Round 3:- Changes against Essendon? Merged threads.

[jonoman89]

Re: RD 3 Teams:- Blues v Bombers

Bit concerned about not bringing in a replace tall for defence. Lloyd, Lucas and Hille are all capable of kicking a bag.

Our mids are really going to have to dominate to prevent ball flow down back.

 

[esoteric]

Re: Round 3:- Changes against Essendon?

IMO there are three spots up for discussion:

Spot 1 - replacement for Jamo in the back six.
After half time last week, Brisbane beat us by four goals. This was largely due to the structural problem in defence after Jamo went off. Bradshaw was too powerful for Bower, and perhaps even more importantly, Waite's run was reduced. This in turn helped to take a little pressure of their midfield, who started to dominate in the third quarter, especially when Judd was off the ground for a spell.
You can mount a reasonable argument for any one of Grigg, O'hAilpin, Austin and Bannister to get the nod, depending on matchups, and on fitness and player-development considerations. Personally, I'd go for Grigg.

Spot 2 - Nick Stevens must come in.
Nick is still in our best six players, and has been earmarked for the half-back sweeper role, so some unlucky player has to give way. Arguments can be made against Scotland, Russell, or Johnson. More unlikely a midfielder could make way, with Robinson being the only real possibility. My nomination would be Scotland. Tough call.

Spot 3 - Yarran or Garlett?
Again it can be validly argued either way. IF I had ONLY seen the game live, I would be swayed by how easily Garlett the butterfly gets outbodied, and I would give Yarran the nod. If I had ONLY seen it on TV, I would remain impressed by Garlett the bee, and his abilty to hurt the opposition with both defensive pressure and freakish creativity and reading of the play. On balance I'd say stick with Garlett this time.

So two changes for mine, Grigg and Stevens in for Jamison and Scotland.

... takes a little bow

 

[setanta17]

Re: RD 3 Teams:- Blues v Bombers

Bit concerned about not bringing in a replace tall for defence. Lloyd, Lucas and Hille are all capable of kicking a bag.

Our mids are really going to have to dominate to prevent ball flow down back.

If Ryder plays up forward we are looking very vulnerable

 

[MBIB]

Re: RD 3 Teams:- Blues v Bombers

I don't know why, even after all the history but I'm gutted Carlos came so close and missed out.

 

[DarkTint]

Re: RD 3 Teams:- Blues v Bombers

i think we're doing the right thing by setting the tone early on in the season that form will keep you in the team not your reputation. Stevens no matter what my opinion of him is is automatic because he is our vice captain.

Always nervous about the games against any of our big rivals but hearing ratts say he wants revenge for last year made me feel so confident that the boys will have their heads in the right place not getting ahead of ourselves because we dropped 2 games we should've won last year against these muppets.

We SHOULD win by at least 6 goals, but you never know.

CARN THE BLUE BOYS!!!

Tex mate your my fav player I know you'll be there when we finally get our hands on what's rightfully ours.

 

[davis_756]

Re: RD 3 Teams:- Blues v Bombers

Hille could cause us massive problems if he spends time in the forward line. And I think Ryder is going to be a very good player in the forward line, he is more a forward than a back line player.

I think people are not thinking hard enough about this, if Hille gets moved into the forward line Ryder goes into the ruck. If Ryder is in the ruck the blues will win the clearances 9 times out of 10 so Hille won't be getting any delivery.

Realistically the only worry is essendon on the quick rebound because its the only time Hille can ruck and then drift forward and get the ball, to win Saturday we have to stop their run out of half back which is a perfect game to employ slow ball movement with the hawthorn zone so when we do turn it over we force them wide.

Essendons players are athletes more so then skilled footballers, To many goals were scored by them flooding back to turn over the ball and then using their sprinters to run straight up the middle of the ground exposing our defense.

Beating the bombers is simple, you force them to kick and they will turn it over so when they flood we need to slow down our ball movement employ a hawthorn zone and force them to kick around us, 9 times out of 10 they will turn it over trying precision 30m kicks around the boundary line.

