AFL Rd 14 2023 Pre Game Prognostications Carlton vs Gold Coast

[Thryleon]

We've played the MCG around 30 to their 3 in the same 5 year time frame, Thry.
We usually have around 8 or 9 games there each year
...and 5 times already this year.
But only one win and a draw.
So the argument is more which side will it suit best.
They have some speed and the open spaces may be to their advantage.

I was being a bit facetious lods.  We haven't played football well at all lately.

[Lods]

I was being a bit facetious lods.  We haven't played football well at all lately.

I get it Thry,
We might turn up there, but we sometimes don't turn up there. ;D

[kruddler]

Despite being on the wrong side of the win/loss record of late, its been largely due to our poor kicking. Consistenly poor kicking.

I think we are due to find the big ones on a more regular basis this week. Together with the GC/MCG factor, i agree with Lods that it could be a big win. As long as we get out of the blocks early and get some momentum up, we'll be ok.

[townsendcalling]

Great article in The Age on Harry McKay. Well worth a read.
Psychology student, Coleman Medal giver: There’s more to Harry McKay than meets the eye https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/psyc...5dh5u.html

[PaulP]

The article is behind a paywall.

"When Michael Voss said nobody worked harder on their game than Harry McKay, it was more than just glib spin from a coach sticking up for his star forward.

This is a player who moved from Richmond to the seaside to be closer to the chilled waters of the bay for his recovery; who has installed a steam room at his home; who hired a sprint coach in the off-season. Teammates say he is the hardest worker at the club. He is so devoted to his football they joke he does not have time for a girlfriend.

"I don't think any girl could be with him until he's finished his career," teammate and close friend David Cuningham laughed this week.

This is the side of McKay fans do not see when their only exposure to the forward is the two hours on game day. Like many professional athletes, there is more to Harry McKay than meets the eye.

Key forwards, like fast bowlers in cricket, are not meant to be smart. McKay is a thinker. A deep thinker. Some might even say an over-thinker. At a time when McKay is battling mental demons in front of goal, it will amuse some that he is studying psychology at uni.

Key forwards are supposed to be mean and snarly, eager to inflict pain. Think Tony Lockett, Barry Hall and Jonathan Brown. McKay is a well-mannered giant who praises reporters for a thoughtful question and, according to his father Peter, "won't stick a knee in the back of someone's head just to hurt them".

McKay, who plays his 100th game on Sunday, is also a thoughtful and sensitive soul. Two years ago for Christmas, he framed his Coleman Medal to give to his parents. At the height of his goalkicking yips, he spoke openly about his anguish at the effect his on-field problems had on his teammates, coaches and parents. It made for tough listening at home.

"It is hard to hear as a parent your child worrying about us," his mother Tracey said. "That's a lot of pressure on a child to worry about their parents. In the context, it's his vulnerability showing out. That's not necessarily a bad thing. You've got to understand your vulnerability and address it to be able to move forward."

Said his father: "We're not walking around town with our chins on the ground because Harry's missing goals."

What they are pleased about is McKay, an optimist, has finally acknowledged a problem, and sought help to rectify it.

"That's why he's taken a little while to say it's not quite working the way he wanted to," Peter said.

Do not confuse any sense of denialism with a lack of work ethic or hunger. If the pained expressions on his face after he misses a goal tell you anything, it's that he should not take up poker – and that he cares.

From the moment he walked into Princes Park and saw how hard Marc Murphy and Kade Simpson trained, McKay knew how much work was required to succeed at the top level.

"He's always thinking about footy and how to get better," Cuningham said. "Every decision he makes is footy related. He's actually studying psychology, so there you go.

"In terms of the footy side of things, he's bought a steam room he uses at home. He's recently moved to bayside so he can do recovery very conveniently. Off-season he sees that as a big opportunity to improve his game. He hired a sprint coach."

Former teammate, and housemate, Jed Lamb, remembers McKay's "obsessive nature". He would be leaving training while McKay was doing extras with the assistant coaches, catching balls and honing his forward play.

