Not one single person I know or have heard suggests Young keeps a fit Weitering out.

But your line Young is going to cost us a game is such a throw away line you can say about every player on our list.

You can say it about Weitering too. I'll give it a go...if Weitering lets Lynch off the leash he will cost us! and you know what, he did in 2022. Shit can happen in the period of a game.

The point we are making is Young and Kemp are depth/developing players and have done a stellar job as depth/ developing players in the absence of Weitering and Marchbank, to help us remain undefeated. AND, Young and Kemp have not cost us a game this year.

Basically saying our list bats deeper this year than previous years. We've had 6 best 22 out in the first 2 rounds and won against 2 good teams: last years GF team and a team which boasts 15 Premiership players and triple Norm Smith Medallist.

_________________
Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

So, Weitering, Marchbank, Martin, Motlop and Hollands are all fit to go this Friday. Walsh will miss.

Personally I'd like 2 rucks, but Pittonet is really struggling with his knee, and fitness is not there.

I do not like Kennedy in the ruck. The Grigg experiment worked with Tigers chaotic, manic midfield style knocking ball forward at all costs, but it wouldnt work today. Tigers struggle without Nankervis.

I don't mind Crippa in the ruck, but like TDK, Crippa needs a rest too. Harry for a bit of a run and mix things up is OK, but dont want Harry rucking in the last when scores are close and he's taking a shot in the forwardline with fatigued legs.

Point is Pittonet will not be selected this week.

IF the above all come in, then its for Young, Kemp, Fantasia, Durdin and Cuningham, with Cuningham very unlucky (unless its Owies/ Fogarty who goes).

Some of our players with low disposal counts have clocked up KMs, tackles and heaps of Defensive Pressure Points. Talking about pressure, there's pressure for spots, and some real interest in our VFL team's performance, week in week out this year...as long as we dont have 6 out injured at a given time....geez, its 8 when you include Doc and SOS, coz imo SOS could well be taking Kennedy's spot 3rd tall fwd/ruck if he was fit.

_________________
Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

100%

More tickets just released Level 3 front rows. Got the family tickets just now because our Easter plans changed.

Here is the msg CFC sent me for Members tickets. Visit Visit bit.ly/4a1R2do and use barcode number and use barcode number

I hope we don't pull that many changes in one go. That's a lot of blokes lacking match fitness. There's a chance we'll do the traditional Carlton thing of thinking a lesser opponent is an opportunity to accelerate the process, which would fill me with ... not dread, something a bit less dramatic... concern?

I'd do Weitering for Young, Martin for Fantasia, Motlop for Durdin (possibly starting with Cuningham sub) this week, and Marchbank to come in next week, maybe with E Hollands. But I can also see the match committee wanting to give Fantasia more games to get used to our ways, in which case Motlop could be the sub and Martin for Cuningham. Difficult selection choices, great stuff.

I agree GE.

I think a measured changing of the guard would be preferable, based on a lack of game time for 4 of them.

Weiters doesn't need time in the VFL. Ditto Hollands given the preseason he's got under his belt, including 2 praccy games.

I don't think Motlop is a walk up start given the lack of match fitness. He had a lot of time off his foot. I'm sure there would be consideration for Fantasia's slow start, but he really has been our weakest link in the last 2 games.

Last year, Marchbank and Martin had half a game in the VFL before they resumed senior duties. Just don't think Martin needs VFL to find his feet. He knows what to do and only knows one way. A lot of fans don't give him credit for being a running machine, and suggest he goes missing. Ball doesn't always go to areas they run too, and I'm sure coaches factor that in. What everyone knows is when ball is in Martin's vicinity he doesn't shirk the issue. Prefer him to do that in seniors. Hard as nails.

On the other hand though, I'd prefer players to play their first senior back against North than next 2 games against better opposition in Freo and Adelaide.

Every game is important. Selection this week will be fascinating to see.

Then in 3 weeks, if not 2, Walsh returns too.

_________________
Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

P S ........... no way would i be dropping Fantasia . He is a point of difference to our usual suspects and is just finding his feet . Needs an extended run . Some of his work in our game against the Brions was pure silk don't forget .

_________________
All my dangerous friends

i think the MC will keep it simple.

Weiters for young
Elijah for durdin - DC to sub
Motlop (if fit) for Owies

fog will be untouchable given his 1%'ers and tackle pressure in the opening 2 wks. marchbank will come back through the reggies, bcos he hasn't played much over the last 4 years and kemp is plenty capable.

i've heard (2nd hand info fwiw) martin, motlop are still a week away (???) and walsh the dreaded 2-3 wks away.

You've convinced me, Mick & Bondi. Weiters for Young, Martin to take Cuningham's starting spot and Cuningham to replace Durdin as sub.

I don't know enough about Elijah to judge whether he's better than any of our wingers/forwards from the Richmond game, but given his indiscretions my general attitude is make him earn it - really earn it. Put a battering ram through the door in the ressies.

Done nothing of the sort. I've just posed a lot of questions.

Anything can happen, and I hear Tim Watson on Channel 7 News in Melbourne says Walsh is eyeing this Friday, and Weitering ready to go now.

Hollands was a standout in the preseason according the Vossy and Hansen. He is super fit and kicked goals for GCS from 50 out. Good kick.
Like everyone, needs games to fit get to know the style of his new team mates. Then again, can say the same about Fantasia.

_________________
Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

We will have a team capable of winning by 10 goals plus. Beat them by 3 goals a quarter. We are an uber fit team, coming off a rest.

_________________
Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

Fisher vs Cottrell.
That's Zac Fisher's wish for this Friday.
Would like to see that.

_________________
Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

Zac Fisher probably knows he wont have an opponent if he gets Cottrell.
You can't run 15kms in just the forward line.

_________________
Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

Come on Bondi . Don't be modest . You know you have got a lot of pull around here .........................

PS .............. incredible if true re Walsh .

_________________
All my dangerous friends

Hollands was the pre season standout? Others here were confidently saying that Motlop was the standout.

Regardless I agree that only Weitering and Martin are automatic ins, and we can’t have too many changes to a winning team.

I’m leaning towards making Elijah earn his first game the hard way, I see the sub as a toss up between Elijah and Motlop, if all those mentioned are fit and ready.

Sam Edmund reporting Weiters will play

_________________
#DonTheStash

I don't get the push to drop Owies, from memory kicked the most goals of our small forwards last year, applies great pressure and is a very good set shot.

_________________
Between our dreams and actions lies this world

Agree - Owies >>> Durdin.

Durds comes out for Motlop - he offered zero when he came on last week at a crucial stage with fresh legs.

27 goals from 50 shots last year.

21 shots from general play and, according to the xScore figures, he’s in the bottom ten for medium, mid- and small forwards in the league.

xScore Ratings https://www.wheeloratings.com/afl_stats.html?year=2023
Set Shot: 0.13
General Play: -0.73
Overall: -0.23

It’s just a statistic, but it suggests that he’s a reliable set shot (albeit from one of the lowest difficulty ratings), but an ordinary crumber.

It’s harsh, but if I ask myself ‘would we miss him?’, the answer is no… not while Fantasia is up and going. Owies’ best asset is between his ears & Fantasia has all of that and the bag of tricks.

For mine, our best forward group is going to be Curnow, McKay, Hollands, Cottrell, Motlop, Fantasia + Martin.

_________________
"The best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter" - Winston Churchill.

I would've thought Cottrell, Fantasia, Elijah and Martin all play the same medium forward role.
IMO you'd need more than 1 small forward.