Carlton Football Club: The Round Twelve Review

Perhaps it was the change of coach. Perhaps it was the return of some experience. Or perhaps it was some inspirational messages from the team captains. Whatever it was, it had done the job. After a long and hard week which saw Brendan Bolton out the door and David Teague taking over, the blues put their emotions aside and achieved what many thought they couldn't. Brisbane are a side that share quite a bit in common with Carlton, especially having not long ago come from similar depths. Comparisons in reconstruction continue to this day, with the lions looking somewhat better in their progress. And rightly so considering their many wins and current position in the top eight. Carlton on the other hand, have had the cloud over them. Is it the list or is it something else? Well there was no better time to answer much of the question than against the likened mob under a new man. And this weekend, the blues had proven to me they are not that far behind and do have plenty to work with over the coming years.

MARGIN

(Predicted : Real)

-28 points : +15 points

Difference: + 43

Oh how I've been longing to see more green text around these parts. 37 points down early minutes of the second quarter and I was thinking 'not again'. But then came a miracle in the form of a mighty comeback. Eight of the next ten goals over a term and a half of footy, was something Carlton fans have seen much of in recent years. There was joy in watching the boys crawl their way back with the answers. Seeing my beloved blues shut down Brisbane's young and exciting brigade not only lifted my spirits, but reignited a small flame. A flame that represented hope and the possibility of many good times not being far away. Yes, Carlton is still anchored to the bottom of the ladder and is likely to experience a little more pain with an unpleasant win-loss record tied to them. But if this was a taste of what's to come, then I'm most certainly in. I will be glad that I have fought through most of the agony to reach this point in time.

First Quarter

Like most weeks, Carlton squandered the chances forward of centre. They dominated the disposal count and the inside 50 entries, only to record three behinds. It was Brisbane's turn this time against the blues to show off their composure with ball in hand, making good out of the fewer opportunities. This included nice goal from Eric Hipwood, followed shortly after by another from a charity free kick against Dale Thomas for a supposed hold on Jacob Allison. With a few goals the momentum had swung, heaping pressure onto much of the Carlton defense as they struggled to hit targets for a few minutes off half-back. Jacob Weitering however, still was pretty much the defensive saviour for most of the term, intercepting nearly every Brisbane kick that came his way (though did have a moment to forget against Daniel McStay towards the end). Sam Walsh continued his blistering form in just game twelve, linking up nicely in the passages of play and even creating a couple of his own. 

Second Quarter
The opening minutes saw the blues continuing to be very hasty with the ball, which led to multiple turnovers and a few scoring opportunities for the lions. Brisbane got the first three through the class of Charlie Cameron, Lachie Neale and Hugh McCluggage. From then onward it was all navy blue, as Carlton steadied the ledger to leave the margin unchanged at the major break. The admirable efforts of Jack Silvagni around the goal square, saw him assist Michael Gibbons in getting the first goal for Carlton. Lochie O'Brien took advantage of a free kick and nailed the set shot from around 40 metres on a 45-degree angle. And there was no forgetting Charlie's special hook from 55 metres out to get the blues fired up. Weitering still stood out for his team in the backline, even taking on the electric Cameron and successfully stopping what almost was a certain goal to Brisbane. Walsh kept impressing whilst Patrick Cripps eased into the game and started to cause some headaches.

Third Quarter
While Brisbane got both the first and last of the term, Carlton dominated the time in-between with 9 consecutive scoring shots (5 of them being goals) on the back of superb clearance work. They turned an 18-point trailing into a 4-point advantage heading into the final change. May as well have called it the Cripps quarter, as Patrick absolutely tore the game apart and played a vital role in helping his team to snatch the lead around the 17-minute mark. He gathered 13 disposals, 6 contested possessions, 4 clearances, 2 inside 50's and 2 goals. One of his majors came from a classy intercept at half-forward. Ed Curnow was handed the role of running with Neale and did well enough, keeping him to around three touches. Gibbons took another step closer to playing his best game with a stunning second goal from the favourable bounce of a loose ball. Charlie carried on his recent purple patch by also producing his second of the match around the 20-minute mark.

Fourth Quarter

The navy blue skipper was only showing off and teasing his opponents. He kicked a further two goals, weaving through traffic for the first of them. Walsh would share a bit of the spotlight as well, running hard around the ground to finish off with his best numbers to date. Ed still gave Neale a hard time as the rest of the boys tried their best in hanging onto the lead for the entire quarter. The younger of the Curnows, delivered the remainder of the three from a nice contested grab between three Brisbane players, even after almost deciding to play on. Both Levi Casboult and Caleb Marchbank provided a little more assistance for Weitering, with each clunking a couple of their own to quash any chance of a lions victory. It was a 15-point win that brought a much-needed smile to 22 faces on the field after the tough week. And the words from the caretaker coach in his post-match press conference were all the more pleasing to hear. A weekend for proud blues fans everywhere to enjoy .

