This is gonna be a tough one. Just can't see how we are going to penetrate them.

You slow the play down and you play right into their hands, they will stifle you and squeeze the life out of you like Friday night against the Dogs.

You try run and carry against them and their tackling pressure is probably best in the AFL (yes, ahead of Collingwood), they hunt in packs and come straight at the player, inevitably, one of the links in our chain will cough it up if that happens.

Looks like we are going to taken them on, let's hope it works out but I'm not confident at all.

ask Milne.

_________________
"I had to eat"

Wait until they fall asleep?

_________________
"One of my favorite philosophical tenets is that people will agree with you only if they already agree with you. You do not change people's minds." - Frank Zappa

You know what....going a tad to early, getting ahead of ourselves. The players may have read this thread!
Maybe we should refrain from looking to far ahead
We're not that good yet

_________________
I see you watching me watching you.

Fair enough-I take your point. I think he has played some ok games every so often when he desperately needs a good one, but for someone about to become a 200 game player I would expect a lot more.



It is a bit unfair to criticise the Saints style of play - the only style of play that matters is a winning one. What would you have preferred? a narrow 2 point win ala Saints over Bulldogs in a scrapfest or a 50 point loss in an "entertaining" goal fest. I would take the 2 point win.




What is the bet the Saints will be stung by all the adverse media attention and will come out with a goalfest against their number one whipping boys - the Blues.


If we lose this one it may be difficult to get back in the 8, so much competition. The top six are pretty much locked in barring serious injuries, so that leaves Carlton and five other teams to fight over the last two spots. It doesn't look promising.




Would like to see Kreuzer become a weapon somehow...not sure how but it would be great if he could kick one or two goals and dominate the ruck. Asking a lot I guess, but it would be great.

WE ARE GOING TO GET SMASHED!!!!

_________________
Delulio is a member of TISM

Interesting. I just don't like the idea of Warnock & Jacobs in the same side. Both can really only play in the ruck, which is limiting. We need to play 2 ruckman but I think it's a choice between Warnock & Jacobs, with either Kreuzer or Hammer as the other ruckman. Maybe when Hammer, with his freak agility, gets back into the side it will free Kreuzer to play a non-ruckman role in the midfield (wing or perhaps inside mid?).

Anyway, this week I reckon -

In: Robbo, Waite, Wiggo
Out: Brock, Hendo, White

The timing of Hadley & Grigg's injuries is unfortunate because Brock had a shocker on Sunday IMO. It was always going to take some time for him to settle into a new team etc - but his inability to spread when we win it, and to pick up a man when they get it, hurts the team. The MC might persist with him, but I'd get Robbo in the side on the back of a very good game on Saturday as a midfielder/forward who tackled hard and used the ball well on most occasions.

Wiggo's been in cracking VFL form this year. I know that we can't always read too much into that, but I think he could play the role Hendo has been playing and he's another hard body who can also be used in a number of other roles if required (HB, HF, Wing). He's shown he can hit the scoreboard at the Dome, so I would give him a go just ahead of White (who has done OK - showed some promise up forward yesterday - but just lacks a bit of pace & leap for a 190cm player). Hendo will be OK, but I think he needs a run in the VFL to get back some form/confidence.

Not a particularly flash looking forward line on paper, but the focus will be on closing speed and ferocious tackling to cause turn overs in our forward half, and constant movement to upset their defensive structure. AJ will probably get a tagging role on one of their defenders to close down their run off HB, with Armfield (or maybe JR?) getting the job on that rat Milne.

Armfield Jamo JR
Simmo Bower Waite
Robbo Gibbs Scotland
Carrots Carlos AJ
Betts Wiggo Yarran

Kreuzer Judd Murphy
Inter: Garlett, Hoops, Jacobs, Lucas

If JR doesn't come up, either Lucas plays that role (and Brock stays in the team)- or we play the extra tall/medium defender in White or T-Bird (and go ahead with dropping Brock). I just can't see Browne, Joey or Johnson forcing their way in at this stage...

_________________
It's never as good as it looks and it's never as bad as it seems.

Unleash Simon (the new Richard Dennis) White as a tall half forward flanker. Can mark, kick and apply defensive pressure in the fwd line. Mark my words, we will get 30 goals out of him before the end of the year.

_________________
If I want your opinion, I'll give it to you!

THE SKY IS FALLING ON MY HEAD!!!

_________________
Click here to follow TalkingCarlton on twitter
TalkingCarlton Posting Rules

Not sure about that but I would be more than happy to see him in the team for the rest of the season.

No we're NOT !!!!!!!!

Not saying we gonna win either but I have feeling this will be a lot closer than our last game !!!

2 shockers in row would be REAL disappointing !!!!!!!!

_________________
BRING BACK PERFORMANCE BASE PAYMENTS !!!

Did you want us to kick it to the 18 Saints jumpers permanently stationed in our forward 50? Our tactics kept St Kilda to 4 goals and had us two and a half goals in front in time-on of the last qtr - pretty effective tactics for 115 of 120 minutes. If you want to gift-wrap possession to the Saints, by all means blindly boot it into forward 50 and watch Fisher, Gilbert and Goddard combine for 40 marks between them.

