Media prematch articles 28/3 --- Hype all about it as big men fly at home (Age)

[one-eyed]

Hype all about it as big men fly at home

    Rohan Connolly
    The Age
    March 28, 2013


All of which has served to make the hype surrounding Thursday night's MCG blockbuster between Carlton and Richmond rather large indeed. Large enough to have some veteran pundits declaring it the biggest round-one clash in memory, others pondering the consequences of heavy defeat for either combatant.

Which are? To be honest, not a lot apart from a 0-1 scoreline, with 21 chances to atone and six months in which to do it. But perhaps a little context is the price that's paid when one of 207 premiership matches over the course of a season, albeit the opening one in these parts, gets this sort of build-up.

Over the past few years, we have got used to the Blues gleefully pulling the plug on an entire off-season's worth of Tiger expectation, but this time the stakes and the risk factor have been ramped up, as much by the clubs as an over-excited football world.

Richmond coach Damien Hardwick has repeatedly embraced the notion that after just two finals appearances in 30 years, the time for a third is now. ''Rightly so,'' he said earlier this month about the expectations of the Tiger army. ''The list is to a stage now where we can probably firmly say, 'we've got a list that is capable'.''

One of Malthouse's first public utterances in his new coaching colours was to state that his playing list had the ingredients to win the flag.

''I want a healthy side, a good game plan and an attitude [of] 'we are hungry enough'. Take those ingredients, along with the stars and planets aligning, [and] we may very well have the makings of a premiership side,'' he said.

Carlton fans will try hard to temper any over-the-top reactions in the advent of a big win.

That hasn't always been easy for the Blues, but their flying start to last season, before a spectacular implosion only a month or so in, might see a little more discretion exercised now.

Richmond will have a harder time dragging out the fire hose should the Tigers turn it on.

That's what three decades of deprivation will do to a fan base. Equally, their army of passionate fans will do well to remember that should things not go according to plan, March is far too early to be thinking about microwaving membership cards.

Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/hype-all-about-it-as-big-men-fly-at-home-20130327-2guq3.html#ixzz2Ol1GVNXw

[one-eyed]

Two tribes go to war

    Caroline Wilson
    The Age
    March 28, 2013

Two new young captains, two once-great rivals claiming to be on the verge again of greatness and an anticipated crowd of 80,000 at the MCG to finally put an end to the most scandalous off - season in AFL history. These are the ingredients the game has so sorely missed.

Throw in Mick Malthouse, coaching’s esteemed elder statesman who was playing on the backline when Richmond last won a premiership and who controversially late last year became the first mentor to cross from Collingwood to Carlton and – if you didn’t already – you have a blockbuster.

Football poster boys come in many varieties but with due respect to the prodigious talents of "bad lads" Lance Franklin and Dane Swan, it is the two young men - Trent Cotchin and Marc Murphy who will lead Carlton and Richmond for the first time in round one who boast the attributes around which clubs these days try to build their culture.
Carlton captain Marc Murphy.

At the MCG on the eve of Good Friday they will be trying to build their season around a victory. Pundits usually read too much into the AFL’s opening round but even respected Richmond insiders believe that if it can finally triumph on such a big stage over Carlton then the side will make the eight for the first time in 12 years.

The stakes are equally high for the Blues, which headhunted Malthouse in a determined bid to return to the top four. A loss to Richmond, which hasn’t happened since 2008, would precede the club’s tantalising round-two clash against the Magpies.

Marc Murphy is 25, selected by Malthouse as the youngest of three contenders, largely because he believed that with the younger man beside him he could forge a dynasty for the Blues.

The most controversial act ever performed by Murphy came before he was drafted and that was to reject his father John's team, the Lions, in favour of remaining in Melbourne. He was a certain No. 1 draft choice and has prepared that way since, cloning himself on his former skipper Chris Judd.

Trent Cotchin turns 23 next week and when his predecessor, Chris Newman, stood down at the end of last season the belief was that the elder man did so because he believed the Tigers' brilliant midfielder was ready.

