Round 12: Carlton vs. Port Adelaide Post Bye pre game

[Brettie]

http://www.news.com.au/sport/afl/carlton...7403829764

Interesting comments in bold.

Agree - very interesting, speaks volumes about the failure of old-school coaches doesn't it? When does playing scared ever work?

[cookie2]

Will definitely be there with a sneaky feeling there may just be an upset. Fingers crossed anyway. A win would be a massive boost for us. We must make sure we nail all chances for starters - that'll put us in with a hope at least.

The selected team looks very good, pity that Jamo's not quite ready but is playing for the NBs, so maybe next week.

[ElwoodBlues1]

Reckon we are a chance in this game and will run Port close.......two good ins and Port look unsettled...

[cimm1979]

Belief is a wonderful thing.

Not sure if we have enough but it's pretty obvious Port have lost a bit.

I still think the we will get done .

[madbluboy]

Port by 72 points.

[crashlander]

Reckon we are a chance in this game and will run Port close.......two good ins and Port look unsettled...

I agree. Our recent form has been on the improve and we have 2 of the better ins that we could get.
I am not sure we can win it, we do still have some structural issues, but I am heartened by our recent improvements.

[LP]

I agree. Our recent form has been on the improve and we have 2 of the better ins that we could get.
I am not sure we can win it, we do still have some structural issues, but I am heartened by our recent improvements.

Agreed, Port have been unstable and despite not winning many of the stats look on the up for us and for Port many are on the slide.

We are due and I think we are a very good chance if the weather is dry, the best performer of the Menzel versus Wingard comparison might determine the outcome!

For some reason I can't pin-point this team looks better to me despite the loss of Judd, if Jammo was back I'd be outright confident but Schultz and Westhoff are a concern.

One thing is for sure, the 22 out there for Carlton know there is no longer Judd The Saviour returning to the squad in coming weeks, they better perform they are playing for their careers!

[Thryleon]

http://www.news.com.au/sport/afl/carlton...7403829764

CARLTON interim coach John Barker has issued his players with a “licence to take the game on”, according to midfielder Dennis Armfield.

The Blues have showed some seriously competitive signs since Barker took the reins in the wake of Mick Malthouse’s sacking last month, taking it to Sydney and Adelaide before last weekend’s bye.

And while Armfield insists the team’s freedom wasn’t stifled under Malthouse, he says there’s a different feeling among the group.

“We’ve definitely been given a licence to take the game on a bit more,” he told RSN today.

“We’re not going to be punished for mistakes. We’ve still got to improve on our skills and our kicks, which we can improve on through the second half of the year, but there’s been a definite licence to take the game on and play to your natural instincts.

“That’s what we’re good at so hopefully we can do that.

“It definitely wasn’t stifled (under Malthouse), it’s just that Mick had a different game plan and we played to that. Mick still encouraged us to take the game on — it was just a different strategy and a different way about it.”

The Blues fell just nine points short of the Crows in Round 10, and Armfield is hopeful they can build on that momentum against Port Adelaide on Saturday.

“We were disappointed in the loss against Adelaide, but it’s a step in the right direction,” he said.

“We’ve just focused on being more competitive in games and that’s where we turned the corner in that last quarter against Sydney (in Round 9).

“It’s just crucial that we continue that after the bye against Port Adelaide this week.”

Armfield also says he was as shocked as anyone else at Tuesday’s news that star midfielder Dale Thomas will miss the rest of the season following a shoulder reconstruction.

“I was just as shocked as most of the public — I thought he was close to coming back after the bye,” he said.

“The shoulder was just a bit too much for him.”

LOL, we can quote snippets to show whatever we like.  Fact is, that taking the game on generally hasnt been a flag winning methodology for many teams, and contested footy wins flags.

[PassIt2Carrots]

No need to get all defensive.

Regardless, 'We’re not going to be punished for mistakes' is a pretty damning statement that gives us some sort of insight into what was going on at our club under Mick. Thank fork he is gone. You're going to have to deal with getting it horribly wrong mate, we've all been there before.

[ItsOurTime]

Yup, once sentence explains a bunch.