Unpopular Carlton Opinions

[HARKER]

I could be wrong but I understand that was one game, and he got touched up a bit. He's not a fit as a defender imo really.

What qualities are those? I really am not seeing many at the moment. Unless you're referring to off field stuff, in which case I've no idea what he's like, though he comes across as a really good kid.

OK and only my observations:

To state that O'Brien is scared is just not right. Scared of failure maybe, but not scared of the contest.
O'Brien will back himself even after a bad mistake. This is a very good trait to have. No going back into his shell.
O'Briens kicking is actually quality. I know that amongst the young guys, we cite Schumacher here also, but it's chalk and cheese.
O'Brien will take the game on, if allowed off the leash. We will see this later on.

Something hasn't quite fit this year to date, but I saw enough last year to know we haven't a 'mistake' on our hands. Far from it.

 

[jooce8891]

This one's going to be very unpopular...

Our over-reliance on Cripps is incredibly unhealthy for the long term prospects of this team. With him in the midfield - because why would you play him anywhere else? - SPS, Dow, Kennedy will not become the players they could be, such is the extent to which he's pivotal.

In the past, when you've such dominance in a single member of the side, those sides have indeed been successful but have generally fallen over short of a flag. St Kilda with Riewoldt, Sydney with Franklin, Geelong with Ablett Senior; there are others that can be named. West Coast failed to win a flag with Priddis; North have failed to be exceptional with Cunnington. We've also seen players rise to fill the void, in the event that such a dominant player leaves; Hawthorn became a more balanced attacking side when Franklin left, WC when Mitchell and Priddis retired had their entire midfield step in to compensate for his lack.

We're now getting towards the Unpopular opinion.

I think it might result in a better end (with better development for the young players) if you went for the outrageous trade; offer Cripps to GWS for Coniglio, Hopper/Whitfield and Taranto, or failing that, Coniglio and Greene. Immediately improve our firsts with two mature bodies who can and are capable, so that on the spread we're up.

On one hand, this will never happen; you don't trade away a club captain, and you definitely do not trade away the best player in the comp which is what Cripps shapes as being. But AFL is not a sport dominated by individuals, if anything it is a sport littered with examples of those individuals not being able to elevate their side beyond the dross for very long.

you'd instantly do that wouldnt you?

 

[gardiner stand]

Was played in a very unfamiliar role same against the Suns …..

He has heaps to learn but has talent to burn …… debuted in 2018 FFS, he is a pup! I agree he could learn trade craft in the magoos, however ...… leave him in the seniors please for me.

We all see it different and your way may prove to be the right way but we need to give the kid time to find his feet in the 2nds imho......not all kids are like Sam Walsh

 

[gardiner stand]

This one's going to be very unpopular...

Our over-reliance on Cripps is incredibly unhealthy for the long term prospects of this team. With him in the midfield - because why would you play him anywhere else? - SPS, Dow, Kennedy will not become the players they could be, such is the extent to which he's pivotal.

In the past, when you've such dominance in a single member of the side, those sides have indeed been successful but have generally fallen over short of a flag. St Kilda with Riewoldt, Sydney with Franklin, Geelong with Ablett Senior; there are others that can be named. West Coast failed to win a flag with Priddis; North have failed to be exceptional with Cunnington. We've also seen players rise to fill the void, in the event that such a dominant player leaves; Hawthorn became a more balanced attacking side when Franklin left, WC when Mitchell and Priddis retired had their entire midfield step in to compensate for his lack.

We're now getting towards the Unpopular opinion.

I think it might result in a better end (with better development for the young players) if you went for the outrageous trade; offer Cripps to GWS for Coniglio, Hopper/Whitfield and Taranto, or failing that, Coniglio and Greene. Immediately improve our firsts with two mature bodies who can and are capable, so that on the spread we're up.

On one hand, this will never happen; you don't trade away a club captain, and you definitely do not trade away the best player in the comp which is what Cripps shapes as being. But AFL is not a sport dominated by individuals, if anything it is a sport littered with examples of those individuals not being able to elevate their side beyond the dross for very long.

In the words of John McEnroe “you can not be serious!”
You build teams around a once in a generation player ......just get the rest of them around him up to speed and when he misses we’ll have systems in place to deal with it v

 

[Metalcrusher]

Couple of times he went by foot and kicked it into no mans land, whereas he had options and could have given it off by hand.

Think he got a bit ‘see ball, kick ball’ as if to justify his stats.

Just an observation.

Not too many times I disagree with you Numb3rs, however, …. if you are talking when he went from deep D ..... to the left of screen …. saw a 1v1 and kicked that past them towards the boundary ……...

