Round 1: Richmond Vs Carlton

[RollsRoyce]

the most surprising thing about this game is the fact that Hardwick couldnt find room for Post ahead of some those midgets who played tonight.

Agree 100% Daniel. The forward line might have actually looked half decent with Post and Astbury in it, instead of those spuds Hislop and Tambling.

[tiger101]

sad to see tambling is only this far in his career after watching tonights performance.
especially being a number 4 draft pick 
hopefully he lifts for next weeks game.

[tony_montana]

post isnt in bc they want him to work on his power running more, he'll get a go as will astbury/griffiths gourdis. i'm glad they are going abt it like this, - everyoe will get a shot but everyone needs to work on their shortcomings as well

[mightytiges]

It doesn't help giving sides 5 goal starts. It's hard enough for a young side as it is without being forced to play catch-up footy all night. We were simply non-competitive in the first 10-15 minutes. I thought he we go again  . We then pushed numbers back and somehow got a zone structure right to plug the burst dam wall and we finally got our hands on the footy and had the play for the last 10 mins kicking 4 goals with all the mometum. Just as we got back to within 10 points Mr OPSM in Carlton's forward pays a Richmond mark (or at worst it should had been play-on or ball-up) to Betts  . Umps were as poor as we were. Some very odd decisions last night ???.

Second quarter was a repeat of the first. Blues running all over us in the first 10 mins and us fighting back in the last 10. Could have been closer is we could actually kick straight (misses from Thomson, Jacko, Blingers) and if Jack had spotted a free Thomson or Morton rather than trying to grubber a goal along the ground from 70m out  ???. Still only 19 points down at half-time with the momentum and more scoring shots. Game on I thought  .

The third quarter I thought was our most even quarter in effort even if Hardwick thought it was "diabolical". Controlled the general play for most of it but our first 4 forays forward in the first 5-10 minutes ended up in one brainfade turnover after brainfade turnover as we were streaming through the centre corridor in open space towards goal. The Blues kicked a couple of goals from them and went into 3/4 time 5 goals up and game over.

Last quarter was a repeat of the last two practice matches. Dropped our heads, became uncompetitive and a rabble. Some laughable goals conceded 10-15 out from the Carlton goal which belong more in the little league. Kicking just 2 goals in a half in such an open free flowing game is just not good enough no matter what.


Decent: Thursty, Lids, Cotch, Jack, Nason

Okay: Morton, Thomson (not a great sign if he is in our best 10), Martin, Roberts (okay for a debutant - mixture of good and not so good), Simmo (although our rucks seemed to get the tap but tap it down to the Carlton mids  ??? ), Edwards (I'm no fan and he's no small defender but I thought he wasn't too bad)


Poor: McGaune, Moore, Newy, Tambling, Farmer, Nahas, Hislop, Vickery, Connors, Jacko (no point getting the ball a lot if you're going to just give it straight back to the opposition), Cuz (was crouched down looking not right in the huddle - shouldn't have played)


Shocking last quarter after a mostly and relative competitive first 3 quarters. I guess no surprise but if we stayed within 4-5 goals by the final siren we would have walked away with some positives. The media now will only focus on the near 10 goal loss or just ignore us on-field for the rest of the season.

[one-eyed]

Pics from the game last night:

http://images.slatterymedia.com/photography/results/?q=collection:AFL 2010 Rd 01 - Richmond v Carlton&sub_code=all&per_page=100

[RollsRoyce]

post isnt in bc they want him to work on his power running more, he'll get a go as will astbury/griffiths gourdis. i'm glad they are going abt it like this, - everyoe will get a shot but everyone needs to work on their shortcomings as well

Fair enough Tony. But I think the selectors gave us no chance with the way they structured the forward line. Absolutely not enough marking options. Besides, if working on shortcomings is a criteria for being left out of the side,then why isn't Hislop told to go away and work on his kicking and self-discipline? Or Tambling (after five years) sent away to learn how to get involved? 

[julzqld]

Skills last night were woeful.  Thought Farmer and Marten were a bit quiet but Nason & Roberts at least tried.  Couldn't believe that mark they awarded to Betts?  Hello?????

