AFL Rd 15 2024 Post-Game Prognostications Carlton vs Geelong

[Baggers]

Now that is what 'hunting' looks like. The Fluffballs brought their best, but we just wouldn't let them play their natural game.

Definitely our most complete game under Vossy. But it has been building since the Fluffy Ducks gave us a hiding, and regaining important personnel.

I watched the Scott media conference and didn't hear anything surreptitious, just an honest appraisal of a dominant opponent in full-flight.

Bravo to the coaching group, not only for this game but how we've embraced creative, even bold, personnel change/use - Cincotta, (sticking with) Cowan, Williams and TDK solo rucking.

I thought Fantasia justified his place last night. His best effort for the year.

So who loses their place to Cerra, Cotters, Martin and Motlop?

[DJC]

Twelve individual goal kickers, four of whom kicked multiple goals including Charlie’s handful.  That’s a damn good effort particularly against a team that beat us earlier in the season.

We’re going OK when the midfielders, defenders and ruck are kicking goals.

Oh, has anyone mentioned that we won by ten goals? ?

Chris Scott really didn’t have an alternative to acknowledging how well we played but I think that he may have been just a little stunned when he fronted his presser.

[IvanAwfulbigone]

So who loses their place to Cerra, Cotters, Martin and Motlop?

This right here is what has me reaching for the lid!

[Baggers]

Twelve individual goal kickers, four of whom kicked multiple goals including Charlie’s handful.  That’s a damn good effort particularly against a team that beat us earlier in the season.

We’re going OK when the midfielders, defenders and ruck are kicking goals.

Oh, has anyone mentioned that we won by ten goals? ?

Chris Scott really didn’t have an alternative to acknowledging how well we played but I think that he may have been just a little stunned when he fronted his presser.

Or that we kicked 9 goals in the last qtr!

[IvanAwfulbigone]

I believe that we should be asking the AFL to cancel Jeremy Cameron’s play on after the siren goal.  It was a blatant umpiring error and there was no subsequent play so cancelling it is the right thing to do.

FMD the AFL sometimes makes things more difficult than they need to be.

I mean, they claim they review every goal. So why didn’t we hear that voice from the box say, “Looking at this angle, we can see that the player deviated from his line and so played on after the siren. Result is on the scoreboard.”

Watching in real-time I thought McGovern played it well by planting his feet, not moving, but pointing and calling attention to the umpire.

Upon reflection, however, maybe he would have been better to sprint off his line as soon as Cameron deviated? Obviously that would have risked a 50 metre penalty but might, just might have conned the umpire?

[IvanAwfulbigone]

The Owies tackle on Tuohy, just superb

YESSSSSSS!!!

It really galls me that Tuohy usually plays so well against us ‘coz I always thought he was “iffy” when he was with us.

Don’t get me wrong, eminently likeable in every other aspect but that Owies tackle was definitely a fist pumping moment!

[Professer E]

Other than his superb negating work I thought Cincotta was very damaging with ball in hand.

Not sold on Orazio.  Missing from 30m out was poor, but his failure to halve the contest at half back (albeit an awful kick and a poor option) isn't the kind of thing you'd want to see in a final.

[kruddler]

Actually, Krud, we have a real problem with our 2nd ruck. Rucking Cripps and Kennedy is not sustainable against a decent team. They try hard, they're strong and they can come up with a few moments of magic, but it is a real weakness in our game.

What the solution may be, I don't know yet. I like Pittonet and what he brings to the team, but Tom de Koning has really pulled up his socks with the #1 role.
That said, Tom isn't a great ruckman. He won tonight because Geelong were stupid enough not to play a real ruckman against him. They paid and paid and paid for that stupidity. How they didn't play Conway, I don't know. Conway would have evened up the midfield with his strength and taps, even though Tom would slaughter him around the ground.
But, no, they had to try SdK and Blicavs. Blicavs wasn't disgraced in the ruck, but it meant he could do roles he would be better armed to do. It was idiocy, and I'm glad they paid they full price.
But that doesn't excuse us to thinking of doing the same thing.

If Harry Lemmey had come on a bit, I would have liked to tried him in the role. However, he isn't close to it at the moment.

What is the answer? Maybe we will need to play Pitto as well as Tom. Tom has already shown that his ruck work is his least strong area, for all his athleticism. Start Pitto and sub his off late, having a fitter Tom to finish off?
Maybe. But it is a conundrum we need to address. Especially before we play Collingwood or Sydney.

Crash, how is it a weakness in our game?
How often does the #2 ruck turn a game on its head or provide the difference? They simply don't.

The benefit of a 2nd ruck is to give the 1st ruck a chop out because it is ASSUMED that when the 1st ruck is resting, that a mid/KPF rucking hurts our game to the extent that we will sacrifice another player on the ground to make that time less damaging.
That time is 20-25% of the game. Max.

Lets look at last night.
Harry+Cripps+Kennedy+Weitering combined for a total of 34 ruck contests. They combined for 9 hitouts (2 to advantage).
Blicavs was geelong '2nd ruck'. He attended 43 ruck contests and managed 12 hitouts (2 to advantage).

Our 'backup rucks' are competing against opposition 'backup rucks' and holding their own in that very specific area of hitouts.
I don't think i need to point out that our clearances certainly do not decrease when we play a backup ruck as half the time they are the first to the ball because they know exactly where it is going first.....or they tap to themselves.

Don't want to use last nights game?
Try last weeks.
Harry+Cripps+Kennedy = 30 contests - 4 hitouts - 2 to advantage
vs
2m Peter as 'backup ruck' = 27 contests - 13 hitouts - 2 to advantage.

So our hack mids drew even with 2m Peter in the ruck.

Question: So why are we suffering with our mixed bag of backup rucks?
Answer: We are not.

We MIGHT be able to increase our ruck dominance by adding a second ruck, but that would decrease our effectiveness in another area of the game as we dop someone to make way for them. What will we actually gain?

Now, as you all know, i've certainly got nothing against Pittonet....and he was in terrific form this year including his last game before injury, BUT we simply do not need 2 rucks.
I don't care if its Pitto.
I don't care if its TDK.
Choose 1, and stick to it. Its working.

The reason we have played 2 rucks to this point in time (IMO) is to try and jumpstart TDK so he can reach the point he has now. We all knew he had it in him, we just needed to see it. He's producing it, there is no need to babysit him anymore.
Let him ruck.

[DJC]

It was sad to see Hawkins limp off with what is probably a career ending injury.  Weitering will be devastated after owning him for several seasons ?

Seriously though, Hawkins has had a great career and has been a key part of Geelong’s success.  His form this year has been poor and he probably should have pulled the pin at the end of last season.  You’re retired for a long time and the temptation to keep going must be strong, particularly when personal milestones are within reach.  Not having an obvious replacement probably played a part too.

Weitering’s dominance got the commentators talking about the All Australian selectors failure to give him his rightful place. One said that it will be fixed this year and I’m not really sure what that meant.

Apart from not giving Hawkins a sniff, Weiters’ leadership, the help he provides his teammates, his decision making and ball use are all critical factors in our performance. ???

[blueianh]

How about he was giving credit where credit was due.

Never before been known to do that - nor has his brother.