 

[Coops93]

OK and only my observations:

To state that O'Brien is scared is just not right. Scared of failure maybe, but not scared of the contest.
O'Brien will back himself even after a bad mistake. This is a very good trait to have. No going back into his shell.
O'Briens kicking is actually quality. I know that amongst the young guys, we cite Schumacher here also, but it's chalk and cheese.
O'Brien will take the game on, if allowed off the leash. We will see this later on.

Something hasn't quite fit this year to date, but I saw enough last year to know we haven't a 'mistake' on our hands. Far from it.

I've never stated that he's scared, in fact I agree with the assessment that he's tough. Reminds me of Simmo on that sense, very skinny and small but throws himself around more than he probably should. I would also agree actually that he does back himself in and take the game and do it again.

I can't agree with his kicking yet. I don't think it has been good at AFL level.

 

[HARKER]

I've never stated that he's scared, in fact I agree with the assessment that he's tough. Reminds me of Simmo on that sense, very skinny and small but throws himself around more than he probably should. I would also agree actually that he does back himself in and take the game and do it again.

I can't agree with his kicking yet. I don't think it has been good at AFL level.

I didn't set out to discount your observations but just to plant mine.

I didn't see the game last week, but generally speaking LOB can kick and can position his kicks favourably.
Like I said, all the pieces may not have come together just yet, but I can see they will.....I think

 

[Bamboo Harvester]

I wonder what Crippa would be worth on the open market....

...asks BH as he ducks for cover

 

[Robert Heatley]

This one's going to be very unpopular...

Our over-reliance on Cripps is incredibly unhealthy for the long term prospects of this team. With him in the midfield - because why would you play him anywhere else? - SPS, Dow, Kennedy will not become the players they could be, such is the extent to which he's pivotal.

In the past, when you've such dominance in a single member of the side, those sides have indeed been successful but have generally fallen over short of a flag. St Kilda with Riewoldt, Sydney with Franklin, Geelong with Ablett Senior; there are others that can be named. West Coast failed to win a flag with Priddis; North have failed to be exceptional with Cunnington. We've also seen players rise to fill the void, in the event that such a dominant player leaves; Hawthorn became a more balanced attacking side when Franklin left, WC when Mitchell and Priddis retired had their entire midfield step in to compensate for his lack.

We're now getting towards the Unpopular opinion.

I think it might result in a better end (with better development for the young players) if you went for the outrageous trade; offer Cripps to GWS for Coniglio, Hopper/Whitfield and Taranto, or failing that, Coniglio and Greene. Immediately improve our firsts with two mature bodies who can and are capable, so that on the spread we're up.

On one hand, this will never happen; you don't trade away a club captain, and you definitely do not trade away the best player in the comp which is what Cripps shapes as being. But AFL is not a sport dominated by individuals, if anything it is a sport littered with examples of those individuals not being able to elevate their side beyond the dross for very long.

I hear what you’re saying, but we need to construct something that allows Cripps to play at least 25% of the game as a forward. I appreciate a lot of things need to fall into place for this to work.

 

[Stig O'Hara]

Not too many times I disagree with you Numb3rs, however, …. if you are talking when he went from deep D ..... to the left of screen …. saw a 1v1 and kicked that past them towards the boundary ……...

Didn’t have a handball for the entire game.

That, too me, is a player more worried about getting on the stat sheet without thinking team wise.

Sounds a knock, he’s got a ton to offer, but atm his first option is his strength, whereas he has to learn to think through situations.

Got faith in him, but has a lot to learn.

 

[Coops93]

This one's going to be very unpopular...

Our over-reliance on Cripps is incredibly unhealthy for the long term prospects of this team. With him in the midfield - because why would you play him anywhere else? - SPS, Dow, Kennedy will not become the players they could be, such is the extent to which he's pivotal.

In the past, when you've such dominance in a single member of the side, those sides have indeed been successful but have generally fallen over short of a flag. St Kilda with Riewoldt, Sydney with Franklin, Geelong with Ablett Senior; there are others that can be named. West Coast failed to win a flag with Priddis; North have failed to be exceptional with Cunnington. We've also seen players rise to fill the void, in the event that such a dominant player leaves; Hawthorn became a more balanced attacking side when Franklin left, WC when Mitchell and Priddis retired had their entire midfield step in to compensate for his lack.

We're now getting towards the Unpopular opinion.

I think it might result in a better end (with better development for the young players) if you went for the outrageous trade; offer Cripps to GWS for Coniglio, Hopper/Whitfield and Taranto, or failing that, Coniglio and Greene. Immediately improve our firsts with two mature bodies who can and are capable, so that on the spread we're up.

On one hand, this will never happen; you don't trade away a club captain, and you definitely do not trade away the best player in the comp which is what Cripps shapes as being. But AFL is not a sport dominated by individuals, if anything it is a sport littered with examples of those individuals not being able to elevate their side beyond the dross for very long.