Cotchin too shuns publicity and controversy. Taken at No. 3 in the national draft behind former Demon Tom Scully and Melbourne skipper Jack Trengove, his headlines have been restricted to his on-field exploits, except when he rejected changing his number to Jack Dyer's No. 17 in favour of keeping his beloved No. 9.

Occasionally referred to as ''grandpa'' by his teammates, the engaged-to-be-married Cotchin attended a club leadership camp late last year where the most damning assessment of his qualities was that he could perhaps spend more time out among the boys.

The game comes as rival clubs continue to jockey for the right to host the Thursday night game. With the equalisation debate accompanying the start to the 2013 home-and-away games, the two clubs will potentially share $700,000 in gate takings alone.

Despite Richmond's failure to reach a grand final since it lost to Carlton in 1982, the club currently boasts more than 51,000 members - Carlton 43,000. The Blues go into the game favourites but the late money has come for the Tigers.

Richmond has lost the past four season openers by an average of more than 40 points and AFL boss Andrew Demetriou confirmed that the Tigers' lack of competitiveness has placed their starring role in the lucrative clash at risk several times over the past four years.

"Of course we've looked at the fixture," said Demetriou, who did not attend the season opener between Adelaide and Essendon last weekend - or travel to Perth for the local derby - but will attend the Thursday night game.

"We've made no secret of that and other clubs have queried it also. But regardless of where these two teams are on the ladder, this is just one of those amazing rivalries.

"No one's ever forgiven Neil Balme for taking out Geoff Southby in the grand final 40 years ago, or Vin Waite running around shirtfronting everyone. Where Richmond is concerned, we don't really know what they are capable of. They get these great crowds and attract great memberships now and they've got this latent supporter base without having had any success.

"Lord knows how successful they could be if they started consistently winning."

Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/two-tribes-go-to-war-20130327-2guvl.html#ixzz2Ol22u7lj

[one-eyed]

Men on a mission

    Robert Walls
    The Age
    March 28, 2013

It's only one game, but Thursday night's round-one clash between arch rivals Richmond and Carlton carries much weight. The Blues have won the past four season openers between the pair and in each year have had a better season than the Tigers.

Both sides will be desperate to win, desperate to make a statement. Coach Damien Hardwick enters his fourth season in charge, with a success rate of 36 per cent. It needs to get better, and quickly. He has urged the yellow and black faithful to get on board. Finals loom, says the coach, and September action hasn't been seen at Punt Road since 2001. So expectations are high.

Carlton has played in three of the past four finals series but didn't last year and an impatient board sacked the coach knowing Mick Malthouse was waiting in the wings. The board craves early success to justify its decisions and to encourage the doubters to buy memberships.

A lot of good judges have both teams as top-eight contenders. Maybe. But to achieve that, both clubs need a lot of things to go right. Certain players have to have good seasons if their team is to prosper.

CARLTON

Chris Judd

The dual-Brownlow medallist is still his team's most important player and still should be captain. For five years he has carried his teammates. No one wins more close-in contested ball than Judd, and it's the clearance king who invariably kick-starts the team into action.

Eddie Betts

Betts plays the difficult permanent small forward role extremely well. Since Brendan Fevola left, Betts has been the Blues' leading goalkicker over the past three seasons, and was last year's best and fairest runner-up. In the absence of reliable tall forwards, another 50-goal season from Betts is imperative.

Michael Jamison

This nice young man needs to become an on-field beast. Now into his seventh season, he has promised plenty, but delivered little. His body breaks down and he too often looks fatigued. So it's time to stand and deliver. If he can be pencilled in each week at full-back for the Blues, it would be a massive bonus.

Jarrad Waite

No. 30, Waite continues to tease. Over the past four years, he has averaged just 12 games a season. He is his team's best tall forward, but you can't build structures around him because injuries and suspensions have him missing far too often. Mick Malthouse loves to have a lead-up forward in his teams, and Waite is the ideal man for that role.