PLUSES / MINUSES

1. Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you PATRICK CRIPPS!
2. Jacob Weitering was like an All-Australian defender. His work (particularly that in the first half) was close to perfection.
3. It was nice to see Ed Curnow finally playing to his strengths. Same can be said for Michael Gibbons.
4. That five-goal third term was something I can watch all day.
5. To somehow come from more than six goals behind and win the game... what did us blues supporters do to deserve such a gift?

1. Once again, it's connecting with the forwards. The entries are horrible and need to be rectified. Forwards must communicate and midfield mustn't hesitate. Kicking to Michael Gibbons, one on one at deep forward with three tall forwards in the team just makes Carlton look silly.

2. Carlton lacks a lot of composure and can't seem to balance pace with decision-making. A good start would be for players not to take marks and play on before the pack has cleared.
3. That free to Jacob Allison against Dale Thomas in the first quarter was pathetic. Then again, the blues did get a shocking call their way later on in the match which involved Zac Fisher. So it's all square.

SCORES

1. PATRICK CRIPPS 20

2. Sam Walsh 10
3. Ed Curnow 9

4. Sam Petrevski-Seton 8

5. Will Setterfield 7
6 = Michael Gibbons 5.5

6 = Charlie Curnow 5.5

8. Jacob Weitering 4

9. Nic Newman 3

10. Dale Thomas 2

11 = Levi Casboult 0.5

11 = Kade Simpson 0.5

13. Lochie O'Brien -1

14. Zac Fisher -2
15. Mitch McGovern -3
16. Caleb Marchbank -4
17. Matthew Kreuzer -5
18. Harry McKay -6
19. Lachie Plowman -7
20. Paddy Dow -8
21. David Cuningham -9

22. Jack Silvagni -10

TOTAL

1. Patrick Cripps 148.5
2. Sam Walsh 83
3. Nic Newman 76
4. Ed Curnow 72.5
5. Sam Petrevski-Seton 64
6. Dale Thomas 51
7. Marc Murphy 46
8. Matthew Kreuzer 33
9. Andrew Phillips 20.5

10. Kade Simpson 16.5
11. Zac Fisher 16
12. Charlie Curnow 10
13. David Cuningham 7.5
14. Matthew Lobbe -2
15. Harry McKay -3.5
16. Will Setterfield -4.5
17. Darcy Lang -7
18. Harrison Macreadie -10
19. Matthew Kennedy -12.5
20. Tom Williamson -13.5
21. Jarrod Garlett -14
22 = Michael Gibbons -16
22 = Lachie Plowman -16
24. Jack Silvagni -18.5
25. Paddy Dow -19
26. Levi Casboult -20.5
27. Caleb Marchbank -22.5
28. Alex Fasolo -25
29. Cameron Polson -26
30. Jacob Weitering -28.5
31. Liam Stocker -30
32. Lochie O'Brien -33.5

33. Mitch McGovern -40

34. Liam Jones -42

THOSE WHO IMPRESSED ME

Patrick Cripps

I'd deserve egg on my face if I didn't review the main man's performance right here. He has surely had a hard time the past few weeks, but I don't think anyone could ever doubt that he'd find his way out of the darkness. This was the day of Patrick Cripps. With 38 disposals, 16 contested possessions, 8 clearances and 4 goals, he led by example and inspired his teammates into throwing everything at it for a much-needed win. Crippa started off a little rusty and made a few errors, but he came out after half time absolutely firing. He left the opposition not knowing how to stop him, cutting off their passes, bashing through contests and breaking their tackles. It was already clear to everybody, but Cripps made it all the more clearer in this game. Carlton simply can't ever afford to lose him to another team. The words from the captain himself sound promising, but it's the work on the field that will truly determine his future at the club. We can only hope that this is the start of many good things to come.

Ed Curnow

Walking into this game, I thought 'Gee, Lachie Neale is going to have an absolute field day against the struggling blues'. And it can be said he did... up until the third quarter that is. After recording 24 disposals and heavily influencing the game in the first half of the match, Teague thought enough was enough. Along came Ed Curnow to keep him quiet for the rest of the game. The move was a success, as Ed went on to really frustrate Neale around the stoppages and leave him finishing off with nothing more than 7 disposals over the last two quarters. The reliable tagger and gut-runner himself also collected 30 disposals along with 9 tackles and 5 inside 50's. He equaled Cripps in overall clearances with 8, though 4 of them were from the centre which was the most of any player on the field. Ed's work may have been overshadowed by his captain's exceptional efforts, but it was still very much important to the result. Especially given it involved hushing one of the few Brownlow fancies.

Sam Walsh

I'm not big on the Ron Evans medal and I don't believe it makes a player's career any more special moving forward. But they say it's awarded to the best performing and most promising young kid of the season. It's hard to see anybody matching both the brilliance and work rate of Sam Walsh right now, who is already breaking records in many categories. Surely he has it in the bag after 32 disposals at 81% efficiency, 14 contested possessions, 12 marks, 6 clearances, 4 tackles and 5 inside 50's. This is on the back of a very consistent year so far. Walsh was just about everywhere against the lions, finding space and taking marks to link up and push the ball forward. Not only is he a star already, but plays like a seasoned veteran and has leadership aspirations. I am so happy he is on our side. And to think that S.A. biased, attention-seeking moron whose name doesn't deserve to be mentioned, apparently went with the implication of Walsh being a mistake. Well the joke is on him!

