NAB Challenge - Carlton v Hawthorn @ Aurora Stadium

[flyboy77]

Didn't see a lot of it but I saw a batch of really, really bad umpiring decisions which certainly allowed the Dawks back into the game....

After that, they got into their d that was keeping off style of play and that was largely that.....

Still Kerridge sounds like a gem, Boekhurst looks like he's now 'ready' and Lamb showed a fair bit (from your reports). All three should be close to regular 22 starters in the full season?

I guess Lamb competes with Smith for the small forward spot (or Sumner too)?

Gibbs going through the motions - who cares as long as he turns up for Rd 1? Daisy went ok? Special K anyone?

The Irish lads?

Plenty to like me thinks but i'd be giving McKay some decent game time the next few games. Likewise, Jaksch up forward worth a go......sounds like Jones hasn't changed.....

With the names that were out, plenty to like i reckon. After all, win the midfield battle, win the game.

Add Crippa and Smurf in the guts the outcome likely a lot different even if the Hawks are the 'benchmark'.

The umpiring remains a concern - is it anti CFC or pro HFC - or both?

[LP]

Really liked Bolts post-match presser, no spin, no bullsh1t, no excuses, told it like it is!

[LanceRomance]

Weitering rolled an ankle during the week. Right decision not to risk him.

how badly?

[madbluboy]

...and we used half the rotations the Hawks did which wouldn't help.

I thought our guys looked stuffed in the 2nd half, makes sense now.

[Brettie]

I thought our guys looked stuffed in the 2nd half, makes sense now.

Yep - this fact was probably the most significant stat of the match. Bolts could've easily seen the game slipping away & increased the rotations, but nope - he had a pre-game plan & he stuck with it.....I like his resolve, it's only pre-season & he clearly has a tactical agenda which he is going to stick with no matter what. We had one bad quarter, one less scoring shot & I would've liked to see Mitchell shut down (he's not un-taggble surely???), the major negative would be that we allowed Hawthorn too much uncontested footy - which is their bread 'n butter, but in good news we're already ahead on the Menzel-Kerridge trade

[maxm68]

We lost the game because we had no forwards.
Simple as that.

Yep to this..... who's gonna kick our goals.. ??

We dominated the 1st quarter for one goal... 4 goals for the game........  :-[

[Dominator_7]

Reckon Whiley's dad could be this infamous 'actor' from the 70s and 80s who some of you may recognize lol

[crashlander]

Yep to this..... who's gonna kick our goals.. ??

We dominated the 1st quarter for one goal... 4 goals for the game........  :-[

Therein lies some of our problems, maybe even most of them.
IF (and it is a big 'IF') we can get some decent ball from the centre, then our forwards have a chance. They appear to have more system in them already (from the little I could tell - I'll be able to judge better next time when we play at Carlton), but we don't yet have the synergy between the talls and the smalls, especially when the ball needs to be crumbed. Having Walker will help, as it makes our forward line more dangerous. He can do it in the air and on the ground.

[Gointocarlton]

Spent the whole 1st qtr trying to get my AFL Live app to work, thanks Telstra/AFL ya prix. 2nd, 3rd 4th qtrs to me are best described as someone else has already said, "fast rubbish" from both teams. Both were rusty and needed the hit out. Both were trying new things without trying to give too much away, glimpses only. I noted a few times we tried the "last minute lob to the hot spot". When someone was having a set shot, they lobbed it short to a fwd trying to catch his defender out. Didnt work on every occasion as the execution wasnt perfect as it needs to be, A+ for trying though. It was interesting that BB forced them to only use 78 rotations. This is good strategy I reckon, hurt them now, reap the benefits when the heat is really on. Overall a good effort, I liked what I saw. I think they will try lots of players through the NAB, stupid Stevo siad on CH7 last night that SOS will play next week against ESS and PP. I have a function there so I will get a close up look at them for the first time.
Go Blues

[blue4life]

Nothing much has changed, we were well beaten and most of our supporters are bitching about the umpires.
We missed four or five straight forward shots on goal, handballed over our team mates' head or wide of them and continually missed targets by foot, in short it was the same story of the last few years with some different faces.
And we still have no forwards to speak of, four goals from stacks of inside 50's won't win too many games of football.
Five or six wins tops is my best guess, assuming two against Essendon, we just don't have the cattle.