Post Game Parlay: AFL 2019 Rd 3: Carlton vs Sydney

[jeza]

Jeza...second year blues implies a pretty good first year and I wouldn't have said his debut year was that good. My point is that we seem to be recruiting blokes who can't kick properly. We seem to get slaughtered when we turn it over...which happens a lot.

There's no easy answers and I appreciate that, but like most, the frustration seems to be just never ending and we are almost totally reliant on Cripps at the moment and that's not healthy for him or the team. Even Nic Newman...I was rapt to get him in as I thought his long, penetrating kicking would be handy...but even his disposal is all over the shop. I know we miss Williamson but the fact is he's played about 15 games all up and we don't have anyone in the backline who you'd back in to run with it and hit a target up the field. Then we have midfielders who can't hit a target.

I reckon you're selling him short.

OK - you disagree but don't state it like it's fact that 2018 was a rubbish year for O'Brien's. It was actually pretty good by the finish when he'd gone past Dow - I thought anyway. Had 20 and 22 disposals in those last 2 games (and used the ball really well) for a young guy with a light body in a putrid team that is a sensational effort.

I was glad to see him playing 2s this year though as I do wish some of these very light-framed kids got a lot more time to develop off-Broadway before being thrown to the hungry pack of wolves that is our supporter base.

[Thryleon]

I reckon you're selling him short.

OK - you disagree but don't state it like it's fact that 2018 was a rubbish year for O'Brien's. It was actually pretty good by the finish when he'd gone past Dow - I thought anyway. Had 20 and 22 disposals in those last 2 games (and used the ball really well) for a young guy with a light body in a putrid team that is a sensational effort.

I was glad to see him playing 2s this year though as I do wish some of these very light-framed kids got a lot more time to develop off-Broadway before being thrown to the hungry pack of wolves that is our supporter base.

Hmmm.

O Brien was less than convincing in year 1.  The question marks over his selection appeared last season, and they remain this season.  I think calling it second year blues is being generous and agree with WAsurfer that it implies his first year was at least goodish to use some slang english.

I was unconvinced by him last year, and remain so this year.  Sure, they might be second year blues, but he is the category of never was rather than has been.

We had a bloke named Kane Lucas on our list once.  This appears to be history repeating.

https://afltables.com/afl/stats/players/...Lucas.html

Like you though, Im willing to give him some time.  The expectations on these youngsters is astronomical sometimes, but in this case the issue isnt his performance its the lack of promise in the performances.

[jeza]

The expectations on these youngsters is astronomical sometimes

On that point we are in 100% agreement.

18 years old weighing 70-something kilos playing in an abject misery of a team and we're going the glass is half empty!

I don't know how well you remember those last 2 games of his last year but I think he's being sold short. There was 1 other game which he was really good - maybe Hawthorn I think. It's a bloody good achievement for a kid and full credit to him.

He was pretty rubbish against the Swans but he'll bounce back from that.

[ElwoodBlues1]

I'm not a real fan of OBrien as yet but we need to keep playing him given the investment  was high(pick 10), he needs to get a lot of ball and use it well to compensate for his lack of contesting and physicality. I take the point that not all players can be Patrick Cripps in terms of hunting the ball but the smaller Zac Fisher shows more intensity.

Swans with their contested rolling scrum style probably wasnt the ideal team for Obrien to return against...Gold Coast who play a more open running game like Port
should suit him better. I think he needs to gain a yard in pace too....his style at senior level requires more speed IMO and I want to see him carrying the ball more.

[kruddler]

So roughly the same as our spoon years under Pagan?
Things can only get better I guess.

It looks bad if you look at it like that, but thats without any wins.

Lets say this week we have a win against Gold Coast. A modest scoreline of 87 - 70.

Our % would jump to 85.5%.

If we had a day out and had a 100-60 scoreling, our % jumps to 91.7%

Lets say we have another 'honourable loss', go down 70-80...our % still jumps, 78.2%

We simply are not THAT BAD, especially considering we've played 2 top 6 sides from last year already.

[flyboy77]

I'm not a real fan of OBrien as yet but we need to keep playing him given the investment  was high(pick 10), he needs to get a lot of ball and use it well to compensate for his lack of contesting and physicality. I take the point that not all players can be Patrick Cripps in terms of hunting the ball but the smaller Zac Fisher shows more intensity.

Swans with their contested rolling scrum style probably wasnt the ideal team for Obrien to return against...Gold Coast who play a more open running game like Port
should suit him better. I think he needs to gain a yard in pace too....his style at senior level requires more speed IMO and I want to see him carrying the ball more.

It was sheer stupidity to pick him against the Swans....

[WASurfer]

Agreed fly...made that point last week before the game that going in without any support for Cripps was crazy. Would love to know the reasoning behind the non-selection of Kennedy given his VFL form the week before...similary with Silvagni. Neither of them are quick which I think we all agree on, but against Sydney it appeared like a logical selection?

I'm just hoping we can lift ourselves up a few rungs otherwise it's gonna be mighty embarrassing handing that pick one in the draft to Adelaide...even though they're not travelling that well either at the minute.

[kruddler]

It was sheer stupidity to pick him against the Swans....

I said the same in the pre-match.

[PaulP]

I said the same in the pre-match.

Possibly a team balance issue, trying to offset the heavier bigger bodies with some outside run and carry ? Just a thought.

[ElwoodBlues1]

It was sheer stupidity to pick him against the Swans....

Kennedy a contested player is BOG in the NB's and we pick Obrien who lacks in that area...its like calling an electrician to fix a sewer blockage.
We just make it tough for ourselves.....we dont get the basics right often enough.