I agree with the essence of your post - we're far too reliant on Cripps which isn't healthy, you only need to look at Judd and how we relied on him, stymying the young guys - but trading him isn't the solution. It's up to the coaches to manage it properly, a decent and obivous start is playing him forward a little more than he is.

 

[Arr0w]

I understand that Fogarty is playing in the back-line at SANFL.
Brander isn't getting a game for WC either, but there may be better reasons for them not needing him right now, with Allen coming good.

I see O'Brien with too many quality attributes not to make good and again, I may strike the ire of his family for saying this, but I can't help seeing him best served in the back-line and Williamson, all being well, played on the wing.

The net result just given both their qualities just seems to be a little more favourable.

Fogarty is in need of building a tank

Brander can play both ends, but they have released him to play on a wing at the lower level, hard to break into that WC side

Richards was always going to show up early, given his build

Willo and LOB to play wing and HBF, don't care which plays where, both will be best 22

 

[Gethelred]

you'd instantly do that wouldnt you?

If they'd take it, I'd consider it strenuously.

There's something to be said for not uprooting the culture of your team for the sake of improving it. All three of those players - the spread and the talent of them - might be superior to Cripps alone, but trading your captain is a bad idea and we would live to regret it almost immediately. He'd win a brownlow and GWS'd win a flag within 2 seasons with Cripps there, even without Cogs, Whitfield and Taranto.

 

[Gethelred]

In the words of John McEnroe “you can not be serious!”
You build teams around a once in a generation player ......just get the rest of them around him up to speed and when he misses we’ll have systems in place to deal with it v

I don't disagree.

What I am concerned about is purely the development of the rest of our midfield being stymied by Cripps presence. If there was a way for him to take 4 months off without losing touch or being injured, it'd be beyond ideal to do so. The other players would have to step into the bracket to compensate, and our performance would suffer in the short term, but over time the production would become on par or even superior, to the point that him playing would allow for him to be the match winner rather than just the play maker.

 

[Accidental genius]

I didn't like the pick at the time and so far nothing has been shown to convince me otherwise. LOB seems like a nice enough kid, but he's not shown why he was worthy of a top 30 pick yet, let alone top 10.

He has speed and is a great kick. More importantly he can kick accurately whilst running at speed. He will become a very valuable player. Maybe he needs more time in NB?

 

[Blue Pulse]

I don't disagree.

What I am concerned about is purely the development of the rest of our midfield being stymied by Cripps presence. If there was a way for him to take 4 months off without losing touch or being injured, it'd be beyond ideal to do so. The other players would have to step into the bracket to compensate, and our performance would suffer in the short term, but over time the production would become on par or even superior, to the point that him playing would allow for him to be the match winner rather than just the play maker.

I look at it from another angle, if you are not inspired by what your captain (Cripps) is doing on the field, you don't have a heart beat and if you respect him, you would do everything in your power to go forward with him?

 

[Blue Pulse]

The sooner Simmo and Murphy are no longer required, the sooner we start to climb. They are part of a bad period in our time line and due to their age gap and body language, they just don't appear to inspire the younger players.

Kreuzer and Thomas same vintage but different attitudes on the field.

Kreuzer, unfortunately, is our barometer and has been sorely missed. Thomas has finally won me over, just this season after watching last few games, but I am looking forward to the day he isn't good enough to get a game.

 

[RudyBlue]

I've never stated that he's scared, in fact I agree with the assessment that he's tough. Reminds me of Simmo on that sense, very skinny and small but throws himself around more than he probably should. I would also agree actually that he does back himself in and take the game and do it again.

I can't agree with his kicking yet. I don't think it has been good at AFL level.

We know, mechanically, he's as good a kick as we have (watch his NBs highlights). He has hit some good kicks at AFL level but certainly been inconsistent.

Needs more time to adapt to the physical and mental demands of the highest level.

As some are saying, I wouldn't mind him spending more time in the VFL.

 

[thylacine60]

Yeh, I dunno whether a like on an unpopular opinion means “I agree, you’re so onto it, Faz”, or “shut up you douche, little wonder you’re so unpopular”.

no way is faz unpopular - just tragically unattractive.....

 

[Faz 2000]

no way is faz unpopular - just tragically unattractive.....

 

[Robbo's my hero]

Looks like a talking block of cheese with mould.

 

[thylacine60]

ugly is the new win - time for blues to win ugly.........

 

[thylacine60]

Looks like a talking block of cheese with mould.

you have a problem with that?

 

[Blue and Blue]

Oh for the sensible days when mouldy cheese didnt talk and wabbits ducks and roo I say roosters did.

 

[blue healer]

All of my opinions are popular, or should be, so I have nothing for this thread.

Shows my current level of boredom to be even looking at it.