Honourable Mentions

Charlie Curnow, Michael Gibbons, Matthew Kreuzer, Caleb Marchbank, Jacob Weitering

THOSE WHO DISAPPOINTED ME

David Cuningham

After weeks without a win, I shouldn't really be pointing the finger at any players with disappointment. But I do think certain boys in the side would be wishing they have done a little better. One of them possibly being David Cuningham. I absolutely love watching this guy in the team and I do believe his best is comfortably best 22. He has great goal sense and an ability to look calm on the run with ball in hand. In this game though, Cunners spent a lot of time both at half-forward and around the ball without really being able to penetrate the contest and use his breakaway run. He has proven in the past that he can rack up big numbers and have a big influence on the game. This time it was just the 11 disposals, 2 stoppages and 2 tackles, with no goals coming from his forward role. Definitely no risk of omission (especially after a win for the team), but all would prefer that he gets into the game a little more. His best work can make a difference.

Harry McKay

His third game without a major on the board. Big Harry couldn't shake off his opponents for much of the day. The very few times he could, he failed to make them mean something. His leading patterns are also a thing to be questioned, as he continues to struggle knowing where to run and position himself for the oncoming ball. One example of this late in the first quarter involved Cuningham tight along the boundary line, running and taking a couple of bounces. The forward 50 entry didn't help him however, as McKay decided to run towards the square and close his space off rather than run into the open field to provide a simple leading mark and chance at goal. It's the small things he does wrong that can make a huge difference, which has now and again been proven true by Carlton so far in 2019. McKay and all of his forward teammates are equally responsible for the poor connection with the midfield. There needs to be more communicating between them along with some better strategies in dealing with the pressure from the opposition's defense.

Will Setterfield

I've got to give credit where it's due. Setters did a fantastic job covering the ground and being another link-up option when he was required. The only issue however, was his ball use. Will only went at around 44% efficiency from 18 disposals to record the third lowest percentage in the game. What made it worse was that a lot of his numbers were collected on the outside. This happened to include 17 uncontested possessions, the third most for Carlton (behind Cripps and Walsh) and fourth most of any player on the field. I don't believe Setterfield is a poor user of the footy in general. If anything, it's quite the opposite. I see this kid having many assets that can make a team like Carlton look so much better. He has the occasional class and grit to create play and impact the results. This performance though, didn't do either me or him any favours. Some X factor is there, so I hope he will show a bit of it soon to make the effort in obtaining his services seem worth it.

Dishonourable mentions

Paddy Dow, Zac Fisher, Mitch McGovern, Lachie Plowman, Jack Silvagni

OTHER NOTES

- AFL and people of Marvel Stadium. You have a roof, so USE IT! Having watched the coverage, all I saw was glare on my screen. The constant shifting from the shade into the sunlight and vice versa was hurting my eyes.
- That free kick to Zac Fisher in the third term was indeed confusing. I don't even know what it was exactly for. But I guess most blues supporters would take it having seen their club on the wrong end of the count for most weeks this season.
- Loved Kade Simpson teasing Rhys Mathieson with the shotgun celebration on the mark. Didn't notice it at first but when I went back to view it, I chuckled.

NEXT WEEK

It is a rematch against the Western Bulldogs under Saturday night lights (one that has come about far too soon, but oh well). The boys will be looking for back-to-back wins for the first time since June 2017, while the dogs will be keen on making up for the horror show against the blues a couple of months ago in round five. Under Teague there is no telling what's to come, but I do have the bulldogs biting back in number two to in by 27 points. They will come fresh from the bye and take advantage of our weaknesses in fast play and forward connection. Marcus Bontempelli and Jack Macrae will star while Aaron Naughton will put on a more impressive display compared to last time. I hope none of this is the case, but I always tip with my head before my heart. Best case scenario is that the dogs continue their dodgy structures and both Cripps and Walsh carry these performances over to next week. Wouldn't mind seeing Harry McKay return with a bag like the first win.

PREDICTED LINE-UP

IN - Marc Murphy
OUT - Lochie O'Brien (Injured)

FB - Nic Newman - Levi Casboult - Caleb Marchbank
HB - Lachie Plowman - Jacob Weitering - Dale Thomas
C - David Cuningham - Sam Walsh - Marc Murphy
HF - Sam Petrevski-Seton - Mitch McGovern - Charlie Curnow
FF - Zac Fisher - Harry McKay - Michael Gibbons
R - Matthew Kreuzer - Patrick Cripps - Ed Curnow
I - Jack Silvagni - Paddy Dow - Kade Simpson - Will Setterfield

E - Patrick Kerr - Darcy Lang - Angus Schumacher - Matthew Kennedy

Western Bulldogs by 27 points

Travis "TJ" James