I know what you are saying about the quick ball movement but the reality is that only on a couple of occasions a quarter will you get a quick enough and clean enough clearance to spot up a forward in any space against this mob. Otherwise you'll just have to be patient and move it laterally until an opening presents itself up forward.

Going to the sterile-dome on a Monday night to watch the latest installment of 'tackle-ball' would have to be one of the least enticing fixtures in the AFL calendar. Good luck to the hearty souls of TC that are brave enough to venture out to see the Blues this week - I hope your team rewards you for the sacrifice because it won't be a pleasurable spectacle to witness.

_________________
"You've got no fear of The Underdog, that's why you will not survive"
- Spoon, 2007
- Western Bulldogs, 2016

Gerard Healy showed on OTC footage of stagnant Doggie forwards not helping to create targets.
Saints 18 man backline looked penetrable from 55-60 metres out. Black Magic (also known as Setantas little helpers) to carve up the Saints backline.

Thornton for White
Waite for Henderson
Hadley for McLean (if Hadley's knee isn't right, then Robbo)

Garlett lucky, Robbo unlucky

_________________
Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

The boys should be setting themselves to win this one - very close to them last year when Riewoldt kicked 5. Allowing for some improvement from us, I think the coaching staff should be putting it to the playing group to rise to the occasion and prove themselves - a three-week period with 2/3 victories against top 4 sides would be some sort of progress in terms of consistency. That said, I wouldn't be writing the season off if they lose - sure falling to 3 and 4 with a trip to Adelaide to come would be a worry but things get a lot easier after that. I'll be happy with 4 and 4 after round 8.

I think the biggest challenge is to stay focused on maintaining our structures on Monday night - the Dogs forgot about the strongest aspect of their game and we should learn from that - I'm not saying take no notice of the fact that the Saints flood back - but don't get scared about kicking it inside 50 to our advantage in a contest - the Saints play well as a team but 1-on-1 contests with Dawson, Gilbert and even Fisher should be the aim. Having our forward line stay out of each other's way and not crowd the marking contest is crucial.

And finally, I struggle to see us getting 'smashed' - we're playing against a side that has battled to kick goals for the past 3 weeks - Kosi struggles, we have good match-ups for Milne and Schneider, Goddard forward is the only real concern - as long as Dawson doesn't kick the winner against us again - hopefully he has his hands full with Carlos.

Changes
In: Waite, Robinson/Wiggins (I think these guys are remarkably similar in what they bring to the table, Wiggo is probably more accomplished at the moment but in terms of development Robbo should get the nod - either way, I'd rather Grigg or Hads but no luck on that front)
Out: Henderson, McClean

Understand the calls for White to be dropped but in my book, Jamo should have been on Dawes not White. Give him a role as HB/HF flanker and see how he goes.

The 'we will get smashed pundits' are basing their predictions on our mids not working hard enough and if they don't then it could get very ugly...hopefully we will show up this week as we did against the Cats...

_________________
"Truth, for the tyrants, is the most terrible and cruel of all bindings; it is like an incandescent iron falling across their chests. And it is even more agonizing than hot iron, for that only burns the flesh, while truth burns its way into the soul"     — Lauro Aguirre

Out: Henderson, McLean
In: Waite, Robinson/Wiggins

Bad luck for Grigg and Hadley who both looked in line for a recall before getting injured.

White might be lucky again and get another game if only because he has shown that he could be moved forward.

I have a feeling that this game might surprise people and be another shoot out.

Prefer not too many changes. Henderson still very young especially for a tall. Have liked his attitude and general skills most weeks. He'll get better but might get more than one or two stints in the 2's as he develops. It is not necessarily a bad thing.

Expect that Jacobs will get a few games in a row unless they are really bad. He got picked on form so would give him another week or two. Would like to see Warnock get some real form before he is back. Hammer back and firing in a few weeks time will put further pressure on these two. And lets not forget that all of these blokes are very young in ruckmen terms.

Garlett had a quiet one against the pies but 2 good games prior to that. I'd keep playing him as more games than not we will benefit.

Not much between the teams. Tactics and execution of zones etc very important as in most weeks now.

I dont care if other teams play Monday night but for us in WA it sucks. Yet another game of radio only and then a 'live' replay after the game has finished. Too bad if you work or have kids that need to do homework/whatever.

If these tactics are the way forward for our game the AFL should step in and zone areas like netball.

Gold.

_________________
"It was like calling your ex girlfriend after a night on the booze, just a really bad decision".

Fair enough, but has White ever played as a permanent fwd? In WA? Juniors? Cazz, Gilly, BV and the likes may know.

Be interested to know .... that goal he kicked was unbelievably good if he meant it. He shaped the drop punt from left to right from the boundary. Has anyone seen him kicking for goal at training?

Like to see him have a few more opportunities, he's quick, strong bodied and skillful by foot ... if he can match his work rate, he might be offering more up there than Hendo at the moment.

_________________
"It was like calling your ex girlfriend after a night on the booze, just a really bad decision".