I can't honestly see us losing this game, we have devoloped to much as a playing group to lose to such simple tactics.

 

[Juddys_navy_blues]

Re: RD 3 Teams:- Blues v Bombers

Aparently he has the flu

That would explain it He looked great at training on Monday, was always at the front through every drill that was done.

 

[*VInSaiN*]

Re: RD 3 Teams:- Blues v Bombers

Sigh.

Last week:

Russell: 22 Disposals, 8 marks, 5 tackles, 5 Clearances

Scotland: 13 Disposals, 6 marks, 3 tackles, 0 Clearances.

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/sport/afl/gameday/0,,5015512,00.html

Based on form: NO

Stevens has been swapped in to fill Heath Scotlands role across half back.

Dont get me wrong, Scotlands a good player, but IMHO even he would acknowledge his form was down last week.

And how many of those 22 disposals were clangers?

 

[Blue Bawls]

Re: Round 3:- Changes against Essendon?

Just working up some form in the ressies now.....won't be long

Cool, thanks... I wondered if they'd rotate him with Garlett to get some senior footy under his belt. Would like to see what he can add.

 

[gbatman]

Re: RD 3 Teams:- Blues v Bombers

I wouldn't mind seeing Sauce get more game time and send Kreuzer forward, they will find him hard to stop. We should smash them ouf of the center especially at the end when we should be dominating the ruck.

 

[thylacine60]

Re: Team vs Essendon

Mods are all out at the mourning ceremony.

 

[setanta17]

Re: RD 3 Teams:- Blues v Bombers

I don't know why, even after all the history but I'm gutted Carlos came so close and missed out.

And I'm worried that he will never play another game for Carlton.
this was the perfect chance but unfortunately ratten's happy to go in with a vulnerable backline and back our midfield.

 

[The_Baby_Blues]

Re: RD 3 Teams:- Blues v Bombers

And how many of those 22 disposals were clangers?

that would be 4 as many as chris judd,

and he held hes man to 16 touches who was comming off a 37 disposal game. I am sick and tired of carlton supporters makeing this bloke an escape goat he isnt a bad footballer, i agree he does make clangers but not nearly as many as people say he does, we all no he cant kick for goal, he is the 1%er man, If he is as bad as everyone says he is why does he play every week. not only play start on the ground every week. he is a good footballer and is still learning the game.

blues by 30 this week

 

[BlueDevil]

Re: RD 3 Teams:- Blues v Bombers

If Ryder plays up forward we are looking very vulnerable

and so would they feel if he didn't play down back. time and time again, two men couldn't get the job done on fev. they wont let fletcher alone down there i wouldn't imagine. fev would tear him to shreds.........again.

 

[AndyWalkersGirl]

Re: RD 3 Teams:- Blues v Bombers

I like Scotland's game. Disappointing he got dropped, however maybe he has the flu or that bug that Judd had. Not reading too much into it, as I think it's that flu (it was in the paper the other day that he was crook and caught the bug off judd).

Grigg and Stevens - welcome back. At least one of them has heart.

I'm starting to get nervous about this game. Although we do ok at the MCG and the big crowds, so I'm hoping we get up by a few goals.

 

[lmaohelp]

Re: RD 3 Teams:- Blues v Bombers

wats garlets job security like ?

 

[C4[2]Yo`DooR]

Re: Round 3:- Changes against Essendon?

**takes a bow**

 

[davis_756]

Re: RD 3 Teams:- Blues v Bombers

wats garlets job security like ?

If he has another poor week and fisher stars in the ants again not so flash

 

[thylacine60]

Re: Round 3:- Changes against Essendon?

Funny, accurate, gets the scoops. Hats off, C4! Any wonder Citroen named their legendary sporty European hatch after you.

 

[Warsaw]

Re: RD 3 Teams:- Blues v Bombers

Wow, an integral part of our team for the past 5 or 6 years is left out. Sure Scotto didn't have the greatest of games last Saturday, he didnt' get his 20 odd possies but seriously suprises me. Or well it doesn't just how hard it is to make the team. It's good sign but still would like Scotto in that team. But I'd also like Grigg and Stevo in that team so .....