[Infamy]

post isnt in bc they want him to work on his power running more, he'll get a go as will astbury/griffiths gourdis. i'm glad they are going abt it like this, - everyoe will get a shot but everyone needs to work on their shortcomings as well

Fair enough Tony. But I think the selectors gave us no chance with the way they structured the forward line. Absolutely not enough marking options. Besides, if working on shortcomings is a criteria for being left out of the side,then why isn't Hislop told to go away and work on his kicking and self-discipline? Or Tambling (after five years) sent away to learn how to get involved? 

What surprised me for such a small forward line was the lack of crumbers. Have a look at the size of Carlton's multiple goal kickers, most of those goals weren't from set shots either.

[RollsRoyce]

post isnt in bc they want him to work on his power running more, he'll get a go as will astbury/griffiths gourdis. i'm glad they are going abt it like this, - everyoe will get a shot but everyone needs to work on their shortcomings as well

Fair enough Tony. But I think the selectors gave us no chance with the way they structured the forward line. Absolutely not enough marking options. Besides, if working on shortcomings is a criteria for being left out of the side,then why isn't Hislop told to go away and work on his kicking and self-discipline? Or Tambling (after five years) sent away to learn how to get involved? 

What surprised me for such a small forward line was the lack of crumbers. Have a look at the size of Carlton's multiple goal kickers, most of those goals weren't from set shots either.

Yeah I know. Going into the game I was concerned that our undersized backline would struggle against their talls, but they didn't dominate til the floodgates opened. It was the crumbers who killed us. We had no answer for Betts and co.
We didn't get anywhere near enough from Nahas by comparison.

[jackstar is back again]

It doesn't help giving sides 5 goal starts. It's hard enough for a young side as it is without being forced to play catch-up footy all night. We were simply non-competitive in the first 10-15 minutes. I thought he we go again  . We then pushed numbers back and somehow got a zone structure right to plug the burst dam wall and we finally got our hands on the footy and had the play for the last 10 mins kicking 4 goals with all the mometum. Just as we got back to within 10 points Mr OPSM in Carlton's forward pays a Richmond mark (or at worst it should had been play-on or ball-up) to Betts  . Umps were as poor as we were. Some very odd decisions last night ???.

Second quarter was a repeat of the first. Blues running all over us in the first 10 mins and us fighting back in the last 10. Could have been closer is we could actually kick straight (misses from Thomson, Jacko, Blingers) and if Jack had spotted a free Thomson or Morton rather than trying to grubber a goal along the ground from 70m out  ???. Still only 19 points down at half-time with the momentum and more scoring shots. Game on I thought  .

The third quarter I thought was our most even quarter in effort even if Hardwick thought it was "diabolical". Controlled the general play for most of it but our first 4 forays forward in the first 5-10 minutes ended up in one brainfade turnover after brainfade turnover as we were streaming through the centre corridor in open space towards goal. The Blues kicked a couple of goals from them and went into 3/4 time 5 goals up and game over.

Last quarter was a repeat of the last two practice matches. Dropped our heads, became uncompetitive and a rabble. Some laughable goals conceded 10-15 out from the Carlton goal which belong more in the little league. Kicking just 2 goals in a half in such an open free flowing game is just not good enough no matter what.


Decent: Thursty, Lids, Cotch, Jack, Nason

Okay: Morton, Thomson (not a great sign if he is in our best 10), Martin, Roberts (okay for a debutant - mixture of good and not so good), Simmo (although our rucks seemed to get the tap but tap it down to the Carlton mids  ??? ), Edwards (I'm no fan and he's no small defender but I thought he wasn't too bad)


Poor: McGaune, Moore, Newy, Tambling, Farmer, Nahas, Hislop, Vickery, Connors, Jacko (no point getting the ball a lot if you're going to just give it straight back to the opposition), Cuz (was crouched down looking not right in the huddle - shouldn't have played)


Shocking last quarter after a mostly and relative competitive first 3 quarters. I guess no surprise but if we stayed within 4-5 goals by the final siren we would have walked away with some positives. The media now will only focus on the near 10 goal loss or just ignore us on-field for the rest of the season.

