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appears it might not be wanted... but I'd just like to say that Army and I see eye to eye!
So its the halfway mark of the season and what have we learned?
Well the most obvious thing we have learnt is that the goals will not be as scarce as hen's teeth like some 'experts' predicated. The Carlton forward-line did not descend into its own El noFevo effect. Nothing dried up up. No goal drought, no empty spaces where the only thing happening was the scratching of crickets' legs to ease the emptiness of the forward structures given the departure of the rain cloud that was once our full-forward. Instead we found a new structure.
We found a big Irish man working his butt off at full-forward. Setanta came from hurling, came from the game that first hinted that a lad would one day be the greatest Irish hero of all. Like his namesake, the Irishman came to us from that game and now prowls our forward line waiting to inflict damage upon our opponents. It is not just his goals, but his ability to bring the ball to ground, he is rarely out-marked, and its what he does with the ball when he is not in range, like that pass to Waite in the first on Saturday that set up Simmo's goal. At his feet we have found the runners, the express speed of Garlett and the class of Yazz have been added to Eddie's skills in the forward-line. Add Robbo's grunt and exuberance and Houla's class and defensive ability to shut down dangerous half-back flankers and then add into the mix Waite or Hendo and the others that drift in and out and we have discovered a forward line that knows how to kick goals by spreading the load around.
The speed of that forward line matches the speed also injected into the back-line. Tex and Army and JR and AJ give us serious speed coming out of defence and into attack. Speed is the best defence against the zones, against the structures other teams place against us because it takes the ball further, faster. It makes a mockery of the defensive lines. Our worst losses this year have come when we have not run, have not used speed to break through the lines. If we fall into building our own fallible Maginot Lines then we fall quickly into our enemy's hands. We must continue to run and run and trust the speed of our players and their developing skills to deliver by foot. Let JR run, or Army and the opposition reel under the onslaught and then find themselves awash in a sea of navy blue. It is not so much what we are cooking as what we are letting loose. The defence has become solid and will only get better as we get games into the lads. We need Bower back with Tex and Jammo and then we have excellent flexibility. Its a solid, reliable defence that can quickly become an offensive weapon and that is the best way to crack the other team's forward structures. Leave them in our wake as the lads stream forward.
Of course there is the midfield at Carlton. And what a glorious midfield it is. Judd, the Goliath of the competition, but backed up with the a-grader that Murph has become, the class of Gibbsey and Carrots who does his job each and every week. There is Simmo who might just about be the most under-rated player in the competition. Haddles or Brock doing the grunt work and then there are the rucks. Kruise of course, who reminds me more and more of Big Nick, the way he strides across the turf, he even seems to walk like the great champion of old. Sauce and Warnock have both complimented him beautifully with Sauce's development a real bonus for the team. He takes a good grab and doesn't mind creating space with his body for the runners. Hammer has not played yet but is coming back from injury and doing well in the Bullants. Hammer and Warnock are putting pressure on Sauce and give us the luxury in ruck stocks that we at Carlton have not seen for many a long year.
In fact its the added depth that has really surprised me this year. Depth in players like Browney and Ando, in the young Lucas and Robbo and others that has really surprised me this year. We have used a lot of players already because we have had our share of injuries but this year players coming in seem to understand their jobs and slot in easily to fill the shoes of the injured player. Its obvious all the players know what is required of them and what they must do for the team if they want to taste success. Its been a while coming and a pleasure to see. Take T-Bird on the weekend, given a new role and off he went into the forward-line to kick 2 goals. A player re-inventing himself as he grows to understand what is required in this new Carlton team.
So in the end its hats off to Ratts and his co-coaches and support staff. The players know what is expected, seem fit and fresh and full of run. The skills are up and the side is capable of various styles but always trying to utilise their strengths while weakening their opponents. It is only halfway and there is along way to go, though no further really than this Friday when we take on the Shinboners but if the boys stay focused on the task at hand and if they remember to run and break the lines and to chase and harass when they haven't the ball, if they keep adding to their terrific tackle count, then I am certain its finals again this year and, finally, I feel confident saying, and who knows how far we can go? How far on the wings of speed? On the feet of pressure, on tackles and pin-point delivery? Only time will tell, but soon, very soon, it will be our time and then, oh then we will all have some tales to tell, let me tell you!
Go Blues!
Setanta for 6
Simmo B.O.G.
A 10 goal smashing!
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This type of slight is alien in the more cultured part of the world - Walsh. Its up there with mad dogs, Englishmen and the midday sun!
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