So a combination of Melbourne traffic, underestimating the travel time and my innate ability to never be on time for anything meant I got to Albury for the last half only…

My brother described the first half as ‘scrappy’… but he’s a Collingwood supporter so what would he know!

FWIW below are the notes I wrote as I watched…

Halftime score
Carlton 6 6 42
Bulldogs 7 7 49

* Houla starting up forward, looked comfortable.
* Eddie Betts kicks a Daniel Wells vs Fremantle goal grabbing it out of the air and getting boot on it before anyone realises
* Fev working up the ground hard
* Teague still brave and hard at the contest
* Scotland OK, getting a bit of the ball through the middle but seems down on intensity
* Betts with 4 or 5 very nice touches only half way through this quarter
* Good movement forward, last kick to the forwards (combined with poor co-ordination between the forwards) letting us down
* Read it on TC before but ‘spose I had to see it with my own eyes – Waite is an absolute monster!!
* 2nd goal to Betts this quarter with some quick thinking in the goal square from a tap out of a marking contest – consistently a step ahead of his opponent
* Whitnall runs the length of the ground to provide a F50 option, used after a great contested mark by Simmo on the wing – stopped a very promising Dogs counter-attack dead. Whitnall hits the post with his shot.
* Back 6 seem to have more cohesion than previously – maybe a result of the Dogs having no standout forward that is being isolated as a one on one
* Teague looks a pace quicker, throwing his body into all contests – good to see.
* Dogs shots at goal this quarter a direct result of bad turnovers with all of us on the wrong side. Not a bad thing per se but doesn’t look the best as you see all the dogs jumpers stream forward on the goal side – would be in a lot more strife if Darcy where playing out of FF
* Carrazo with the ball on our right attacking flank, tackled and ball spill free, pack descends, Murphy to the contest and in a flash takes possession and dishes a handball to team-mate running past – I was sitting not 30m from this and I didn’t see it happening – great hands!
* F50 ball up, Eddie roved and snapped, missed but followed up and kicked off the ground – third goal for the term!

Scorers:
Betts 3 1
De Luca 0 1
Houla 1 0
Whitnall 0 1

Three Quarter Time Score
Carlton 10 8 68
Bulldogs 8 11 59

* Murphy starting in the centre square – pointing and positioning others around Barnaby – good signs!
* Hard chasing and tackling – as a team!
* Eddie with a one handed mark 45 out on 45 degree angle, turn and pinpoint Murphy 40 out directly in front. Murph drags the shot right searching for the distance
* At times Thornton at CHB and Whitts at FB
* Teague again with pace big punch across a pack
* Big difference in the respective rebounding out of defence, where we run wide and pass to the wing (Whitnall, Thornton, Teague, McGrath etc.), the next kick is then to a contested situation. Whereas the Dogs take the ball and have the runners from the back flank to move the ball with pace and with one kick are on their half forward line.
* Hard chasing and pressure from Fish forces a turnover on the wing
* Tackling has been good all quarter with a major improvement on previous form being that the tackle is hard and takes the opponent to the ground – no chance to get arms free and handball away
* T-bird has had a few decisions go against him but these are more a result of lack of composure on the last line – I think this may be because he is not used to having a team mate in support and heads for the boundary. That being said there are some decisions that go against him that wouldn’t be paid if it were Mal Michael or a Wakelin – has something to do with the lack of respect given to ‘developing’ backmen vs proven talent IMO
*Umpires are crucifying us – voice going a bit hoarse offering advice to the giant snots!
* Murph with ball in the middle, threaded the eye of a needle to Fev – sublime kick. Shot at goal missed.
* Dylan McLaren looks quicker than I expected
* Chambers playing out of the backline – doesn’t get enough of it for mine – pity because I still remember his line breaking pace from last years pre-season competition
* Fev takes a great contested mark on the wing then follows up with a stupid smartarse kick around the corner aimed at Houla – immediate turnover. Frustrating is an understatement.
* Lazy snap from Houla
* Teague again shows ordinary disposal under minimal pressure from the backline, not even kicking to the advantage side of leading team mate
* Waitey barging and bullocking through the middle, beating 3 dogs to the ball, then breaking through their half tackles to open up in the centre – great to see
* Stevo with a one handed mark in the F50 after some good hard running – threaded the shot from the RH pocket
* Chambers with a great pack mark running back, then coughs it up with a clanger kick (resulting in a Dogs goal) and also manages to injure his ankle (I think) – didn’t see clearly what happened
* Nice tap and centre takeaway, Houla charging towards goal and shoots low from 60 or so, dribbles to the left for a point.
* Umpires again, Lappo with a 50 m clearance from defence, dribbles over the line in front of 2 players – deliberate… break my voice trying to re-educate the bald piece of snot who gave the free (across the other side of the park)
* Final 5 minutes, Dogs have shot themselves in the foot with 4 or 5 points all of which could easily have been goals… siren saved us but well fought out by the defensive half in the latter part of this quarter.

Scorers:
Stevo 1 0
Houla 0 2
Murphy 0 1
Waite 0 1
Fev 0 1

Final Score
Carlton 11 13 79
Bulldogs 10 16 76

Good 3 point win to the MIGHTY BLUES

Betts and Murph the outstanding positives for mine. Cohesion and a bit more mongrel and this team won’t realise the prophecies of doom posted on this site daily.

