RD 7 : Blues V Giants (Pre-Match Pre-Amble)

[Thryleon]

Jones needs to go back as he is making a mockery of this supposed culture building. If his name was j. Waite, Madhouse would have already organised the public stoning before this week's match.

I'm not so sure.

He definately looks like he is trying, and you can't say that our ball use has given him (or any of our forwards) much chance to show his stuff.

He has failed to kick straight when he has had opportunities but I think he is not as bad as advertised and nor do I think that Watson will yield significantly different results if we delivered him the footy.

The other scenario is that things are still relatively new down there.  Our forward 6 I don't think couldnt have looked more different this season if we tried, and although we are losing patience we have no idea what is trying to be achieved currently.

Sure put in Watson though he has kicked a few goals in the VFL and deserves his chance at least.

[shadesy]

Nah, someone had to give salary cap wise and he was it, he was deemed expendable so to speak. MM convinced him to come to Carlton, not to leave Sydney.

He's not hopeless by any means but he is a little soft.

A little soft... a Lot soft. Hates the physical stuff. Will noticeably take short steps or back away. He's not on his pat at the moment though.

@IOT

Spot on, Waite would have been dropped twice. It's not like when we had 40 inside 50's and Waite got dropped. We have beaten most teams in Clearances, Contested Posessions and even on possessions and havent kicked more than 11 goals and getting slaughtered on the counter.

Some of that is our slow slow movement of the ball, lack of skills, but our forwards DO NOT WORK to either make position or create space. They call for it to be bombed on their head.

When's the last time we hit a leading forward lace out, after cutting through the middle?

[cookie2]

A little soft... a Lot soft. Hates the physical stuff. Will noticeably take short steps or back away. He's not on his pat at the moment though.

@IOT

Spot on, Waite would have been dropped twice. It's not like when we had 40 inside 50's and Waite got dropped. We have beaten most teams in Clearances, Contested Posessions and even on possessions and havent kicked more than 11 goals and getting slaughtered on the counter.

Some of that is our slow slow movement of the ball, lack of skills, but our forwards DO NOT WORK to either make position or create space. They call for it to be bombed on their head.

When's the last time we hit a leading forward lace out, after cutting through the middle?

Was at the Lions game and watched carefully for this - we do not have any leading forwards.

[shadesy]

Drool, Hoops to Fev...

[flash=400,400]https://www.youtube.com/v/M7lEN7hI_yo[/flash]

[Baggers]

No because he's been released by two clubs, which I clearly initially said, suggests that he's only average and it doesn't surprise me that he's not playing too well. His career has certainly not lived up to his first round pick status.

Personally I don't care if he's had 10 previous clubs, it's what he does at this one that counts.

To me he seems to be that 15-20th picked bloke, the one who can do really good work when the side is performing at a higher standard. But, when things are tough, like now, he's unlikely to be the type to get down and dirty with desperate sacrificial acts to inspire and lift... but he's got a lot of mates. Personally I do not see him as a swingman. I think he's a third tall forward who can play high (up to the wing) and drift deep into the forward line as well. Much rather see him as the third tall than Jones. He's got good skills and would be, at this stage, easily in our best 22.

Every side needs good finishers/outside blokes and though they may appear to lack ticker when it's gruesomely tough, they're the blokes who can finish the hard work of the bullockers. Braddles was not a hard in and under, but his effectiveness was amazing. Expecting Gibbs to be a hard in-and-under midfield is a folly and embarrassing to him and the side. His talents are at times sublime, hence he should be playing the outside/finishing stuff. I'd even much rather see Murph doing more outside and less mongrel stuff - he's just too small. The sooner the Crippses, Whileys, Bells and so on take over the midfield hard stuff the better.

[Gointocarlton]

When's the last time we hit a leading forward lace out, after cutting through the middle?

Last week when there was one good centre clearance and Judd ended up with the footy streaming out and hitting up Levi on the lead dead in front who converted. But thats once is 6 rounds, which is deplorable.

Jones must be dropped surely, give Watson a go.

[ItsOurTime]

I'm not so sure.

He definately looks like he is trying, and you can't say that our ball use has given him (or any of our forwards) much chance to show his stuff.

You're watching the wrong guy

[Gointocarlton]

I'm not so sure.

He definately looks like he is trying, and you can't say that our ball use has given him (or any of our forwards) much chance to show his stuff.

He has failed to kick straight when he has had opportunities but I think he is not as bad as advertised and nor do I think that Watson will yield significantly different results if we delivered him the footy.

The other scenario is that things are still relatively new down there.  Our forward 6 I don't think couldnt have looked more different this season if we tried, and although we are losing patience we have no idea what is trying to be achieved currently.

Sure put in Watson though he has kicked a few goals in the VFL and deserves his chance at least.

There needs to be a connection between the mids and fwds. That is, they have the ability to pre-empt each others moves. Having said that, our mids have been terrible entering 50 this year but Jones hasnt made it easy for the mids by creating some extra space/gap.

[cookie2]

Drool, Hoops to Fev...

[flash=400,400]https://www.youtube.com/v/M7lEN7hI_yo[/flash]

That's the way you do it - and I'm talking to you Jones!! Wonderful.

(Thanks Shades!)

[Thryleon]

There needs to be a connection between the mids and fwds. That is, they have the ability to pre-empt each others moves. Having said that, our mids have been terrible entering 50 this year but Jones hasnt made it easy for the mids by creating some extra space/gap.

No doubt he hasnt helped, but our ball delivery has been attrocious at best.

The rainmaker kick that travels as high as it does long to any position only suits a couple of players that we have had in our forwardline across the journey.

1.  Fevola
2.  A resting ruckman and the 3 amigos
3.  To a lesser degree Levi.

Whilst that pass remains a feature of our play we will not achieve much unless we find a gun forward who is excellent at reading the flight of the ball coming in, and is strong enough to take a mark regardless of defensive pressure.  Given that we have just described only Levi of our current key position Forwards and we all know about his kicking, we are in a bit of trouble.  That was the pleasurable thing about Clem Smith against the Lions.  He didnt just go the bomb.  He kicked it lower, and harder.  It got cut off a few times, but it also creates an issue for the defenders.

They have to read it better going in to cut it off and mark it, and if they are not fast enough, they will get hit by the leading forward.  If that occurs and a collision is the result, the ball should spill rather than be a clean mark and rebound.  This hasnt been happening because of the kicking.

Fix that and we will instantly become a much better side.