AFL Rd 7 2022 Pre Game Prognostications Carlton vs North Melbourne

[Mav]

I think the reluctance to say that we should win is driven to a large degree by magical thinking: if those who post on this site state the obvious, the fates will punish us by ensuring Carlton loses. I'm assuming here that the players don't avidly read this thread. Let's hope at the least that LOB, Setterfield and Boyd don't or else they'll need therapy.

I'm happy to endorse MBB's point. I've never been the slightest bit superstitious and I won't even need to say "touch wood". Our pessimism or optimism won't affect the outcome. Yes, it's always possible there'll be a boilover. But NM has been holding up the ladder for a few seasons now and there's a reason for that. If we lose we're in a world of hurt and that prospect should be enough to motivate our players.

The greater cause for concern is the media dumping on NM from a great height, for instance on Footy Classified last night. If NM can't react to that with at least some sustained effort, then they truly are a mess. 

[townsendcalling]

Word out of Perth last week from those who were within earshot, was that the paint was pealing off the walls straight after the game with Vossy delivering an old fashioned 70's / Barassi like bake to the group!!

[LP]

I'm happy to endorse MBB's point. I've never been the slightest bit superstitious and I won't even need to say "touch wood".

The greater cause for concern is the media dumping on NM from a great height, for instance on Footy Classified last night. If NM can't react to that with at least some sustained effort, then they truly are a mess.

I'm not sure the two sentences are self-consistent.

But NM has been holding up the ladder for a few seasons now and there's a reason for that. If we lose we're in a world of hurt and that prospect should be enough to motivate our players.

You do know that Norp have defeated us 6 out of the last 7 times we've meet, 3 times when they were below us on the ladder!

We've been the archetypal "bunny" for Norp for many years now, I'm hoping Voss can change that, it would be a further confirmation that we are on the right path.

But fans expecting a percentage boosting win might be a tad disrespectful, and the idea we can toss the season on the shizen heap if we lose is extreme to say the least!

[Mav]

I'm not sure the two sentences are self-consistent.

The media can impact a club as journos and commentators pile on. It would be hard for clubs to insulate players from the media coverage, so it will have some sort of effect on the players. Coaches might use it to motivate their players in an "us vs. them" way in the hope they'll put in a big effort or ask their players to ignore it. But it's an external factor that must be addressed.  On the other hand, the thoughts of posters on CSC which are never communicated to players can't have any effect on them. The only way they might is via magical thinking that merely expressing confidence will lead to Carlton's downfall.

[Mav]

By the way, let's look at the team NM fielded against us in their big win in 2018 (with the names of players who didn't play last week for NM in bold):
Anderson, Jed
Atley, Shaun
Brown, Ben
Clarke, Ryan
Cunnington, Ben
Davies-Uniacke, Luke
Daw, Majak
Dumont, Trent
Goldstein, Todd
Hartung, Billy
Higgins, Shaun
Jacobs, Ben
Macmillan, Jamie
McDonald, Luke
Simpkin, Jy
Tarrant, Robbie
Thompson, Scott
Turner, Kayne
Vickers-Willis, Ed
Waite, Jarrad
Williams, Marley
Ziebell, Jack

This is why this notion of there being some sort of consistent through-line showing that NM has the "wood" over us is nonsensical.

In fact, this is one of the points that Footy Classified made last night. These are the players NM lost over the last 2 years:
2020: Ahern, Daw, Durdin, Hosie, Jacobs, MacMillan, Pittard, Vickers-Willis, Williams, Wood, Higgins, Brown
2021: Campbell, Atley, Dumont, Garner, Menadue, Tyson, Garner, Menadue, Tyson, Walker, Tarrant.

Ross Lyon thought that by losing half of their list over 2 seasons, NM has traded the present for the future and their young players aren't showing that they can fill out the team.

This NM side isn't the one from 3 years ago and by the way the Carlton team isn't the one from 3 years ago either (thank God).

[ElwoodBlues1]

Nth smashed us in the ruck last time and their mids led by Simpkin and Cunnington tore us a new one.
Anderson and McDonald tied a few of our prime movers up and Larkey played a blinder on a tired looking Weitering who didn't have the leg speed to go with him.
We didn't have Pittonet it was TDK on his lonesome so same deal as this time probably.Cunnington is a big loss for them given he always seems to play well vs us and is their midfield leader.
I'd expect the same tactics and we are better equipped with Kennedy back and Hewett in the middle to cope with their tagging and contested ball game which surprised us last time. Anderson if he plays will find a fitter, leaner Cripps and I don't see Weitering allowing Larkey to get of the leash like last time.
Blues by 50 points.......

[Mav]

Their debutant from last week, Paul Curtis, was a guy I threw into the mix when we were discussing small forward prospects prior to last year's draft. He plays in the style of Robbie Gray (which doesn't mean he is or will be as good as him). He also has the advantage of wearing an impenetrable exoskeleton of self-confidence which means he won't go back into his shell at any stage. Last year, he bobbed up with 4 goals in 15 minutes in the 3rd quarter to drag Western Jets to a come-from-behind win against Sandy Dragons. We need one of our many half-back flankers to lock him down.

[ElwoodBlues1]

Their debutant from last week, Paul Curtis, was a guy I threw into the mix when we were discussing small forward prospects prior to last year's draft. He plays in the style of Robbie Gray (which doesn't mean he is or will be as good as him). He also has the advantage of wearing an impenetrable exoskeleton of self-confidence which means he won't go back into his shell at any stage. Last year, he bobbed up with 4 goals in 15 minutes in the 3rd quarter to drag Western Jets to a come-from-behind win against Sandy Dragons. We need one of our many half-back flankers to lock him down.

Good call on Curtis, reminds me of a baby Lindsay Thomas minus the flopping and has that same style left foot kick on him, we like starting kids careers and our small defenders couldnt guard an elephant if it was trapped in a telephone box.
Hopefully the ball doesnt get down their end too much and Curtis doesnt get too many opportunities..

[Gointocarlton]

Word out of Perth last week from those who were within earshot, was that the paint was pealing off the walls straight after the game with Vossy delivering an old fashioned 70's / Barassi like bake to the group!!

Did any of the players start crying?

[Baggers]

In: Jack Silvagni, Liam Stocker, Lochie O'Brien, Matthew Kennedy

Out: Jordan Boyd (Omitted), Luke Parks (Injured), Marc Pittonet (Injured), Matthew Cottrell (Omitted), Will Setterfield (Omitted)

Emerg: Will Setterfield, Jack Carroll, Lachie Plowman, Matthew Cottrell