Any questions you guys have I’ll do my best to answer… although if I can’t really remember I reserve the right to sugercoat and make things up

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Newest Baby Blue Member
Tom Cameron - Born 20/03/10

Nice work dude, very indepth.

We keep hearing how Thomas is in the best every week for Collingwood... what exactly is he doing better than Murph? They're handballing to him more??

thank you very much OL

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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!

Not sure how you managed to write such detailed notes and watch the game and the same time, but who cares, it all sounds good to me. We all the good things you wrote anyway

Thanks.

great report
thanks for the time and effort to provide a terrific eyewitness account of the game.

Fantastic report orangelad, much appreciated.
How did Eddie play away from the forward pocket, did he have the tank to compete and was he finding the pill.
Marc and Eddie, class and a bit of grunt.
Ciao

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Go Blue Boys

great work mate...... good to read something useful than negative crap for once

Its pleasing to see new names in the best Simpson,Betts <Fisher.This is great news

Orangelad, where have you been all my TC life? Brilliant report!!!

You have just set the benchmark for TC match reporting.

Disappointed in you for missing the first half. In future please refer to Whereis.com.au before planning your trip.

Thanks and many more thanks.

I look forward to your next game report, and next training report.

Questions:

Would you like to see Teague in the first 22, round 1?

Who was the main ruckman, and how did he (they go)? Who eas the oppositions ruck? Who would you play in the ruck?

You mention McLaren looking quicker than expected. Was his speed impressive or is he IYO not fast? Could he make a CHB?

Scotland OK, but why do you question his intensity? Following up from his disposal to create another option, doesn't put his head over the ball? doesn't attack the ball hard enough? doesn't contest enough?

Where did Waite play, and OK he's a monster, where would he serve Carlton best this year? Could he play CHB?

Who was Whitnall's opponent, and did his opponent have a few scoring opportunities against him?

What did you think of Carrazzo's game?

What distance for goals is comfortable for Murphy?

How did Deluca go, and did he do any forwardline rucking with success?

Cheers

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Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

Fisher and Simpson are particularly pleasing for those of us still bleeding about losing Goddard & Wells in the aftermath of Black Friday 2002.

Will be interesting to see the final career comparison for these 4 players. If all 4 remain injury free, I reckon we wont have faired altogether that badly in the long run.

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"Hence you will not say that Greeks fight like heroes but that heroes fight like Greeks"?

Winston Churchill

Except we could have had all 4

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"I had to eat"

We would have cleared Goddard off as a dud by now.

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"Hence you will not say that Greeks fight like heroes but that heroes fight like Greeks"?

Winston Churchill

Traded to Saint Kilda for Kossi perhaps?

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Richard Pratt - A Carlton legend.

Were we at the same game orangelad?? YES WE WERE!!! You captured the game perfectly. Great report!!

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The problem will be made. for the solution to be sold, to your face before your eyes, tolerance is now the new danger

Eddie pretty much had a good night all round - wasn't playing solely (I know, I wrote 'sole' ) from the forward pocket. Throughout the night played in various positions in the forward half.



I did and I still didn't get there on time... just no beating genetics I guess.



Yes, but that doesn't mean that much - I have a heavy leaning towards players with scant regard for their safety but who don't have the silkiest of skills.



Bananaby most of the night, I think it was Street for the dogs (don't recall seeing Minson?) - we had our share of takeaways but it wasn't silver platter service. I did think Barny covered back into defence well.



I think it may have something to do with his size, I remember thinking he's fast for a ruckman but I suppose he is at the smaller end of the ruckman spectrum.



There are those that gather/receive the ball, put a gap on their opponents then look to dispose and there are those who when they have the ball seem to have all the time they need to dispose before getting pressured/tackled - at the moment Scotland seems to be somewhere in between - takes his time to dispose but is being caught...



I think in a year or two if Waite can keep his pace and agility with the bulk he is building then this question will be the same as 'Where does a Gorilla sit in a cinema - anywhere he f#%^ing wants to!'



One of the better players for the night - helped out by the ordinary structure of the Dogs forward half. One of the main reasons for this back 6 looking better by the week I think... stable influence and sets them up well positionally. At one point broke from his man and provided an option up the flank, ball was kicked over his head, he and Rohan Smith got to it at the same time but instead of Lance hitting full tilt slowed a bit which resulted in them knocking each other over from the combined hip and shoulder... I think this was the case of Lance thinking too much and not wanting to initiate contact, rather gather the loose ball and evade Smith... should have run through him



OK without being outstanding.



Seemed to struggle with a set shot kicking on the 50 arc... got under them a bit.



De Luca could be a great player for us... I think he has all the attributes to be a forwardline mis-match, is great below his knees... I think it's more the case of maturing into his body (and getting a bit angrier), maybe focusing on one grab marks would be a good idea too.

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Newest Baby Blue Member
Tom Cameron - Born 20/03/10

Thanks for your summation Orange.

Only good genetics would enable one to watch the game, analyse plays and players, and write it! Even better genetics displayed by the fact that you remembered what happened and you got home safely.

I'll call you when we are in need of donors at the IVF Clinic

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Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

Great follow up orange - nicely done.