Bryce Gibbs

Unfairly, Gibbs has been a whipping boy at Carlton. Due to an ordinary back line, Gibbs has been forced to play across half-back to help out. His knockers say he doesn't win enough contested ball, but there's limits to doing that when you are asked to play the sweeper role. Hopefully, with a better, healthier back line he will be able to play midfield where he should excel.

RICHMOND

Trent Cotchin

Cotchin is the Tigers' biggest inspiration. Few 22-year-olds have earned the massive respect and admiration that Cotchin has. Finally injury free, he hasn't missed a game in the past two seasons, and in the process has won two club championships, earned All-Australian selection and is now club captain. He is set to succeed Judd and Gary Ablett as the premier midfielder of the competition.

Jack Riewoldt

The full-forward is marked harshly by the media and his club. Take the past two seasons, where he has clearly been the Tigers' leading goalkicker and, in fact, was the 2012 Coleman medallist. Good finals teams need two quality tall forwards. For most of his career, Riewoldt has been the only tall marking target, so he often gets double teamed. A fourth 60-plus goal return from Jack will set the Tigers up for September.

Brett Deledio

No Tiger covers more ground than the fleet-footed wingman, who was named All-Australian last year. Deledio is the only Richmond player ranked top five at his club for delivering the ball inside the forward 50 and for rebounding from the defensive 50. The defensive side of his game has improved and being top three for tackles and hard-ball gets in 2012 indicates he is becoming the complete player.

Ivan Maric

It's been a decade since the Tigers had a decent ruckman (Brad Ottens). Now, they have one in Maric. The ex-Crow is courageous, competitive and team-oriented. Coach Hardwick can plan strategies around the big man and another top three finish in the club B&F will set the Tigers up.

Alex Rance

Good full-backs are hard to come by, and two good seasons has made Rance a valuable player. The fearless backman can play on any sized opponent and, with Bachar Houli, Steven Morris and Jake Batchelor, is a major part of a young, developing defence.

Dustin Martin

The 21 year-old could be anything or nothing. On-field brilliance excites, while off-field misdemeanours disappoint. If he stays on track, he has the match-winning talents that few possess. In his short three-year career, he has proven himself to be a gala game midfielder - rare indeed. If coach Hardwick can extract Martin's best on a consistent basis, finals do loom.

Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/men-on-a-mission-20130327-2gur4.html#ixzz2Ol2qJcJm

[one-eyed]

Carlton can rattle Richmond defenders by going into hunting mode

    David King
    From: Herald Sun
    March 27, 2013 1:50PM

THE 2013 season, they all tell us, is a marathon and not a sprint. That's true, unless you're Carlton or Richmond.

The Tigers haven't won the first two games of the season since 1997, but success tonight almost ensures a 3-0 start. Carlton, meanwhile, could set up a mouth-watering Round 2 meeting with Collingwood with "title fight'' hype.

The result is everything as it will set these two powerful clubs on differing journeys with vastly opposing external pressures. What needs to happen? Let's crystal ball ...

THE TIGERS

Carlton's forward line has struggled to mark the ball inside the forward 50 all pre-season, averaging less than six per week, but they have continued to score via crumbing brilliance, lead by Eddie Betts. Thirty-four of their 52 NAB Cup goals have come from either snaps or on-the-run opportunities.

Richmond's fortunes rest on its ability to diffuse inside-50s without creating drop-of-ball opportunities for the Blues smalls. If their spoils fall within a 5-8m radius and at the front of the contest, Betts, Garlett and Robinson will swoop and they will score will regularity.

Betts requires a taller opponent, someone who can out-mark or release from him to blunt high-ball entries with authority. I'd back Alex Rance, who is one of the competition's best intercept players, but whoever Hardwick settles on needs to have a forward's mindset and attack the aerial ball.

One of Hardwick's secret weapons is the use of his midfield guns at full-forward. The returns are staggering.

