2018 Rd 7: Post Game Platitudes: Carlton vs Adelaide

[Thryleon]

I think the 'too slow' angle depends on who else is in the side.

In the first quarter we looked so slow....

Kreuzer , Phillips , Casboult , Rowe , Kennedy , Cripps , MacKay , Ed Curnow.....

Its over a third of our side with little to no leg speed. Throw in SOJ and today's game style of smaller
forwards with pressure and its all just too slow.

I think a fast mind and good decisions are important but when you can't chase or pressure due to
speed we have a problem. You can carry a couple but not as many as we currently do.

Speed is always comparitive.  Some players are genuinely quick, others are not.  Id wager that Ed Curnow is a much better runner than anyone else in this list.

Thing is, the ability to sprint comes with time required to rest and get your heart rate back down again.  When you combine Ed's running patterns, with his time on ground percentage of 96% you have your answer as to why players can look slow at times.

Lets face the facts a little. 

last draft combine results:

Smartspeed 20-metre sprint
Jack Petruccelle - 2.87 seconds
Kane Farrell - 2.90
Aiden Bonar - 2.90
Ben Miller - 2.91
Nick Coffield - 2.91
Ben Paton - 2.95
Brent Daniels - 2.95
Stefan Okunbar - 2.95
Jaidyn Stephenson - 2.95
Nicholas Shipley - 2.97

Have any of these guys been sighted at AFL level as speed demons?  I'd argue that they haven't (you might find one) with Stephenson definately not in the category of lightning quick.  In fact, I would state that he is one of the few players on this list I can put a face to a name, and thats because he has kicked bags in his early work with Collingwood.

Speed of mind to sum up a situation and make a decision is immeasurably more beneficial to cover the ground quickly.

Shaun Hampson was one of the best sprint testers at the draft combine.  He covered the ground well enough, but never looked quick.  I seem to recall Tom Bell was an elite runner, but couldnt run for 4 quarters.