Post Game Passion; AFL Rd 19: Carlton vs North Melbourne

[PaulP]

Our game and the Geelong Richmond game are the only two where one club had a clean sweep of the votes. Good company I guess...............

[tonyo]

I am so tired of hanging onto players 'just in case they come good'.....

I look at the younger brigade of players that other teams are producing (think especially Swans, Lions, even Bombers), and all I can think is we are so far off the pace, it is a farce.  I don't think it's about the players we have selected - it's almost not possible to get that many wrong.  We just don't know how to turn a talented kid into an AFL footballer (blokes like Walsh and Weitering develop themselves, so they don't count).

Because our younger players are nowhere ready to play, there is no pressure on the myriad of list-cloggers that get a game every week and cruise around the ground like it's a Sunday picnic.

The lack of effort in the 3rd Quarter was ridiculous and embarrassing - in the end, it is the 22 in Navy Blue that must own up to the fact that they barely looked interested.  What we are clearly missing is the enthusiasm and energy that comes when a bunch of young guys come in and make a contribution that lifts the whole group.  Instead, we have a group that appears resigned to the fact that they will never be good enough.

I don't think I would want to be working in the Carlton Membership department over the off-season - it is going to be a very difficult sell.

[Lods]

I am so tired of hanging onto players 'just in case they come good'.....

I look at the younger brigade of players that other teams are producing (think especially Swans, Lions, even Bombers), and all I can think is we are so far off the pace, it is a farce.  I don't think it's about the players we have selected - it's almost not possible to get that many wrong.  We just don't know how to turn a talented kid into an AFL footballer (blokes like Walsh and Weitering develop themselves, so they don't count).

Because our younger players are nowhere ready to play, there is no pressure on the myriad of list-cloggers that get a game every week and cruise around the ground like it's a Sunday picnic.

The lack of effort in the 3rd Quarter was ridiculous and embarrassing - in the end, it was the 22 in Navy Blue that must own up to the fact that they barely looked interested. 

I don't think I would want to be working in the Carlton Membership department over the off-season - it would be a very difficult sell.

Quite apart from the physical and skill development, which is on the coaches and conditioning folks....

I think there are few periods in our last twenty years where we've essentially 'lost our leaders'.
The most dramatic one was probably in the early-mid Pagan years.
As the older players of the nineties retired or were moved on...
A young Marc Murphy came into a side where the leaders were guys like an aging Kouta (great player, arguably not a great leader) Lance Whitnall, Nick Stevens...and Fev

The Judd years were moderately successful but Patrick Cripps only caught the tail of that.
This was his initial leadership group in his first season 2014...

Marc Murphy ©; Andrew Carrazzo, Kade Simpson (vc), Michael Jamison (dvc), Bryce Gibbs, Lachlan Henderson, Brock McLean, Andrew Walker.

Some good, average footballers, but in terms of leadership probably only one or two had the necessary qualities.

So to the rebuild... and we look and see that only one of our 2014 leadership group remains at the club...and he is struggling to get a game.

Now with players like Weitering and Walsh we may have the nucleus of a strong leadership group, but the results of those guys influencing younger players and have them joining them in leadership positions is probably still a season or two away.

Contrast that with some of the successful clubs, where young players undergo an initiation under the guidance of strong, experienced leaders and you see another reason why we struggle.

It's a sad state that a club that once prided itself on the quality of its 'player leaders' has this more recent history of mediocrity, which has been passed down through each new generation of leaders.

[kruddler]

As good as Charlie is or can be, the only thing he has done is play 2/3rds of a game that was the equivalent of dancing with your sister!

...

Of course that doesn't mean he couldn't come in and be an instant success, but where is the reward relative to the risk?

Only thing he has done is 2 months of training! He's done a pre-seasons worth of work and played a 'practice match'.
What difference is that to if it was Round 1 this year? Because its Round 19 or whatever it is, he's still done enough work as anyone else who played in R1.

FWIW, Charlie is in at the front of the pack in terms of fitness anyway. 2x Curnows, Cottrell and Walsh lead all the time trial stuff.

As for the reward?  Confidence!
Confidence for Charlie......in understanding he CAN still play footy....not have to wait another 6 months of doubting.
Confidence for the club....in realising that Charlie CAN still play footy....not have to worry about finding his replacement.
Confidence for the team...in seeing that Charlie CAN still play footy...and understanding next year will be better.
Confidence for potential recruits....is knowing that Charlie CAN still play footy....and wanting to come and play with him.

More than enough reward imo.

[Lods]

I'd play him....

But I can understand a reluctance.
If things go bad they'll get crucified.
That mightn't be what's right....but is what will happen.

It's also probably a little different playing your first game when all around you on both sides are battle hardened.
And you and your teammates haven't played together under hard match conditions for some time.

[kruddler]

I'd play him....

But I can understand a reluctance.
If things go bad they'll get crucified.
That mightn't be what's right....but is what will happen.

It's also probably a little different playing your first game when all around you on both sides are battle hardened.
And you and your teammates haven't played together under hard match conditions for some time.

If he doesn't play, things will go bad anyway.

We need Charlie for structure. If we don't have structure, we lose, Teague gets sacked (apparantly) players decide they are better off playing elsewhere rather than go through a rebuild. Our older players are retired to make way for younger versions.....we are stuffed.

I'd argue there is more risk by NOT playing him. The risk being the club implodes, rather than Charlie getting injured.

[Gointocarlton]

I'd play him....

But I can understand a reluctance.
If things go bad they'll get crucified.
That mightn't be what's right....but is what will happen.

It's also probably a little different playing your first game when all around you on both sides are battle hardened.
And you and your teammates haven't played together under hard match conditions for some time.

Things can go bad in the 2s Lods, if it happens it happens, its one of those things I reckon. If he is ready from a structural point of view and aerobically can get through an AFL game, I'd play him even as the med sub to start with.

[Lods]

As I said...I'm for playing him.
He may be the 7 goal forward he was in his second to last game.
And be the catalyst for an upset win.

More likely he'll be a little rusty and struggle with the pace of the game.
I suspect there will also still be a bit of caution with respect to time on the ground
We'll see if they're game enough to give him a run but I'll understand if they don't.

[Gointocarlton]

As I said...I'm for playing him.
He may be the 7 goal forward he was in his second to last game.
And be the catalyst for an upset win.

More likely he'll be a little rusty and struggle with the pace of the game.
I suspect there will also still be a bit of caution with respect to time on the ground
We'll see if they're game enough to give him a run but I'll understand if they don't.

I just hope for the kids sake he can get back to even some semblance of the player he was before those retched injuries.

[Thryleon]

As I said...I'm for playing him.
He may be the 7 goal forward he was in his second to last game.
And be the catalyst for an upset win.

More likely he'll be a little rusty and struggle with the pace of the game.
I suspect there will also still be a bit of caution with respect to time on the ground
We'll see if they're game enough to give him a run but I'll understand if they don't.

agree with that but with our season pretty much done and the cupboard bare we may as well play him at afl level. 

He can't be any worse than Marc Murphy was last week.