Ok so everyone gets a does of reality and understands where Carlton is coming from, check out the results published on
FootyWireYes that's right, last year was the first time we had beaten the Dockers in a very long time, in fact they're one of a few clubs only who have a positive win record against us. Anyway it's 2009 now and we are a FAR greater team than we have been during that period.
Since we last met in Round 9 2008 at the Docklands both teams have gone through significant changes.
Blues Ins: Yarran, Hadley, Armfield, Joseph, Jamison, Thornton, Austin, Cloke
Blues Outs: Bentick, Grigg, Carrazzo, Carlos, Fisher, Edwards, Pfeiffer, Browne
Dockers Ins: Hayden, Suban, Hill, Hasleby, Hinkley, Murphy, De Boer, Pratt
Dockers Outs: Palmer, Bradley, Black, McManus, Bell, Farmer, Mayne, Crowley
Tonight even though all the stats tell us the Dockers are shockers, I have a few concerns that I"m sure the MC has addressed in the lead up fatigue/speed, of course I'm just a football of many codes addict with opinions
- Fatigue
The game against the Hawks was high intensity and quite physical. I'm sure the boys would of been sore for a few days after, with a light week on the track I'm hoping we come out with the intensity required.
- Freo's speed. Kind of linked to Fatigue. As the Hawks found out last night, a lack of legs and intensity saw them get smashed by pace and the running ability of Essendon*. I don't think Freo have as much pace as the Bombers but players like Peake, Hinkley, Hill, Ibbotson are the type of player who can get under our skin, if we don't pay enough respect to them. Today I'd be using AJ on Peake, Army on Hill, at least make them accountable and restrict the runners. If we can do this then I can't see Pav, Mundy, Hasleby, Schammer really tearing us apart.
- Big Bodied forwards. I'm expecting McPharlin and Johnson to play up forward today with Pav resting at times and Murphy pinch hitting. All players have had a day out against us at some stage the past 6 years (Says alot about us that I included Murphy in that), but in 2009 we have our complete list of defenders all playing in the same game. Bower to Johnson, Jamo to McPharlin, Austin to Murphy and Waite to follow Pav around the ground. The Dockers have scored over 94pts once this season, don't expect a high scoring game by Freo.
- Our forwards should really have a day out, Tarrant on Fev, he can kick 10 tonight but he won't, as my prediction is that Freo will double/triple team him and our midfield + Yarran/Betts will score a large proportion of our goals. We need to make Hayden, Duffield, Dodd accountable, they generate good run from the back half. We have our boy in Yarran playing with the jury out on his defensive game, apart from the select few posters who attend Bullants games on a regular basis, the rest of us just need to sit back and watch tonight, then judge for ourselves whether he needs work or plenty of work in this area.
- Sandilands? I'm tipping we will win the ruck battle with Hammer and Kreuzer. Freo are losing the hitouts this year, only by an average of 1 per game, but considering they have the man mountain they should have a positive hitout per game figure. This tells me they have no second string ruckman and if you look through the team selected they don't (as we took him
). So even if Andre dominates the hitouts, we will get a decent crack against the second stringer(s) each quarter. If we make this count in our favour then Harvey needs to keept Sandilands in the middle and can't be attacking by playing him in the goal sqaure. Will be an interesting game within a game. It's Hammer Time, lets hope he delivers!!!
At the end of the day, as always it comes down to intensity, word of the year thus far. We should win this by around 46pts if we turn up. I think we have more flexibility and a far more potent midfield than the Dockers, if we can get the score ticking over in the goal column early, then we can dictate the pace and tempo and control the matchups.
I have frigin soccer again at night (This ain't bloody pros FFV), so I'll be stuck listening on the radio again and miss the first half probably
I'm hoping my boys JR, Jamo, Aussie, AJ and Yarran have good games, I'm also hoping we don't lose as this site will be unbearable for a week.
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Pooftahs like me that don't have access to nightlink bus services either have to catch cabs or drive to the game as the first train to leave Nerang towards Brisbane after the game is 22:59. Disgrace. Hopefully the light beer tastes ok tonight, urk...
