Happy Days
15-04-2014, 02:11 PM
Match Preview - Vs Carlton
Last Time We Met
Bulldogs: 16.21 117
Carlton: 13.11 89
Probably my favourite game of last year. The GOD kicked 4 and absolutely ankle broke Josh Bootsma with a step around goal; it's not exactly easy to humiliate Josh Bootsma, he's usually already done the job himself pretty satisfactorily.
3 Reasons to Hate Carlton
Not that any of you really need them, but;
1. Malthouse, who has officially reached a 9 on the Kevin Sheedy "Just Retire" Scale in the last week. I think he's trying to get them to kick wide, but I also think that Mick thinks he still coaches Swan and Pendlebury. Wore a heart rate monitor a couple of weeks ago because the prospect of a Malthouse heart attack is immensely more interesting than watching Calrton play at the moment. Plus I hear he walked out on us once upon a time, so yeah, !*!* that guy.
2. Bryce Gibbs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bvXYAazPJnA
^^couldn't attatch 2 videos (SPOILER), but this is relevant.
This guy is going to make ONE MILLION DOLLARS NEXT YEAR. I can only hope that Calrton are the ones to give it to him (under the table of course).
3. "If only we could clone Lachie Henderson..."
You know who they should clone? Someone who doesn't suck. They should find one of them!
(Henderson's actually not that bad, but I digress)
Selection Table
Us
Morris is an obvious out, which is a shame because if there's one area where we could be tested it's with their height up forward; Casboult might suck, but he can catch, and they're every chance to go against better judgement and play Henderson forward despite having no good match up for Crameri (more on that later). Despite this, if Talia can't go then I'd bring in Goodes and just back Young/Wood to be able to play past their size again. Dahl comes straight back in for Stringer, who despite being the undoubtedly sickest player on our list is giving us zero at the moment. I've seen calls for Jong to be dropped, but I think he can be used to curtail a Simpson or Gibbs (lol) if they get off the chain.
Them
Waite and Garlett will come back. It was blind arrogance to not play them last week and they won't make the same mistake twice. Menzel will come out with injury, and unfortunately for us I can't see Dre surviving the chop. Other than that, if Mick is truly planning to be more attacking this week (more on that later), then Robinson probably comes in for one of their legion of taggers.
Key Match Ups
Wallis Vs Murphy
I actually really like this one for us. Murphy's strengths do not overlap with Wallis' weaknesses. He's not super quick or elusive, the type of player that can give Wal trouble. Rather, he's a much more measured player, a good user and decision maker. These two strengths can instantly be curbed if we can cut his supply, something I'm really confident Wal can achieve. He doesn't have the ability to create the separation without assistance, and I think he can be shut down.
Picken Vs Garlett
I think Carlton made an egregious error in not playing Garlett and Waite last week; they never considered that they would actually lose the match, played swinging dicks at the selection table, and it cost them. Won't happen this week, expect both to come straight back in. Picken's brutal beating by Le Cras (and Walters in the pre season) are still too fresh in my mind to forget them completely, even after his excellent play the last two weeks. Garlett is really out of touch, but is still lightning quick and can cause problems if he can actually find the ball. If Picken can blanket him for the first quarter or so I don't think he'll be a factor, so important to keep him controlled early (duh).
Crameri/Jones Vs Jamison/Henderson
This is another one that I like for us. Fat Boy (said with love I swear!) has really shown a willingness to get on his bike and cover 90-100m out from goal, creating chances not just for himself, but for Liam "Steve Kerr in the 1998 Finals" Jones. It's all very impressive and something that I did not think possible after Round 2. I think they have to play Henderson back on Crameri; he's the only guy with enough tank to at least partly go with him, as well as the strength to compete with him one on one. Jones can take Jamison, but likewise has to be willing to work. I don't think he has the strength to compete with Jamison one on one, but definitely the pace to run him off his legs.
Knowing Mick, Henderson will play at Full Forward and kick 1.3, with Crameri giving Simon White or whatever hack they play on him a bath, but this is what I would do.
Griffen/Macrae Vs NO ONE
Tactical genius/football GOD Malthouse has come out and declared that there will be NO TAGGING this week;
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/carlton-coach-mick-malthouse-to-ditch-defensive-style-in-bid-to-trigger-response-from-blues/story-fni5f5nx-1226883872586
Look for Griffen, Boyd and Jack Mack to have no answers for the dynamic/silky/ELITE skills of Davy Ellard, Andrew Carrazzo and Ed Curnow after the game spreads from stoppages.