When Trent Cotchin and Brett Deledio were targeted with a forward 50 entry in 2012 Richmond scored 60 per cent of the time - a massive number. Via Jack Riewoldt the Tigers went at 40 per cent, perhaps because the opposition defend the primary target more intently, but the uniqueness of Cotchin and Deledio will provide the Carlton hierarchy with match-up dilemmas. If the Blues fail to deny these two effectively - bingo for the Tiges.

The other opportunity is to ensure Chris Yarran defends from the deepest possible position - the defensive goalsquare. The benefits are two-fold as it stifles his run and carry influence, denying maximum damage and also, as witnessed in the NAB Cup Grand Final, he is vulnerable when made to defend one-on-one.

The final stages of the game - the two-minute drill - is a major query as we all expect the result to be in the balance late. If Richmond holds a lead, then icing the clock must become the responsibility of the senior players.

In 2012 they failed the test of temperament and composure, losing eight games by 22 points or less and recording a draw against Port Adelaide. Have they matured? Will the recruitment of Troy Chaplin help in this area? Leaders must lead through action not voice alone.

What Richmond must do:

DO NOT "soft spoil" in the defensive 50m

USE star power at full-forward for lengthy periods

EXPOSE Yarran deep

LEADERS must lead late



THE BLUES

CARLTON has many assets and ways to also obtain victory tonight.

The Blues can destroy the Tigers' defensive method if they play brave and instinctive football. Richmond will press very high up the field when the ball is in their forward 50, a method perfected by Hardwick when at Hawthorn and administered by Ross Smith over the past 18 months.

But it has been sporadic throughout the pre-season period, both in-game and at training. Carlton must play on, maintain speed on the counter-attack, run and take space with ball in-hand and promote overlap runners.

They can't allow the Richmond defence to reset and reorganise after each possession. Jeff Garlett and Andrew Walker charging goal-side of their opponents could create easy scores.

Mick Malthouse doesn't tag in the midfield, as a rule, and I wouldn't expect that would change as he sets the initial platform, but the use of Bryce Gibbs in there will be influential. If Deledio is in the middle I'd expect Gibbs to oppose him with the view to exposing Deledio in Carlton's forward half. It's not a tag per se, but an on him/off him mentality regarding which team has possession.

Gibbs must kick goals as a midfielder. He managed only eight last season, albeit not as a mid, but tonight presents an opportunity as the Tiger midfield tend to value attack over defense.

Carlton's prime asset is the harassment returns of Eddie Betts, Garlett and Mitch Robinson. If they bring their A-game defensively, their work will not only provide turnovers but genuine excitement and momentum igniting euphoria amongst the Carlton unit.

They can open old Tiger wounds as Richmond have looked like rabbits in the spotlight in recent seasons exiting their defensive end. Hunt Rance, hunt Chaplin, hunt Bachar Houli and hunt Ben Griffiths to reap rewards.

Above all else, Carlton must maintain the faith in the system that Mick is promoting. Believe and trust that the grind of consistency will provide success. Anything outside of those thoughts will not allow for instinctive football and will erode the team aspects of Mick's plan.

Jeff Garlett

What Carlton must do:

PLAY with speed on the counter-attack via play-on's and overlap runners

THE midfield must hit the scoreboard - Gibbs in particular

HUNT and harass. Put the sights on Rance, Chaplin, Houli, Griffiths

BELIEVE and trust the plan

http://www.news.com.au/sport/afl/carlton-can-rattle-richmond-defenders-by-going-into-hunting-mode/story-fnelctok-1226607655009

[Damo]

Cotchin too shuns publicity and controversy. Taken at No. 3 in the national draft behind former Demon Tom Scully and Melbourne skipper Jack Trengove

Caro.

YOU ARE A DISGRACE

[Mopsy]

Cotchin too shuns publicity and controversy. Taken at No. 3 in the national draft behind former Demon Tom Scully and Melbourne skipper Jack Trengove

Caro.

