Post Game Analysis: AFL 2021 Rd 1: Carlton vs Richmond

[capcom]

It's a long season, and our guys should be finding ways to win when underdone, which I think from the pre-season efforts was clearly the case.

I suspect that slight underdone state is deliberate, given they want to target playing finals.

This new rule it's going to be interesting to see which club's can sustain that intensity for extended periods, if any can!

Perhaps, but why would you follow an underdone path given the opening 6 rounds are crucial to our chances?

[ElwoodBlues1]

Setterfield was disappointing and needs to take a long hard look at himself with that effort in the back pocket. LOB and SPS are copping it and rightly so but we can't carry players who won't attack the ball properly.
We are still a soft team with too much left to too few and highlights the difference between  those players and the ones who do commit to the contest each week like Sam Walsh..

[ElwoodBlues1]

A few players had shockers.

All will be better for the run.

LOB shouldn't play 1s again till he has kicked a dozen doors over in the 2s.

His lack of composure is staggering...

He is finished imo and I'd be trying other kids like Stocker, Cottrell, Honey..

[Raydan]

The effort deserved better than a 4 goal defeat, yes we ran out of tickets and to a point it's unacceptable, however game running can not be replicated, if this is still the case in round 5 then i'll be concerned.

The main difference between the two sides was the midfields willingness to run both ways, Richmond had 6 players streaming back to clog up their back line, we had our mids jogging 10 meters behind their opponent, I look at Dow, Setterfield and the biggest culprit CRIPPS! Cripps is only effective if he gets first hand on the ball which was impossible when middle of the road Nankervis was creaming Pitonett at centre bounces getting taps to dangerous places, and of course Dow & Cripps were flat footed every time.

Can someone please explain why when our captain (Docherty) was kneeling down, getting to his feet and show pony half heart Bolton pushes him with two hands in the head, only O'Brien came in to remonstrate, who got grabbed by Nankervis and didn't take a backward step either. Just poor team ethos.

There is not enough team in Carlton at the moment, one in all in.

Great - Walsh, our shining light and beacon of hope, runs all day and has no fear.

Good - Fisher, Gibbons, Saad, Weitering

Decent - Cripps, Silvagni, McDonald, Fogerty, Murphy, Newnes, Ploughman, Curnow

Poor - McKay, Casboult, Dow, Pitonett, Setterfield, Docherty, Jones

Terrible - Williamson, O'Brien, SPS

For Collingwood - Stocker for Williamson. Williams for O'Brien. Martin for Silvagni. SPS gets a reprieve only just. Maybe McDonald for Casboult too. Cunningham can sub.

I was waiting all last season to see Willo go back to his rookie form and it hasn't happen, I'm thinking it may never.
O'Brien needs to get back to VFL and use his running up and back, he played some good games at the end of 2019 using his run and this new game will suit him if the confidence back.
Casboult needs a run or two at a lower level to get his touch back, how many times did he drop an easy mark?

I didn't go into the game with much hope, but through the game we were more than competitive, in big stretches. We kicked ourselves out of the game in the third quarter when we had control of the game, Richmond had control in the second half of the second quarter and they kicked goals, we kicked points.

A lot to like about parts of the game, however as some have said.... different year, same game.

[madbluboy]

I think we did as well as expected.
They have won 3 of the last 4 flags and have the greatest player of all time and we were missing a quarter of our best side.
Take out Williamson, Murphy and O'Brien and bring in Williams, Martin and Betts. We win.

[capcom]

It was a weak and insipid display EB from a supposed senior player.  I'd rather play short than include him ....

A massive waste of a draft pick.

[cookie2]

Just get rid of the three letter acronyms, LOB and SPS, next week and we'll be looking a lot better.

[kruddler]

Just get rid of the three letter acronyms, LOB and SPS, next week and we'll be looking a lot better.

What about mcg?

[cookie2]

What about mcg?

Not sure about that one. I think if the first two are fixed maybe we can handle the third?

[Baggers]

Same old, same old.

Twice we allowed a succession of unanswered goals... the first succession effectively being the difference (4 in a row end of first qtr from Tiggers)... does that seem familiar. No different to last year.

You can only go by what we saw last night. And we saw the same 'promising', 'brave', 'competitive' unit that we saw most weeks last year. Same old, same old.

When in the 2nd qtr we led by 2 goals, we couldn't build on that lead... it does not seem to be in our culture - ruthlessness. Instead, from that moment on we kicked 5 gls, to the Tiggers 11 gls.

No way do LOB and SPS deserve to be selected again for next week. Fogarty was serviceable, but we need a lot more convincing.

So, we have obvious personnel problems and still have concentration/focus issues, culturally.

The thrashing we got out of the middle was embarrassing. Who's the midfield coach? Also, delivery to the forward line was appalling from the usual suspects. Saad's skills by foot should be studied by other players.

Yes, I know it is only R1. Yes, I know we played the Tiggers. But, 'Catch-up Carlton' was on display, again... giving sides a burst of unanswered to goals to effectively win the game... but, by golly, we are great at showing character to 'catch-up' and almost win - it's still there.

It's as if by having exactly the same coaching group we are expecting things to change!

There will be no proof of progress for this group until we win at least 5 games in a row, against bona fide opposition WITHOUT, a lapse (which allows the opponents to kick somewhere between 4-7 unanswered goals - apologies for the repetition on this point).

Next week?

Kennedy for SOJ.

Williams for LOB.

Martin for SPS.

And who goes out for Eddie?

As a side note, notice how with Cotchin out, how Dusty (and others) took it on himself (themselves) to do even more to cover for the loss of his/their skipper... it's in the culture at TiggerLand.