He can't be serious of course. I don't know if any of you realised, but Mick is a MASTER of mind games. We're all falling for his mind games, we've lost before we've even stepped out on the park. IT'S A TRAP~!
Seriously, I think we smash them through the middle. They're actually not a bad clearance team statistically, but I've got that pegged to a drastic overcrowding of stoppages (think us in 2012). They will win their share of clearances but they don't have a B to go to from A (particularly interesting given how much they favour possession football; it's almost like Malthouse doesn't know what he's doing!). Plus it's still early, and we all know what we did last year. We have a decided advantage in the ruck (Minson is out of form, but he trucks Warnock, who just isn't physical enough). Thomas is underdone and having zero influence unless he plays wide. Simpson is also severely out of touch, and far more outside anyway (look for him and Macrae to go head to head and Macrae to steal his soul). The three-headed hydra mentioned earlier can clear the ball to no one in particular, but can't go with us anywhere else.
Stylistically
I'm not 100% sold on the sweeping tactical change from Carlton, so expect more of the same; wide possession football. If we can crank up the pressure on them, then we will eventually create a turnover; they do not have the ability across the board to continually hit targets.
Where they can trouble us is if they ramp up the pressure on us leaving the back 50. As good as Wood has been, his ball skills still leave a lot to be desired (don't get me started on Goodes, the worst good kick of all time). If Garlett and Yarran can actually be bothered chasing this week then they could cause some headaches. We need to maximise the amount of times the ball leaves the back 50 with Higgins or Bob in control. For a point of reference, look to the ease with which Hawthorn can get the ball to The SUCK out of the back half and how much it helps them.
There will be a heavy reliance this week on Tom Williams, but his second half last week shows he's up to it, at least against the guys Carlton have up forward.
*Weeps openly reading this as Williams breaks femur kicking himself in the face, breaking his cheekbone*
In-Game Soundtrack
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3elPO-FSLoY
@ 36:50. Directed at Malthouse obviously.
Prediction
We got this. Dogs by 30
Last Time We Met
Bulldogs: 16.21 117
Carlton: 13.11 89
Probably my favourite game of last year. The GOD kicked 4 and absolutely ankle broke Josh Bootsma with a step around goal; it's not exactly easy to humiliate Josh Bootsma, he's usually already done the job himself pretty satisfactorily.
3 Reasons to Hate Carlton
Not that any of you really need them, but;
1. Malthouse, who has officially reached a 9 on the Kevin Sheedy "Just Retire" Scale in the last week. I think he's trying to get them to kick wide, but I also think that Mick thinks he still coaches Swan and Pendlebury. Wore a heart rate monitor a couple of weeks ago because the prospect of a Malthouse heart attack is immensely more interesting than watching Calrton play at the moment. Plus I hear he walked out on us once upon a time, so yeah, !*!* that guy.
2. Bryce Gibbs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bvXYAazPJnA
^^couldn't attatch 2 videos (SPOILER), but this is relevant.
This guy is going to make ONE MILLION DOLLARS NEXT YEAR. I can only hope that Calrton are the ones to give it to him (under the table of course).
3. "If only we could clone Lachie Henderson..."
You know who they should clone? Someone who doesn't suck. They should find one of them!
(Henderson's actually not that bad, but I digress)
Selection Table
Us
Morris is an obvious out, which is a shame because if there's one area where we could be tested it's with their height up forward; Casboult might suck, but he can catch, and they're every chance to go against better judgement and play Henderson forward despite having no good match up for Crameri (more on that later). Despite this, if Talia can't go then I'd bring in Goodes and just back Young/Wood to be able to play past their size again. Dahl comes straight back in for Stringer, who despite being the undoubtedly sickest player on our list is giving us zero at the moment. I've seen calls for Jong to be dropped, but I think he can be used to curtail a Simpson or Gibbs (lol) if they get off the chain.
Them
Waite and Garlett will come back. It was blind arrogance to not play them last week and they won't make the same mistake twice. Menzel will come out with injury, and unfortunately for us I can't see Dre surviving the chop. Other than that, if Mick is truly planning to be more attacking this week (more on that later), then Robinson probably comes in for one of their legion of taggers.
