2018 Rd 10: Pre Game Irritation: Carlton vs Geelong

[cookie2]

Just on SEN and Andy Maher talking about SOS to the midfield. He reckons it's an option definitely being looked at by the club - no mention as to whether he may come in this week but early signs are encouraging. Not sure how he went in this week's NBs.

[flyboy77]

I'd assert that as a mid he's more likely to have game or season ending collision with Cripps than learn much at all!

I'm happy to be proven wrong, but I'm also keen to be realistic.

If we want a big body with some midfield experience in the center, get captain chaos Liam Jones out of defense and have him do a midfield rotation against Blicavs. At least that'll give Cripps a chop out and Selwood and others will be wary of his physical presence! They won't just be able to spend the day having Blicavs slam Cripps and run off him at every opportunity!

Lest we forget....scroll down to his 2015 draft review:

Silvagni’s name was pushed into the spotlight when he kicked six goals for Vic Metro against Western Australia in the under 18 championships this year. Silvagni converted his shots well inside 50 due to his great set shot technique, kicking 6.1 on the day, helping Vic Metro to a comfortable 74-point win.

Silvagni is considered a utility with his ability to play at both ends of the ground. He reads the play well, giving him the ability to position himself better when playing in defence, a role he has played on occasions this year. He also marks the ball well overhead, averaging 4.2 marks at the TAC Cup and 3.4 marks at the under 18 championships. At his school Xavier College, Silvagni has also played on-ball, showing his versatility to move around the ground in multiple positions.

https://www.afldraftcentral.com.au/tag/jack-silvagni/

[LP]

The Geelong midfield was poor on the weekend...I doubt they'll be poor again...and that doesn't bode well for us.

Yes it hard to believe, people want us to put SoJ in the midfield for a trial against Geelong, in Geelong, the week after Geelong were unexpectedly smashed by an otherwise rubbish CheatsFC.

It reeks of desperation.

Are we or aren't we committed to the long game, this is a real test for our club?

Personally, the guys I'd be putting in the midfield are Kerridge, Graham, Jones, Plowman, O'Shea(Has played mid at VFL also) and making the inference their long future depends heavily on the outcome! I don't want us judging the kids by what happens against Geelong at Geelong!

[ElwoodBlues1]

If we stick him in the middle and he gets made to look average I don't want to hear folks saying it was a dumb idea....and giving up on it.

Jack as a midfielder is an experiment in it's infancy.
I'd rather see it worked out in the VFL or selected games at senior level over the next twelve months.
The Geelong midfield was poor on the weekend...I doubt they'll be poor again...and that doesn't bode well for us.

If we do try it...do it in short bursts and rather than replacing Cripps at those times keep Cripps in there for a bit of guidance and direction.

Cripps, Ed, Jack, Graham....thats as slow as treacle....and about as poor a kicking midfield going around....

[blue4life]

Play Silvagni down back if we must, anyone but O'Shea.

[LP]

Lest we forget....scroll down to his 2015 draft review:

https://www.afldraftcentral.com.au/tag/jack-silvagni/

He also played CHF and CHB.

Jacob Weitering kicked almost 100 goals in Unders one season, most of them out of CHB, doesn't make him an AFL KPF.

[blue4life]

Cripps, Ed, Jack, Graham....thats as slow as treacle....and about as poor a kicking midfield going around....

He can't get a game because he's not the greatest kick and some of our other players are even worse.
We really are in trouble.

[LP]

He can't get a game because he's not the greatest kick and some of our other players are even worse.
We really are in trouble.

It's reality B4L, if I recall we talked about it as much in the Frankston Post game thread, the kid is not ready by a long way and people are desperate so they dribble sh1t as a solution!

For now, SoJ isn't the solution but that is not necessarily forever!

We need to put some heat on the older heads who are extending their careers at the expense of the youth, guys like Graham, Kerridge, Plowman, O'Shea, Mullett and we need to take some heat off the kids or we'll overcook them! Those four or five should be 4-Qtr midfield capable, they are not kids or newbies to AFL.

Another thing, in addition to the kicking and spread, as good as SoJ has been in the contest in the midfield at VFL level he goes to ground a lot, you can't do that at AFL level.

I want to revert to the Lions game at the weekend, every stoppage, every contest they did the right things, the sacrificial things. Shepherds, blocks, smoothers, 1%ers. We are almost amateurs in this regard!

[blue4life]

The likes of Kerridge, Mullet and O'Shea simply aren't good enough and never will be, they had ample chance to prove themselves before they even came to Carlton.
There's nothing to gain from persevering with them.

[LP]

The likes of Kerridge, Mullet and O'Shea simply aren't good enough and never will be, they had ample chance to prove themselves before they even came to Carlton.
There's nothing to gain from persevering with them.

Except buying some time for kids to develop naturally, instead of burning the kids on the alter!

I know I bang on, but I fear fans just do not give enough credence to the mental damage that can be done to the kids long term by flogging them while they lack the strength and skills to overcome the adversity. It's too easy to say they must learn, but you just churn out a playing list full of Pavlov's Dogs if things go the wrong way! The little wins will be drowned out by the many losses, they'll be lost to Carlton and they will then leave and progress at some other club, the fresh start they need to remove the mental barriers.