seanpb wrote: Good stuff.
I think this season will be a transitional year. The club as a whole needs to be patient in 2010 as we take a few steps forward, then back, then forward as the year progresses. I have every confidence there will be some great moments this year, whilst at the same time some frustrating ones... It's the same for every team.
But, as Benji said, there were positives to be taken out of the match today.
The way the Crows, as well as other teams who use it, set up and execute the rolling zone so effectively is knowing no matter who is in the team it'll be done a certain way, to the letter each and every time. For evidence of this see St. Kilda's win down in Tassie last year against the Hawks. The strength of it is to have every player on the list capable of coming in and performing their defensive duties without fault. Yeah, of course we know the Crows were missing a few guys, some very good players, but one would think players like Mcleod, Edwards and Burton probably have 1, maybe 2, seasons left in them anyway. The guys in the team today are the ones who'll have to carry them forward. And, whose to say their performances would have been better than those put in by a bunch of hungry young players making their final play for a gig in round 1? The guys in the team for Adelaide's established old guard had plenty to gain if they put in a good shift.
The way we were able to work back into the game, negating their zone in the 2nd half (with a few hiccups along the way, admittedly), was encouraging.
Waite and Walker's efforts at times during the match were very encouraging. Murphy looked to get the ring rust out of his system and contributed a few good things, the same with o'hAilpin.
Guys like Yarran and Gibbs showed their poise on a couple occasions and the run of Joseph and Bower off half back showed you can break these zones if you have a little confidence.
It wasn't an even performance, by any means. But there were little bits and pieces littered throughout that should quite rightly encourage Carlton fans for not only the season ahead, but years ahead too.
Good post sean 
|
I think the year will focus a great deal on our defensive structures and we need to IMO. Complicating that will be the need to workout who will standup up forward for us as we look to the future. I think it will be interesting, although at times painful to watch how we go about it.