 

[C4[2]Yo`DooR]

Re: Round 3:- Changes against Essendon?

Funny, accurate, gets the scoops. Hats off, C4! Any wonder Citroen named their legendary sporty European hatch after you.

funny is debatable ... but the rest is true

cheers

 

[thylacine60]

Re: RD 3 Teams:- Blues v Bombers

Scotland's summer of discontent

By David Reed 6:13 PM Tue 17 March, 2009

Carlton's Heath Scotland is out to put a horror summer behind him


FOR CARLTON stalwart Heath Scotland, the summer of 2008/09 was the best of times and the worst of times.

The birth of his first-born son Riley was the shining light in an off-season often littered with despair.

Four operations on his hips and abdomen had the 28-year-old doubting whether he could make it back to the top level.

Before missing the final game of the 2008 season, Scotland had featured in 77 consecutive matches for the Blues.

But nagging groin pain sent him to hospital and it wasn’t to be a simple affair.

“I had bone shaved off both the hips and the labrum inside the hips repaired,” Scotland said of the first surgery in October.

“[But] it didn’t fix the groin problem I had last year.

“[Then] they found out I had a torn muscle in the lower abdomen as well so they repaired that and did an adductor release at the same time.

“There were some doubts, wondering, you know, four operations and it was a slow pre-season, and I wondered if I was going to be right.

“But I have gone through the rough patch now.”

In fact, Scotland was positively upbeat when he spoke to afl.com.au on Tuesday about his hopes of returning to the senior side in time for round one, despite not having played in either the NAB Cup or NAB Challenge series.

“I’ve got a new body now. The body feels fantastic. Hopefully it has added a few more years to my [career],” he said.

Scotland plans to play an intra-club match with the Northern Bullants this weekend and convince coach Brett Ratten that he is fit to face Richmond in next Thursday night’s season opener at the MCG.

“I’ve been in full training for a month. Two weeks ago I played a half for the Northern Bullants and last week I played 85 per cent,” he said.

“This weekend I’ll play another intra-club at the Bullants. That will give me two-and-a-half games and from there its up the match committee whether they think I’m fit enough to play round one.

“I think I’m ready to go but it’s about making sure the coaching staff has confidence in my fitness.

“Last year we went in to round one with a few players underdone and Richmond rolled us.

“I know that Ratts (Ratten) is keen to make sure we are all right to go and I have just got to prove to him that I am. I’m sure I can do that.”

And the Blues could do with his experience given Andrew Carrazzo [84 games] and Nick Stevens [214] won’t play.

“Last year we had a poor start and lost the first three,” Scotland said.

“Ratts was talking the other day and said that after round seven or eight last year the top eight was pretty well [decided] so it is important to get up and going early.

“This is my sixth season at Carlton and we haven’t played finals so it has been a long five years.

“But now it does really feel like we are ready to go and it is a matter of getting the season underway so we can just stick our hands up.

“I am confident we will play finals this year, the list is ready to and it’s up to us now.

“We have prepared well, we are fit, strong and ready to go it is just a matter of bringing it to the home and away season.”

Scotland becomes just the third father on the Blues’ list alongside Andrew Walker and Brendan Fevola.

For those who have forgotten exactly what the bloke went through off-season.

 

[Tippaz]

Re: RD 3 Teams:- Blues v Bombers

sounds like Scotland's body is okay now

i'm really surprised he's out (given his history v Essendon)
nearly best on ground everytime.

from an Ess supporter point of view, i'm thrilled that he's been dropped.
from a DT point of view, i'm devastated.

play Heath Scotland ya clowns

 

[HeziBarecket]

Re: Team vs Essendon

Why did Scotland get dropped? Interesting, first Fisher, now Scotland...

 

[Alpha1]

Re: Round 3:- Changes against Essendon?

Really we should build a statue to the C4.