AFL Rd 3 2022 Pre Game Prognostications Carlton vs Hawthorn

[Mav]

Aliir Aliir, Fantasia, & Dixon were out injured, so that's part of the explanation. But Port shouldn't have been so crap ...

[Mantis]

The 3rd game of the season could be a high scoring shoot out style of footy. Both teams with eager and hungry new coaches. Both with enthusiastic hungry for a win players. Both love to play with a high number of handballs to keep possession and keep moving the ball forward at any cost. Will probably be a mental game where the more desperate side will win. Should probably be the game of the round. I say that being serious. Ignore past performances. This game on the big stage will be a test of will, and a test of who chokes first. I hope we win by 3 goals, but won’t be too disappointed if we fall short by a couple of goals. Two sides on the rise that should make the top 8 if injuries don’t kill their season. Both play a very exciting brand of football.

[Baggers]

Hawks won't be the easybeats we imagined. They're embarrassing Port Adelaide on their own dungheap.

Talking about ruckmen, Ned Reeves stands at 211 cm and 104 kg. He's young, 23, but the height advantage gives him a head start. McEvoy is now trying to play forward while Reeves takes the ruck. 

Their midfield includes O'Meara, Mitchell & Worpel. They have a 197 cm tall midfielder from Ireland, Connor Nash, who has the speed and agility you'd expect from a Gaelic footballer. And they've added a high draft pick, Josh Ward, to their midfield.

Up forward, they have Gunston, Breust, Mitch Lewis & Chad Wingard. Down back, they have Sicily and CJ. CJ is ridiculously athletic and has dominated so far this season after an injury last year.

Just when we thought we could take it easy after the Tigers & Dogs ...

Well said.

Any thoughts that the Dawks would be easy beats has vanished. As I was watching the game I was fully expecting Port to wake up and run over their opposition... but the longer the game went the more authoritative the Dawks became, an emphatic and impressive win. And it was a 4 qtr effort.

Yep, we'll have to be at our best.

[Baggers]

With Martin and Cerra set to return and Dow/Kemp/Motlop/Cottrell & Newnes putting in strong efforts in the Magoos... who goes out?

For mine, it's Fogarty and Setterfield. There's much to like about Setters' efforts but his fumbles/dropped easy marks are costly - his hands just aren't clean enough at present. After that it's hard to see who could make way for Dow and Co.

[kruddler]

Cerra must come back if right.
Martin probably should, but is not a monty IMO.

OMac will determine who else goes out.

Plowman last in, first out....but if no Omac, we might need him to play taller. Potentially bringing in Kemp or Young for coverage also.

Assuming OMac is fully fit,
I'd have Cerra in and Fogarty out and have Martin as the sub.

[Micky0]

This will be an interesting one… definitely not feeling as confident. In my footy tipping comp I picked Carlton for R1&2 but not sure I can for this one…

[shawny]

We should be confident to win this week. I know it’s hard considering our last 10 years but our new midfield adding Cerra back in to further strengthen us will give our forwards plenty of looks and we have too much firepower up forward for this mob.

Think the 10 day break will also help us.

Blues by 35.

[capcom]

Quietly confident ... but it'll be a hot contest for sure.

[Thryleon]

We have an additional COVID factor that needs to be considered. 

Will it run through the club and we end up with a bit of revolving door of positives?

Will players struggle with it like so many have with lethargy and not come back as spritely as they were prior to infection?

Valid questions, but ones that need to be asked.

[pinot]

Hawthorn played a game out of the box - question is whether they can repeat that performance kicking 13 goals straight.

I have my doubts - big week on training track for the boys.