Pre Game premonitions: AFL Rd 2: Carlton V Melbourne (Sat 13/6 4.35)

[ElwoodBlues1]

Yep SOS despite all the hype just couldn’t get the deal done to strengthen us in the middle.
Now we are again in the same position we have been in for too long already.
Hold Cripps and it’s goodnight Irene.

Said it before I'd be giving Brad Crouch a call.....available and if we spent 800k a year on MCgovern I'd be happy to spend 700k on B. Crouch...I'd then get his brother Matt the next season.

Setterfield was the bigger body SOS got to help Cripps and is still a project but appears more comfortable doing a curtailing job or playing on a wing. Apart from having a mature body you have to have someone who can get the ball 30 times and have that bit of class to hurt the opposition, you just cant stick 3 meatheads in the middle with Cripps and expect results vs the quality opposition midfields.

[LP]

Apart from having a mature body you have to have someone who can get the ball 30 times and have that bit of class to hurt the opposition, you just cant stick 3 meatheads in the middle with Cripps and expect results vs the quality opposition midfields.

This 2020 resumption is going to be very interesting, despite the season being Mickey Mouse how players present themselves is a huge tell! Teague seemed overly positive a week or so back, maybe the Terrier has earned his dosh!

I hope Setterfield has been working with Cripps sprint coach!

[Wallsy]

Personally I am of the view this Melbourne team are not mentally very strong, and with Carlton now boasting a half decent forward line I think we are a chance. But as usual success for Carlton will rest with the fringe midfielders actually having some sort of impact on the game.

[kruddler]

Yep SOS despite all the hype just couldn’t get the deal done to strengthen us in the middle.
Now we are again in the same position we have been in for too long already.
Hold Cripps and it’s goodnight Irene.

I know he's only been around 1 season, but fair crack for SOS, he did pick up the best young midfielder thats coming into the game for some time in Walsh.

I still hold out hope for Setterfield to 'magically transform' now that he is over his knee injury. He could be our biggest 'recruit' this year.

With a bit of luck Dow and Obrien have been hitting the gym and treadmill during lockdown as an added bonus.

[PaulP]

Personally I am of the view this Melbourne team are not mentally very strong, and with Carlton now boasting a half decent forward line I think we are a chance. But as usual success for Carlton will rest with the fringe midfielders actually having some sort of impact on the game.

I can't get a read on Melbourne at all. I don't know if 2019 was an aberration, or if 2018 was. Their first game this season was like ours. Asleep / outplayed for the first 1/4, maybe most of the first half, then showed something but not enough, by which time it was too late.

Meh.

[kruddler]

I can't get a read on Melbourne at all. I don't know if 2019 was an aberration, or if 2018 was. Their first game this season was like ours. Asleep / outplayed for the first 1/4, maybe most of the first half, then showed something but not enough, by which time it was too late.

Meh.

Melbournes 'form' can be very much explained by plotting injuries and/or players at peak fitness along with wins.

They go hand in hand....and this comes from within the club as well.
They knew 2019 was going to be a terrible year for them before a ball was bounced in anger.
Not sure of their thoughts thus far for 2020, but i do know they have their best 22 fit and available for selection, which is probably the first time in over 12 months.

[PaulP]

Melbournes 'form' can be very much explained by plotting injuries and/or players at peak fitness along with wins.

They go hand in hand....and this comes from within the club as well.
They knew 2019 was going to be a terrible year for them before a ball was bounced in anger.
Not sure of their thoughts thus far for 2020, but i do know they have their best 22 fit and available for selection, which is probably the first time in over 12 months.

Yes, I guess that's fair enough. Which i assume means that 2018 is a truer reflection of their ability ?

[Gointocarlton]

So this weeks player to watch (judging by the clubs media spin) is David Cunningham. In probably the most uninspiring video you'll ever see on the clubs Facebook page, Cunningham says something along the lines of "we've proven we can match it with the best", "we are confident" blah blah blah. For a bloke studying film making, his acting is atrocious. Seriously? The Club have become the maestros of spin, cringe worthy interviews and BS. Take a leaf out of Cripps book, just STFU and get your footy to a level where it does the talking. Trying to sell hope with videos like that is embarrassing. As for young David, just work on bettering 4 games in a row for now.

[Professer E]

How's about contributing in, say,  three of four quarters within the same game instead of a few cameos and a lot of "is he even out there"?

[townsendcalling]

At least 3 will come in
(Betts, McKay and the new French ruckman), so who will go out? Kruezer, possibly Fisher....Dow?  Does Stocker get a look in? There is a strong word that young Philps might get a look in.
So many questions and 2 days to wait.