YOU ARE A DISGRACE

Typical off all Journalists, they just don't do their homework 

[gerkin greg]

What an epic fail from the old bag

[tony_montana]

 

[Smokey]

Good article from Cameron Ling, better than the cookie-cutter crap we have had shoved down our throats for the past couple of weeks.

Cameron Ling - The secret to winning big games
Last Updated 28/03/2013 9:10 AM

Big games in front of huge crowds at the MCG are why you play the game and there will be 88 blokes champing at the bit to get their 2013 underway on Thursday and Monday.

It sounds funny, but the most important thing to do as a player ahead of these types of games is ignore the hype. You know it's a huge game and you really want to beat them but somehow you need to push that out of your mind completely and focus on the little things that do the job for you each week.

It will hit you when you run out onto the 'G in front of 80,000 people, and it's then when you want the adrenaline racing, not in the days leading up to a big match.

Full article at: http://www.sportal.com.au/afl-news-display/cameron-lingthe-secret-to-winning-big-game-227843

[gerkin greg]

Yeah Malthouse used to say that he'd send a scout to opposition training before a big game and if they were absolutely flying and up and about he knew he had them beat because there's no way you can sustain the required intensity over a couple of days and inevitably you end up being flat for the game.

[tony_montana]

yep, don't play the game in your head prematurely. Do the prep work to the best of your ability, and then trust in yourself on gameday. It works. I used to play my round of golf in my head prematurely before a big pennant day and on the day by the 14th 15th hole I was mentally gone and didnt give a poo anymore. Dont think about it, focus on the basics and the rest will take care of itself.

[Smokey]

I used to play my round of golf in my head prematurely before a big pennant day and on the day by the 14th 15th hole I was mentally gone and didnt give a poo anymore.

Had nothing to do with the fact you are no good at golf?

 

[Smokey]

If you want a long and detailed preview analysis of tonight's game then go here:

http://www.footytragic.com/blog/2013-match-preview/feature-match-carlton-vs-richmond-preview/

A short excerpt:

"The Tigers have a clear advantage in uncontested possession and overall foot skills but this tells us little given their system, the same can be said about Carlton’s perceived tackling advantage. To put is as raw as possible Richmond play keepings off thus it should come as no surprise that the majority of their games produce below average total tackle counts and a high number of disposals.

In terms of pressure the Tigers turnover production is the impressive indicator here. Both Carlton and Richmond produce few turnovers but for Carlton’s fourth ranked tackling output their opponents ranked dead last for turnovers, whilst the Tigers opponents were second overall. This proves how important implied pressure can be. The end goal is turnovers, they’re much more valuable and in this case it’s Richmond who has the advantage. This will be relevant to a degree on Thursday night as the Blues allowed the most opponent scores from turnovers in the competition last season. It was a 2012 Carlton season marinated with shooting themselves in the foot and against a highly skilled outfit like Richmond they will need to keep the gifts at a minimum.

Opposition turnovers may be worth their weight in gold but Carlton has an equally as telling advantage up their sleeve and that’s forward line efficiency. Inside fifties don’t represent anywhere near the same lucrative return for Richmond as they do for the majority of teams in the AFL.

Last season Carlton was ninth for inside fifties and third for marks inside fifty, whilst Richmond was second for inside fifties and ninth for marks inside fifty. These two teams were at opposite ends of the spectrum when finding forward line targets, though the Blues will be without Jarrad Waite (who also missed 11 games last year). The Tigers are crying out for a second banana to Jack Riewoldt and both their chances tonight and in 2013 hinge on it."

[Judge Roughneck]

Cotchin too shuns publicity and controversy. Taken at No. 3 in the national draft behind former Demon Tom Scully and Melbourne skipper Jack Trengove

Caro.

YOU ARE A DISGRACE

Geez Geez.

Its the fiora or Judd drafts. Its recently history.

[tony_montana]

I used to play my round of golf in my head prematurely before a big pennant day and on the day by the 14th 15th hole I was mentally gone and didnt give a poo anymore.

Had nothing to do with the fact you are no good at golf?