About 6 weeks ago, 5 Feb 2005 to be precise, I wrote this post on The Blue View about what key things we needed to be able to beat the big teams. Look's like I got 2/3 right... but how the hell are we winning the clearances? Has someone else stood up? Without Johnno, Kouta, B and B.... how are we getting the ball out???

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Linchpins

In this apparently never ending gap between seasons, there has been a lot written about who has to step up, what needs to happen for Carlton to make the 8, who are we expecting to improve. Some of it has the usual pre-season hope, often quite forlorn - for example theres a few post expecting French to improve but really as a 30 year old man, we should be hoping for him to not drop off his 2004 performance rather than improve - some of it is incisive, and a lot is just some posters pushing for our favourite players.

In amongst all the words, I think we're talking around the idea of linchpins - who has to perform, or what position has to be filled, for us to move up the ladder. It's hard to say any of our new recruits are linchpins as we haven't seen them, and sometimes I guess the flankers are 'floaters' and not necessarily seen as a key to the team, but we have a need for three key linchpins in my mind:

3. Blackwell or Bentick in the team, on-ball
Not player specific, we need one of these guys (or perhaps its someone else) for 2 key purposes: Clearances from packs, and freedom from such a role for Nick Stevens. There was a post in here about Blackwell's handball ability from packs, something that we've missed with the retirement of Ratten (and Williams before him). There was also a post I think from BlueMark or BlueVein about how our clearances are actually OK, but our forward efficiency is poor – we give it up when we get it. The issues are linked in my mind – we might get it out but it’s a pressure kick or a dodgy haymaker. A great, fast handball from packs to a player on the move, whether it’s a Stevens, a Camporeale, a Chambers, is what we need. This is a big requirement on these 2, as they’re young and have only played a handful of games between them, but we need clever clearances to advantage. Only then will our forwards have better delivery.

You could also argue that Kouta is the linchpin in this role. After all, he has had some great games as an inside midfielder. I left him out of this give his age and potential use in many different roles, even key forward.

2. Whitnall at Half Forward
Someone has written about Whitnall as a great CHB, and there have been many posts about Setanta as a true CHF, whatever that means. The simple fact is that our forward line needs some class. We have a true Full Forward, and hopefully enough flankers out there to dob the goals. But those infamous ‘football smarts’ are required to make space for the other players. Whether its CHF or HFF is irrelevant, that key forward ‘leader’ role to organise the lines and kick 30-40 goals is something we’ve missed. Whitnall is another linchpin.

1. Livingston as Full Back
Perhaps this is my forlorn hope coming through, but Livingston at FB is really the move to allow Thornton to CHB. I don’t think anyone out there expects Livo to really turn it on, we should all be happy with serviceable after his past few years, but Livo taking this extremely difficult role allows Thornton to be released upfield. There was a game in 2004 v Melbourne where he racked up 20 possies and set up from memory 5 goals (or was part of the set-up). Incidentally, but also supporting the point, Livo took Neitz on the day and with all the luck in the world held him goalless. Its that 1-2 that we need. Sure, Teague and Norman are other’s favourites but Teague doesn’t have the size (and is too useful elsewhere) and Norman doesn’t have the size, maturity or trust yet to go there.

Bentick / Blackwell – Whitnall – Livingston – 3 linchpins to our team in 2005. I believe that if these 3 roles / players are filled adequately, the ‘strengths’ on our list will have time to shine.

There are 2 others things we need.

1. A good backup for Barney. When Barney took a rest in the GF, West Coast took over. He cannot ruck for 88 quarters.

2. We need a 3rd forward. One you can bank on for kicking 3 or 4 on a regular basis. A 40-50 goal forward. The closest we have is Lappin. I see a lot of the guys causing headaches for opposition defenders but not many capable of translating that to a big tally.

the midfield is where we will survive this year.

Midfield: Stevens, Campo, Scotland, Johno, Kouta, and throw in as required, Bentick, McGrath, Bannister.

I think its the "taggers" that have stood up and have released our main ball winners.

P.S. wouldn't have seen the post on TBV, despite its obvious quality!

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"Two roads diverged in a wood,
and I,
I took the one less travelled by,
and that has made all the difference."

Robert Frost

So.... Plan A of Kouta on the ball failed on the weekend. Come the last quarter, game in question...Kouta and French on ball... but Morrison had Kouta's measure. So what do we do for Plan B?

- In Linchpins... Bentick and Blackwell are talked about. Blackers will be given a few years to mature.
- Phoenix Johnson will talk about Brett Johnson, but I think Saturday really showed his limitations. I don't think anyone doubts his ability to get near it, but he can't dish it out, making him a lesser option.
- Bannister has a pretty good contested clearance count.

So for me, Bannister and Bentick must come in to help with clearances. Kouta can't win them all on his own, especially as his career advances. We have to have a Plan B, or a Plan C, and Stevens, Scotland and Campo aren't it.

Yeah, was pretty disappointed with Brett's game one the weekend.
With a few weeks of total domination in the VFL, I thought he would really stick it up Denis and show him why he should be in the team.

But alas, he didn't and will most likely find himself back in the VFL next week.

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Writer for SuperCoach Paige www.scpaige.com.au
Twitter - @johnfeeney24