. This is a game that both teams would consider winnable. The Suns will be fresh after their bye, while Carlton will appreciate the 8 day break after a heart-stopper against the Power.
Key Players
Carlton
Marc Murphy – has led from the front in the last couple of games, winning plenty of clearances & running hard.
Paddy Cripps – in the blink of an eye has gone from promising kid to a key component of the midfield. His clearance work is as good as any, while his tackling would be rattling a number of opponents.
Lachie Henderson – when Hendo is playing well, Carlton are playing well. His last couple of weeks have displayed a return to match fitness & he has been an important component of the Carlton forward line.
Ed Curnow – if Ablett returns, Ed’s ability to curtail Ablett’s impact will go a long way towards setting up a Carlton victory. Even without Ablett playing, the gut running that Ed provides has become a key link in Carlton’s transition from defence into attack.
Kade Simpson – his mopping up in defence & run from D50 sets up a lot of scoring opportunities.
Gold Coast
Gary Ablett – if the Gold Coast is to have any chance of winning, Ablett must play & hit the ground running. Lack of match fitness could be telling, although history tells us players returning from long term layoffs can be very good first game back.
Harley Bennell – if he turns it on, anything can happen. One of the most talented players on the Suns’ list & he needs to be guarded closely. Zac Tuohy will probably get first go at Bennell.
Charlie Dixon – can be so damaging when he is on. A hard match up for defenders, not only because of his height, but also his mobility.
Michael Rischitelli – the veteran is still a very important member of the Suns’ team & is very capable of stacking up large numbers & hitting the scoreboard.
Possible Changes
For the Suns, much depends on whether Ablett is ready or not & also if any players choose to indulge in some alcoholic beverages in the coming week.
For Carlton, none, nil, zero, zilch. The 22 who toppled the Power should not be changed, not even for Jamison, who has had a run in the VFL
Who Will Win & Why
Carlton should come into this game with a great deal of confidence after successive good performances against the South Australian teams. Their defensive pressure is at a whole new level, while their running game is creating far more opportunities for the forwards than for much of the season. Murphy is back in form, Cripps is getting better with each outing, Henderson is playing the sort of football we know he is capable of & Kreuzer’s return has really lifted the Blues.
The Suns have been hit badly all season by injuries to key players including Ablett & young gun O’Meara. They put up a competitive performance against the Dockers in slippery conditions at Metricon Stadium & we all know they are capable of playing fast, free flowing football & scoring quickly when they are on. They would fancy themselves in this game, particularly if they can get up & running early on.
In the end, I think Carlton’s greater experience will be the difference in a game that should see plenty of open football & will most likely be a high scoring affair on a fast Etihad Stadium track.
Carlton by 20 points to move down to Pick 3-4 in the National Draft.
Sunday 28 June 2015 @ 3.20pm
Etihad Stadium
Head to Head:
Played 4– Carlton 3 wins, Suns 1 win,
Last Time They Met: Carlton 14.13.97 def Gold Coast Suns 8.10.58
Brownlow Medal Votes Last Time They Met: 3: C. Judd, 2: J. Waite, 1: T. Bell
Last Game: Carlton 17.8.110 def Port Adelaide 16.10.106
Gold Coast 7.4.46 lost to Fremantle 6.17.53
Prior to Carlton’s win against Port, this upcoming match was being touted as the Jacob Weitering Cup. The Suns would now be favourites for the #1 draft pick, but this can change very quickly. Both teams have now had good performances at their last start & would take some confidence into this match. The Suns may welcome back GAJ, which would increase their confidence. This is a game that both teams would consider winnable. The Suns will be fresh after their bye, while Carlton will appreciate the 8 day break after a heart-stopper against the Power.
Key Players
Carlton
Marc Murphy – has led from the front in the last couple of games, winning plenty of clearances & running hard.
Paddy Cripps – in the blink of an eye has gone from promising kid to a key component of the midfield. His clearance work is as good as any, while his tackling would be rattling a number of opponents.
Lachie Henderson – when Hendo is playing well, Carlton are playing well. His last couple of weeks have displayed a return to match fitness & he has been an important component of the Carlton forward line.
Ed Curnow – if Ablett returns, Ed’s ability to curtail Ablett’s impact will go a long way towards setting up a Carlton victory. Even without Ablett playing, the gut running that Ed provides has become a key link in Carlton’s transition from defence into attack.
Kade Simpson – his mopping up in defence & run from D50 sets up a lot of scoring opportunities.
Gold Coast
Gary Ablett – if the Gold Coast is to have any chance of winning, Ablett must play & hit the ground running. Lack of match fitness could be telling, although history tells us players returning from long term layoffs can be very good first game back.
Harley Bennell – if he turns it on, anything can happen. One of the most talented players on the Suns’ list & he needs to be guarded closely. Zac Tuohy will probably get first go at Bennell.
Charlie Dixon – can be so damaging when he is on. A hard match up for defenders, not only because of his height, but also his mobility.
Michael Rischitelli – the veteran is still a very important member of the Suns’ team & is very capable of stacking up large numbers & hitting the scoreboard.
Possible Changes
For the Suns, much depends on whether Ablett is ready or not & also if any players choose to indulge in some alcoholic beverages in the coming week.
For Carlton, none, nil, zero, zilch. The 22 who toppled the Power should not be changed, not even for Jamison, who has had a run in the VFL
Who Will Win & Why
Carlton should come into this game with a great deal of confidence after successive good performances against the South Australian teams. Their defensive pressure is at a whole new level, while their running game is creating far more opportunities for the forwards than for much of the season. Murphy is back in form, Cripps is getting better with each outing, Henderson is playing the sort of football we know he is capable of & Kreuzer’s return has really lifted the Blues.
The Suns have been hit badly all season by injuries to key players including Ablett & young gun O’Meara. They put up a competitive performance against the Dockers in slippery conditions at Metricon Stadium & we all know they are capable of playing fast, free flowing football & scoring quickly when they are on. They would fancy themselves in this game, particularly if they can get up & running early on.
In the end, I think Carlton’s greater experience will be the difference in a game that should see plenty of open football & will most likely be a high scoring affair on a fast Etihad Stadium track.
Carlton by 20 points to move down to Pick 3-4 in the National Draft.
