Rd 18: Pre Game Polite Discourse: Carlton vs Sydney

[sandsmere]

I, too thought KJ might have got another chance.
There is some talk that Weitering may not be 100%, so Jaksch could come in of he doesn't come up.

If we play with the same purpose as we did last week we might  not get a huge thrashing.

[Baggers]

If that is truely the case, then i expect him to be delisted at the end of the year.

If we keep him on the list, then we have done him a diservice by dropping him after 1 game.

I don't care if he is your favourite player, or least favourite. Expecting him, or anyone,  to pick up the pace of an AFL game after not having played at this level for 12 months is harsh.
He is still only 21.

Fortunately the club, re selection, is becoming more and more in the 'harsh' business. Excellent.

Oh for the time when non-hackers won't get a game due to the injury toll in the seniors being high. Oh for the time when our list is strong again and we don't have non-hackers!

Jaksch only got a game because Levi was out... and he can go back.... as he is tall and can punch the ball - better defender than forward. Jaksch's form in the magoos did not demand senior selection - it justified selection when we were bereft of fit talls. Earlier in the year when Plowman was playing in the magoos his form down back demanded senior selection consideration. Why? He took charge of the back line... closed down his opponent, wove through traffic, set up offensive plays. Byrne's form in the magoos demanded senior selection as has Graham's, SOJ (on talent alone) and most recently, Boekhorst. Harry did more in glimpses last game than I've seen Jaksch do in entire games. I've never seen Jaksch ever actually take hold of a game... has Watson morphed into a more slender version of himself? Even Watson had a few bags of 4-5 goals plus. Jaksch is strictly a mark, kick or spoil dude. Even when Levi was in the magoos he would take hold of a game and/or go in the ruck and take control (I still think he's a better ruckman/on-baller than key forward). I would love to be wrong... love to see Jaksch suddenly show mental toughness and tear up the forward line. Where's that magic wand? He might get a reprieve if Weits doesn't come up for the Swans game... if he does, he'd want to grab it.

I hope 'harsh' continues, and may it evolve into us being ruthlessly harsh (re senior selection/holding your place in the seniors). May selection in our senior side become an earned premium and not based on luck or giving someone a go...

[DJC]

I hope 'harsh' continues, and may it evolve into us being ruthlessly harsh (re senior selection/holding your place in the seniors). May selection in our senior side become an earned premium and not based on luck or giving someone a go...

I couldn't agree more Baggers.  Players must earn their place and deserve to keep it. 

I'm looking forward to the time when our depth is good enough to put everyone in the 22 under pressure to perform.

[blue4life]

Predictable selections, in fact I think I called them.
Can't understand the people who think Jaksch should have been gifted another game after such a woeful performance, if he'd even given a glimpse that he was up to senior footy I'd agree but he showed nothing at all.
He's got a month or so to show the club that we should keep him, if he can't then it's just another bad trade to add to the list.
Lamb just not doing enough, 30 touches and a couple of goals in the VFL from Boekhorst and it was a no brainer, Boekhorst is nothing flash but he's a busy player with some pace and skills.
It's an ordinary side without Murphy and Thomas, I'm expecting an easy Sydney win.

[laj]

I must have missed that game.

When you kick 20 goals so far in a season, which includes playing a few good games in defence it's obvious you are shutting your eyes every time he goes near the ball. He's had two games of 4 goals, two games of 3 goals. He must've fluked all that...lol. The game I saw he was outstanding. To say his VFL hasn't been good on those figures means people have an agenda. If he's doing that playing crap imagine what he'd do if he played well. This is after missing much of his pre-season with illness. He has the ability, depends how much he wants to apply himself with training and off-field, which may be an issue.

[blue4life]

I hope 'harsh' continues, and may it evolve into us being ruthlessly harsh (re senior selection/holding your place in the seniors). May selection in our senior side become an earned premium and not based on luck or giving someone a go...

We have no other choice if we want to be successful, but there are a few players in our senior side who are there at the moment simply because we have no one better to replace them.
It was line ball between Sumner and Lamb this week in my opinion and ideally both would have been dropped, Buckley is lucky as well.
But it then comes down to players like Clem Smith or Vojo to replace them, and neither of those are doing enough to earn a game.
Graham is very borderline but Murphy is missing, Thomas and Byrne would replace another couple of stragglers but we'll always have injuries and our depth just can't cover them.
We are two good recruiting years away at least.

[blue4life]

The game I saw he was outstanding.

In the VFL Laj, he had his chance last week and showed nothing.
A couple more outstanding games in the VFL and he might get another shot but we couldn't pick him again this week if we are fair dinkum.

[Baggers]

When you kick 20 goals so far in a season, which includes playing a few good games in defence it's obvious you are shutting your eyes every time he goes near the ball. He's had two games of 4 goals, two games of 3 goals. He must've fluked all that...lol. The game I saw he was outstanding. To say his VFL hasn't been good on those figures means people have an agenda. If he's doing that playing crap imagine what he'd do if he played well. This is after missing much of his pre-season with illness. He has the ability, depends how much he wants to apply himself with training and off-field, which may be an issue.

It's not that he's playing cr@p, it's that, thus far, his best doesn't cut it at senior level. His best at VFL level is, at times, quite good and at other times quite ordinary. The talent might be there, but the brain sure aint. Watson MKII, different bloke, similar issues.

[LP]

Good changes, obvious changes. Really don't get the love here for KJ, just not up to it.

Yep, agree, haven't seen a good game, some "lucky" games but not good games.

"Lucky" like the garbage bin that catches the footy kicked into it!

[Sexybronco]

Yep, agree, haven't seen a good game, some "lucky" games but not good games.

"Lucky" like the garbage bin that catches the footy kicked into it!

I saw my first live game this year last week and KJ was a fish out of water. Maybe the senior taste will give him an appreciation of what level he needs to be at but he has a long way to go. His performance was also in sharp contrast to our 3 first year players who all made significant contributions in the 2nd half and were instrumental in getting us back in the game. KJ has been in the the system for a fair while now and is looking less likely to make it as each week goes by. The trade for him Whiley and Boekhorst is shaping up as a bust IMO.