2023: A review

[DJC]

Harry's concussion against Sydney might lend weight to my point.  He had 3 players converge on him because of a hospital kick.

That was a perfectly weighted kick to Harry’s advantage.  He had a metre on his opponent and would have clunked the mark if McCartin hadn’t backed into him.

Harry’s forward momentum and McCartin’s movement backwards and upwards caused the top of his head to smash into Harry’s jaw.

Nine times out of ten Harry clunks that mark and leaves McCartin nursing a bruised back.

McCartin was an extra at the contest, no other players were within two metres.

[LP]

Nine times out of ten Harry clunks that mark and leaves McCartin nursing a bruised back.

McCartin was an extra at the contest, no other players were within two metres.

Harry is not that aggressive, he is an angry but fair player, and opposition know it's safe to step into his way.

He needs a touch more mongrel, somebody needs to get him sorted out that AFL is not fair, and in contests like that it's either going to be him or one of them that cops a impact especially in finals! Go and watch some footage of Jack Riewoldt or Jeremy Cameron and work out why they get such clean runs, you'll see event after event of them cleaning up opponents that take the space in front of them. They cause opponents to hesitate, and that fraction of a second is enough!

Overall I thought Harry was pretty good in the Prelim, his aerobic capacity stood out, he was able to get separation from the KPDs just too far from goal to be damaging.

If anything we lacked a strategy to make space for Harry and Charlie within range of goal, which is why I assert we missed Owies who I think offers the team a smarter big picture focus.

[DJC]

Have a look at Harry's highlights:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vpuNLz4DWpk

Not so many balls kicked on his head and a few opponents feel the impact of his 105kg

[LP]

Have a look at Harry's highlights:

Not so many balls kicked on his head and a few opponents feel the impact of his 105kg

From my perspective it's no accident that the bulk of Harry's highlights come when we do not kick it on his head and he is allowed to lead onto the pill, he is almost unstoppable in that scenario.

It just makes the Prelim situation even more bizarre, we did not need Motlop and Martin flying against Harry and Charlie, instead we needed them to be front and square, or doing some of the very nice work we saw from Durdin, Cunningham or Owies to create little blocks for Charlie and Harry to get some space.

Another thing that stands out with Harry is that equivalently sized defenders can't run with him, Charlie has the defenders done aerobically, Harry is just too quick off the mark.

[kruddler]

Exactly.

Kids on his head are not highlights........unless its for the opposition.

[Gointocarlton]

just hope winning those 2 finals game doesn't cover the cracks ,we were very LUCKY this time .To take next step need to add pace speed into the team and somehow work on transition footy over summer . I DONT want to see long bombs in 24 .

There is nothing LUCKY about what we achieved either this year or winning two finals.

[Sub-Zero]

It's been mentioned that we were left with too much to do too late. That's spot on. Tiredness played its part much later, but our fight cannot be faulted. We went for more shorter passes and with success quite well generally speaking, but it can't be maintained all game. The way we long bomb, as mentioned, is also correct. More 40-45m kicks or in front of the players would be the better option, as well as more consistency and danger from our smaller forwards, with all due respect to them. In saying the part about the bombs, Newman, Docherty and Saad have big kicks on them. That's not a particular concern on my behalf really. Just some more from the smaller forwards, in particular, in positions to crumb from Curnow and Harry (the former goes alright in that department).

[Sub-Zero]

Another buzz word these days is connection or connectivity and often its implied that this refers to connection between lines (ie Def - Mids - Fwds). I often see a lack of connectivity between our fwds (ie talls - smalls). I feel lie they need to work on their structures and patterns as sometimes it looks bit haphazard. Thats what I reckon for what its worth.

Martin, Motlop and Owies are the types who want the ball to come to them, appear to be more your flankers, not your opportune roving types off the pack. They're okay at it, but it's not their main craft. Fogarty is excellent at pressure, but not on the scoreboard. One, or two players who wait for the ball to spill and get there first, rather than be a small-medium marking type, is what we need.

[northernblue]

Harry is not that aggressive, he is an angry but fair player, and opposition know it's safe to step into his way.

He needs a touch more mongrel, somebody needs to get him sorted out that AFL is not fair, and in contests like that it's either going to be him or one of them that cops a impact especially in finals! Go and watch some footage of Jack Riewoldt or Jeremy Cameron and work out why they get such clean runs, you'll see event after event of them cleaning up opponents that take the space in front of them. They cause opponents to hesitate, and that fraction of a second is enough!

Overall I thought Harry was pretty good in the Prelim, his aerobic capacity stood out, he was able to get separation from the KPDs just too far from goal to be damaging.

If anything we lacked a strategy to make space for Harry and Charlie within range of goal, which is why I assert we missed Owies who I think offers the team a smarter big picture focus.

Agree.
H needs to learn that he can retire with 400 career goals or 800, if he wants the latter he needs to impose himself on the gnats that impede his run and space.
Does he want it ?

[LP]

Agree.
H needs to learn that he can retire with 400 career goals or 800, if he wants the latter he needs to impose himself on the gnats that impede his run and space.
Does he want it ?

It's the million dollar question!

The answer is the brutal difference between a Lockett and a Ditchburn, it could be the difference between Sticks and Harry.

AFL is a brutal industry, you need to brutally push the limits to make it to the top of the tree.