Would totally agree

[WA Tiger]

Wow didn't expect that but what the hey, just goes to show how bad we really are, at least now I can stop deluding myself that we might win a game. BTW anyone wan't to blow Edwards trumpet now........ what a terrible player, he honestly has nothing going for him, why the hell Tuck didn't play is beyond me. Don't tell me Edwards is the future....

One more question, do we have a game plan, I am sure that Wallace would have done better last night with the core group of players he had at his disposal. I am not knocking Hardwick but geez, what the hell was going on???? I don't even think the players knew.

[tony_montana]

Wow didn't expect that but what the hey, just goes to show how bad we really are, at least now I can stop deluding myself that we might win a game. BTW anyone wan't to blow Edwards trumpet now........ what a terrible player, he honestly has nothing going for him, why the hell Tuck didn't play is beyond me. Don't tell me Edwards is the future....

One more question, do we have a game plan, I am sure that Wallace would have done better last night with the core group of players he had at his disposal. I am not knocking Hardwick but geez, what the hell was going on???? I don't even think the players knew.

all preseason the players have been banging on about how excited they are about the gameplan and that they really believe in it. Obviously a rehearsed answer but will make them look silly if we keep looking like lost sheep out there.

As for the game plan the main thing we need to keep working on is defensive pressure, where to run to and when, we leak goals far too easily, blues had 11 goals on the board 10 mins into the 2nd quarter, and it was similar in the preseason games. gotta harden up and run harder!

[Infamy]

rebehinded?
Jeez, why on earth is the word ars.e on the swear list, ass isn't

[TigerLand]

Wow didn't expect that but what the hey, just goes to show how bad we really are, at least now I can stop deluding myself that we might win a game. BTW anyone wan't to blow Edwards trumpet now........ what a terrible player, he honestly has nothing going for him, why the hell Tuck didn't play is beyond me. Don't tell me Edwards is the future....

One more question, do we have a game plan, I am sure that Wallace would have done better last night with the core group of players he had at his disposal. I am not knocking Hardwick but geez, what the hell was going on???? I don't even think the players knew.

Do not suggest Wallace would have done better. Hardwick changed the structure and got numbers back after Carlton were smashes us in the middle. Got numbers back and played mroe man on man for a bit and then got the Zone pretty well done for mine. The Hardwick Zone is mile sbetter than Wallaces imitation. It was so obvious Hardwick knew the ins and out of the Zone defence compared to seasons where Wallace tried to copy it. The players clearly knew where to stand and what spots were thinner than others. On many occasions the blues coffed it up because of teh zone. In previous years we'd have been lucky for it to happen twice in a game under Wallace.

[WA Tiger]

Wow didn't expect that but what the hey, just goes to show how bad we really are, at least now I can stop deluding myself that we might win a game. BTW anyone wan't to blow Edwards trumpet now........ what a terrible player, he honestly has nothing going for him, why the hell Tuck didn't play is beyond me. Don't tell me Edwards is the future....

One more question, do we have a game plan, I am sure that Wallace would have done better last night with the core group of players he had at his disposal. I am not knocking Hardwick but geez, what the hell was going on???? I don't even think the players knew.

Do not suggest Wallace would have done better. Hardwick changed the structure and got numbers back after Carlton were smashes us in the middle. Got numbers back and played mroe man on man for a bit and then got the Zone pretty well done for mine. The Hardwick Zone is mile sbetter than Wallaces imitation. It was so obvious Hardwick knew the ins and out of the Zone defence compared to seasons where Wallace tried to copy it. The players clearly knew where to stand and what spots were thinner than others. On many occasions the blues coffed it up because of teh zone. In previous years we'd have been lucky for it to happen twice in a game under Wallace.

"Do Not", how about you don't tell me to "do not"pal!!!!!!!!!!!!! Don't agree with your comments anyway and if Hardwick knew the in's and out's surely he should not have selected EDWARDS!!! If the game plan was that good why the hell did we get flogged????? Could you imagine the margin had Fev and Judd been in the side????? We would have been been flogged by more than last year, wake up, we have not progressed anyware other than "younger players"!!!!