2018 Rd 2: Post Game Prattle: Carlton vs Gold Coast

[kruddler]

Is that the bloke we persist with as our KPF because he's useful as a 2nd ruck?

Is that some cruel joke from the club to match up with the "Claim your Shame" ads they run on the scoreboard, part of the comedians campaign maybe?

I've always maintained that Casboult should not be considered a 2nd ruck as his stats are average in the ruck. It also suits Kreuzer better to ruck the majority of the game.

I've also been very vocal in the need to find someone better than Casboult up forward as he simply cannot be relied upon.

So baring that in mind, i don't attribute the loss to Casboult and think he should get an exemption for being played out of position.

Instead, i take aim at 2 places.
1. Stephen Silvagni...
Many people have pointed out how thin we are in ruck stocks and thought the recruitement of at least a couple of ruckmen was a given. We got 1 and 1 only. Taking our total up to 3, with 2 of them being injury prone.
So what happens in R1, we lose our #1 ruckman, our #2 ruckman has also been injured. Our #3 has been injured also. Our #4??? Well that would be our #1 key forward as well...who incidently isn't good enough for that role either.

2. Brendan Bolton...
Despite being hamstrung somewhat by the chess pieces handed to him by SOS, he still manages to make matters worse by picking the wrong ones on game day....and playing the ones he has in wrong positions. I would love for him to come out and explain the 'logic' he has used in picking the team so far as it is either...
a) Too smart for any of us to work out
b) As inept as we suggest it is.

Lets give him the benefit of the doubt and suggest it is 'a'. We just got thumped by a nothing team, so perhaps its too smart for the players to work out too......or most likely, its simply not option 'a' at all.

Yes, some players played bad and some players played good, but all of them were trying to push $**t up hill because of who else they ran out on the ground with.

[IvanAwfulbigone]

Most teams have a Murphy type player.

None of them are made captain.

I don't think they do. At least, not in the senior side. They might have them as semi-permanent VFL players who get called up when their possession stats demand it or when others get injured, but are then just as quickly demoted when their shortcomings are exposed in the big league.

That's the difference between Carlton and the rest.

[Sexybronco]

Not an easy result to swallow given the hype around our pre-season form. We will know more in 6-8 weeks time assuming we are able to get our better players on the park. I still expect some much improved performances from this group over the coming weeks and hope yesterday was an aberration, time will tell.

[Jean-Claude]

Honey moon period over. Disgusting to think these guys are professionals and I send my money to them and they cant even execute basic skills, dopping sitters, cant hit a handball, cant watch your man for more than 30 secs without falling asleep.

Weitering seriously starting to rub me the wrong way, playing like a privileged kid born with some size, no eye of the tiger whatsoever. Look at how he reacted after his hit from an 18 year old and Cripps' reaction after being cleaned up by May. Too many VFL hacks etc. Bolton went speed banking on heavy legs from Gold Coast and got screwed. Bad day but feels like there will be many more this season, very deflating after last weeks promise.

[capcom]

We are a long way off and that's an understatement of some magnitude.  I'm not into list or coach bashing, but gee, I'm tempted

[PaulP]

I'm no fan of the Polson 4 Krooz selection, but notwithstanding that, this game is the reality check we needed, on several fronts :

- older players who have outstayed their welcome - sorry Simmo, the jig is up. If Clarkson was coach, you would have departed at the end of 2016.

- younger players who got way ahead of themselves

- coaches who lack flexibility and the ability to think on the fly

-selectors who roll the dice and fail

- teams who underestimate the opposition and don't give them proper respect.

Think of it as the "AFL recession we had to have."

Amid the carnage and the ineptitude, there were few moments here and there that showed something. Take this with the Tigers game and the JLT series, and there are things to work with, and also things to work on.

[kruddler]

Think of it as the "AFL recession we had to have."

I think we've had more than our fair share of them, why is this one any different?

[PaulP]

I think we've had more than our fair share of them, why is this one any different?

Bolton can't be blamed for what happened before he got here, and we need to give him time and support to do what needs to be done. You know, like the proper clubs do.

[kruddler]

Bolton can't be blamed for what happened before he got here, and we need to give him time and support to do what needs to be done. You know, like the proper clubs do.

As has been pointed out previously, Bolton has had as much time with the list as what Malthouse had. Arguably, he's had a lot more support behind him too.

[northernblue]

I think we've had more than our fair share of them, why is this one any different?

I agree with Paul’s post above yours Krudds, in answer to your question... No one gets everything right all the time, maybe... maybe this is our “Geelong/Bomber Thompson” moment ?
Where the club internally (be it this week or end of a loonnnng season) sit down and take that good hard look in the mirror and not only resolve to do whatever they need to do, but actually do it !
Lessons to be learnt by all.