"It got to the point where the boys would take the piss out of him because he was the first there in the morning, last to leave," Lamb said this week.

"I was given the arse two years later, and he won the Coleman – so I guess it's no secret," Lamb added with a laugh.

Nic Newman quickly clicked with McKay upon his arrival at Carlton for the 2019 season. Coming from Sydney, where he had played some decent but inconsistent football, Newman was eager to take a more dedicated approach to his game.

In terms of professionalism, Newman said, McKay was "if not the best, then close to the best I've seen", which speaks volumes as he came from the famed Bloods culture.

McKay may be quieter than most, but Newman admires the leadership he has shown behind the scenes in helping foster a more inclusive culture at the club, especially among the younger players.

Harry Lemmey, a draftee from last year, has taken a particular shining to McKay, following his older namesake like a "shadow", Newman said.

McKay has also been supportive of Cuningham through his lengthy injury struggles, constantly reminding his teammate how much faith he has in him.

"He's at the forefront of making others better – and that's allowing them to be comfortable and being in their own skin, not fear being a bit different," Newman said.

"It'd be a bit boring if all 45 of us are the same. It can happen at footy clubs, you get a bit institutionalised in terms of what we say, how we act. He's been pretty big with that stuff.

"He knows who he is as a person. That's something he should be really proud of. He doesn't waver for anyone, really strong in his convictions for who he is, how he thinks about things."

Those principles were evident this week when McKay called out fans who hurled abuse over the players' race in proximity to kids eager to get close-up to their heroes.

"A lot of people might go 'I don't want to upset the Carlton faithful by telling members to pull their head in'," his father said. "He's a man of principle.

"You've got grown men and women who have had a gutful of beer abusing and swearing and cursing. They really should have police there. It's quite intimidating for young kids.

"I've never challenged anyone because that's my son, but I have challenged them to keep their opinions to themselves if they're loud and screaming."

The McKays, who sit among the crowd in the family section, accept player sledges from fans come with the territory, but they believe fans overstepped last week.

"We know how hard it is as supporters. We had kids that would give everything for their team to win every weekend," Tracey said. "There would be tears at home if they didn't win. We know how much it means to the fans. There's a line of decency you don't cross. We never did as supporters, and the vast majority don't."

There would not be a player who has not had a rough patch during their career. McKay is going through his now. Whether he needs to train smarter rather than harder, he will figure out. What his coaches and teammates are confident of is he will emerge on the other side better for the experience.

"Some people make the argument you need to step back, he's too wired up – I think he's got the balance, he can have a laugh and relax," Newman said. "He still does a decent job of that.

"If there was a knock on him at all, it's around that he invests so much. If that's the knock you're going all right."

[Micky0]

Absolutely love this.

Those abusive supporters gave us all a really bad name - I want them named and shamed and memberships - if they have them - removed.  We have no right to tell personal abuse at players for losing a game ffs! We can be frustrated we can be angry we can be anything we want, but as Harry’s mum says in this article, there is a line of decency that should not be crossed, and they bound over it. Scumbags.

Yesterdays at my kids bball game another parent - who doesn’t follow AFL but knows I am Carlton - immediately brought up the abuse and said it was everywhere apparently, Carlton supporters screaming at their players that their families should be embarrassed! Your supporters are feral, they said to me.

I was on level 2 and missed it all until seeing it on the news and reading it here. Absolutely unacceptable.

[Lods]

I've read enough, our next Captain

[northernblue]

Nice read, thanks for posting.
It’s good to humanise footballers.
Also good to disprove the “theory” of people who can “look” laconic…
Lambs comments were interesting too.

[LP]

Hard to imagine the person / academic described in the article is the same one that hangs sh!zen on his brother in the podcast!

I'd be weighting my assessment on all the evidence before we elect him Australia's 1st President!

[Baggers]

Glad to see Paddy D as the sub. No disrespect to Ed C but a conservative sub isn't the answer - Paddy has earned his senior opportunities.