Key Match Ups
Wallis Vs Murphy
I actually really like this one for us. Murphy's strengths do not overlap with Wallis' weaknesses. He's not super quick or elusive, the type of player that can give Wal trouble. Rather, he's a much more measured player, a good user and decision maker. These two strengths can instantly be curbed if we can cut his supply, something I'm really confident Wal can achieve. He doesn't have the ability to create the separation without assistance, and I think he can be shut down.
Picken Vs Garlett
I think Carlton made an egregious error in not playing Garlett and Waite last week; they never considered that they would actually lose the match, played swinging dicks at the selection table, and it cost them. Won't happen this week, expect both to come straight back in. Picken's brutal beating by Le Cras (and Walters in the pre season) are still too fresh in my mind to forget them completely, even after his excellent play the last two weeks. Garlett is really out of touch, but is still lightning quick and can cause problems if he can actually find the ball. If Picken can blanket him for the first quarter or so I don't think he'll be a factor, so important to keep him controlled early (duh).
Crameri/Jones Vs Jamison/Henderson
This is another one that I like for us. Fat Boy (said with love I swear!) has really shown a willingness to get on his bike and cover 90-100m out from goal, creating chances not just for himself, but for Liam "Steve Kerr in the 1998 Finals" Jones. It's all very impressive and something that I did not think possible after Round 2. I think they have to play Henderson back on Crameri; he's the only guy with enough tank to at least partly go with him, as well as the strength to compete with him one on one. Jones can take Jamison, but likewise has to be willing to work. I don't think he has the strength to compete with Jamison one on one, but definitely the pace to run him off his legs.
Knowing Mick, Henderson will play at Full Forward and kick 1.3, with Crameri giving Simon White or whatever hack they play on him a bath, but this is what I would do.
Griffen/Macrae Vs NO ONE
Tactical genius/football GOD Malthouse has come out and declared that there will be NO TAGGING this week;
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/carlton-coach-mick-malthouse-to-ditch-defensive-style-in-bid-to-trigger-response-from-blues/story-fni5f5nx-1226883872586
Look for Griffen, Boyd and Jack Mack to have no answers for the dynamic/silky/ELITE skills of Davy Ellard, Andrew Carrazzo and Ed Curnow after the game spreads from stoppages.
He can't be serious of course. I don't know if any of you realised, but Mick is a MASTER of mind games. We're all falling for his mind games, we've lost before we've even stepped out on the park. IT'S A TRAP~!
Seriously, I think we smash them through the middle. They're actually not a bad clearance team statistically, but I've got that pegged to a drastic overcrowding of stoppages (think us in 2012). They will win their share of clearances but they don't have a B to go to from A (particularly interesting given how much they favour possession football; it's almost like Malthouse doesn't know what he's doing!). Plus it's still early, and we all know what we did last year. We have a decided advantage in the ruck (Minson is out of form, but he trucks Warnock, who just isn't physical enough). Thomas is underdone and having zero influence unless he plays wide. Simpson is also severely out of touch, and far more outside anyway (look for him and Macrae to go head to head and Macrae to steal his soul). The three-headed hydra mentioned earlier can clear the ball to no one in particular, but can't go with us anywhere else.
Stylistically
I'm not 100% sold on the sweeping tactical change from Carlton, so expect more of the same; wide possession football. If we can crank up the pressure on them, then we will eventually create a turnover; they do not have the ability across the board to continually hit targets.
Where they can trouble us is if they ramp up the pressure on us leaving the back 50. As good as Wood has been, his ball skills still leave a lot to be desired (don't get me started on Goodes, the worst good kick of all time). If Garlett and Yarran can actually be bothered chasing this week then they could cause some headaches. We need to maximise the amount of times the ball leaves the back 50 with Higgins or Bob in control. For a point of reference, look to the ease with which Hawthorn can get the ball to The SUCK out of the back half and how much it helps them.
There will be a heavy reliance this week on Tom Williams, but his second half last week shows he's up to it, at least against the guys Carlton have up forward.
*Weeps openly reading this as Williams breaks femur kicking himself in the face, breaking his cheekbone*
In-Game Soundtrack
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3elPO-FSLoY
@ 36:50. Directed at Malthouse obviously.
Prediction
We got this. Dogs by 30